How often do I have to renew my registration?

You must renew your CALA certification annually. To certify you must have earned 8 CECs and pay an administration fee.

How do I find out about upcoming workshops?

Visit the Upcoming page.  All CALA workshops, courses and conferences are posted immediately on the CALA website on the Upcoming page. If you don't see what you are looking for, please contact CALA. We are welcome new host facilities.

If I accumulate more than the minimum number of renewal credits, may I use my extra credits for the next registration period?

Yes, CALA banks your CECs. You can use them towards future recertification.

How do I apply for recertification credits from a non-CALA event?

Forward a copy of the workshop outline, length of the workshop and biography of the presenter to the CALA office for review. We will send you a confirmation of credit approval (receipts will not be accepted). An administration fee will be applied. 

What if I can't complete my recertification requirements before my expiry date?

CALA keeps a record of all your earned and used CECs. You can take them anytime during the year. Once you have enough CECs you can stop earning them for that year. Any additional CECs earned during that year will be applied to the next period.

Where do I find music?

There are many sources of fitness music: Power Music, Muscle Mixes and Dynamix, to name a few. Many music companies offer discounts at fitness conferences.  Contact individual companies to receive their catalogues.

Classes / Choreography

What are some of the Aquafit class:

• Gerneric class

• Rehabilitation - people in pain or need rehab

• Kick Box

• Water Running

• Muscle, Cardio, Endurance

• Equipment

• Suspended

• Tibatta / Hitt

• Dance (latin, line dance, )

• Fibro

• Back injury

• Hip and knee

• Water walking

• Boot camp

• Upper or Lower body focus

• Eyes closed

• Removal of a limb (ex: participants pretend they only have 1 arm)

• Back to basics

• Theme (olympics or tour de france cycling)

How do I know what bpm I should use:

• will depend on the style of class being taught

• take into consideration your participants

• are you using the music for background or choreography

• CALA recommends 110 bpm to 126 bpm

• slower classes use 60-90 bpm

• make sure you have educated your participants on the 32 count

• take into consideration the tempo being used (1/4, 1/2, T, 2XT)

• take into consideration the function of the movement (what are you working)

• make sure the music is not annoying the participants

• temperature of the water

When should I use 1/4, 1/2, T, 2XT

• how do you know what tempo to use

I do I choose the music for the class

Are Aquafit class staff for everyone

• yes, they are low impact

• body is protected by the water

• turbulence gives the body a great massage

• heart works more efficiently

• it is for everyone regardless of abilities, age, sex

Miscellaneous

Insurance

Do I need Fitness Instructor Insurance?

Yes.  You must have insurance prior to accepting any Aquafit Instructor positions. Check with your employer to find out if you are covered under their insurance. I If you aren't you must carry your own. At all times you must carry proof of insurance. You may be asked to show proof of your insurance before a facility will allow you to teach.

First Aid CPR

What happens if someone gets hurt in my class or during a training session?

Follow your CPR/First Aid training and facility procedures, document what happened.

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 cala_aqua@mac.com 

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Portable Sounds Systems:

Suggestion provided by: CALA Certified Instructor, Suzanne.. If you inquire at the stores, they’ll know the best products. In my experience, I’ve used various products—one huge boom box that was water resistant but eventually failed after years of use (depends on number classes, moisture in air, must be cleaned regularly)—one pool was salt water and over the summer months (when we weren’t there) we found a salt residue on our equipment in the fall when we returned (so I covered my boom box during subsequent summers)—I’ve stored smaller boom boxes in a closed container for protection, stored in locked shed, and this worked— The BEST means of playing music for me now is my Bose ($300) and ipod ($250) which is portable for all my classes (no need to plug it in, CDs get scratched and can no longer be used, so it’s best to download CDs, make playlists on ipod—can delete songs you don't like, on each CD). The biggest challenge is finding a boom box that plays an ipod (some instructors use these, and in my opinion, this is the ONLY way to go), but others use CDs, so I need a boom box at each of my 7 pools that plays both, and this is sometimes hard to find. You can also purchase a connector which you can plug into a boom box and your ipod (if it only plays CDs). With Sony closing its doors, you might also find some sales right now. Hope this is helpful.

Question:

Question:

Wow. So, to confirm, if the participants are working anaerobically for 30 sec they rest 3mins. I was thinking a shorter rest time with venous return etc.

Answer:

Question:

There are several possible reasons for hamstring cramps during a quadriceps stretch. I will list some causes and cautions below, do let me know what works for your participants, after you suggest the following options.
Firstly, I am assuming you are doing the standing quad stretch, during the stretch portion at the end of the class.
(a) If the water temperature is on the ‘cool’ side (less than 84° F), thermal conductivity may cause the hamstring muscle to lose heat. As the quads are stretched, the hamstrings are activated. If the hamstrings are too cold, then there is a strong possibility that a cramp will result.
I suggest integrating dynamic stretching of the quad muscles, rather than a static standing stretch. This will keep the quad and the hamstring muscles warm and may avoid the cramping.
(b) If the participants have not generated enough heat in their skeletal muscles during the ‘workout’ phase of the class, then the hamstring muscles may not be warm enough, when the standing quad stretch is performed.
I re-iterate the strategy above (a) and also suggest that you consider educating the two participants (possibly before or after the class) about how to elevate their body temperature by exercising at a higher effort level. You can demonstrate options for them to make the workout harder to generate more kinetic energy resulting in more body heat. * This is assuming the participants are healthy enough to exercise at an appropriate level of intensity to generate heat.
(c) Check to be sure that the participants are in a relaxed state of mind, body and spirit during the stretch. This can be facilitated my your tone and volume of voice, and the music you use. Remind them to deep breathe, and especially to relax their fingers and hands, toes and feet. From time to time, participants try to grip the floor with their toes and the bottom of their feet. This action might facilitate a chain of tension through the feet, the calves and then into the hamstring muscles.
(d) If your participants are having a hard time maintaining their balance during the standing quad stretch, this might cause the hamstring muscles to activate involuntarily. Encourage participants to hold on to the wall or use one hand/arm under water in a sculling action to maintain balance and to generate heat.
(e) Add a dynamic vertical repeater quad kick/ham curl movement for 16 – 32 repetitions to warm up the muscle pair, then to the standing quad stretch. Repeat on the other leg.
Charlene Kopansky, CALA Founder and President

Question:

I want to know if there is a difference between Aqua Running and Aquajogging. Is Aqua Running more specific? I know that "to jog" and "to run" are very different, but, in the water, these differences may seem superfluous.

Question :

Thanks for reading the articles on our web site. I also have a degree – Honours Biological Science with my major in Human Kinetics and a degree in Education. The double positive muscle activation refers to the following: When immersed to shoulder depth: performing knee extension and flexion: the quads will activate concentrically during the knee extension phase; the hamstrings will activate concentrically during the knee flexion. This is due to the fact that the 'location of the load changes' - water is all around the body, you are constantly pushing and pulling it (multidirectional resistance). The 'nickname' for concentric muscle action is positive muscle activation. The nickname for eccentric is negative muscle action. The lack of soreness is because of the balanced work: double concentric or double positive. While the quads are working concentrically, on knee extension, the hams are releasing - getting a fresh blood supply - so the lack of eccentric is the same as saying double concentric or double positive. Just a different way of saying the same thing. During our CALA Foundation Course, we do discuss the lack of eccentric muscle work during most movements in water.

A “Double positive” muscle activation isn’t necessarily  the technical terminology for what happens, but it beats saying “concentric-concentric”. 
B Double positive or “concentric-concentric” muscle activation means that eccentric muscle work is reduced or absent, and therefore, DOMS is reduced or absent.

C There is a "release of muscle tension" when using the opposing muscle group. Refer to the work of Dr. Herman Kabat (mid 1950s), based on the work of Dr. Charles Sherrington. Sherrington’s Laws of muscle activation ‘Reciprocal Innervation / Inhibition”, states, ”a reflex loop mediated by the muscle spindle cell …causes one muscle to relax (be inhibited from contracting) when the opposing muscle (the antagonist) contracts. This allows movement to occur around a joint. For instance, when the quadriceps muscle contracts, the hamstring is reciprocally inhibited, thereby allowing the knee to straighten”. Source: Facilitated Stretching, R. E. McAtee, HK press 1993. If the antagonist did NOT relax when the agonist activated to cause movement, we would be constantly tearing antagonistic muscles, or be locked immobile in isometric cramps.

Re: Your statement: To actually gain muscle strength, you MUST have a concentric AND eccentric phase. This is not true, otherwise, gains in strength could not occur in the water, or with hydraulically braked exercise equipment.

Question

Answer

Question

Any and all CALA arm movements are great, since they provide a variety of joint angles and forces for the arms and shoulder girdle. Emphasize a 'scapular-set' for all upper body exercise: roll the shoulders up then back, then down, and fix the scapulae (shoulder blades) low and centred toward the mid back. This is the strongest, most functional position for upper body work. The thing that needs to be emphasized for Breast Cancer clients is FULL range of motion of the shoulder joint, so the stretch section at the end of class could be increased if water temperature allows. Do a number of slow stretches overhead, interspersed with shoulder girdle adduction and abduction (round the shoulders & rotate the humerus inward, then pull the shoulder blades together, open the chest, and rotate the humerus outward by pointing the thumbs back). They could also be given some extra stretches to be done in the shower. An excellent one is to stand with your hip next to a wall (your feet parallel to the wall), and with a straight arm, trace a circle on the wall from your hip at the front ... all the way overhead...to your hip at the back. Standing close to the wall is more advanced, standing farther from the wall is a gentler stretch.

Question:

In chest deep water, have the participant stand in a ski position (one leg forward, one back), then cue the following:
• pull forward with the arms using a unison breast stroke movement, so the body is balanced over the front leg of the ski stance,
• lean forward slightly in the torso, and bring the back foot off the pool floor,
• then, bring that same heel up toward the surface of the water. No need to hang on to the heel. Note: Buoyancy will help bring the back leg up toward the surface, stretching the hip flexors and quadriceps muscles of the back leg. 

In deep water:
• get into a ski position and hold this position,
• press front leg up toward the surface & dorsi-flex ankle (stretching hamstrings, gastrocnemius & soleus of front leg), 
• pull back knee BACK behind hip; back foot up toward surface of water, stretching quadriceps and hip flexors of the back leg,
• scull with hands and arms to maintain vertical balance. After ~10 - 15 seconds, split the stretch further (open the legs). Repeat this 2 - 3X before changing sides. Again, no need to hang on to the back foot. The knee is not in danger of any inappropriate forces.

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