Acquapole revitalises aquatic fitness operations

Since introducing the Acquapole® aqua fitness product into her classes at the Parafield Gardens Swim School in Adelaide in April 2014, Master Trainer Kym A’Court has seen a transformation of her facility and feels that the Australian and New Zealand markets needs to look to Europe and the USA where, as she explains, “people of all ages and fitness levels have already discovered and understand the enormous benefits of working out in the water.”

Recalling her introduction to the product, she states “two years ago, I was lucky enough to have the amazing Aqua Fitness product, Acquapole®, come into my life.

“After 17 years running a swimming centre and being involved in the swimming and aqua industry in Australia I had never seen such an innovative and exciting product.

“Aqua Aerobics in Australia seemed to be suspended in time with managers and owners of swimming facilities happy to continue doing what they had always done, resigned to the fact that this particular part of their business was always going to be the same group of regular seniors with their bubble caps attending one or two classes, week in and week out.

“However, we saw an area of our business that had room to improve, something we could grow, imaging that if we could change the demographic of our aqua classes: if the Mums and Dads attending our swim school with their children started booking into aqua classes; and if we changed the look, feel and perception of our aqua program, we could then and maximised the quiet times in our pool.”

Introducing 10 Acquapoles® at theParafield Gardens Swim School, in just six months A’Court had recovered their cost and needed to purchase another 10 to meet demand for the classes and we couldn’t meet the demand.

At the same time, A’Court changed the program name from Aqua Aerobics to Aqua Fitness, running 22 difference classes including Acquapole®, Acquapole Boxing Bag®, Aqua Zumba, Aqua Step, Aqua Cardio, Aqua Senior, Aqua Lite and Hydro Fit.

A’Court advises “our aqua profits went up, swim school Dads were attending Acquapole® Boxing Bag classes, swim school Mums and their friends were queuing up to join our Acquapole® classes, people were driving past other centres to come to our centre, aqua fitness suddenly became something everyone wanted to do.”

Thereafter, A’Court set out to further grow the aqua program with a plan to change the perception and demographic of aqua.

She adds “we re-marketed and re-imagined this part of our business and it worked.

“Yes, the initial investment cost seems high compared to buying 10 sets of aqua dumbbells, but there’s nothing quite like having a totally unique, fun, functional and diverse piece of equipment in your pool that appeals to such a wide market and gives your centre a return on your investment in under six months.”

A’Court recently visited Italy where Acquapole® was invented and is made and where she visited swimming centres, participating in their aqua fitness classes, meeting owners, managers and instructors and seeing, as she stated “first hand how much potential for growth in the aqua fitness market there is here in Australia.”

Looking to the future she concludes “Acquapole® is truly an amazing an innovative piece of aqua equipment.

“Just imagine if every centre in Australia had an Acquapole® in their centre and that people all over Australia were getting healthy and fitter by discovering the amazing benefits of aqua fitness.”

Acquapole® is constantly adding extra pieces to the original equipment making the continual growth and class options available to centres almost never ending.

Acquapole® is becoming a work station as centres can provide Acquapole® classes, Acquapole® Boxing Bag, Acquapole® Choreography, Acquapole® Postural (with Pilates elements) and, coming in 2017, Acquapole® Elastic Pole (elastics that attach to the pole).

A’Court will also be running a Level 1 Acquapole course during the ASCTA/Swim Australia Convention in April/May 2017. 

Click here for event details for the ASCTA 2017 Convention in the Australasian Leisure Management industry Calendar.

To find out more about the Acquapole®, click here to contact Acquapole Australasia via their entry in the Australasian Leisure Management Supplier Directory.

1st December 2016 - WORLD’S FIRST SPEEDO FITNESS CLUB THRIVES AT SYDNEY’S BONDI BEACH

30th November 2016 - BOGA FITMAT OFFERS FLOATING FITNESS OPTIONS

20th August 2016 - 2017 ASCTA CONVENTION TO PLOT PATHS TO THE 2018 COMMONWEALTH GAMES

5th Febraury 2016 - ACQUAPOLE PRESENTS A NEW CHALLENGE IN AQUA FITNESS