22 | Akwa | March / April / May 2023 It is based on our knowledge of the autonomic nervous system. In brief, the autonomic nervous system shapes our experiences, beliefs, behav- iors, and reactions. It consists of two branches: parasympathetic and sym- pathetic. The parasympathetic branch divides into two additional branches. Thus, we can distinguish three auto- nomic paths, which determine our survival: • dorsal vagal system • sympathetic system • ventral vagal system The vagus nerve is the main element of the parasympathetic branch of the autonomic nervous system. The dor- sal part of vagus nerve originates in the brainstem and affects the organs located below the diaphragm, while the ventral part of vagus nerve impacts the organs located above the dia- phragm. Both facilitate a two-way communication between the brain and the rest of our body. The dorsal vagus nerve can accelerate or decelerate the heart rate, allowing for the most flexible reaction to the challenges of everyday life. We live in ever more difficult times, where the pace of life constantly increases, and we try to achieve more challenging goals. Our self-expectations become ever more demanding and we neglect our emotional health – forgetting the basics. If we wish to protect our own health, as well as the health of our clients and those around us, we must be cognizant of how to regulate the ventral vagal system. Proper stimula- tion of the ventral vagus nerve through suitably interconnected breathing techniques, meditation, mindfulness, and neuro-aquatic fitness exercises can help us to face the challenges of everyday life and significantly improve the quality of our life. AUTHOR Joanna Apolinarska is one of AEA’s amaz- ing IAFTC 2023 Presenters. Click here to find out more about Joanna and the ses- sions she is offering. Continued from page 21 One of the modalities that I enjoy teaching is a low-impact, low intensity, fluid stretch class. The format works well in warm water, in cooler water (when combined with more intense cardio intervals), shallow water, deep water, transitional depth, and can also be adapted for seated or standing work on land! No fancy equipment is necessary, and while it sure is a blessing to have a 94-degree ther- apy pool at your fitness center, the concepts behind Fluid Stretch can be applied any- where! Knowledge of joint actions is all you need to make this format a success. To create a class that will target the total body, think through the joint actions of the major joints like the hips, shoulders, knees, elbows, neck, spine, ankles, and wrists. Let’s start with the elbow, a hinge joint. Much like a door, it basically opens and closes, or more accurately, flexes and extends. As a stand-alone exercise, elbow flexion-ex- tension is not very exciting, nor will a series of arm curls take up much class time. So instead, we’ll create a movement flow starting with the arm curl and slowly add movements and joint actions for more interest and complexity. Imagine starting with elbow flexion and extension. From there, combine the move- ment with wrist rotation and phalange flexion and extension. The joint actions can be performed “as is” like if you were standing in front of the class in anatomical position, but the class will take on new life when you make the movements more fluid. Instead of standing in anatomical position to flex and extend the phalanges, pronate the forearm, and ask your class to “play the piano.” Add in a bit of shoulder internal and external rotation. Then, working slowly and deliberately, rotate the wrists clockwise and then counterclockwise. Next, supinate the hands and touch each finger to the palm one at a time. For a wrist stretch, ask your class to show you their palms, like if they were going to give you a double high five, and then “show me your rings”, which will resemble puppy dog paws. An alternative to that add-on flow is to play with speed and tempo. Start by per- forming bilateral elbow flexion and extension for 4 single repetitions. Without rest, move to 2x2 (up two counts, down 2 counts), then up 1 count and down 3 counts, and finally up 3 counts and down 1 count. If performing unilateral flexion and extension, consider a syncopated tempo such as slow, slow, quick, quick, quick. The focus on the “slow” repetitions would be range of motion and intentional movement, while the focus on the “quick” repetitions would be generating more power. Transitioning from a stationary arm curl with a tall spine and planted feet, to a scoop with the arms and some spinal rotation will make for a completely differ- ent feel and will provide options when programming week after week for multiple class formats and themes. AUTHOR Jackie Lebeau is one of AEA’s amazing IAFTC 2023 Presenters. Click here to find out more about Jackie and the sessions she is offering. Fluid Stretch: Land to Water By Jackie Lebeau, MS