Water Boot Camp

: Don't let me by you! Don't let me get by you!

It's water aerobics with attitude.

: Go!

As part of a new trend of creative workout programs, Dave Richardson, an ex-marine, has brought the intensity of his military training to Crunches Fitness Center near Atlanta.

I'm trying to give them a different kind of workout, as if they were in a boot camp setting.

: Run! Run!

Pretty much everything you can do on land I can do in the water.

Only it's a lot harder.

: That's all you got? Is that all you got?

I've lost 42 pounds since I started this class. He pushes me more than I ever push myself, so just when I want to quit, he literally pushes me.

Water, as it turns out, provides an excellent medium for cardiovascular and resistance strength-training exercises, but doesn't stress the joints the way high-impact workouts, like basketball or raquetball might. According to experts, that's a plus for keeping the pounds off and the arthritis joint pain at bay.

Most patients who are overweight will develop arthritis, so weight control is extremely important. And to maintain your weight obviously you have to exercise. we want it to be low-impact.

: Water splashing

But low impact doesn't have to mean low energy, particularly with a leatherneck putting you through the paces.

: Go! We're not waiting, let's go!

Training in the water is one of the toughest things you can do if it's done in a different way. Take away the traditional water training where it's maybe kinder and gentler 'cause you're working with an older population, or a more unfit population. If you're working with a certain group of people you can ramp it up to be, you know, as hard as working on land or harder.

: Water splashing.

This water boot camp has certainly made a splash with these students.

: Heads up, heads up!

For WebMD, I'm Damon Meharg.