Water Fitness 101

Okay.  I'm trying not to be overzealous like your typical newbie.  But I really love my water fitness class!

I discovered when I was working with a personal trainer that having a baby and then carrying a kid around on the same hip all the time has left me very lopsided in terms of strength and balance.  Exercises classes help me to be sure I'm working on all the muscle groups and doing an even number of repetitions.  What makes water fitness so great is that the water slows the action down, so I have a little more time to think the motions through and get the form right with both sides of my body.  The slowness also makes it more mindful and peaceful.  Before I took my first class, I assumed that slowness was going to be a flaw in terms of getting a good workout.  I was wrong!  Every time I think, "Oh.  This next exercise is for the old ladies," I end up realizing how great it challenges me if I just stay focused and do the form correctly.  I feel like water fitness is sort of a crazy marriage between yoga and aerobics!

A certain amount of foot-dragging when it comes to joining a gym or trying a new class is knowing you're going to blunder along feeling silly at first.  Here are some tips I figured out for water fitness classes...

1.  What to bring -- Some pools require a bathing cap while others don't.  Some have towel services while some don't.  Here is what I always stuff into my pool bag...bathing suit, ponytail holders, flip-flops (for the locker room and shower), shampoo, conditioner, soap, deodorant, a case to hold my glasses, a combination lock for the locker, change of clothes including undergarments and socks, a water bottle, and two towels.  More than one towel can come in handy if you accidentally drop yours or want a clean one after a shower.  Some of the participants wear aqua shoes, but I don't mind going without.  If you're going to a new pool, you might want to ask if you need to bring gear.  The Y provides the floatie noodles and foam dumbbells we use.

2.  Pool water can turn some silver jewelry dark, so I take mine off before I go in.

3.  Scope out the pool before you get in.  I'm tall, so it helped to learn that the front of the pool is slightly deeper than the back.  Deeper water helps me with the arm workouts.  It is also handy to know where the drain grates are in the pool.  In some of our classes we run in circles and I like avoiding the grates since I'm barefooted.  If your pool has lines on the bottom of it, you might want to claim an exercise spot on a line as it helps you to know if you're drifting while exercising.  Finally, I like to grab a spot near the pool edge.  Some of the exercises work best if you are stable and it is nice to be able to reach for the firm wall.

4.  Many exercises are easy if you do them sloppy, but challenging and rewarding if you pay attention to your form.  I love that.  When I get out of the pool, my body feels good but my brain does too because I've been focused for an hour.

I'm curious...
Would anybody like to offer a "101" blog entry for another type of exercise?  I think I'd be more likely to branch out if I had an inside view and some tips first.  I'm itching to try a yoga class.  Would anybody like to write a yoga class 101?

Water Fitness Class

A few months ago I would have sworn to you that I don't like group exercise classes and that speed walking or hiking are the only activities I really care to repeat often.  But I'm quickly falling in love with classes at the YMCA.  I love that somebody else figures out how to balance warm up, cardio, and cool down.  Somebody else worries about the right moves and repetitions to work all the major muscle groups.

I tried a water fitness class today.  Wow!  It was really fun and a great workout.  We did some running in the pool, but mostly we did various stretches and exercises that use water resistance to build muscle and raise the heart rate.  Sometimes we used floatie foam noodles for stability and also foam dumbbells to increase the workout.
(Here's a video about water fitness, if you're curious...  http://youtu.be/GfIVfibtHOs)

I loved the sound and embrace of the water.  I also loved that for a group workout, you feel sort of hidden; it was easier to be a newbie in this class.    I sort of anticipated a messy process when class is over, but actually my hair stayed dry because I put it in a bun and showering away from home went smoother than I thought.  Also, the Y has a bathing suit centrifuge!  Put your suit in, press down the lid, and it is spun almost dry.  Easy peasy.

I thought I'd just use the Y three days a week during Eli's preschool hours, but now I'm starting to think that the morning water fitness class and Child Watch Center is a great way to start the day on winter weekends.