# Aquatic Center



## steely (Feb 6, 2009)

Hi everyone,
I'm seriously thinking about joining our local aquatic center to get some much needed exercise.I was wondering how many of you use water to get exercise.
And the (in my case) ever dreaded swimsuit.I can see that it would be really good for my joints and I love to swim.Any thoughts?


----------



## PamelaLois (Feb 7, 2009)

steely said:


> Hi everyone,
> I'm seriously thinking about joining our local aquatic center to get some much needed exercise.I was wondering how many of you use water to get exercise.
> And the (in my case) ever dreaded swimsuit.I can see that it would be really good for my joints and I love to swim.Any thoughts?


 
As a former competitive swimmer (age 7 through high school) I absolutely LOVE swimming. I'm like a freaking Labrador Retriever, if there's water around, you can't get me out of it. It's the one place I truly feel free and graceful. It's great for your joints and muscle tone and strength. I wear a one-piece swimsuit, I find it's best for swimming. I have never been one to wear anything else, habit, I guess. But I can't imagine something loose and flowy would be good for swimming laps. If you have the opportunity to swim, go for it!


----------



## olwen (Feb 7, 2009)

You should do it. I have arthritis in my knees and one shoulder and swimming and the aquatic workout classes my gym offers are really really really good exercise. You get cardio and strength training all in one and with little strain on your joints.

Junonia.com has swimsuits in up to a 6X I think. I got mine from there and I love it.

ETA: don't worry either about being in the bathing suit or being the only fat person. I guarantee no one will care and chances are you won't be the only fatty.


----------



## toni (Feb 7, 2009)

Do it! My doctor says it is the best excersice for you. It is not very stressful and your entire body gets a workout. I was a member of a gym with a pool and no one gave me weird looks.


----------



## steely (Feb 8, 2009)

Thanks,guys,I think I will join.It's not very expensive and my joints are not in the best of shape.I've always been a swimmer.I kind of left it behind when I got fat.I miss it.

You have given me renewed hope.I really just want to swim


----------



## olwen (Feb 8, 2009)

I'm glad you're going to give it a try. Let us know how it goes.


----------



## steely (Feb 8, 2009)

olwen said:


> I'm glad you're going to give it a try. Let us know how it goes.



Thanks for the tip about Junonia.I got a cute one piece for $25.Now,I just have to wait for it to get here.I haven't owned a swimsuit in 15 years:blush:
I'll keep you up to speed


----------



## BubbleButtBabe (Feb 10, 2009)

I am waiting on them to finish the heated pool at my exercise center..I can then go 3 to 4 times a week and work out..YAY!!I know my joints will thank me.


----------



## steely (Feb 10, 2009)

Great,I'll be wishing you double speed.I hope I take to it as well as you do.My suit is supposed to be here before the weekend.I'm getting more excited!


----------



## steely (Mar 9, 2009)

Well,I finally made it to the aquatic center.After all that,it was no big deal.I was of course the largest person there,but I really didn't care.I had lost the feeling of being weightless.It was so good to feel that again.An angel dancing on the head of a pin.I don't feel that on solid ground.I spent every summer at the local pool.It's one of the few feelings of joy I have from childhood.

I also realised I am woefully out of shape.It's not too difficult for starting out.It doesn't seem to make my plantar fasciitis worse.If I can build stamina,I can do other things after that.I guess I was my own worst enemy but I guess I'm over it now.Sometimes I surprise myself:happy:


----------



## olwen (Mar 9, 2009)

Told ya so. 

Seriously, I'm glad you enjoyed yourself. It's really good when you find a physical activity that you actually enjoy and you get to do it.


----------



## steely (Mar 9, 2009)

Thanks olwen,
I really don't think I would've done it without your support.I mean it.Sometimes it takes a kind word of encouragement.I really appreciate it!Across all the distance,you made a positive difference.How many people can say that?:bow:


----------



## olwen (Mar 9, 2009)

steely said:


> Thanks olwen,
> I really don't think I would've done it without your support.I mean it.Sometimes it takes a kind word of encouragement.I really appreciate it!Across all the distance,you made a positive difference.How many people can say that?:bow:



:blush: Aww shucks. Glad to have been of some help. 

{{{{{{{{{{{{{steely}}}}}}}}}}}} :happy:


----------



## Purple Tights (Mar 16, 2009)

I've been going to a warm water therapy pool (94 degrees) for about nine years. It's not a lap pool but rather a place for individuals to stretch, walk, jog in floating place, do resistance movements with the styrofoam toys, and just plain float and relax. Not to mention the social aspects of it - the people you meet in the pool can be your next social group.

I used to go four times a week, but I had a bad car crash and injuries and have started out at one time a week with a caregiver or my husband. Now I'm able to go twice a week again (travel issues - I'm not driving yet) and spend time in what I call "my friend" - the warmth and embrace of the warm water. It would be nice to come more often and it's a goal for me.

You might be able to find out if your city/town has a warm water pool. The national Arthritis Foundation maintains a list on their website of pools that have arthritis classes. I've also gone to an Easter Seals pool, and one inside a hospital. Hey, I'll go wherever I can find warm water!

It's possible to do aerobics in warm water, but you can build up heat if you don't intersperse it with something like stretching or floating. And I've found nothing but respect and welcoming attitudes by staff and pool-users alike. Everyone is there to be as healthy as they can so they don't point fingers or give looks in the locker room, in my experience at least.

There are bathing suits in the Making It Big catalogs, up to an 8X. One of their one-piece suits, though, has a high back *and* front, making it difficult to get my wide hips into it. All their other suits are good, I think. 

http://www.makingitbig.com/product/3123/67

If you don't find, or don't want a warm water therapy pool, I would still encourage you to continue with your "water intake". And taking a class, if offered, is a good way to figure out what moves help your body in the water. 

Enjoy!


----------



## steely (Mar 16, 2009)

Thanks Purple Tights,
I've been to the aquatic center 3 times now.I feel pretty good about it.The water is very warm.I'm not sure how warm but it is very comforting.I'm just going to stick with it and enjoy it.I should have done this years ago.


----------



## olwen (Mar 16, 2009)

I just have one thing to say about the warm water therapy pools. Descend the stairs backwards and slowly. I entered facing front, slipped on the steps, grabbed onto the bar to keep from going into the water and pop went my shoulder. That's how I tore my rotator cuff. That was last summer. I haven't been back in that pool yet since my shoulder's kinda weak still. It was very nice pool tho.


----------



## steely (Mar 17, 2009)

Oh,Olwen,I'm so sorry that happened to you.That sounds so painful.This is just a regular pool so I go down the steps on the side.Boy,it is rough when gravity hits you on the way back up those steps.


----------



## fatgirlflyin (Mar 17, 2009)

steely said:


> Hi everyone,
> I'm seriously thinking about joining our local aquatic center to get some much needed exercise.I was wondering how many of you use water to get exercise.
> And the (in my case) ever dreaded swimsuit.I can see that it would be really good for my joints and I love to swim.Any thoughts?




I attend a one hour water aerobics class six days a week and I really enjoy it. You get a pretty good workout and the weightlessness you get in the water makes it low impact. I wear whatever suit I happen to grab but find that when I wear the tankinis I spend time in class pulling down the top and pulling up the bottoms LOL!


----------



## fatgirlflyin (Mar 17, 2009)

steely said:


> Thanks Purple Tights,
> I've been to the aquatic center 3 times now.I feel pretty good about it.The water is very warm.I'm not sure how warm but it is very comforting.I'm just going to stick with it and enjoy it.I should have done this years ago.



Lucky! Our pool isn't heated and man is it cold til I get in there and start moving around.


----------



## Pookie (Mar 17, 2009)

oh goodness yes, I hate that bit getting onto the steps, if I wasn't so hugely embarressed I would ask for the little lift thingy instead as it hurts getting out.

I love swimming, I have a cute little swim suit that is a dress too, obviously not going to be good for any speed swimming, but seriously... not an issue lol.
I am working up to swimming a mile, 64 lengths of the pool, I am at 40 right now, a nice older lady, about my size was talking to me about how much I had done, she is about 66 I think she said and she does a mile at least twice a week! I really am sure I can catch up!!


----------



## steely (Mar 17, 2009)

I'm so glad to hear about other people swimming.I have a swimsuit that looks like a tank top and shorts but it's all connected.That way I don't have to pull on it as much.I can't swim very far yet but anything is better than nothing.I've been trying to get 10 minute walks in after meals,too.Every little bit helps.:happy:


----------



## olwen (Mar 17, 2009)

steely said:


> Oh,Olwen,I'm so sorry that happened to you.That sounds so painful.This is just a regular pool so I go down the steps on the side.Boy,it is rough when gravity hits you on the way back up those steps.



It was really painful actually. I thought I had dislocated my shoulder since I couldn't move. I kinda wish I had, then at least they could have popped it back in and I'd have been able to move my arm right after.




Pookie said:


> oh goodness yes, I hate that bit getting onto the steps, if I wasn't so hugely embarressed I would ask for the little lift thingy instead as it hurts getting out.
> 
> I love swimming, I have a cute little swim suit that is a dress too, obviously not going to be good for any speed swimming, but seriously... not an issue lol.
> I am working up to swimming a mile, 64 lengths of the pool, I am at 40 right now, a nice older lady, about my size was talking to me about how much I had done, she is about 66 I think she said and she does a mile at least twice a week! I really am sure I can catch up!!



Good, It's not just me who noticed that about those steps in a regular pool. I feel like I weigh twice as much as I do when I come out and when I take that first step, it's a doozy. I do a sort of half walk, half crawl to the shower. Luckily it's only a few steps. 

I wanted to use the lift chair in the warm water pool, but I honestly wondered about how much weight it holds so I never asked about it. That pool is deep and I'm not a strong swimmer.


----------



## olwen (Mar 17, 2009)

steely said:


> I'm so glad to hear about other people swimming.I have a swimsuit that looks like a tank top and shorts but it's all connected.That way I don't have to pull on it as much.I can't swim very far yet but anything is better than nothing.I've been trying to get 10 minute walks in after meals,too.Every little bit helps.:happy:



You know I was thinking about walking the other day. This is a walking city. I walked three long avenue blocks (a 15 min walk = to about 6 regular blocks) to meet my mother for lunch and I notice my knees weren't hurting. I was really happy about that. I hate walking long distance these days cause my knees will really hurt after about 10 blocks. I realized I'm just used to the pain since I now notice when my knees don't hurt. 

If the subway is ten blocks from your house and you do that walk twice a day, you get a mile walk every day (20 city blocks = roughly 1 mile). Plus the two - eight flights of stairs into and and out of the train station, and you have to do that twice a day. I often wonder how fit I'd be if I lived in the suburbs and had to use a car. I don't know if you live in the suburbs Steely, but I just thought "Where do people in the suburbs walk?" when I read your post. Yeah, I'm that kinda clueless about suburbia. LOL


----------



## steely (Mar 18, 2009)

Honey,I live so far in the country,it makes the suburbs look like the big city.We are rural.I live on a dirt road.Luckily I live at the top of a very steep hill.I walk down the hill,around the fence to the other side of the garden across the creek.Then I usually crawl up the hill,lol.No,I'm not that bad but there are days.It's the steep part that gets me going and coming.I don't have good knees either.If I wanted to get fancy I could go to one of the walking tracks in town.I may end up there one day.If I can conquer this hill.


----------



## olwen (Mar 19, 2009)

steely said:


> Honey,I live so far in the country,it makes the suburbs look like the big city.We are rural.I live on a dirt road.Luckily I live at the top of a very steep hill.I walk down the hill,around the fence to the other side of the garden across the creek.Then I usually crawl up the hill,lol.No,I'm not that bad but there are days.It's the steep part that gets me going and coming.I don't have good knees either.If I wanted to get fancy I could go to one of the walking tracks in town.I may end up there one day.If I can conquer this hill.



Steep hill for the win! LOL There's a steep hill in harlem that you have to walk up on the way to the City College campus. Plus, my best friend in high school lived on the top of that hill. It's so steep the kids use it to do stunts on their skateboards and bikes. Luckily no one I know ever lost control and rode into oncoming traffic. The schools in the area also use it as part of their training run for track and field. I hated that hill. I still hate that hill. I'm just glad I don't have to walk it anymore. I'd rather lift weights if you can believe that. It's easier. 

You will definitely get a good workout on that hill of yours. I have no doubt you will conquer that hill.


----------



## Cleofatra_74 (Mar 22, 2009)

I sooooo totally need to pull my finger out of my arse & swim. I'm in the pool once a week with a client helping her with hydro therapy. Not sure what it is stopping me from going earlier or staying later & attempting to do a lap????


----------

