# Water Aerobics



## Donna (May 20, 2007)

I make no secret of the fact that I love to swim or be in or near the water. I have to be honest with you all, once our home pool is built and operational, I can pretty much kiss my days as a regular at Dims good-bye. I would rather swim than shop, have sex, eat chocolate (or anything really sweet for that matter), and I even would rather swim than surf the 'Net. 

My doctors recently ordered me to begin a water exercise regiment. I have been doing some research on it and ran across this article which I thought I would share with you all. 

Anyone else participate in water aerobics, either on their own or via a formal class? Any good resource links/experiences to share?


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## swordchick (May 20, 2007)

I've done water aerobics in the past. I will be doing it again soon. I loved it. I've run laps in the pool for hours. It does not put stress on the joints while in the water. But once I was out of the pool, I'd felt the pain. But it was worth it. I did it at a local therapeutic pool and it is free for residents.


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## Tracyarts (May 20, 2007)

I have, and I always loved it. Right now, my mobility is compromised a bit too much for me to manage it. But I am hoping to return to water aerobics by the beginning of June.

I have done both formal classes and just worked out on my own in the water, both worked really well for me, both were really enjoyable. 

When I take water exercise classes, I tend to do the basic mid-intensity aquacize class that combines strength training and cardiovascular training. For strength training we use foam "barbells" and other equipment to cause greater resistance under the water. 

When I exercise on my own, I do water jogging and use the resistance equipment on my hands and feet at times to mix it up a bit as well.

Tracy


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## MissStacie (May 20, 2007)

When I moved to NY, I found a local YWCA and started their aerobics class and its an amazing workout. Its low impact, great exercise and builds so much confidence and friendships! I LOVE my class, and our Y also owns an outdoor pool and it opens in a month or so, and then they move the classes outdoors, so I'll go after work, when it's 98 degrees and have sat my fat ass in a chair all day and work out the kinks. Nothing feels as good as it feels to get my stressed out and tense body into the water.

Ladies and gents, try it if you already haven't....it's harder than most people would realize. but totally worth it.

Hugs,


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## tonynyc (May 21, 2007)

Tracyarts said:


> I have, and I always loved it. Right now, my mobility is compromised a bit too much for me to manage it. But I am hoping to return to water aerobics by the beginning of June.
> 
> I have done both formal classes and just worked out on my own in the water, both worked really well for me, both were really enjoyable.
> 
> ...



Tracy: 

* Hi Tracy: How long do the workouts last in your mid-intensity acquasize class? For the strength training does the workout consist of a full body workout each session or do they do a split routine and alternate upper and lower body exercises- Thanks Tony *.





MissStacie said:


> When I moved to NY, I found a local YWCA and started their aerobics class and its an amazing workout. Its low impact, great exercise and builds so much confidence and friendships! I LOVE my class, and our Y also owns an outdoor pool and it opens in a month or so, and then they move the classes outdoors, so I'll go after work, when it's 98 degrees and have sat my fat ass in a chair all day and work out the kinks. Nothing feels as good as it feels to get my stressed out and tense body into the water.
> 
> Ladies and gents, try it if you already haven't....it's harder than most people would realize. but totally worth it.
> 
> Hugs,



*Stacie: That is so true- when I did my 1st water aerobic class 3 years ago - boy did I work up a sweat. The tougher exercises were running laps in the deep pool and jumping jacks. I even had to wear one of those water belts to keep me afloat. Unfortunately BBWs are lucky enough to float naturally. :wubu: 

I'll have to check and see if which gyms offer them here at a reasonable rate. We have the Chelsea Piers here in Midtown - but, they are outrageous. 

What kind of routines do you do and how do you change things around to breakup the boredom? Tony *


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## MissStacie (May 21, 2007)

Hey Tony...

I have a few instructors that alternate nights, and each one has a different style, so I guess I don't have a boredom problem. Nick, who's the water prog. director, gay and adorable, is great....kinda pushes us old "girls", and we all flirt, its a good time..lol...Christine, well, she kicks all our asses, a lot of upper body stuff..and keeps us going....and then there is Jamie, my favorite, and she has a routine and has us do some routines in the shallow end, leg work, etc...and then we water jog to the deep end for those core/toning stuff....and yes, because I float well enough as it is, I usually leave the belts to the smaller women..lol...

All in all, I love it so much, I can't get bored! I'm usually the "troublemaker" in the class, so when the girls see me, they are excited!!!

Hugs,


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## tonynyc (May 21, 2007)

MissStacie said:


> Hey Tony...
> 
> I have a few instructors that alternate nights, and each one has a different style, so I guess I don't have a boredom problem. Nick, who's the water prog. director, gay and adorable, is great....kinda pushes us old "girls", and we all flirt, its a good time..lol...Christine, well, she kicks all our asses, a lot of upper body stuff..and keeps us going....and then there is Jamie, my favorite, and she has a routine and has us do some routines in the shallow end, leg work, etc...and then we water jog to the deep end for those core/toning stuff....and yes, because I float well enough as it is, I usually leave the belts to the smaller women..lol...
> 
> ...



What no lucky FA's in the class to be *excited *by a cutie like you there. :smitten:


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## Theatrmuse/Kara (May 21, 2007)

I LOVE water aerobics classes and have done them for a few years now. I especially like the deep water aerobics class that I am now taking at my local YWCA. It is medium to high intensity and done all in the deep end of the poor. Great for your joints and sooooooooooo freeing to be exercising in the water....which I find is my friend as a supersized woman! LOVE it!:wubu: 
Hugs, Kara


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## Forgotten_Futures (May 21, 2007)

I love swimming and messing around in the water. At the beach, my personal favorite thing to do is dive head-first into breakers, just to get thrown around. I actually enjoy it when one is rough enough to slam me on the bottom.

In terms of exercising in the pool, I occasionally swim laps, but one thing I've always enjoyed is hooking my legs over the edge and doing 180-degree sit-ups. Wreaks havoc on your internal ear if you do 'em too long though.


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## MissStacie (May 21, 2007)

tonynyc said:


> What no lucky FA's in the class to be *excited *by a cutie like you there. :smitten:



Ha ha...you're a doll! Unfortunately, no, the classes are 99% female....Anyone want to come join my club????? lol

Hugs,


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## missaf (May 21, 2007)

I only get to do water aerobics when I go to the Glen Ivy Day Spa, which is not often enough in my book! The classes they have there are included with your admission, and the teachers are very aware of all body types and abilities. 

I'll swim laps and do underwater jumping jacks and the like when our pool is empty, otherwise there are 40 kids in there and it's not the best place to try and exercise-- it's enough to just stay out of their way


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## Webmaster (May 21, 2007)

I've been fortunate enough to have had a pool in my yard for the past 18 years or so. Initially, I forced myself into a lap-swimming regimen, but quickly found it too rigid and self-competitive. So over the years I developed my own routines where I simply use the pool for whatever sort of enjoyment, activities and exercises I am in the mood for. It's become a wonderful part of my days and nights, and it's supplemented by a hot tub for the times the pool is too cold. I found that a pool can have incredible therapeutic value in every sense. Just quickly dipping into it when I am hot can totally change my mood and make me feel all refreshed. It even serves as a make-shift scuba venue for when I feel the urge to dive but have no place to go.

Pools are also a lot of work. Mine is nestled in the midst of ever more encroaching greenery, to the extent where two pool maintenance companies declared it a high-maintenance pool (i.e. a bit of work for them) and did not want to do it for me. So I do it myself, and it can be a handful. Still, as much as I like my pool and as much as it helps me maintain fitness and sanity, it neatly shares in my daily and nightly schedules rather than taking over.


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## MissStacie (May 21, 2007)

I can drop a chlorine tab into the filter just a well as you can, and I'll even wear a bikini doing it, too! 

I've often dreamt that when I get "rich and famous"...hell, as this point I'll just take the RICH part, I'd build a house with an inground pool so that I could build it the way I want it and need it built. Sigh....I'll have to keep dreaming, I guess!

My love to lovely Ruby....and you!

Hugs,.


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## Sandie_Zitkus (May 21, 2007)

Donnaalicious said:


> I make no secret of the fact that I love to swim or be in or near the water. I have to be honest with you all, once our home pool is built and operational, I can pretty much kiss my days as a regular at Dims good-bye.



Are we related???????? I'm just counting the days until our pool is up - then I am gone from here for the summer!!

I want an in-ground pool so bad but interesting thing about Texas - the ground shifts here and in-ground pools crack and one guy Wayne works with had his whole one piece in-ground pool lift up out of the ground over the winter.


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## rainyday (May 26, 2007)

Theatrmuse/Kara said:


> I LOVE water aerobics classes and have done them for a few years now. I especially like the deep water aerobics class that I am now taking at my local YWCA. It is medium to high intensity and done all in the deep end of the poor.



I'd love to try a deep-water class, but the pools I have access to all max out at about five feet. I used to go four times a week often ended up staying an extra hour or more after class just water walking because I love the water so much. Work and life got busy and I stopped going, but as soon as Ripley gets her broken-legged arse out here finally we'll be in class, hopefully three times a week.


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## moore2me (Jun 3, 2007)

Donnaalicious said:


> I make no secret of the fact that I love to swim or be in or near the water. I have to be honest with you all, once our home pool is built and operational, I can pretty much kiss my days as a regular at Dims good-bye. I would rather swim than shop, have sex, eat chocolate (or anything really sweet for that matter), and I even would rather swim than surf the 'Net.
> 
> My doctors recently ordered me to begin a water exercise regiment. I have been doing some research on it and ran across this article which I thought I would share with you all.
> 
> Anyone else participate in water aerobics, either on their own or via a formal class? Any good resource links/experiences to share?




Donna, 
I have been doing water aerobics for almost three years now. I know what you mean about being addictive. I both go to classes and do my own routine. 

I found what works best for me is about 15-20 minutes of cardio workout. This includes jumping jacks, running in place, breast swimming in place, hopping in place, etc. I could not do this if I wasn't in the water. I am too fat for it.

I then do about 20 minutes off exercises specifically to strengthen my legs, arms, and trunk muscles. I use floaties and water weights to do these. 
Strengthening leg & knee muscles will take some of the pain & load of fragile knee joints.

Lastly, I do about 20 minutes of stretching and balance exercises. This includes ballet type moves and tai chi type stuff. My balance needs more work than anything else - so I couldn't do this without the water. I would fall down.

Although, I can swim, none of these exercise are done in water deeper than 5feet. (I don't like to get my hair wet.)


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## Theatrmuse/Kara (Jun 3, 2007)

"Although, I can swim, none of these exercise are done in water deeper than 5feet. (I don't like to get my hair wet.)" Donna

LOL, that's the biggest rub for my deep water aerobics......my hair is long and to my waist now.....I try swim caps, cutting one off at the top and using as a headband and then putting another on over top of it! I look STUNNING, to say the very least! LOLOLOL!

I keep threatening to cut my hair short......but always end up talking myself out of it!:doh: 
Hugs, Kara


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## Risible (Jun 3, 2007)

I used to take water aerobic classes through the city Parks and Recreation Department. They consisted of about 10 minutes of warmup, 40 minutes of workout and 10 minutes of cooldown/stretches. I felt fabulous afterwards, very relaxed, mellow and happy.

I found that music is a great motivator for me when it comes to exercise, whether in a gym or in a pool. The music should be appropriate to what type of exercise you're getting- slower building to faster during warmup, nice fast tempo during workout, slowing during cool down/stretches.

The problem with listening to music while in a pool is the volume has to be pretty loud. We have an inground pool, and listening to the music loud enough might disturb the neighbors, so we have to be mindful of that.


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## kr7 (Jun 3, 2007)

I have to say that although in general I hate exercise, I do like water areobics. I lucked out, and got a year's membership at a very posh spa near me, that has a gorgeous "natural" style pools, and I think that the fabulous surroundings play a huge role.

Year before, I was looking at options in my price range (read: at the Y) and I wasn't exactly too motivated to join. The sad part is that with my school schedule, I have been able to go only a handful of times,  I study about 10 hours a day at the moment, and whatever time I have left in a day, I have to spend keeping my house from collapsing into a ruin. And no, I'm not getting a break this summer. *sigh*


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## moore2me (Jun 5, 2007)

kr7 said:


> The sad part is that with my school schedule, I have been able to go only a handful of times,  I study about 10 hours a day at the moment, and whatever time I have left in a day, I have to spend keeping my house from collapsing into a ruin. And no, I'm not getting a break this summer. *sigh*



Kr7,

Just thought I'd give you some advice. I too spent too much time in school, working & housekeeping. I went to school at nights to get a post graduate degree and my education was a higher priority than my fitness.

I got my Masters and had a great job - but then my body started to crumble. I hadn't been taking care of it & I paid the price. I was forced to quit working, and my degree that I prized so much is now practically useless. I am slowly working my way back to better health, but it has been a long, hard struggle - one that I had brought on myself to some extent.

Don't neglect your health while working on your mind & your career. *Getting exercise - working out at the pool like you describe should be just as important as improving your mind.*.


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## BeautifulPoeticDisaster (Jun 5, 2007)

Theatrmuse/Kara said:


> "Although, I can swim, none of these exercise are done in water deeper than 5feet. (I don't like to get my hair wet.)" Donna
> 
> LOL, that's the biggest rub for my deep water aerobics......my hair is long and to my waist now.....I try swim caps, cutting one off at the top and using as a headband and then putting another on over top of it! I look STUNNING, to say the very least! LOLOLOL!
> 
> ...




I love water aerobics or auqa aerobics as they are called here. 



Just wind your hair up in a bun and put it on the top of your head. And the class I have been to, you use a noodle to float on if you can't tread. It iw sooo worth it...tan and buff


ETA: I think I quoted the wrong person but then added crap...so I'm confused and can't be bothered to work out who I was actually talking to, lol...don't mind me...they're coming to take me away haha to the funny farm where life is beautiful ALL the time, lol


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## kr7 (Jun 5, 2007)

moore2me said:


> .......Don't neglect your health while working on your mind & your career. *Getting exercise - working out at the pool like you describe should be just as important as improving your mind.*.



Hi moore2me,

Thanks for your concern.  I know I should be more active, but for now I have very little choice. I have a DAT (dental school admission test) coming up shortly, and I need to get an equivalent of an A on it, in order to have a competitive enough score to get into a school.

Unfortunately, the school I went to for my science credits was a very bad one, because that's all I could afford, and some of the professors did not feel obligated to teach us anything beyond the very basics.  The outcome of that is that I have to make sure I go over the required material on my own, because otherwise I will not pass the DAT (never mind getting an A). It's not so bad with the stuff that's already been gone over at school, but the organic chemistry.....well, that's a bitch. It's probably the most difficult subject for me, and of course, it's the one our professor decided we didn't need to go over much.

Anyhow, if I survive this summer's study/test (pray for me everyone!  ) I will have a nice, calm fall semester, during which I will have plenty of time to exercise.

Chris


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