PRO TIP
Everybody into the Pool
It ’ s summer . If you want to do more than splash around , here are some water workout tips for you .
BY STEVE KAUFMAN | ILLUSTRATION BY ADAM KLEINERT
To the fitness instruction world , you ’ re a “ health seeker .”
If you ’ re anywhere from your late 30s through your 50s , and you ’ re seeking to get back in the gym or the pool , you ’ re categorized . ( Clearly , that age category is bendable – from the 20-something who ’ s rehabbing a sports injury to the senior looking to stay active .)
You ’ re anxious , enthusiastic , unboundingly willing – and , left to your own devices , you ’ ll probably overdo it . Or you ’ ll run out of steam , get discouraged and quit .
Give yourself an A for intentions , but probably a D + for results .
Swimming has become perhaps the most popular form of fitness workout . After all , you already know how to swim , don ’ t you ? Most people do .
“ Actually , a lot of people come in and think they know how to swim , but they really don ’ t ,” said Adam Johnson , senior aquatics director at the Northeast Family YMCA in Lyndon in Louisville . “ People get in the water , and if they don ’ t know what they ’ re doing , they ’ ll spend about 10 minutes in there and get tired , get discouraged and never come back .”
So , if you ’ re thinking of starting a swimmingfor-health program this summer , start by acknowledging you might not be that strong a swimmer .
The problem , said Johnson , is breathing . “ The cardiovascular effort in swimming is different than that of running or cycling , because you have to hold your breath for certain lengths of time . So you do one length of the pool and you ’ re out of breath . We get that a lot .”
It ’ s not uncommon for triathletes – runners and cyclists in good condition – to come into the water and be blown away by how quickly they become out of breath .
“ People of a certain age who get into a pool and get tired after a lap blame it on age or weight or condition or some joint issue , when often it ’ s simply that they ’ re swimming wrong ,” Johnson said . “ Their technique or breathing or something is wrong , and always has been .”
There ’ s swim instruction , of course . But there are also other pool activities that produce some of the same benefits .
Aquafit classes , which may include weights , cycling , running or just aerobic exercises , provide a lot of the same benefits as swimming , without the need for technique . Classes are also aligned for age , strength , conditioning or personal goals .
“ Aquafit classes range from beginner to some pretty tough advanced classes ,” Johnson said .
The secrets of all water exercise are buoyancy and resistance . “ Water is 900 times more dense than air , so moving your body through water takes that much more energy ,” he explained .
Water weights are lighter , easier to manage and buoyant . But instead of a regular weight resisting being lifted , the flotation weight resists being pushed down into the water . But they work the arms and shoulders , all the same muscle groups as “ land ” weights .
Buoyant “ noodles ” are amazing devices in the pool , said Johnson . “ You can float around on a noodle , and when you suspend your body in the pool , you can more easily engage your legs in the workout .”
Even doing a vigorous standing or runningin-place activity in the water takes the weight and pressure off your joints .
Also , aquafit workouts are generally in group situations , which promotes social interaction , especially important for the elderly .
“ So you see , water exercise doesn ’ t have to be swimming laps , like a lot of people think ,” Johnson said .
GETTING STARTED
“ It ’ s tough to ask for help ,” said Adam Johnson , senior aquatics director at the Northeast Family YMCA in Lyndon in Louisville . “ At the ( YMCA ), we try to foster that nurturing environment .”
Johnson suggests a frank conversation with a fitness instructor , during which you ask questions and spend 15 minutes having your swimming stroke and technique evaluated .
38 EXTOL SPORTS / MAY 2017