Fins to the Left! Fins to the Right! The Wonderful World of Water Aerobics

BY MOLLY FIELD | COMMUNICATION COMMITTEE

Sunny days, longer days, so much more fun to have, so many ways to be healthy and fit. Naturally, your Activities and Fitness Desk staff have got you and your family covered.

We call it “Water Aerobics,” but you may also know it as “hydro-fit,” “aquatic exercise,” or “water fitness.” Water Aerobics exercise was first developed in the 1950s by Jack LaLanne who created at-home water workouts that increased strength without stressing the joints from impact. We’ve been in on this, offering excellent classes since the 1990s while Water Aerobics has gained popularity at the Club, nationwide, and, increasingly, on college campuses.

Are you curious to know more? Well, toss the grainy blackand-white images of nose plugs and bedazzled swim caps, Water

Aerobics—a great go-to for those seeking a strong workout to complement other exercise while also being simultaneously cooled. SGCC’s Water Aerobics program offers numerous benefits:

• Joie de vivre! Our program is social, friendly, and fun—a very important component of our mental health as loneliness is on the rise and is considered to be a national health concern

• Safely challenge connective tissues and joints

• Water Aerobics is suited to all ages, but the atmosphere is geared toward adults, so please be mindful and avoid bringing younger children

• There is no height requirement. Though class is usually done in chest-deep water, some students choose to be in deeper water and complete the moves “suspended” (aka floating)

• It’s scalable: we provide instructor-recommended equipment to increase and decrease the intensity of the workout

• One of the best things about Water Aerobics? You can do things in water that you can’t do on land! You can also do the workout as fast or as slow as you’d like

• We average twenty people per class, though the first few weeks tend to have smaller classes that grow in size once the weather heats up

• Your memory will be revved from saying hi and remembering all the names of your new friends, song lyrics, and the new fitness moves curated by our motivating and entertaining instructors

• Come as you are and bring your own towel—everyone shows up in a sun hat and maybe a sun-protective swim shirt, with a sense of humor and a smile

• Improved cardiovascular endurance and balance from the natural resistance of the water, which is 1,000 times heavier than air. A simple twist of an arm increases your resistance. Add the water “weights” which actually float, and you’ve increased demand

• Improved physical coordination: all your muscles are working just to keep you standing up in the water; now add the effort of walking 20 steps in both directions or adding high knee pumps for a routine. It gets busy!

The program is managed through the Fitness Desk and our instructors, who are seasonal, have been with us for several years and they mean to offer a strong and effective session this summer. Each instructor has their own unique style, and every participant has a favorite.

Maria is our coordinator and has been part of SGCC’s Water Aerobics program for twenty-three years. Maria will inspire you to keep going during class—imagine this: she’s on the pool deck in 92˚ heat and high humidity, demonstrating for you all the moves while you’re in the water staying cool. If it’s too hot, she will get in to cool down and demonstrate fundamental moves from the shallow end.

Mariane, whose vigor is only matched by her enthusiasm, wears and inspires participants to don their most festive outfits to commemorate the 4th of July.

Erin will blow your calorie counter with her innovative and effective workouts that she demonstrates in a way that seems to somehow defy gravity.

Elite athletes know that the best way to stay conditioned is to vary workouts and include off days for the body to recover. Including Water Aerobics provides options for both higherintensity training and recovery. But you already know that, don’t you?

At SGCC, Water Aerobics is so popular that the Fitness Staff adjusts the summer class schedule to accommodate Water Aerobics enthusiasts. That’s some clout, you guys. So, all indicators point to giving Water Aerobics a try and finding yourself pleasantly surprised by all its physical and social benefits.

The summer 2023 session begins June 5. You can attend classes on a drop-in basis for $10 each, or you can purchase a package of 10, 12, or Unlimited classes (we offer about 64 classes each summer!) for $85, $95, and $115, respectively. Classes are held Monday through Friday from 11:00 to 11:55 a.m. There is no class on Independence Day or Labor Day or during thunderstorms. However, you will see our more hardcore water fitness participants even on chilly, drizzly days because nothing will stop them.

Want to join in the fun? Reach out to the Fitness Desk to purchase a package at fitness@sgccva.org. Please don’t forget to sign into class each time you attend—keeping track of attendance helps the staff gauge popularity and influences future offerings. 