1st aqua fitness class

[Debra L]

At my Dr.'s urging, I tried a water fitness class yesterday. It would have been fantastic to attend an Aquajock class, but alas, Annette lives a few thousand miles away.

Anyhow, it was a lot of fun. I felt a bit out of place with the white haired ladies & 2 men that could play the Grinch without makeup. The class had a cardio emphasis but I didn't get my heartrate up as high as I would have liked. I think once I learn some technique, that will come. And it's hard to stay vertical, there's a tendency to hunch over, so you really have to stabilize. Oh, the water was heated to 85 degrees so even a wienie like me couldn't complain.

Annette, I recall that you had strong opinions on gloves. What do you recommend? And what's the deal with the shoes? I thought people just used some sort of aquasock to protect their feet from the bottom surface. But the instructor wore tie up athletic shoes that must have some sort of drainage. She recommended them for support during shallow water work. Any guidance?


Debra

 

[Aquajock]

Debra - this'll be a fly-by for now, and I'll respond at greater length later . . .

Re resistance mitts / gloves: my preferred brand is the Speedo zip-ups, because they provide more resistance not just re increased surface area but also cloth drag resistance via the Neoprene top half;

Re aqua athletic shoes as opposed to aquasock: in order to do an athletic workout in shallow water aqua you indeed have to have athletic shoes. They support your feet on landing moves, they protect the soles of your feet from abrasion, and they stabilize you in impact landing moves far better than the "socks". My preferred brand is the Ryka Aquafit shoe (i.e. the most expensive model).

Re water temperature: 85 degrees is a little high for athletic work. No wonder you weren't able to move vigorously enough to get into your heart rate. Water temps for true aqua aerobic work shouldn't be more than about 82 degrees.

More later -

A-Jock

 

[Aquajock]

Debra - to expand a bit on my previous answer, it may be tough for you to get in a workout that's up to your cardio capabilities if the class is populated mostly (or exclusively) by seniors. Also, again it's not good to try to work vigorously in an overly-warm pool. If aqua is your only option for working out right now, try to find another pool that's more geared to lap swimming.

In the past I've tried to adequately describe the athletic-style work you can do in a vertical, shallow-water format, and I've failed miserably; it's too complicated, and varied, to try to write it out without having the would-be participant in front of me.

Please let me know if you have other options than the one class you've attended; you're welcome to private-message me on the subject if you'd like.

I'll be away from the Forums until Monday, so I'll answer your questions then when I get back.

A-Jock

 

[Debra L]

Annette, thanks for your tips & assistance. I'll wear my HRM next time & see if improved technique gets my heart rate up. The instructor asked several times if anyone needed help getting their heart rates into the 6 to 8 perceived exertion rate, but I didn't want to ask for help as I had enough to do trying to figure out the moves.

We spent 1/2 our time in the shallow end. Sometimes, low impact, sometimes rebounding off the bottom of the pool, & sometimes no impact. The second 1/2 was spent in the deep end of the pool using a noodle for flotation. I sure got a core workout in the deep water even if I didn't get my heart rate very high!

The club offers 4 aqua classes, so I haven't exhausted my options. One is called Aqua challenge which is deemed advanced. The evening classes may be more youthful too. Land weight training is fine. My doctor does want me to x-train in water for cardio.

The Olympic lap pool is heated to 80 degrees but I've never had a problem getting my hr up w/ lap swimming. It's just kind of boring.

Do seniors need warmer water because of reduced circulation or some other reason?

I'll look into the shoes & gloves after I try a few more classes.

Tomorrow's your big day, isn't it?? Into the deep end of the pool with the inhaler? GOOD LUCK! You've got a big crowd rooting for you.

Debra