(SBA) - Summer arrived last week and I couldn’t be more excited! I spent the entire winter and almost all of spring having and recovering from surgery. After numerous trips to the Mayo Clinic, the specialists finally decided that my inability to walk without assistance was the result of my spinal cord being impinged by the bones in my spine. I had neck surgery in January and then spent several months in pain as I recovered. When I had to face another surgery in May, I dreaded the pain that I assumed would follow. It did not. When I awoke from surgery, I had no pain and I have very little pain at this time. I am doing physical therapy as I relearn how to walk without a walker. Currently, my gait looks more like a duck waddle, but I am improving.
The best part of the summer for me is the opening of our city pool and the glorious hour between 8:00-9:00 a.m. when our “seniors” are able to exercise in the pool, Monday through Friday. Unfortunately, my surgeon insists that I not swim for the entire summer because there is a very good chance that I might contract an infection that could lead to more problems. So, every day I sit in a chair at the side of the pool while the other ladies move to the musical instruction provided by a variety of CDs that I have collected throughout the years. This is our seventh year for early swim and although some days may be cloudy or cool, the water in the pool is a balmy 81 degrees. We have two different “live” instructors on some days, but mostly I lead an opening and a closing exercise and the CDs provide most of the actual instruction. If you are considering joining our group, just arrive at the pool a little before eight a.m, pay the $2 entrance fee and join the girls in the water. Although many of the women who swim each day are retired, we have several who are still working and join us on days when they are free. Usually, I lead the group through a brief warm-up and then we listen and exercise to the CD I have chosen for the day. Many of the women who swim have been part of the group since the beginning and they look forward to our summer season all year long. This is our seventh summer for our adult swim hour. We look forward to Linda Ackermann’s debut for the summer after her recovery from knee surgery. I always lead a short cool-down (although Dale wonders why we call it a “cool down” when they are already cool from the pool!) for the last five minutes of class each day. I know the girls welcome any break from my sometimes-bossy instruction.
Why is water exercise so effective in physical workouts? According to author Beth Weinhouse’s article, “Why Water Workouts Work” in June 2024’s Reader‘s Digest, working out while all or partially submerged in water has multiple benefits for both the mind and the body and can be done by individuals at almost every age. A 30-year observational study at the University of South Carolina determined that swimmers have a lower risk of death for any cause, compared to participants who were walkers, runners or were sedentary. One Australian study compared swimming with other forms of exercise including calisthenics and using a treadmill. The study determined that only water exercise helps to prevent falls. A person does not have to be a strong swimmer to participate in water exercise as pool walking and water workouts with or without weights can be effective.
Water exercise can improve fitness for almost any person because water’s buoyancy minimizes the effects of gravity so that there is less of an effect on joints, particularly for individuals with arthritis or those who wish to prevent this disabling condition. Aqua exercise engages all of the body’s major muscle groups including those in the legs, upper body and core. Even your bones are strengthened in pool exercise. As we want a full body workout, we end each session with three rounds of vowel recitation as those movements of the mouth exercise the entire face. Most of the women who exercise bring a bottle of water each day because even though they are surrounded by water in the pool, the body experiences a higher metabolic rate, burning calories and helping with weight loss. Regular swimming and pool exercise increases the heart rate and can help lower blood pressure and relax stiff arteries, reducing the risk of heart disease and stroke.
Submerging the body in water just feels good and often brings back childhood memories of the pool or the ocean. I spent many summers growing up at the ocean and nothing brings me joy more than feeling waves beneath my feet. Water exercise releases the “feel good” hormones in our brain. That extra boost of endorphins helps to combat anxiety, depression and stress. If you have nothing to do at 8 o’clock in the morning, please join us at the pool for an hour of laughter and friendly chatter as we exercise in our pool.
