Water Aerobics Win!

 

I don't want to brag, but I have the best water aerobics teacher ever.  Had, I guess, since my Waltham Y membership expired and I'm moving across the country tomorrow, but still.  Her name is Kristen, and she's always upbeat, encouraging, pushes us with fantastic and challenging muscle workouts, and in each class, she tells us an awesome cheesy joke like this one:

Q: What is the nosiest pepper?
A: Jalepeño business!

(Say it out loud.  With sass.  Go on, I'll wait.)

She's also just inspiringly positive and optimistic.  One time, she said, "this exercise is my favorite!"  Then a pause.  "I guess when you're a happy person you get to have LOTS of favorite things!"

 I thought about trying water aerobics a few years ago, when I was a member of the Y near my parents' house.  I love being in the pool, but for some reason I've never been very driven to swim laps.  But my parents dissuaded me, saying water aerobics is for little old ladies.  In their defense, there was a lot of that contingent in my class...

...but I don't know how!  Because the workouts were not only fun, but also challenging, and I usually left feeling just as accomplished as after a Zumba class.  The class is broken into 3 sections:

1. Body only exercises - Using your body and the water resistance to do things like jumping jacks, jogging in place, hopping backwards, etc.

2. Weights - Using floaty dumbbells (more floaty means more difficult) to provide even greater water resistance and do awesome arm workouts, or using the dumbbells to provide balance while doing other exercises like ab workouts.

3. Water Noodles - Yep, those things you used to float on and have sword fights with when you were a kid (or was that just me?).  Using the resistance of the noodle, we do a lot of different exercises, mostly around leg muscles.

My class is unusual in that there are a lot of people around my age.  It's probably Kristen's energy that keeps them coming back, but it's also an excellent workout!

At some point, when I'm once again gainfully employed beyond my handful of private practice clients, I'll probably join a gym with a pool in Los Angeles, and I'll check out their classes.  If there are ways to get exercise and enjoy myself while doing so, count me in!