Water aerobics classes...

At my pool, the water aerobics classes are at separate times fr/ the lap swimming period. But I STAY AWAY from the pool during the noon swim hours, b/c that's when the pool is divided between lap lanes and kids' camp. Talk about wave pools! That and the pool toys floating into lap lanes. One of them, thrown around by some kids, landed on a swimmer, who had more inner calm than I would have. She was doing a set, and simply flicked the thing back into the kids' section. Maybe she had a lot of open water practice.... After that one day, I vowed to stick to the early morning lap swim, when all the lanes are for lap swimmers. Granted, there are the folks who do odd little paddling/splashing concoctions in the more workout oriented lanes and such, but at least the chances of being hit by an errant pool toy are vastly reduced.

...but aren't water aerobics people really all retired triathletes, anyway...hee...hee

jswim, I agree, if what all you say about the way the noodlers behave is true, and I have no reason not to believe you. I've never seen anything even remotely related to that behavior from the women. In fact I've seen more of the opposite... lap swimmers deliberately trying to splash the women who are a couple of feet away from the laneropes. I think one of the problems is the name.... there are some exercises that are suppose to be aerobic but there are a lot more exercises that focus on balance or core strength. So next time you think they aren't doing water aerobics, they may not be, they maybe doing balance exercises.... hummm, doesn't TI have drills that focus on balance??? Don't swimmers talk about core strength a lot? Thank you jswim. He and Mom had lived with me for the past 10 years. I miss him terribly. Geek, just for the fun of it, tomorrow, get a good, heavy noodle, one that offers a lot of resistance when you push it under the water, one that you really have to use some strength to push it down.... hold it behind you... both hands on it... thumbs forward, fingers backward.... push it down in the water like you are going to sit on it, but don't. When your arms are fully extended behind you like that let the rest of your body float to the surface... then do 50 or so crunches in that balanced position. Or sit on it like a bike and pedal at 100% effort for 500... no pulling, just catching the water with your feet and legs to move up and down the pool... oh, you can also hold your hands above your head to make balancing/pedaling a tad harder. Lainey

I have been out of shape too long. I last competed at in a Masters meet in 93. I have been back in the pool since midwinter. Unfortunately between work, commuting, and volunteer time with the Scouts (its only an hour a week), I have had limited time to train and I usually swim after work. I recently had to changed clubs because of the water aerobics class schedule. The club were I swam started running their water aerobics classes on Mondays and Wednesdays at the pool near the office at 6:00 and at the other pool near the house on Mondays and Thursdays at 6:15. The pools are 25 meters in 4 lanes (1-4) with a 5th that is ~25 yards and is shallower than lane 1. In the past we conceede the short shallow lane (5) and the adjacent 25m lane (lane 4) to them. Somehow that lane rope between lanes 4 & 5 never came back. They then expanded to 3 lanes taking lane 3. The straw that broke this camel's back was the move from the shallow side of the pool to the deeper side, eliminating lanes 1 and 2 lanes and leaving only lane 3 with lane lines. Granted that treading water can get to be an aerobic exercise, they probably did not get much benefit from the deep side of the pool since they wear lifebelts. Most of the lap swimmers are passive noodlers but there are a few of us that are actually swimming workouts. A couple of us complained to management and asked that they either reschedule the class at a non peak time or stay on the shallow side. Evidently they were more vocal and more organized than we were because the club opted to keep the class and the deep side. I dropped my membership after 15 (although most of them passive) years with the club. New club, 5 x 25 m lanes open indoors for lap swimming 24/7. Water aerobics are in a separate pool. We still get some noodelers but the club is looking to start a Masters Club. I will probably join. Until they get organized, I will keep training with Mel's workouts.

The music is great especially when it is fast my pace is fast. I don't like it when the music is slow I then swim slow. The only problem they encroach on my lane and my arms get tangled in the lane ropes.

Thank you everyone! Mom was with Dad 24/7 during the last several years of his illness. Before Dad died I was sure that when he did go, Mom would just give up... really shoulda known better because she is a fiesty little 80 something, but they use to just dote on each other. Anyway, after Dad passed, I decided Mom needed to start getting out of the house so I talked her into water aerobics. That first class was really tough on her... her balance terrible and she pooped out about half way through. After three months of aerobics she has no problem with the balance exercises, you can see improvement in her flexibility, strength and endurance (she can do a whole class now) AND she can swim a lap (she has NEVER, in my lifespan, exercised 'formally') I'm trying to talk her int Masters! Besides the physical aspect of it the class has been good for her BECAUSE it is social.

What, another thread that requires me to have a sense of humour? I'll have none of it! Nah... I'm just sensitive and when I see swimmers pickin' on others, I have to put my two cents' worth in. I know how mean 'ya all are ;)

Originally posted by laineybug Thank you everyone! Mom was with Dad 24/7 during the last several years of his illness. Before Dad died I was sure that when he did go, Mom would just give up... really shoulda known better because she is a fiesty little 80 something, but they use to just dote on each other. Anyway, after Dad passed, I decided Mom needed to start getting out of the house so I talked her into water aerobics. That first class was really tough on her... her balance terrible and she pooped out about half way through. After three months of aerobics she has no problem with the balance exercises, you can see improvement in her flexibility, strength and endurance (she can do a whole class now) AND she can swim a lap (she has NEVER, in my lifespan, exercised 'formally') I'm trying to talk her int Masters! Besides the physical aspect of it the class has been good for her BECAUSE it is social. Good for you, Lainey! I'm happy that you both have a water activity to do together- treasure the time you have together; it's precious :)

No way, amigo. I biked for 25 minutes today, at a fast pace and was totally gassed. It reminds me why the water beats land.

I'd be happy to do all those exercises, even though they only exist in cyber space, since no noodling class in the history of plastic foam products has ever done this. Well, maybe one class did it, but the USNF found them out and took away their chapter membership. I'd be more interested in a noodling class that doesn't complain 93 degree water is too cold and doesn't intrude on lap swim lanes. As long as I'm doing these alleged noodle exercises, I'd like to see one noodling class do 10 yards of vigorous swimming so they can realize that hair can actually get wet without dire consequences. Oh, and those float noodle belt things that allow noodlers to actually remain completely stationary in water over their heads are now being made with coffee cup holders so the "water aerobic" class can be taken to its true ultimate destination, that being the in-pool coffee bar.