What are your favorite physical activities or exercises?

Three times a week I go to the YMCA – early morning, 5:30-6:30am. All seniors, usually 4-8 people. Most don’t get up that early or get started that early. This time of year it is cold here so it becomes easy to talk oneself out of doing anything more than just sitting with another cup of coffee.

So, water walking is just that. There are water aerobic classes which are geared more to a younger set of folks, or perhaps just those who need a leader to get them thru the regime. We walk back and forth across an olympic size swimming pool, water heated to approx. 90 degreesF. We walk sideways, forward and backward, run in place, do various exercises for aerobics and stretching. We use weights – styrofoam, different sizes. Some people use ankle weights the entire time. We have noodles which we use for bicycling across the pool and doing porpoise type movements. And of course we visit and talk, bring each other up to date on things of import to us. Most of us have tried other types of exercise, however, for aging bodies; the average age is probably 75-95 yrs., the heated water is one of the few exercises which feels good not only when one is in the water but no soreness afterward.

So, next time you feel nothing else will work, try some warm water program. You will become addicted.

Peggy