HookedonWaterFitness.com

Tag: Health and Fitness

  • Man, That’s Cold

    That's Cold

    We’re moving into that time of year where it starts to get – brrrr rabbit cold. Just down-to-the-bones chilly, even here in the southern U.S. Break out the coats, the blankets, and the hand-warmers. Find the gloves, both of them. 

    Shove on some heavy socks, get out the boots and the leggings, heat up the car, and – go to the pool?? Are you out of your freakin’ mind? you ask. No…at least not so you’d notice.

    In my lifetime, I’ve done a polar bear swim in Gatlinburg, Tennessee the week after Christmas (I was a teenager); I’ve gotten into a private pool that was 65 degrees in November (in a full wetsuit); worked out in a gym pool in 72 degree water (try it, it’s cooold – the pool needed repair); and generally spent time in colder-than-average and cooler-than-it-should-be swimming pools. 

    Sadly, my experience doesn’t help me. Something about cold water in the wintertime is so…”discouraging” might be the word. So what’s a body that needs a workout and a mind that needs relaxing supposed to do? I go to the pool.

    Pool

    Our pool is state of the art, which among other things translates to lots of windows. We also have a water heating system that works in odd ways. It’s been explained to me that you “set it like the thermostat in your home, in a range, as opposed to setting it to a specific degree.” (?) Maybe. 

    A side note: Most people enjoy an indoor pool that is about 87 degrees. It doesn’t sound like 80-84 would be a big difference. Believe me, in the water, every degree counts. Anyway, the water can be 80 to 84 degrees at our pool on any given day. But add the windows, and – baby, it’s cold inside. The good news is, it gets you moving. (Otherwise you might freeze in place.)

     

    Never fear, there’s help for even the coldest pools: 

    • First, for about $40 you can buy a wetsuit jacket on Amazon. The thicker the better. And they work. Even though they’re wet, not dry, they hug your body and hold your internal temperature in. A wetsuit jacket won’t restrict your movements in water aerobic exercise. When you purchase one, go by your measurements, not the size. These wetsuit jackets are made all over the world, so the sizing varies wildly. 
    • Get moving as soon as you get in the water. Hit the pool floor running, literally and physically. This warms you up more quickly.
    • Pro Tip: After being in the water for about 20 minutes, get out for a moment. Go refill your water bottle or go to the bathroom, then get back in. It feels much better.
    • Start your workout with warm-up exercises, not stretching. When you first start your workout, you’re not warmed up (this applies year round), so it’s like putting a rubber band in the freezer. If you stretch it when you first take it out, it breaks. If you warm it up first, it’s all good.
    • While you can use wetsuit pants as well, I don’t recommend it. The jackets don’t restrict movement for Water Aerobics but the pants really can. And usually, if your core is warm you’re okay.
    • If you’re warm-natured, an aqua shirt may be enough. These short-sleeve and long-sleeve shirts make a difference. Make sure you don’t wear a cotton t-shirt! Remember, in the water, cotton is cold.
    • You may also be able to get by with a wetsuit vest. Consider all your options.
    • Save the stretching for last. Start with a jog, go into your arm, core, and leg exercises, do your endurance hitch, then stretch. There are a lot of reasons to do this year-round, but an added benefit in cold weather/water is that you’re pretty warm by the time you do your stretching. 

    Those tips should help warm you up. 

     

    Now, a few other things. There are so many benefits to working out in cold weather. Just to name a few, from Money Talks News:

    Exercising in cold weather (water) 

    • It helps prevent colds and flu. It’s tempting to stay in bed on a gray winter day. But according to the National Library of Medicine, a little exercise could be just what we need to stave off the sniffles. That could be as simple as a daily walk or, weather permitting, a bike ride with your kids.

    It’s not clear why moderate exercise helps, but the NLM reports several theories:

    • Exercise might help clear the lungs and airway of bacteria and viruses.
    • Physical activity causes white blood cells and antibodies to circulate more rapidly, possibly helping them detect potential illness faster.
    • The fact that exercise literally warms us up may help reduce bacterial growth, just as a fever helps us fight infection.
    • Stress can increase the possibility of sickness. Physical activity helps lower the amount of stress hormones in our bodies.

     – MTN  https://www.moneytalksnews.com/slideshows/surprising-benefits-of-exercising-outdoors-in-the-winter/?utm_campaign=bad-money-habits-that-are-robbing-you-blind&utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email

    Shower

    I have an added benefit for you:

    When you leave the gym, after a good hot shower, you will feel like Queen/King of the World. You have worked out in extremely cold weather, you’ve gotten your blood pumping, your heart racing, and your mind settled. Moreover, you’ve conquered your fear of going to the pool in cold weather. Yay, you!

    Fire

     

    Now, go home and sit in front of the fire and revel in your accomplishments of the day.

    Okay, are you convinced to get off the couch and head for the pool?

    I’ll see ya’ in the water!

     

     

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  • H.I.I.T. Me

    Hit Me
    Hit Me

    High Intensity Interval Training is one of the greatest exercise routines you can do. And yes, you can do it in the water!

    H.I.I.T. involves pursuing one exercise, e.g. running, for 60-90 seconds as hard as you can go followed by 15-30 seconds of slower exercise, e.g. jogging. Then lather, rinse, and repeat. For a more comprehensive explanation, here’s what Wikipedia says about it:

    High-intensity interval training (HIIT) is a training protocol alternating short periods of intense or explosive anaerobic exercise with brief recovery periods until the point of exhaustion.[1] HIIT involves exercises performed in repeated quick bursts at maximum or near maximal effort with periods of rest or low activity between bouts. The very high level of intensity, the interval duration, and number of bouts distinguish it from aerobic (cardiovascular) activity, because the body significantly recruits anaerobic energy systems (although not completely to the exclusion of aerobic pathways).[2] The method thereby relies on “the anaerobic energy releasing system almost maximally”.[1]

    Please note: As an associate, I receive a commission from products sold through the links. Thank you.

    To perform HIIT exercises in the water is easy. Take any exercise – the running/jogging mentioned above; squat jacks; cross-country ski or almost any exercise or exercise combo that you can go full board for a minute followed by a slowdown. The benefits: HIIT boosts metabolism, strengthens bones, burns fat, builds muscle, and maintains muscle mass. Your stamina, and your endurance are amazing and experts rave about it. I rave about it too. You don’t have to go nuclear with it; 3 days of 5 minutes of HIIT during a 45 minute total workout is sufficient to put you on track. You can find some good books that illustrate various water aerobics exercises! Check out the ones below:

    Time yourself, using the pool’s chronometer, your smartwatch, or one of these:

         

     

    Question: What about bringing intensity to the pool?

    Intensity

    Answer: This one is a little tricky. On the one hand, yes, you definitely want to be focused on your workout and serious about the desire to attain and maintain results. On the other hand, the water is – with the possible exception of lap swimming – a more relaxed environment than the gym. Some of the same traditional “Gym Rules” for attitude still apply, such as: 

    1. Leave your day’s problems at the door.
    2. Leave your bad mood at the door.
    3. Be courteous to everyone.
    4. Return the equipment to its designated space when finished using it.

    You should really try, for your sake and others’, to take responsibility for these actions and attitudes. 

    At the same time, I believe people in the water are more relaxed and want to talk more than people at the gym. I may be wrong, I spend 99% of my time in the water, but I believe the water provides a connection to everyone in the pool that the air in the gym or the carpet in the gym doesn’t provide. People who get wet together seem to become closer friends. I mean, for cryin’ out loud you’re wearing very few clothes, you’re wet (maybe a little vulnerable?), and you’re just a short distance in shared water from the next guy.

    This shared water space seems to really open people up…which, in my view, is good and – sigh, sometimes not so good. Some people seem to come to class only to revert to a relaxing day at the pool or the lake or the beach. They just want to kick back, talk and talk, and their only intensity is intensely wishing they had a cold drink in their hand. They came to play, not work. Unh, hunh. They’re in the wrong place.

    Focus is important with any exercise routine. When I’m teaching class, I encourage camaraderie but not talking. What do I mean? I mean that if you want to discuss your day or your work or your friends outside the pool, get to class a few minutes early or stay late. I enjoy personal time with my class attendees so much. It’s great to get to know each other and to share! But don’t use class time to talk. During class, if you want to ask questions about the exercises, the pool, or share information about fitness, then please speak up. Otherwise, save it.

    Your body’s shape or level of fitness is not going to improve talking about Jake or Sally, the kids, how much your spouse ticked you off, or that report you didn’t finish at work. However, it is going to improve if you’re focused and in step with the exercises we’re doing.

    I also have a personal workout which I usually do daily for an hour. On non-class days I do it before my regular workout, and on class days I do it about an hour prior to class. During this time, I’m running across the pool, doing some stretching, and a few exercises. This is “my time,” and I’m every bit as intense as anyone can be working out. Because I’m spending the majority of the time running, it’s hard to talk or keep up a conversation. I try very hard to balance my need to focus and breathe properly with someone else’s need to talk to me without interrupting my class. LOL, it’s a high wire act sometimes. See #3 above.

    So intensity at the pool is great for exercise routines, sometimes a little sticky for enhancing naturally occurring personal relationships. There’s a way to balance it, just don’t be rude and don’t be annoying, no matter what side of the workout/desire-to-talk equation that you’re on.

    Now, equipment for the HIIT exercise protocol. I encourage you to get good shoes for the water in order to do these exercises properly. Don’t waste your money on “aqua socks,” or extremely cheap brands of shoes. Just like a good running shoe, you need a pair of good water shoes for your feet. They should have traction soles, drainage ports, and fit comfortably. The best for women are Ryka, shown below, and the best place to get them is H20Wear.com or Amazon. These shoes last for years!

       

     

    If you’re a man, I have heard good things about these shoes, available on Amazon:

    The HIIT protocol will make you sweat in the water – which is a glorious feeling, by the way – and you’ll want and need to rehydrate. So bring your water bottle to your workout! I know, it makes you have to go to the bathroom. But it is so healthy it’s worth it!! If you drink more water, eliminate salt from your diet, and cut back on sugar, then along with a workout there is no end to how far you can go in improving your health. Disposable water bottles are not where it’s at, nor what you want poolside. Try out these water bottles:

    I’ll see ya’ in the water!

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  • Invest In Wet

    Invest In Wet

    Please note: I receive a small commission for any products purchased through links on this website. Thank you!

    People at the gym get to know each other. People working out in the pool really get to know each other. My SIL once said there is a common bond created by the water that makes us close. I think this is a profound and true statement. We come to know each other, each other’s schedules, and how each person works out, whether that’s lap swimming, water aerobics class, pool volleyball, exercise on your own, or something else. We also miss each other when we’ve been absent for a while.

    I am often asked by others how I “make” myself come to the pool and work out 5 days a week. That always strikes me as funny. I’m a type A, former alcoholic, with strong habit-forming tendencies. I always explain that the pool is “just the best addiction I’ve ever had.” It’s my Happy Hour (or hours), it’s a time for some social interaction, and I am totally addicted.

    I’ll tell ya’ what else I’m addicted to:

    • I’m hooked on having firm biceps – no grandma underarms here, no bat wings. 
    • I’m dependent on the endorphins, the “high” I get from working out.
    • I love the fact that the muscles in my legs, abdomen, and chest are all strong. 
    • My stamina makes me smile. 
    • And the friendships I’ve made at the pool are priceless. 

    All of these things keep me coming back.

     

    That may not be enough for some people. How about this? 

    • It helps me maintain my weight.  
    • I sleep better at night. 
    • My stress from the day is gone after a good workout.
    • And if I need to go back to work after the workout, my attitude is 100% better.

     

    Still not enough for you? How about your health. Yes, the health aspect. You know, your current habits. You may still be doing the regular Happy Hour thing (which is fine, this is a judgment-free zone), or you’re working hard all day and night without a break; either in Corporate America, doing your own business thing, and/or chasing the kids and their schedules.

    …and, when the day is finally freakin’ over, all you want is the couch, some potato chips or cookies, and the TV.

    I get it, I hear you. You’ve had enough of this day’s fun, leave me alone about exercising.

    Question: When’s the last time you felt good about your life, your health, you??

    I would ask when’s the last time you did something good for you, but that question is over-asked and I’m not sure ever answered.

    I mentioned I’m a Type A. Yep, being a workaholic helped me become an alcoholic, and trust me the workaholic/alcoholic combo isn’t a solution to any problem. It’s just a run-away, an attempted escape from a prison if not built by yourself then at least maintained by you. No matter whether you built your prison out of wine bottles or cupcakes, you’re still the only one who can come up with the key. I don’t want to go into addiction and rehab here, I will just say prayer and a relationship with God have a lot to do with any release from any addiction. Now, on to forming a key.

    As with any investment, the key is don’t sell your investment (yourself) short. Open up to possibilities!

    There are all kinds of different designs to your escape from a life with no exercise. The first step, though, is to get moving. I don’t care whether you walk, work out in the gym, run, or go horseback riding for that matter – just do what gets you moving. Remember that if you’re moving, you’re lapping everyone else on the couch. 

     

    But I’m a water puppy and prefer the water. I think you might be a water puppy too, and I want to help you to invest in wet.

     

    How, you say?

    1.  Check out local YMCA’s, Fitness Clubs, and expanded gyms. Google “Fitness Facility Near Me With Pool.
    2. Choose one that’s convenient for you.
    3. Call them and arrange for a tour.
    4. Join.
    5. Schedule your time. That’s right, put it on your calendar, on the kids’ calendar, on your partner’s calendar, make it a priority. Invest in getting Wet.
    6. SHOW UP. You can’t start unless you begin. Go to the pool you just signed on for and are probably paying for. Get a class schedule. Try different classes and see which one works for you. Or, work with an instructor one on one to develop a workout tailored for you. Or do both!
    7. Become a frequent visitor, coming regularly at least a couple of times a week to start with. Get to know the facility and start introducing yourself to the staff and other members. You are probably making friends for life with these connections.

    I know you want to feel good. When you feel good, you look good. And nothing looks better than a strong investment in you and your health.

    See ya’ in the water!

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  • Back to…Water Event!

    Back to…Water Event!

    I know, I know, it’s supposed to be “Back to School.” But all parents and grandparents know that when the kids are back at school, the adults have more time for themselves.  Jump on the opportunity! Join a Water Aerobics, Swimming, or Diving class. Get in the water and feel better! And read this for some motivation and ideas.

    While you’re at it, take a look at some back to school products… (Hey, I’m giving you one-stop shopping)  🙂

     

    And this deal is for you and the kids, and so good I just bought one myself:

    I find that while I’m working out, I need a lot of water. Part of it is because I’m teaching, therefore talking a lot, and part of it is because I like drinking water almost as much as being in the water. So, I recommend the 40 oz bottles.

     

    Water Temps

    Something we haven’t talked about are cold pools. Some pools are very cold, including the one I work out in. The YMCAs in my area keep the water at 78 degrees, but the independently owned facility I belong to keeps their water at 81 degrees, so shop around. Hey, every little degree counts, especially if you’re cold-natured like I am. And it’s not limited to the winter months either. You add on air conditioning, and it can get cold even in the summer. I often laugh going into my facility because when it’s above 90 degrees outside, I’m wearing more clothes in the water than when I’m walking into the facility. 

    Either way, for this problem I recommend wetsuit jackets, like the one pictured here. 3ml are the warmest, and you want to be sure to order by your measurements, not your normal size. These jackets are made all over the world, and they don’t adjust to U.S. based sizes. Also, they’re supposed to fit tight. These are wetsuit jackets, so they don’t keep you dry, but by being close-fitting, they do help keep you warm. So take your measurements, order a jacket, and feel much more comfortable in the water.

    Have you joined a pool yet? Signed up for a swimming class? Joined a water aerobics class? Are you getting wet yet?

    I’ll see ya’ in the water.

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  • Hooked on Water Fitness One

     

    As a kid, I used to daydream about being a microbiologist; spending my days under water with tanks on my back, examining the most minute and inimitable creatures living in an incredible world that is truly the last frontier. Or shedding the tanks and swimming uninhibited underwater past colorful coral reefs and fascinating large fish – swimming with the dolphins, anyone? Occasionally, in my child’s mind I would catch my sleeve on a bit of coral rock or encounter an angry native and the “downside” of my beautiful life would come to the surface with a little pressure to get to air and away from predators or hungry sharks. I leapt at every chance I got to be in the water. Either swimming, skiing and fishing at the lake, or swimming and diving at the community pool, or on rare family vacations at the beach. Just put me in the water!

    My parents were cautious when it came to the kids being in the water. At the lake, Dad would check the area for stumps, rocks, and snakes before letting us go in. At the beach my parents kept an eye on us. And in the pool, well, there were 100 kids, 4 or 5 lifeguards, and I’m grateful they were there.

    The total circle of my life – all of our lives – is a little like that. Beauty and danger; ease and pressure; dreams and reality. That’s what this is all about.

    TODAY

    I spend at least 15 hours of every week in the water, leading a water aerobics class, playing pool volleyball, and/or working out by myself. Each time I’m in the water all those feelings from my childhood come rushing back: the relaxation of being in the water, the escape from stress, the soothing blue of the pool or the water itself; the freedom from my inconvenient cane; the power of the water, which can be both beautiful and dangerous at the same time.

    Then there’s the workout itself. Whether I’m running laps across the pool, doing cardio or resistance with the buoys, engaged in the high intensity interval exercises, or the balance and stretching part of the workout, it’s ALL GOOD.

    The exercise is my break from my work as a creative. I design mini ads and create content for companies and professionals. I work out of my home and have for years, way before the current rage.

    The biggest challenge in my life – all of our lives? – is to drown the noise, lock up the negative, find the still small voice, and for me, come back to the lure of the water. Water Exercise is one solution to finding peace while getting and staying in shape and meeting new people.

    Here I’ll make it my mission probable to examine the different forms of water exercise and fitness, the equipment used and the benefits, find the blessing, and share it with you. Please join me, as I share why I’m Hooked on Water Fitness.

    As an Amazon Affiliate, I will get a commission when you click on any product links. Thank you.