Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, July 29, 1990 TAG: 9007310307
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV2 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: KIM SUNDERLAND NEW RIVER VALLEY BUREAU
DATELINE: PULASKI LENGTH: Medium
Don't sit around and let the problems get worse.
Exercise.
One of the hottest, if not the coolest, ways to exercise in the New River Valley these days, and one that many doctors are now recommending, is water fitness. And you don't have to know how to swim to get involved.
Using exercise routines, music, paddles and kick-boards, participants of any age, who are in any condition, can jump in the water and let the ailments ripple away.
"It's the best exercise program going," said Jack Leahy, director of the Pulaski YMCA, which sponsors Aqua-Aerobics and Aquacises.
"It's competitive with land aerobics, and for those with injuries or for those who have just had surgery, it's one of the only forms of exercise suitable for their needs," he said.
Although the programs go by different names, they're all fairly similar.
Instructors are usually certified in aerobics, CPR and first aid. Some may have their life-saving certificates.
The fitness routines, done in shallow water so that non-swimmers can participate, are derived from regular aerobics, so upbeat music is used to keep the pace and the beat.
Some instructors stand beside the pool to lead the program and others jump right in with the participants. Many instructors do both.
Kickboards and hand paddles are used in the hour-long routines to offer resistance in the water. This helps build and tone muscles.
"It's particularly helpful in strengthening arm and stomach muscles," said Katherine Williamson, the aquatics director at Pulaski's YMCA.
Pulaski's programs are year-round - since the YMCA has an indoor pool - and meet two or three times weekly. The Aqua-Aerobics class is a faster-paced hour of warm-ups, dance routines and board work. Aquacises is slower and works best for those in therapy or those with weight problems.
"Both are good cardiovascular workouts," explained Williamson. "The buoyancy of the water lessens the stress so it's easier for everyone to work out."
Freda Hubble, the morning water fitness instructor in Pulaski, swears by the routines. She took them up a few years ago and has lost 60 pounds.
"The water helps cushion you," said Hubble, also the child-care director at the YMCA. "There's no pressure on the knees and back. And the water has a cooling effect."
Participants in Hubble's class are equally enthused.
Shirley Apperson, 55, of Wytheville, suffers from chronic arthritis and a weight problem. On suggestion from her doctor, she began commuting to Pulaski for the programs.
"I needed physical therapy for my knees and hips," Apperson said. "The water is the best place for me to do that because I'm overweight."
Apperson said that within six months of starting Aquacises, she threw away her cane.
"If it weren't for this program, I'd be crippled," she said.
Others in the class, advised by a doctor to join the program, have experienced similar success.
Pulaski resident Warren Pauley, 69, has been coming to the YMCA for more than two years to exercise. He's had bypass surgery four times.
"I need the exercise," said Pauley, one of only two men in the class. "And besides, you get to meet all of these ladies."
Mildred Dunford, 54, of Pulaski, has been coming for a year to relieve severe back problems.
"This helps loosen my joints," Dunford said from the water during a recent workout. "It gives you a high - a really good feeling."
Besides buoyancy, the water allows a better stretch, offers more flexibility and lets you see the results faster.
"You can see it work quicker on your hips, stomach and thighs," said Terry Caldwell, pool supervisor for the Montgomery County Recreation Department, which offers Water Aerobics until the end of August.
Water fitness also is ideal for those who have handicaps or are in wheelchairs.
Aquatics Challenge, offered each semester at Virginia Tech, is a therapy class and some participants need a doctor's recommendation to join.
The Radford pool has Water Aerobics this summer, too.
This program has about 50 participants who show up three times a week at the outdoor pool.
"It's a really good time," said Jackie Stephens, program coordinator for the Radford Recreation Department.
"It's good for all ages, for men and for women. It's great for therapy and weight control."
WATER FITNESS SESSIONS
\ Pulaski County: Aug. 6-Aug. 17; call 980-3671.
\ Montgomery County: Aug. 3-30; call 382-6978.
\ Radford: Now until September; call 731-3633.
\ Virginia Tech: Fall semester; call 231-6857.
by CNB