Time and time again, aquatic exercise programs have proven beneficial to overweight individuals who are trying to return to a healthy lifestyle. Therefore, it is unfortunate that those who would benefit most from this sort of exercise are often the most reluctant to use it.
There are a number of reasons for this. In our society, people who are not television-thin are taught that their bodies are not attractive, and are ashamed to be seen in a bathing suit. It is difficult to convince heavier patrons that very few individuals look like the models who appear in television ads, and that there is nothing to be self-conscious about. A good aquatics teacher can generally convince club patrons to give aquatic exercise a try in spite of how they look in a swimsuit. This helps, but getting past this hurdle is only part of the journey from inactivity to the pool, and ultimately, to fitness.
It is a fact that carrying excessive weight on the body puts enormous strain on the knees, hips and ankles. If these joints are stiff or painful at all, climbing down a ladder or managing the stairs to the shallow end of most pools can be difficult as well. So, getting into and out of the pool becomes another hurdle in the path to fitness for individuals who are trying, through a program of diet and exercise, to bring their body weight into normal ranges.
The Americans with Disabilities Act incorporated regulations for disabled access into the law in 2010. This set of regulations applies to all public pools, and some private pools that offer public activities. The regulations specify that these pools provide at least one means of access that is either a pool lift or a sloped entry (ramp). Larger pools require two means of access, one of which must be a pool lift or sloped entry (ramp). This law became actively enforced in March of 2013, and has provided a boost for everyone who has difficulty with stairs or ladders. For pools that are being built, a ramp is easy to include. For older facilities, water-powered pool lifts provide the required access that also benefits the club members with weight issues and are the most cost-effective means available.
If a pool is equipped with a water-powered lift, the pool lift is always ready to operate when needed. Safe for both patrons and the environment, using the power of water is reliable and, by far, the least expensive power source. For a smooth, quiet transfer, pool lifts enable people who are reluctant to use stairs and ladders for any number of reasons easy and unobtrusive access to the water. Providing this simple amenity at a club provides an opportunity for a buoyant workout that is gentle on the joints and offers a good beginning to a life of fitness for those who may not be able to jump into a land-based program just yet.
There is no question that maintaining a pool at a facility or adding a pool can be an expensive endeavor. For this reason, it makes good sense to fully utilize the pool in as many ways as possible. A solid aqua fitness program of classes taught by certified professional instructors adds value to the fitness options at clubs equipped with a pool, and supplements the individual opportunities for exercise nicely. While lap swimming, water walking and water spinning are good individual exercises in the pool; aqua fitness classes provide a shared entertainment value that is not to be discounted. Oftentimes, lifetime friendships are forged in the pool, and many patrons come back week after week, month after month, year after year to work out in the pool with their friends. Member loyalty is a nebulous commodity that is created and built by a diversity of programs and the community that develops around them.
Liz Waters is the marketing manager for Aquatic Access Inc. and a certified AEA Aqua Fitness Instructor in Louisville, Ky. She can be contacted at 502.425.5817 or by e-mail at liz@aquaticaccess.com.
