The YMCA just finished their first session of both swimming lessons and aquacise and already Y Director, Krystal Scarberry, is ready to get back in the water for the second session.
For swimming lessons alone, the Y had 30 kids come out during the June session and Scarberry is expecting more for the second part, which will start on July 13.
The lessons, which incorporate creative fun into the safety learning, are broke down into five levels ranging from polliwog (beginner) to shark (advanced swimmer) with an instructor for each level helping to develop the child’s swimming skills to advance on to the next level.
“Each level is designed to improve swimming techniques, endurance and speed while increasing their self-confidence in the water,” Scarberry said. “And while they are being taught water safety, we make sure they’re having fun at the same time. Our classes are never dull and with eight instructors on hand, every student gets some one-on-one time with them, another advantage to learning. We all have fun during our classes.”
And while the little ones are swimming up a storm, learning breast, side and backstrokes, the adults aren’t left out either as several participants gear up for the second session of aquacise, a water-aerobics class that is low-impact and great for all ages.
“The great thing about aquacise is that you don’t have to know how to swim in order to participate,” Scarberry said. “We stay in waist to chest-deep water and while we’re burning calories and toning muscles, the group is able to talk and socialize. We really have a ton a fun with it.”
Water walking, one of the several exercises done in the pool during the session, tends to burn twice the calories than that of land walking, a fact that is little known. The reason it burns more calories, according to Scarberry, is because of the resistance that water provides that isn’t there while on land.
“Air isn’t able to work against you like water can,” She said. “And because we’re 90-95 percent weightless in the water, it doesn’t feel like such a workout when you’re doing it. It really provides a fully body exercise that helps to strengthen and tone muscles while improving endurance and balance. It’s great for anyone recovering from a surgery or an illness.”
Second sessions for both swim lessons and aquacise will begin on July 13. Aquacise will be on Mondays and Wednesdays at 10:15 a.m. at the city pool. New this year are the evening aquacise classes that will be on the same days at 6 p.m. and may take place at the newly opened Breckinridge pool located at the Breckinridge Golf Course, but it has not been finalized. Swim lessons will run from Monday through Thursday, 9-10 a.m.
For more information about either class or for exact locations, please call the YMCA at (270) 389-9622.
