Try water aerobics this summer

Jackie Cox

If you hear upbeat music, laughter and splashes near the pool weekday mornings, it is probably Water Aerobics! Yes, 335 different people have exercised there last season, an average of 43 a day, compared to 15 persons 10 years ago.

Lively men and women socialize and start their day with up-beat music and Aqua Bird Water Aerobics. Beginning May 1, summer hours are 8:00 to 9:00 a.m., Monday through Friday, until the end of October, when times change to 10:00 a.m.

An additional water aerobics session is offered May through October at 7:00 a.m. by Shirley Goodman, also at the large pool. Like leaders of other SunBird activities, each aerobic leader is a volunteer.

Leading the Aqua Bird Aerobics Exercises every weekday, year around for many years, are Norma Davis and Maddie Meyers. Fortunately, for the many enthusiastic exercisers, there is no cost to join. Sign your name on a clipboard or check it on the list, and you’re ready.

Norma keeps a photo and list of people, notifying them by email if there is a change. She has developed varied music CDs coordinated with her voice commands such as “jumping jacks,” or “leg lifts.” When our new pool was built recently, she suggested that a surround-sound speaker be added. Norma sells her CDs to individuals and uses them in water exercises that she leads for three summer months while she is at Show Low.

Norma says that the resistance of the water intensifies your movements as the buoyancy of the water cushions the impact. Workouts include warmup, stretching, toning, cardio movements and brief cool down.

Strive magazine (Spring 2018) stated that regular aerobic exercise “may help improve your stamina, boost your mood, manage your weight, keep your arteries clear and your heart strong and prevent or delay chronic diseases.”

Although many exercise without them, Norma encourages bringing water bells on Mondays and Wednesdays and a noodle on Fridays.

Shirley, Norma and Maddie say, “See you at the pool.”