I love water.
It's warm. It's cold. It's liquid. You can freeze it, boil it, or turn it into a gas. Is it any water that water is the element associated with change and power? It's really incredible stuff. It can save your life if you fall 100 feet, given that even a teaspoon of the stuff can kill you. And when it comes to fitness and staying healthy, it's about the only option that some people have. That's been my story. After two leg surgeries and other complications, staying fit on land is a chore. Thank the workout gods that we have water as a substitute!This was my second home in High School - three hours a day, swimming laps until 5 PM. Doing that every day for four years straight had a huge hand in conditioning and toning my bod. I was also the only one in the team who could swim the whole 50 yards underwater without taking a breath. Those were the good days when I had free access to a pool and all the time in the world. Now? Not so much.
Public pools are scarce in Utah (more so during the winter months). Regular membership to use them ranges in the hundreds of dollars. They are sooooo in demand that it's difficult to get a decent workout. After almost two years of no lap time (shortly after joining this club), I thought I'd give it a try ... and I arrived just in time for the local swim team to take the lanes out. Thankfully, I met a guy who told me the best times to come, which will give me more for my buck.
What else is amazing about water? Unless I can one day afford an "edge of space" flight, water is the closest thing to zero gravity I'll ever experience. With the right amount of air, I can float, suspended, under the deep end. It's a liberating sensation, free from the stresses of gravity. Water is a huge part of us. We are mostly made of water, after all. This is why swimming is my preferred workout method.
What is your preferred workout? Why do you like it? How important is water to you?
I'm David, and don't be THAT guy at the pool ...
Public swimming pools scare me. Kids and pee and all that.
ReplyDeleteI usually work out on a treadmill four to five times a week.
I'd love to have a pool of my own. For big fat guys like me, water is the only time we can ever feel light.
ReplyDeleteSee, that was just all kinds of "need to get slapped on the back of the head" Ewww! lol!!!
ReplyDeleteI've been looking at getting in a shape other than the round/occasionally pear one I sport right now :-) But me and exercise don't get along as well as me and food do. So I'm working on building a slow relationship with exercise, preferably a fifteen to twenty minute cardio twice a week and strength training twice a week as well.
I admire you for making sure you get a workout. I've made more of an effort at that lately, but it's been mostly walking, usually after dark because that's when Husband and I can sneak away. My other favorite workout--though I don't do it often enough--is Wii Just Dance with my girls. Though it probably develops more humor than muscle.
ReplyDeleteThanks for that video, David. I'll never use another public pool as long as I live now. Lol
ReplyDeleteI enjoy tennis. Played in high school. Lately, though, I've been working on the machines at the gym.
PS don't post a "that guy" video at the gym. I still want to go there. Lol
I once entertained the idea of a mini-tri. I bike. I jog I ...drown. Swimming is such a great, easy-on-the-joints workout, wish I was more adept at it. Good for you. The closest I get to water and fitness is my kayak, which I love. I dread the cold which, unless we get snow and I can break out the xcountry skis, drives me indoors. Boo!
ReplyDeleteI'm kind of ashamed to admit that I haven't been working out that regularly. Lately I've just been so tired when I get home from work that I usually don't want to do anything. Maybe this will convince me to get back on the fitness treadmill.
ReplyDeleteI didn't know you were a swimmer, DPK! Awesome. I've never used swimming as working out... my preferred method? Jumping around the living room with the kids ;)
ReplyDeleteUrgh, the Filth Factory -- that's why I don't like swimming pools! Well, that and the fact that I can't swim very well... :-/
ReplyDeleteI'm not very good at taking regular exercise, although I enjoy playing tennis.
We have our own pool and I love it. I don't use it to workout, only to relax.
ReplyDeleteI used to love to swim but haven't for a long time. I fell off the healthy bandwagon hard and am working on getting back up there. Monday I'm recommitting :)
ReplyDeleteLove, love, love the pool! But don't love all the germs, haha! But when I was a kid thinking about that didn't matter which was great :)
ReplyDeleteThree hours a day? Wow. How fit is that.
ReplyDeleteI love the pool! I used to be such an elliptical and treadmill person, but after I hurt my back the only kind of exercise I really could do was water oriented.
ReplyDeleteI laughed out loud at "Sleezy!" We have one of those at our community pool--only he has a pot belly worthy of a pregnant woman and long white hair. Unfortunately, I'm actually allergic to chlorine and so while I take my boys to the pool, I'm in the shade with a book. (which rather suits me just fine as I get three hours to read uninterrupted) But some day, I'll live by the sea...
ReplyDeleteI prefer lifting as far as a work out, and I box--love my heavy bag!
The coolest thing about water is that it expands when it freezes.
ReplyDeleteI personally am not a huge fan of water. I hate boats, and I hate being in the water. But, I do think that ice is really neat, so I guess that counts...
ReplyDeleteMy personal favorite exercise is walking. A bit boring, maybe, but it gets the job done.
Alexandra~
I am lucky enough to have a pool, so I really have no excuse for not getting in an exercise swim every day during the summer. No excuse except for the fact that I can't read, write, or blog while swimming.
ReplyDeleteHowever, the pool is the first place I go when I'm stuck in my writing. A swim or a free float on my back will almost always get me unstuck.
Brainstorming in the hot tub with a martini also helps. Or does that not count as exercise ...?
I am all about the hot tub too! Not much exercise going on in there, but I love it. More of a de-stresser!
ReplyDeleteI actually just learnt to swim. Yes. I did.
ReplyDeleteI run (but not consistently). Shamefully, I don't know how to swim. But I do drink a lot of water. :)
ReplyDeleteI like doing Zumba. Water is very important to me- I use it to make the tea I drink after a nice work-out.
ReplyDeleteHardest thing for me...drinking a gallon of water a day. i get about 3/4ths done and i'm done, too. geesh!
ReplyDeleteI run though I've been missing my daily run this week. But water's a constant, whether i run or not.
ReplyDeleteSwimming is such great exercise! And it's so relaxing, too. My workout of choice is a pair of sneakers and a bike path - I love to run. Kickboxing's also great when I'm in the right mood and need to destress.
ReplyDeleteI agree that swimming is my favorite exercise. I live in Florida, and I love the fact that the sweat just rinses away as I go. So refreshing, and so good for you!
ReplyDeleteP.S.- 50 yards without a breath? What are you, Aquaman?? ;)
i like water on a 100 degree day. my skin is horribly dry & i avoid water as much as possible, when it dries, i dries worse! but it is an excellent was to workout! glad it works for you!
ReplyDeleteI totally agree! I swam in high school and for several years before, and after. Even now, I miss getting into the water every now and then.
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