Guys making waves with Aquacise
Four days a week for eleven years, 12 to 15 spirited gentlemen residents of Arvida Bethlehem Shores retirement community have been making a splash by attending Aquacise classes.
The guys, who are in their 70s and 80s, know the drill – it’s straight in the water of their village indoor swimming pool for a warmup of hand claps, neck rolls and hand circles. Then 82-year-old resident John Richmond (and sometimes Dave Tyler and Trevor Smith) leads the class by calling out the routines. From gripping the rail for ankle-raising and sets of press-ups, to kicking invisible footballs with gusto, and ‘swinging the gate’ with their legs, wiggling toes and heels. Then the pace really increases with leg circles, and hopping across the pool with dumbbells.
The resident-led sessions last just under an hour, but time flies when these guys are having so much fun. “Our motto is ‘less is more’, so the guys do what feels right for them and they really enjoy it,” John explains. Some join because it complements their cycling or walking; others stay for the banter. A new resident joined the class recently with stubborn sciatica, just three months later he’d his pain at the bottom of the pool and is now loving the exercise. A couple of the other keen swimmers also play golf and swear the aquacise has improved their game.
It all began back in 2015, when a neighbouring Arvida resident and former sportsman David Karl, created aqua exercise for the swimming pool. What started as a modest routine quickly became a beloved ritual for a core group of guys at the Tauranga retirement community.
If a newcomer dares to dip a toe in, John is quick to guide them through a one-on-one crash course - no one gets left behind in this pool!
“It’s very social and it can make you a bit puffed at times. I really enjoy it on the social side and the fitness,” says Clive Griffiths who has been attending the sessions for three years. While aquacise has long been considered a sport for the ladies, these gents have shattered the stereotype and they miss the exercise when they have to skip a class.
The sprightly group of gentlemen have no plans of giving up lunging and splashing any time soon. “So long as it keeps us all fit and buoyant, we’re not going to stop,” says John.
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