National Deep-Water Exercise Month at aquatics center brings aerobics classes

As a part of the celebration of Deep Water Exercise Month, the Dinah E. Gore Fitness & Aquatics Center is offering free introduction to deep-water aerobics classes. These special classes will be offered at 10 a.m. Feb. 13 and 5:30 p.m. Feb. 15.
Defined as any form of activity that takes place in water where one cannot touch the bottom, deep-water exercise is excellent for burning calories without the corresponding impact on joints found in other forms of exercise. Deep-water workouts are great for toning, increasing flexibility, building muscular strength and improving cardiovascular health.  
Deep-water exercise is safe and effective for those who have difficulty exercising on land such as people with arthritis, pregnant women and individuals recovering from injuries as well as for elite athletes looking to add variety to their workouts.
Working out in water reduces the weight of your body by up to 90 percent and eliminates stress on knees, hips and ankles. Water workouts can be just as challenging as traditional exercise routines because water provides about 12 to 14 times more resistance than air, which helps participants build muscles and burn calories. It’s estimated water aerobics can burn 400 calories an hour.  
Deep-water exercise classes do not require swimming experience, as participants in deep-water classes wear a flotation belt during the workout. With this flotation belt, emphasis is on the muscles involved in carrying out the exercise instead of worrying about staying afloat or treading water. Using the buoyancy belt also frees the participants’ arms and legs to perform large movements against the resistance of the water.  
The classes, taught by certified water aerobics instructors, are at 9 a.m. Monday through Thursday. Additional classes are at 8 a.m. on Mondays and Fridays. Deep-water classes combined with H2O Pilates are offered at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays.