New water-aerobics class available at Metfield pool

While many Property Owners Association summer activities are old-time favorites, there are also some new offerings. This year, a new class at the Metfield Pool may take water aerobics up a notch.

Instructor Pamla Hudec started attending water aerobics classes at Branchwood and liked the exercise so much that she decided to teach. While she was working on her certification, she was out of town with family and attended a deep-water aerobics class. That got her thinking about “power moves.”

Power moves adds some extra cardio to the class. She sets the moves to music, and uses different play lists each day. Her class is called Power H2O Fitness. Pool noodles and floating dumb bells are provided for use in class.

People who aren’t interested in the cardio benefits can still enjoy her class. They can take the class and not do the power moves. Water aerobics at all levels help to increase flexibility and balance, she said, as well as strength and endurance.

“It makes my day when I hear people singing and see them smile as we are working out,” she said. Some of her play lists encourage a lot of singing along, she said, especially The Beatles play list.

The class will be offered at the Metfield Pool from 5:45 to 6:30 p.m. on Mondays and Wednesdays beginning this week. Since the pool is open during the class, Hudec expects some mothers will bring their children to play in the pool while they take the class.

Although she’s had as many as 27 people in a class, she sees 20 participants as the perfect number.

Water fitness classes are paid with a punch card which is available at either Riordan Hall or the Metfield Clubhouse. A $50 punch card is good for 10 classes. A POA membership card is required. For some classes, an outdoor pool pass – which can be purchased at either outdoor pool — is required as well.

Other water aerobics classes are offered at Kingsdale, including A.M. Water Fitness on Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 10 a.m.; Aqua Aerobics on Tuesday and Thursday at 9 a.m.; and P.M. Water Fitness on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 5:30 p.m.

Swimming lessons are another summer tradition at the POA. In fact, Donna Mayberry who teaches the Infant and Toddler classes, has been teaching so long she now has the children of her former students in class.

It’s important to teach children to respect the water and not fear it.

“We don’t want them to be afraid of it. When you’re afraid you’re more apt to drown,” she said.

The youngest students attend with an adult. Mayberry teaches both the child and the adult.

“People think they will hear their child in the water (when they are drowning), but they don’t,” she said. She also gives the adults tips on carrying on the child’s learning experience. She teaches them to work on blowing bubbles, so the child gets to like putting their face in the water. Many parents think it’s a good idea to have a child jump into the water with someone waiting to catch them, but the problem, Mayberry said, is that if child gets water forced up a nose, they won’t want to swim again.

Two sessions of infant and toddler swim lessons are scheduled and full. Another could be added if there’s enough interest, she said. It would probably be an evening class.

Mayberry also teaches advanced swimming lessons to older children. You can always tell, she said, if a child has had experience in Mommy and Me class when they begin big kid swimming lessons.

For more information on swim lessons or the kids swim team call Riordan Hall at 479-855-8170.