Are my shoulders and arms really sore from aqua exercise? Am I the youngest person to participate in aqua exercise? I think so. So why is it that aqua aerobics appears to be only for elderly or overweight ladies?

I have recently looked into water workouts because I broke my foot a couple of months ago. I can tell it is not ready for yoga so I figured the water would be easier on it. After the first aqua class I sampled, at The Gym at Carew Tower, my foot was sore and felt a little bit swollen. Even though we were in the water, the class involved walking, jumping, pushing up from the floor or the pool. And I wasn't too careful about my foot. Next I sampled aqua classes at the Cincinnati Sports Club. I was more protective of my foot so it wasn't so sore afterwards, but all my muscles were! O.K., so I haven't done much of any exercise for two months, so I am a little soft, though not overweight, but I think the water resistance did give me a good workout. And I didn't have to get all sweaty! On Saturday, I went to a second aqua class at Cincinnati Sports Club. Outside. It was an unseasonable cool and cloudy late-June morning. Too cool to be in the water, but we did anyway. The ladies gossiped and we were constantly moving. To warm up afterwards, I went to the indoor pool to swim laps. Oh my gosh am I out of shape! Swimming is hard! And tiring! I was panting after one lap! When I was a kid I was on the swim team. How did I do it? I pushed out a few more laps then sat in the whirlpool to warm up.

Being relatively inactive for 6 weeks has made me really want to get into shape. I say that, but will I really follow through? That's why I'm carefully investigating gym memberships. Initially I wanted a pool. For the foot. But I also want yoga, mat pilates, etc. I've decided yoga isn't enough; that I should do some cardio. Swimming is more appealing to me than treadmill, or elliptical. In the water, I don't sweat. So, I've collected info on The Gym at Carew, the YWCA downtown, which has a great indoor pool, Trihealth, and Cincinnati Sports Club. Before the foot, I bought a punchcard for classes at Revolutions. I really like Revolutions. Most of the instructors are great and the staff is helpful. But they don't have a pool. If I buy a membership, will I really go and use the equipment or attend more than 2 classes a week? Will I ever try spinning again? When will my foot be up for yoga? I did discover the Express Mat Pilates class last week. I really liked it and hopefully I'll go back. A lot of sitting and laying down stuff so my foot didn't take much pressure.

I ruled out the downtown gyms because of timing and transportation. Same with TriHealth. The traffic sucks on weekdays. I like CSC, and could swim and use machines there, but the yoga class times are not very good for me and the only Pilates they offer is on the Reformer. For an extra fee!

So I am leaning toward Revolutions despite the lack of swimming opportunities. Swimming is probably one of the best cardio exercises out there. I'm going to look into CRC community centers, but I'm not entirely confident that the pools are cleaned as frequently as at clubs. I also wonder if there are reserved lanes for lap swimming or if the pools are overrun by children at all hours. CRC is definitely a bargain! If only I could enjoy running on treadmills or using weight machines on my own. But I need classes with someone telling me what to do and how long to do it. Otherwise I get bored and lose my motivation.

By the time I find a satisfactory place to swim, if ever, the summer will probably be over.
Ideally, aqua exercise would become more popular with all ages and fitness levels. If I could open my own club, it would have a huge pool and sand volleyball courts. Instead of a running track, there would be a long sand walkway circling the place. It would feel like you're walking on the beach. The kids area would be entirely separate from the adults. We'd also have water games like volleyball, basketball, badminton. And aqua aerobics. Maybe a big shaded outdoor patio for yoga and pilates classes. I suppose I'd have to have weight room equipment so that would be inside. We'd run it like a summer resort for young professionals. With a bar.

Oh, I am full of great ideas, with no drive, money or entrepreneurial spirit to make them happen.