Just jump in
By yesterday evening, I had shared my blog with my most trusted friends and my children and it seemed like #MermaidYoga was trending. "I want to go to Mermaid Yoga," said just about everyone that had read the day's post. By dinner time, my daughters were asking me which classes I was going to attend tomorrow, and when Mermaid Yoga meets again, and could they go too.
But I went to bed without a plan.
Day 2, 8 am: Deep Water Aerobics
I wake up at 6 ready to plan my approach for today. The girls are home in the morning and I figure I will extend the option to attend a class since enthusiasm was high for Mermaid Yoga. I look at the daily schedule and text my daughters assuming they are still asleep. "You could do the water aerobics with me and then I could drop you in town while I do the Pilates one, but we would have to leave around 7:25," I write.
It is now 6:39 am and I am shocked when Lucy texts me back, "Ya that sounds fun."
I am hesitant. "We have to leave in about a half hour- is Ava even awake yet?"
But the reply is instant. "She said yasssssssssss."
A little while later we are packed up and in the car. And that is when Ava's questions begin.
"What even is Deep Water Aerobics?"
"I don't know," I say, "That's the whole thing. I've never taken any of these classes so I don't know."
"But what do you actually do?" she asks again. "I just don't like doing things where I have no idea what's even going to happen."
You and me both, kid.
Because when we arrive at the YMCA I realize Deep Water Aerobics doesn't happen in the Mermaid Yoga Pool, where the water is nice and warm. Deep Water Aerobics is happening in the big pool. The cold pool.
Since we are a little early there are only two people in the pool. One is wearing a floatie and the other is not. Ava and I share a moment of worry over whether we do or do not need a floatie, so we consult Floatie Lady who suggests that it's helpful to keep us buoyant during the jogging. We gather floaties and arm weights (which are really just more round floaties with handles) while more and more people arrive.
Lucy suggests that we get in and I feel a tiny bit of dread; if there is one thing I don't like, it's being in cold water.
But I jump in anyway.
A Mermaid Yoga friend follows behind me and comments that the water is freezing, and we laugh. She jokes that this class is for old people and I tell her that water aerobics comes highly recommended by my friend Laura, and she promises we will love it and that someday I'll probably need new knees like she does. She asks Ava how old she is and tells us she has a grandson too, but he's a jock and wouldn't come to this class with her. An older gentleman smiles and offers that this class is for socializing and continues on his path saying hello to all the ladies.
By now the class is really full. If my husband's pee-pool ratio is accurate, there will probably be a lot of peeing going on. And I am cold.
But Abby the Instructor appears near the diving platform and encourages us to start jogging in place and lifting our arms up and down. Abby is dancing and smiling and maybe making a lot of this up as she goes along. ABBA is playing and Lucy is smiling and singing along to Mama Mia. Ava is diligently copying Abby's moves and turns to me and says, "She's awesome."
And before you know it, the water is just right.
The class is near its end as we all take a spot at the edge and kick along to Uptown Funk. It's a simple but spectacular vision, all of my classmates kicking along while Abby dances at the helm, water splashing everywhere.
Abby tells us to swim to the shallow end and she jumps in to lead us in some stretching. I notice that Erin, Leader of Mermaid Yoga, has taken her place as the lifeguard just as a pop version of Amazing Grace comes on the stereo. Abby points at Erin and says, "Now don't you start crying," but it is too late, because once I notice some of the other older ladies mouthing the lyrics too I start to get the teary-eye flutters.
We hop out of the pool, get dressed and I drop the girls in town to get some breakfast.
Also Day 2, 9:15 am: Yoga, Pilates, and Basic Stretch
I was immediately attracted to this class when I saw it on the schedule because I liked the name: Yoga, Pilates, whatever, it's all stretching.
And that is exactly what it is. Lori introduces herself to each new member, and the new members are a wide range of ages in what is a remarkably wide range of dress styles. There are your classic yoga outfits and your standard summer street clothes. Yoga Woman puts her mat down next to mine and compliments my pedicure. I notice her organizing an older man next to her, who is dressed as though he misinterpreted the class to be Afternoon on a Yacht.
The class is simple and slow and the stretches are basic. Yoga Woman helps Yacht Man through the moves when he struggles to stay balanced on his stability ball, and I start to focus on what I learned today in my two classes.
I need to stretch more no matter what I'm wearing, I think. I need to stretch more, and I just need to jump in.
The class ends, I pack up, and I pick up two smiling sisters in town who ask when Deep Water Aerobics meets again.
But I went to bed without a plan.
Day 2, 8 am: Deep Water Aerobics
I wake up at 6 ready to plan my approach for today. The girls are home in the morning and I figure I will extend the option to attend a class since enthusiasm was high for Mermaid Yoga. I look at the daily schedule and text my daughters assuming they are still asleep. "You could do the water aerobics with me and then I could drop you in town while I do the Pilates one, but we would have to leave around 7:25," I write.
It is now 6:39 am and I am shocked when Lucy texts me back, "Ya that sounds fun."
I am hesitant. "We have to leave in about a half hour- is Ava even awake yet?"
But the reply is instant. "She said yasssssssssss."
A little while later we are packed up and in the car. And that is when Ava's questions begin.
"What even is Deep Water Aerobics?"
"I don't know," I say, "That's the whole thing. I've never taken any of these classes so I don't know."
"But what do you actually do?" she asks again. "I just don't like doing things where I have no idea what's even going to happen."
You and me both, kid.
Because when we arrive at the YMCA I realize Deep Water Aerobics doesn't happen in the Mermaid Yoga Pool, where the water is nice and warm. Deep Water Aerobics is happening in the big pool. The cold pool.
Since we are a little early there are only two people in the pool. One is wearing a floatie and the other is not. Ava and I share a moment of worry over whether we do or do not need a floatie, so we consult Floatie Lady who suggests that it's helpful to keep us buoyant during the jogging. We gather floaties and arm weights (which are really just more round floaties with handles) while more and more people arrive.
Lucy suggests that we get in and I feel a tiny bit of dread; if there is one thing I don't like, it's being in cold water.
But I jump in anyway.
A Mermaid Yoga friend follows behind me and comments that the water is freezing, and we laugh. She jokes that this class is for old people and I tell her that water aerobics comes highly recommended by my friend Laura, and she promises we will love it and that someday I'll probably need new knees like she does. She asks Ava how old she is and tells us she has a grandson too, but he's a jock and wouldn't come to this class with her. An older gentleman smiles and offers that this class is for socializing and continues on his path saying hello to all the ladies.
By now the class is really full. If my husband's pee-pool ratio is accurate, there will probably be a lot of peeing going on. And I am cold.
But Abby the Instructor appears near the diving platform and encourages us to start jogging in place and lifting our arms up and down. Abby is dancing and smiling and maybe making a lot of this up as she goes along. ABBA is playing and Lucy is smiling and singing along to Mama Mia. Ava is diligently copying Abby's moves and turns to me and says, "She's awesome."
And before you know it, the water is just right.
The class is near its end as we all take a spot at the edge and kick along to Uptown Funk. It's a simple but spectacular vision, all of my classmates kicking along while Abby dances at the helm, water splashing everywhere.
Abby tells us to swim to the shallow end and she jumps in to lead us in some stretching. I notice that Erin, Leader of Mermaid Yoga, has taken her place as the lifeguard just as a pop version of Amazing Grace comes on the stereo. Abby points at Erin and says, "Now don't you start crying," but it is too late, because once I notice some of the other older ladies mouthing the lyrics too I start to get the teary-eye flutters.
We hop out of the pool, get dressed and I drop the girls in town to get some breakfast.
Also Day 2, 9:15 am: Yoga, Pilates, and Basic Stretch
I was immediately attracted to this class when I saw it on the schedule because I liked the name: Yoga, Pilates, whatever, it's all stretching.
And that is exactly what it is. Lori introduces herself to each new member, and the new members are a wide range of ages in what is a remarkably wide range of dress styles. There are your classic yoga outfits and your standard summer street clothes. Yoga Woman puts her mat down next to mine and compliments my pedicure. I notice her organizing an older man next to her, who is dressed as though he misinterpreted the class to be Afternoon on a Yacht.
The class is simple and slow and the stretches are basic. Yoga Woman helps Yacht Man through the moves when he struggles to stay balanced on his stability ball, and I start to focus on what I learned today in my two classes.
I need to stretch more no matter what I'm wearing, I think. I need to stretch more, and I just need to jump in.
The class ends, I pack up, and I pick up two smiling sisters in town who ask when Deep Water Aerobics meets again.
YAY to water aerobics! So glad you loved it!!!! It's a great low-impact/high-intensity workout that you dont even feel.....until later :)
ReplyDelete^THE REAL LAURA! Trust me we are all feeling the impact! I'll be going back for sure:)
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