It’s not quite 9 o’clock on a winter morning in Flin Flon. Outside the Aqua Centre, winds howl as sunrays struggle to slice through the frigid gloom.
Inside, it’s a completely different vibe as music, splashes and laughs echo throughout the swimming area.
Welcome to the aquacize program, bringing together swimmers of many shapes, ages and physical abilities for a calorie-burning, strength-building good time.
“I love it. It gets you going,” said aquacizer Angie Persson.
That it does. Sometimes likened to an underwater fitness class, aquacizing utilizes the gentle resistance of water to help participants maximize their cardio workouts.
For those with mobility challenges, including arthritis, the water offers a buffer against gravity, granting a range of movement not otherwise possible.
Aqua Centre staff instruct each hour-long aquacize class, with sessions running once in the morning and again in the evening every Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
“Each instructor does it a different way,” noted Karen MacKinnon, who has been aquacizing for at least three years. “They have their own little routine on what they want to do, so there’s a variety of different exercises.”
MacKinnon says the morning classes are growing in popularity, with more men turning out. An average of 25 participants now attend the morning sessions.
“For people any shape or size, it’s a good low-impact exercise,” said MacKinnon, who is a city councillor.
Persson has been aquacizing for decades, though she is a bit of a late bloomer when it comes to swimming.
Years ago, when her three daughters were young, the family was on a boat. Persson observed that if the boat ever capsized, her children would be trying to save her life since she couldn’t swim.
“I went the next day and joined,” she said.
What’s clear from speaking with the aquacizers is their sense of camaraderie. As MacKinnon puts it, “It’s just such a friendly, happy, welcoming group.”
Asked if she has any plans to quit aquacizing, Persson was succinct in her answer.
“Nope. Go until I can’t go no more,” she said with a smile.
