I was delighted that my medicare plan included Silver Sneakers®, which means free membership in the YMCA (or some other gyms). (Some medicare advantage plans include “Silver and Fit®,” and a year’s membership to the Y (or other health club) is $25.)
My Y is about five miles from my house and it has a pool. I knew I couldn’t do serious lap swimming and that I probably couldn’t keep up with the water aerobics class, but then I noticed the water arthritis class. It’s perfect for someone with COPD, even if you don’t have arthritis.
Here’s how the Water Arthritis class at my Y goes.
With all the class lined up in the shallow end,
- we walk across the pool (across 6 lanes). Then we walk backwards to the start. While doing this we may be doing hand exercises, too.
- we march across or jog across
- we do a wooden soldier march
- cross country ski
- tightrope walk (just a heel-to-toe walk that helps improve balance)
- side step in various patterns
- froggie jump
- rocking horse
- jumping jacks
This takes the first 15-20 minutes.
Then there are about 10 minutes of stretches - leg lift type activities (front/side/back, hamstring).
Circle time in the pool provides variety with about 15 minutes of
- neck stretches
- toe/finger curls, ankle circles, flex-extend feet and hands
- shoulder stretches
- reaches
- other movements like Russian Dance, Softshoe, moguls,
In my class, it’s now noodle time. We use the noodles to do leg stretches, pendulum stretches, scissors kicks, and to bicycle around the pool. I have found that the sponge dumbbells work better for me to use to get increased arm and shoulder exercise, and I can still do the leg and pendulum stretches and scissors kicks. Using the dumbbells, I do the exercises recommended to strengthen arms and shoulders.
Who takes a class like this?
The people in my class, men and women, range in age from 55 to 89, and as you can imagine, there is a wide range of fitness. Some people are not comfortable in water, and they use a sponge belt for buoyancy and stay where they can keep feet on the bottom. All this means is that even if you have to slow-pace it, there are probably others in your same boat. (And again, remind yourself that this class is for you - you do what you can, and you get out of it what you can.) Not everyone has arthritis, since the class is good for helping with many issues, such as recovering from knee or hip surgery, or in my case, it’s the right level of strenuous for me with COPD.
Does it work? I think so. After a year of twice/weekly classes, when I was evaluated for pulmonary rehab, the PT seem impressed with my flexibility. After three years, the pulmonologist seem surprised that my lung function is not going down as fast as would be predicted. And he seemed surprised that as poor as my pulmonary function is, I can still do most things, at my own pace. He credits it with the swimming two hours a week, and six days of exercise bike - 20 minutes on pool days, and 45 minutes on four other days.
How do I make myself do it?
The secret, for me, is to be on an inflexible schedule and to be half asleep. The Y class is from 8-9. I go to the Y in my sweats, carrying my bag with swim gear and fresh clothes for the day (packed the night before, so I don’t have to think in the morning). Swim, shower at the Y (using their hot water!), dry off in the sauna, dress, and by 9:30 my exercise is done, and I’m ready to face the day. (I bike from 7 to 7:20 on swim days or to 7:45 on non-swim days, all while channel surfing the morning news shows.) Future?
In the fall, it will be time to consider changing medicare plans. When I make the list of things I consider important, I include gym membership - it would be hundreds of dollars if I don't get it through a Medicare Advantage plan. So that is factored in the annual cost. And when oxygen becomes necessary, it will be a challenge to figure out how to use it in the pool. Maybe that's down the road a bit.
