I had a woman approach me yesterday in the gym asking when the hours for swimming were going to change so that people could get in the pool early in the morning. I blinked at her, kind of confused and said that she could do so every morning.
She said, “The schedule says Lap Swim. I don’t swim laps, I do water exercises.”
I explained that she’s quite free to grab a lane and work out in the water if that suits her fancy. She may have to share a lane if the pool is busy, but no-one’s gonna care if she swims laps, aquajogs or whatever. We have everything from competitive swimmers with tons of gear and a workout printout in a sealed plastic bag to people who have to use a cane get down the ramp into the water and do aqua workouts with a belt to keep them floating in the deep end.
I love seeing that. Working out isn’t just for the athletes. Bodies need to move, but not all bodies can move in the same way. I like the fact that the range is accepted and that no-one is made to feel as if they shouldn’t be there unless they’re training for a triathlon or something.