Confession
"Hate. Hate. Double-hate. Loath and despise." - The Grinch 
Lest you think that my Tri to End Homelessness altruism stays with me through every workout, I have an embarrassing confession to make.
My name is Robyn and I hate water aerobics.
Specifically, I hate the water aerobics class with whom I share a pool many mornings each week. I hate the fact that many members of the class arrive 20 minutes early and demand to have a lane to use for warm-up (even though we have an entire second POOL that could be used for that exact purpose). I hate the fact that during said warm-up, these class members simply seem to be floating in the deep end with the help of their water belts. I hate the fact that once class begins they use 6 (yes, SIX) full lanes of our eight lane pool, even though they only have 8 class members (at least that's how many they had this morning). I hate the fact that the members of the water aerobics class barely seem to be working at all. And I hate the fact that their huge lane consumption means that my workout gets interrupted as I'm forced to move from lane to lane in the middle of a long set.
I know, I know. It's incredibly selfish. It's obnoxiously elitist. It's definitely does not represent me at my best. And I hate this about myself. Please commence with judging me, now.
In an attempt to cultivate a more respectful attitude toward my fellow pool athletes (there, I said it), I did a quick search to learn more about the benefits of water aerobics. According to the Aquatic Exercise Association, aquatic exercise is especially beneficial for folks with arthritis because:
- The soothing warmth and buoyancy of warm water make it a safe, ideal environment for relieving arthritis pain and stiffness.
- Immersing in warm water raises your body temperature, causing your blood vessels to dilate and increasing circulation.
- Water exercise is a gentle way to exercise joints and muscles.
- Water supports joints to encourage free movement, and may also act as resistance to help build muscle strength.
As someone who says she values life-long exercise, surely I can get behind this and evolve past this morning's hateful thoughts. If changing the world begins with changing ourselves, here's hoping that today's confession brings us all one step closer.
