Lazy Pilates at the pool

During this struggling kind of week, it has been unbelievably HOT here. Humid and in the high 90's.

The girls have wanted to stay for a couple hours at the pool each and every day. I also have water aerobics in the morning - 3 days a week - and have been inclined to just stay in after class.

So, I have prune-y fingers and toes - as I have spent HOURS in the pool all week.

I bought a pair of Styrofoam dumbbells through my instructor. I have been taking a noodle and the 2 dumbbells with me to the pool each day.

I float around the deep end, with the girls swimming and diving like little seals around me, slowly and lazily doing repetitions.

It is amazing what this lazy underwater Pilate's work and the work from my real water aerobics class are doing.

My arms are noticeably (to me anyone, but no one has stopped me to say "what have you been doing to get those great arms?") more buff-ish. My buns are definitely more buff-ish. And my calves and thighs have been complaining and tight - so I must be working that area well too.

And this is nice - no impact work. The water creates just the right amount of resistance, so it is work, but little chance of a strain or injury.

The other benefit to the deep end is that there is little chance of sun burning. I coat up my face, neck, shoulders and chest with 50+ sunblock. But I don't have to worry about my arms and back and legs as they stay pretty far underwater.

When I am done, I cover up with towels, so that no skin is showing, and bake in the sun until I warm again. No matter how hot the temperature, I am always chilled after a couple hours in the pool. I am sure I look like an odd little mummy - all wrapped up in a lawn chair with only my sunglasses showing.

I realized yesterday that I haven't used a pool cover all summer. I dash over to the pool in my suit, just like the girls. I dash out to grab something from the car that way too. We had extra girls here several times this week. One mother came to drop off more clothes - met us at the pool - and I ran out - dripping wet in my suit to meet her and put the clothes in my car. I didn't think anything of it until later.

Other years I have been more likely to wear several layers and only strip down to my suit at the last minute to get IN the pool. This year - I don't even have a cover with me.