Y Talk: Why I Love the Pool by Tara Young

Since I have had the pleasure of lifeguarding many hours over the last few days I have had the chance to talk to several members as they complete their swims for the day. I have always loved the pool for many reasons, and it was great to hear how much others do as well.

Growing up we learned to swim because my mother didn’t know how. Eventually I wanted to join the swim team. It was my outlet, my way of exercising. I swam through high school with a lot of shoulder pain, but kept trying to work through it. After my sophomore year of swimming at Western Maryland College, I decided it was time to figure out the real problem with my shoulder. I ended up having surgery because my shoulder would actually “pop in and out of joint,” according to the doctors. After months of physical therapy I was back in the pool. It took a lot of mental as well as physical effort to put myself back on the swim team, so I know how great the pool can be for rehabilitating an injury.

Many people enjoy the exercise of swimming laps or water exercise classes in the pool here at the Y. Both can be done by many different ability levels and with varying intensity. Although you are in a specific water exercise class, you can make it as easy or as difficult as you choose. That is the beauty of water resistance.

As I sat and lifeguarded, many members came in for various reasons throughout the morning. One stood out to me. The gentleman talked about all the neck and back pain he had been in for years, the medications he had been taking and the depression he dealt with until he found swimming. The exercise is great for strengthening your muscles, there is no pressure on your joints and in general exercise is a mood elevator. Since he started swimming, he has lost weight and his back and neck pain has lessened. Others have had knee surgery and are rehabbing as they walk laps in the pool. I know that I enjoy aqua-jogging because when I am finished running my joints don’t hurt like they do after running outside or on the treadmill.

It is great to be able to step out of my office every once in a while and get to know other people who enjoy the pool as much as me.

-by Tara Young, Aquatics Director