Aqua Boot Camp--really????

The description in the brochure reads: "A high level cardiovascular workout using the properties of water, held in the shallow water. Combines an aerobic workout with muscle strengthening and flexibility." This sounds like the kind of high intensity class I'm looking for and anything with the name "boot camp" is going to be tough. Just what I need to get a start on burning my weekly minimum 2000 calories.

So when I come through the pool door ready to breathe hard and sweat and see the shallow end of the pool packed with seniors (70+) I think two things: 1) I'm early and this class is obviously ending; 2) I've been snowed by some clever copy writer at the Y.

The right answer is something in between. It was the right class -- I asked the hairy life guard and she pointed to the shallow end with the older adults bobbing up and down in the water. As I passed by the lady with the oxygen tank, my heart fell and I was kind of embarrassed. I thought, well I'm here I might as well do the work out.

I swam over to a woman who was a little older than me and started doing mini jumping jacks in the water. The instructor, who was wearing eyeglasses in the water and chewing gume was near the side of the pool and yelling out commands I couldn't understnad. I watched the woman next to me and mimicked her movements. "Rocking horse" the instructor yelled and everyone started to shift back and forth. Circles of women bobbed up and down ignoring the instructor and chatting with friends. Obviously this was a group who had been doing this for a long time and knew the rhythm of the class.

Mid class we switched to using water weights which added a little excitement and I noticed that my arms needed to work a little harder. Still it was easier than walking the dog.

Still, i noticed that once back in the car I was heated up and had to roll down the window to cool off.

Bottomline: Better than sitting on my rear-end, but not the high intensity cardiovascular work out I expected.