Triceps, Biceps, Quads - Oh My!
 

Full Name: Christy Bates State name: Mississippi Number of children: Three daughters E-mail address: bate7280@bellsouth.net Triceps, Biceps, and Quads, Oh My! 7:45AM and I've dried a load and washed a load of clothes already. Something is wrong in the universe. Every fiber in my being shouted "NO! It's too early for this! Have you lost your mind woman??" The shouting isn't going to stop, either. I'll be immersed in the (supposedly) warm pool jogging and buffalo shuffle-ing by 8:30. Can you believe it? I say supposedly warm because the instructor tells me the water is a " comfortable 85 degrees" as our toes break the glassy surface. Then reality hits as those tummy muscles I'm here to tighten up try to squeeze their way into my neck as they meet the water. I have to admit that after a bit of moving around, and no small amount of shivering on my part, things seem to warm up. <continued below>   My favorite part of the exercise routine is the water dumbbells. These things are basically foam versions of the kind you'd find in any standard rack of weights. We take these seemingly harmless objects of torture and make our way out into the water. As you begin the first movement with the dumbbells you realize how wrong you were. These unassuming bits of foam make your arms, shoulders and back muscles feel as though you are trying to shove a full grown elephant through a port hole. I always have liked upper body workouts. The burning sensation in my shoulders and arms makes me giddy. The next day when my youngest daughter wants to be carried down the stairs, however, is not such an enthusiastic experience. One hour and much splashing later, another odd thing happens. This pool is used as a therapy pool for a local hospital's rehabilitation program. Because of this they have a long ramp with rails that you use to enter the pool instead of the standard steps or ladder. When we've finished with our workout, each of us heads over to the ramp. Reluctant to leave the water we now find quite warm, we begin to trudge our way up. I say trudge because after an hour in the water I feel like I weigh approximately 500 pounds and have stepped into a meat locker. The previously stuffy room now sends shivers down my spine. My towel is, of course, on the other side of the room making that dripping dart for warmth a tad longer. We will thank our teacher for making us feel like human jello and make promises about less giggling in the next class. We'll wrap our warm fuzzy towels around us, slip on our shoes and head out to go home to a hot shower. When the front door of the community center opens and the brisk March air hits that soggy swimsuit and my much too pale skin, I turn into one giant goose pimple. All in the name of fitness, baby."

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