Sue's Adventures - First Day At The 24 Hour Fitness

Hanfordrose

I was really looking forward to my first day as a member of 24 Hour Fitness. This was truly something new for me. This old girl was never part of the gym crowd. They are are the muscular, fitness folks with the 6 pack abs; and I am more like the flabby, old, couch potato type. Sure, I swim laps now; but IN A GYM? This is really something different. :happy:

I called early this morning to confirm, if and when there would be an aquatic class at 24 Hour Fitness pool...not that I wanted to join in. Far from it, I wanted to make sure that the pool would not be full of people, when I came to do laps. Yep, as I suspected...the aquatic group meets from 9 to 10:30AM. So, Ed and I planned to get there just before 11AM. Happily, the pool was nearly vacant, when we arrived. Only a couple of old men and one lady with a bright yellow noodle were hanging out, chatting at the end of the pool near the steps.

(Note: Ed does not have a membership at this facility... yet. He is currently wearing a heart monitor. When his doctors clears him, we will sign him up for a membership too. For now, he is only allowed to escort me in the gym as my helper.)

Ed took me to the steps of the pool, and I went quickly from the railing to the water. Initially, the water felt a bit cool on the surface; but the deeper water was nice and warm. Ed took my wheelchair to the far end of the longer stretch of water, separated by floating dividers. Each lane gave plenty of room for an individual swimmer. I planned to back stroke to the far end for the first leg of each lap; and I didn't want to abruptly find the wall with my head, when I got that end of the pool. Ed was positioned there as my caution marker...my spotter. There is nothing fun about running the top of your head into the side of a pool. I know, 'cause done it a couple of time. Hence, the spotter.

The huge pool is double the size of the one at our senior clubhouse in our gated community. It is also much cleaner. Today, I didn't have to be concerned that I was swimming through bugs, leaves and other falling debris that often floats on the surface of the outdoor pool at the clubhouse. This was a nice change...totally clear water.

On my back, all I could see were ceiling and light panels. There was no open view of the sky, the clouds or the trees today. The sun wasn't on my face or the wind blowing on the surface of the water; but swimming still felt good. Best of all, the water wasn't chilled like the outdoor pool, which made my arms and legs hurt. With autumn here and winter not far behind, I couldn't use the outdoor pool much longer anyway.

I finally finished back stroking to the end of the pool...to the point where Ed was sitting in my wheelchair. Expecting to stand up in the 4 foot depth as usual, I discovered that this pool has a DEEP end. My feet didn't touch the bottom, and I had to quickly make an adjustment and start treading water or sink. Time for a new plan. :ohwell:

Once I got hold of the lip of the pool, I told Ed to move to a point about half way down the long expanse of water that was marked as 4 1/2 feet deep. From that time on, I would be swimming my laps in the shallow part of that big pool...more like my old familiar distance and depth at the clubhouse. I don't like treading water.

For the rest of the hour, I finished swimming in peace. The pool was left entirely to me for most of that time. A few left over aquatic class members were in the warm water of the spa, chatting away. I saw each of them leaving, over the course of the next 30 minutes.

Then, some very muscular, tatooed, young men along with some very fit, un-tatooed, young ladies came into the area and went straight to the door marked Steam Room. They disappeared behind the door for about 10 minutes or so and came out, enveloped in a cloud, like a magician making a dramatic entrance. Each of the steamed athletes was shiny with sweat from their short time in that room.

My curiosity got the best of me. I decided that I had to try that steam room...maybe even the suana. I had never been in anything like those hot boxes before.

I formulated a new plan. Once I had finished my usual hour of swimming laps, I went straight into the spa for about 5 minutes just to get 'warmed up'. Then, I had Ed wheel me up to the door marked Steam Room. As I stood to enter the hot fog in the room, a polite, young, muscle man reached out his hand and guided me to a bench along the wall in the foggy room. I heard Ed tell him, "Watch out for her. That's my wife, so no funny business.", as though a young hunk like that was looking for action with an old lady in the steam room. Silly man. :laugh:

When the door closed behind me, I suddenly realized just how hot that Steam Room can get. At first, it took my breath away. I put my towel over my mouth just to take a few cooler breaths of air. I was doing pretty good and even introduced myself to the 3 young men who were also occupying the small space which was veiled in a cloud of steam. Then, it happened. The room began to STEAM even more. I didn't know that there would be sudden, bursts of the increasingly hot, air sucking steam. I found myself struggling to breath again. Even the towel didn't help. So much for the Steam Room. Exit Sue stage left in a cloud of hot steam. :noway:

Okay, that was interesting; but it is obviously not something for me. Next stop...the Sauna.

Ed was able to roll me into the larger room marked Suana. I took a seat next to a smiling, young woman in a shirt with 'Navy' on the front. Then, Ed went back out the door with my wheelchair. This room was much more comfortable for me than last one had been. It was warm, but the air was dry and breathable.

I stayed in the suana for about 10 minutes and had a nice conversation with Rebecca, the cutie in Navy shirt. It turned out that she is going to be leaving for boot camp at Great Lakes in just 2 weeks. She was surprised to hear that I had been in the Navy...back in the 1960's. She was doing what I had to do back then...trying to lose those last few pounds to make the weight for boot camp.

It turns out that Rebecca weighs 145 pounds, my goal weight...but just 'a bit heavy' by the Navy boot camp standard for a woman who is 5' 4" tall, like Rebecca and I. What a small world, that she and I should meet today. She was curious about my time in the Navy; and I learned from her that the old Wave boot camp in Maryland was no longer training waves anymore. Rebecca is going to be a Bosom's Mate, one of the oldest jobs in the Navy. Waves couldn't hold that title in my day; but back then, we couldn't serve in any job that could involve 'hazardous duty'.

Once out of the suana and wrapped up in my terry robe, Ed and I headed to the front of the gym, passing all folks on the various running, climbing, pulling, pushing and rowing devices. I thought about the day, when I have new knees and can try out some of those interesting, exercise machines. There are some of them that I can use now, but not day.

All in all, my adventures at 24 Hour Fitness were very good. As long as I am able, I will definitely be visiting this wonderful place at least 6 days per week, during this winter. My knee surgery may require me to put my membership on hold for a while, but this is one investment in my future that is really worth the money.

If you have a gym membership, how was your first day?

sarahthin

If your surgeon is anything like the first one I had, or the therapist they both suggested that I use water to rehab. Not necessarily to swim but at least walk in the water and do squats along the edge of the pool. You might go early one day to watch that water exercise class and see what you can do now tho help strengthen your knee before surgery. Remember slow and steady wins the race. Am very glad you met someone like Rebecca. I always found it was nice to find someone to converse with while at the gym.