Exercise makes splash in fitness center

There's nothing like a little exercise to make you contemplate as to just why you are so out of shape.

My wife and I, who for much of our adult lives avoided working out because we didn't see ourselves as Jane Fonda devotees, in recent months have embraced workouts.

We regularly visit a local fitness center where we walk around a circular track and glance at all the other people sweating to tone up their muscles and get in shape.

My wife, Joni, also has started taking an aquatics exercise class that involves a whole bunch of arm and leg exercises in a heated pool where the water temperature is 90 degrees.

I used to think that going to the pool was all about a little rest and relaxation.

That was before I joined Joni for an hourlong aquatics exercise class on Saturday morning.

For an hour, the class kicked up a storm. Our instructor made sure we kept our arms and legs moving at all times to the accompaniment of the echoing sound of music. Where were the flotation devices when we needed them?

Near the end of the hour, our instructor did hand out those "noodle" flotation devices. "This is more like it," I thought to myself.

But, oh no. She had us bending the devices into pretzel shapes and using them for weight resistance as we exercised in the pool.

I had trouble picking up some of the exercises. But Joni assured me that the important thing was to keep hopping around in the water even if I did feel like a bunny rabbit.

And to think that only a year ago I couldn't have imagined I'd attend an exercise class.

The interesting thing about exercise is that the more you do it, the more you realize you need to do it even more.

It's contagious that way. You start out walking on the track and the next thing you know you're joining an exercise class.

There's something about the fellowship of suffering through an exercise class with other out of shape people that makes you feel better.

Naturally, we owe all this to the ancient Greeks, who developed organized physical education programs long before there were good workout outfits.

They came up with the idea of gymnasiums. They even instructed some male students in philosophy and other academic subjects that were later dropped by many colleges who felt such mental calisthenics were too strenuous for athletes.

But then came the Middle Ages, during which time people quit exercising and became couch potatoes.

That was extremely boring because they didn't even have TV.

People at that time considered many sports and physical activities as sinful.

But eventually civilization caught on to the value of exercise and a decent hot tub.

Today, Americans are working out more than ever, at least judging by all the people I see exercising in the morning.

On Saturday, I felt energized by the water workout, at least until after lunch.

By the time we ran some errands and arrived back home, I was ready for a nap. But, hey, at least my muscles were in better shape for a nap.

And when I snacked on some Girl Scout cookies that afternoon, I didn't feel the least bit guilty.

Exercise will do that for you.

Mark Bliss is a staff writer for the Southeast Missourian.