One exercise class you will definitely need a towel for

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Tammie Ramsouer
  • 673d ABW Public Affairs
141205--JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska --  For some, a good workout requires running for a long time or quite a few push-ups. But this doesn't have to be the case.

One class offered at the Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson Fitness Center is designed to make each participant work their entire body almost without knowing it. Water aerobics combines swimming with cardio and strength.

"This class is for anyone," said Gloria Becthol, water aerobics instructor at the JBER-Elmendorf Fitness Center. "Water aerobics is like physical therapy--so it is really good for people with injuries. When those individuals come into the class, I tell them to take it easy and listen to their body and only do what it can do."

Water aerobics is an hour-long class beginning at 6 p.m. Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at the JBER-Elmendorf Fitness Center pool. Since 2009, the class has been open to all military, retirees and their families on JBER looking for a way to get fit with a low impact work-out. The size of each class varies from five to 30 individuals.

"This class is part of the Fitness Improvement Program for Airmen and Soldiers who need to [improve their physical fitness] after they failed physical training tests," Bechtol said. "Some don't think that this will help them improve, but after they take their first class they see how much cardio is actually involved."

In order to target different parts of the body, each class includes a different series of exercises.

"Normally, I start the class with warm-up exercises for five or 10 minutes, then I have my class use some equipment for 35 minutes," Bechtol said.

Equipment used in the classes includes water noodles, boogie boards, webbed water gloves, water weights and many more.

Monday classes include more cardio than other classes. Wednesdays focus on the upper body, but sometimes Bechtol includes whole-body exercises by using water weights.

"Fridays are normally just fun days, like water basketball and games like that, but I make sure that Mondays and Wednesdays my class gets the full benefit of the work-outs," Bechtol said.

Bechtol began instructing water aerobics at the Buckner Physical Fitness Center when another instructor was unable to teach the class.

"The class was for seniors, so they really didn't move too much," Bechtol said. "That day that I made them move, I got excited, they got excited, and everyone who participated requested me back to do the class."

She said that first experience inspired her to teach more classes, which led her to becoming the lead water-aerobics instructor at the JBER-Elmendorf Fitness Center.
"I like being an instructor and working with military and their families." Bechtol said. "I enjoy seeing people come to my class wanting that push and excited to get fit."

This class, at the JBER-Elmendorf Fitness Center is one that Airman 1st Class Nahfeasha Caldwell, 611th Air Support Squadron administration apprentice, attends regularly.

"I've been to at least 20 of Gloria's classes since getting here in January," Caldwell said. "I saw the class on the fitness center's calendar and I thought it seemed fun and interesting. It was also after work hours, so it was convenient for me."

Caldwell says she keeps coming back, not only for the intense workout, but for the inviting atmosphere.

"Gloria is amazing, she is extremely engaging and she keeps me pumped up during the class," the Airman said.

Bechtol said she hopes to see more Airmen and Soldiers in her future water aerobics classes.

For more information about this and other classes offered at the Fitness Center, call 552-5353 or visit http://www.elmendorf-richardson.com/fitness/elmendorf-fitness-center/.