No-sweat workout

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Aquatic fitness classes seem like a great way for older Americans to stay slim. The water supplies gentle weight resistance and allows for exercise with minimal jarring of the joints.

So why are so many young athletes taking a dip alongside their senior peers?

Scott Gainey, aquatics director for Trinity University's Trinity Center in the District, is one of several local fitness experts who report the classes draw young and old alike.

"We'll get a mix of the younger people for cross-training ... trying to give their bodies a break," he says.

Mr. Gainey recalls one cocky athlete who wanted to take the water fitness class and follow it up with her traditional gym workout. She made it through the former but quit on the latter -- she was too tired to continue.

The sessions can be performed without equipment or with a combination of webbed gloves -- for more resistance -- and water shoes for stability.

Mr. Gainey says many water-based fitness classes mirror the movements students traditionally would perform on land. The goal for the bulk of his students echoes those of exercisers who prefer their workouts on the dry side -- they want to shed some pounds.

Water helps people reach that goal, whether it's an older person trying to stay slim or a cross-training devotee looking for a more calming way to keep fit. Mr. Gainey says many new moms turn to the pool as a way to return to their pre-pregnancy fitness levels.

Mary Sanders, associate professor at the University of Nevada at Reno's School of Medicine, says water exercise has its roots in therapy.

"More and more people have orthopedic conditions that limit their ability to exercise vigorously on land. Water is a nice option," Ms. Sanders says. "As the baby boomers age, they're looking for other ways to get fit."