RUTHAN BRODSKY

SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH NEWS

lanche Pollack makes waves.
She sets her alarm early three
days a week in order to leave
her Southfield home and ar-
rive at the swimming pool by
7 a.m. Her two-hour aquatic
regimen at Franklin Fitness
and Racquet Club, Southfield,
begins with stretching exer-
cises and Hydro-Toning and
ends with water aerobics.
"I can bend down and pick
something off the floor be-
cause I've been exercising in
the water for the past eight
years," declares Ms. Pollack.
"Actually, it's kept me looking
pretty good for my 65 years;
I'm walking straight and with
a bit of a bounce. I'm sure I'd
be using a walker by now if it
weren't for my working out in
water."
Hydro-Toning is an aquat-
ic exercise program. It's pop-
ular with people of all ages
because it uses water's nat-
ural resistance to movement
to effectively tone and streng-
then the major muscles.
Interestingly, the concept
for Hydro-Toning and the
equipment was created by an
artist/sculptor who had back
surgery several years ago and
was not able to get the intense

training he wanted to regain
his strength for karate. The
hand-held Hydro-Bells he de-
signed are used as a kind of
"bar bell" and the Hydro-
Boots, which look like huge
ski boots worn on the feet,
make the exerciser look like
a scaled down version of
Robo-cop.
Depending upon how the
equipment is used, wearing
the equipment increases the
water's resistance as the arms
and legs move through the
water. Hydro-Tone exercise
promotes strength and mus-
cle tone because it involves
concentric or positive muscle
contractions in the water.
This controlled low-impact
three-dimensional environ-
ment reduces the impact to
bones, joints and the spine.
The exercise works both the
flexing and extending muscles
within the same repetition
which can reduce the workout
time. Instead of separate rou-
tines for the quadriceps and
hamstrings, or the biceps and
triceps, one Hydro-Tone rou-
tine with the Hydro-Bells ef-
fectively exercises both
muscles.
Blanche Pollack knew all

111006a;"" - mow

Hydro-Tone exercising at the Maple-Drake JCC.

this before exercising in the
water was fashionable. She is
committed and works hard at
water regimen. Riding a sta-
tionary bike and walking on
hard pavement hurt her back.
Other exercises often cause
discomfort in her knees,
shouldefs and elbows due to

arthritis.
According to Laura John-
son, physical therapist at
Royal Oak Beaumont Hospi-
tal, the water is a great place
for people who want to exer-
cise or need physical therapy.
Water has a viscosity, a thick-
ness that provides some re-

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