online edition - PRO Sports Club

with little gravity, so you’re not endangering the joints. You can work on jumps, sprints, sidewaysmovements, all these different ways of moving, without overstressing the joints the way you would ifyou were to do the same things continually on land.”Personal trainer and H20 Cardio instructor Justin Berry agrees. “I bring clients to the pool for variety.Also, it’s as effective and tiring as anything you can do in the fitness studio. It just feels different in thewater. I have a client who has an injury right now, and he’s still making progress with his weight loss byjust switching the effort into the water.”Masters Swimming – For Swimmers of All LevelsIf you love being in the water, can swim all four strokes (freestyle, breaststroke, backstroke, andbutterfly), and are looking for an organized swimming workout, Masters Swimming is for you. Led bySwim Team Coach and Personal Trainer Justin Berry, the program is divided into lanes by ability level.Berry is on deck to give you inspiration, pointers on technique, and lead you through a workout basedon your skill level.Stephen Lo had been swimming on his own for a while and not making much progress when a friendencouraged him to try the Masters program. “I thought Masters was for hardcore swimmers,” says Lo.“Until my friend urged me to go, I lacked the nerve to try it out. But after I went to the first class andsaw that there are lanes set aside for slower swimmers like me, I realized it was for anyone who wantsto swim. It was more a matter of overcoming the incorrect perception.”Lo has now been swimming Masters for a year and a half. “Being in the class has improved my staminaand I also refined all four of my strokes,” adds Lo. “The other benefit is the camaraderie. Swimminglaps on your own can be a bit boring, and having people swimming alongside you helps.”Jeanette Puccio, a triathlete, has always loved the water, having grown up swimming in a lake. “Iwanted to get in shape for a triathlon,” says Puccio. “I prefer training with other people. It’s a lot morefun than swimming in a lane by yourself, and it pushes you.”Puccio completed Ironman Canada last year with a swim time of 1:15. “Justin was very helpful in finetuningmy stroke and teaching us different drills to improve our swimming,” she adds. “Swimming withthe Masters was very good. It improved my stroke, made me comfortable in the water, and increasedmy speed.”Master Swim is held on Tuesday and Thursday evenings on a punch card basis. Tuesday eveningclasses focus on freestyle and Thursdays include drills in all four strokes.photos By Gerald Pope PROCLUB.COM 45