The joy and delight in 9-month-old baby Sophie’s eyes when daddy swings her close in the warm blue water and whispers “ Hi!” is a wondrous sight.

Babies and toddlers experience this magic as they learn the beginning safety skills in a pool. We live in the Puget Sound Region, an area surrounded by lakes, streams, rivers and ocean. Preparing your child to be water safe is one of the best gifts anyone can give to their child.

In the Seattle Athletic Club Parent Tot class, parents and their children (ages 6 months to 3 years) are in an environment that promotes communication, safety, trust and a new medium for love. Parents and tots learn about the face floating position, reaching and pulling for toys, putting their mouths close to the water, blowing bubbles, being submerged and looking “eyes open” for fish, and laying on their backs relaxing as mom or dad gently coos and talks with their child.

There is singing, toys, games and children watching and learning from other families. But most of all, parents experience new ways to teach their child about the sensations of the aquatic environment that has benefits for a life long healthy attitude about water. Safety is stressed always, and children are taught that flipping on their back for air is as imperative as is reaching for the wall.

The wondrous sight of a child reaching with a smile to a loving parent in a blue, serene aquatic environment is like no other.

For more information about how to get your child or infant enrolled into swim lessons at the club, please contact Aquatics Director, Dan Lavin.

Join Renee Davis for this special focus yoga series in toning the belly muscles. Whether you have given birth over ten years ago, or in the last ten months, this class is for you! Toned tummies are important in lowering our risk for heart disease, help to ease low back pain and keep us feeling strong and healthy.

With over 7 years of experience teaching yoga for moms, Renee has developed her own unique sequences and exercises aimed at individual tummy muscles. You will learn which exercises work specific muscles, how to strengthen and stretch your low back, strengthen pelvic floor muscles, and how to get the tummy you have always wanted. At the end of the series, you will be provided with written materials prepared by Renee, including the poses/exercises we have practiced and worked on in class.

Prior yoga experience and/or motherhood is not required, however this series is designed specifically for women.

This six week series begins on Tuesday, January 20th. Classes will be held at 10:00am.

Please register at the Sports Desk by Friday, January 16th.
Cost is $70 per member.

Do you hold your stress in your neck and shoulders? Does it seem like no matter how much you rub them, your shoulder muscles are always tight? If so, a simple exercise called the straight-arm dip may help.

LEARN WHAT CAUSES TENSION AND GET SOME TIPS TO HELP ALLEVIATE IT

If you have additional questions about shoulder tension, please feel free to contact Eric Pranzerone.

Bodyfat testing is one of many ways you can measure your progression of losing weight or gaining muscle mass. Hydrostatic Body fast testing is the gold standard of body composition analysis. Your body is composed of a variety of different tissues, lean tissues and adipose (fat) tissue. By stepping on a scale these tissues can not be distinguished, scales can’t determine the difference between what is adipose tissue and lean tissue. A person can be 250 pounds of solid muscle and height and weight charts would consider them to be overweight.

By knowing the density of water, what a person weighs in water and the dry weight of a person; the figures can be calculated to determine the body fat to lean muscle ratio.

LEARN WHY TESTING IS SO IMPORTANT

Appointments are available on Tuesday, January 6th between 7:00am – 1:00pm. Sign up at the Sports Desk to reserve your spot.

The Squash season got off to a rousing start with our Fall Kick-Off In-House Tournament. Twenty-eight enthusiastic players competed in three divisions and provided spectators with many exciting and high quality matches. Plenty of Mexican food and cold, refreshing beverages made for a great party on Friday night as we enjoyed watching the Final Matches.

Gerri Chea defeated Jody Reyes to capture the Division 3 title, while Jared Gibson topped a competitive Andrea Kato in the Consolation Round. Charlie Carosella won Division 2 over a much improved Greg Maas, while Todd Gregersen picked up the Consolation. In Division 1, Jeff Evans prevailed over a determined Scott Hamon in a tough 5 game match. Al Leiter beat Bob Eshelman in the Consolations. Great sportsmanship and good hard competition highlighted this season's opening tournament. We are looking forward to another great season of Squash in 2009!

Thanks to all!

We would like to introduce Les (92) and Betty (81) McMillan. The McMillan’s have been religious exercier’s prior to finding their way to Seattle Athletic Club in 2004. They’ve always felt athletic clubs play an important role in their lives; at times, referring to them as a “second family”. This became most evident to them back in 1997 when Betty was in a serious car accident. The accident left her hospitalized for a few weeks with a cracked pelvis; during which time their athletic club family in Texas provided support and prayers as she recovered from her injuries.

The McMillan’s appreciate all that the club has to offer; from the wonderful staff, caring members and their all time favorite water aerobics instructor, Linda Sovereign. Seattle Ahtletic Club is their “second family”.

We congratulate Les and Betty’s dilligence to maintain healthy lifestyles. We are honored to be a part of their “family”.

Water Aerobics is a class designed to reduce weight-bearing stress, allowing for great ease of movement and less impact on your joints and muscles. Our instructors take you through a workout designed to help you tone, strengthen, stretch and increase your cardiovascular health by using the resistance of water. Water aerobics may sound simple, but it is actually quite challenging. These classes incorporate a wide variety of exercises such as running, jogging, resistance training and stepping without the high impact strain on your joints. By adjusting the size and speed of your movements, you're able to taylor your workout to fit your specific needs. This allows anyone at any age and fitness level to participate.

If you're interested in trying water aerobics, take a look at the schedule to find a time that works best for you.