Fairlee
In its second year, personal trainer Brandi Bissonnette’s weekly Aqua Aeroboics courses at Fairlee Town Beach takes advantage of both the area’s summertime temperatures — they’re cancelled if it’s too chilly — and the buoyant qualities of water that make exercises easier on the joints and muscles.
Bissonnette, a Piermont resident and owner of Bizzy Bodies Fitness, doesn’t charge participants for the hour-long Aqua Aerobics sessions, though donations are accepted.
The classes feature an array of cardiovascular, balance and resistance activities designed to get the blood pumping with less strain than land-based activities.
Fifteen participants turned out on July 6 for the summer’s inaugural Aqua Aerobics. After a cancellation a week later with conditions rainy and temperatures in the low 60s, last week’s sessions drew 10 at the start and another few as the class wore on.
“I began this last summer as a way to engage people in water movement and provide something free,” said Bissonnette, who has also conducted outdoor boot-camp-style group training behind West Fairlee Town Hall. “With Aqua Aerobics, you’re going to do a lot of the same types of exercises — jumps, lunges, squats — but they’re lower impact.”
Plus, the setting is both beautiful and variable. While the late afternoon’s glow shines off Lake Morey’s pristine waters and surrounding hills, the surface underfoot can be less serene.
“I really enjoy the variety of it, the change in routine,” said Elise Cushman, 38, of Thetford. “It’s a break from running or yoga, and it’s different than exercising in a pool because in a pool, you’ve got your deep end and your shallow end and you know what to expect. Here you might step in some muck or hit a slippery rock (during an exercise). It keeps it interesting.”
Last Thursday’s class began with a warmup one might expect in a typical group gym training session, except participants were waist-deep in wet stuff. Jogging in place, butt kickers, reaching across the body and arm circles all were on the checklist.
The group soon ventured waist deep while Bissonnette called for jogging from one rope to the next, about 100 feet across the water toward the back side of Lake Morey Resort.
They drifted out a little farther for pendulum jumps (hopping side-to-side on two feet) and frog jumps (squatting and thrusting forward, again traveling from one rope to the other).
Bissonnette then produced foam water noodles.
“OK now, everyone straddle them between your legs,” the instructor said.
“So, you mean, pretend like I’m 9?” joked Jen Fullerton, of Piermont, who’s actually 29.
Much of the remainder of class was spent utilizing the noodles to aid various drills. After using them to “ride like bicycles” across the water, they positioned them across their backs and kicked as the only allowed means of propulsion.
“Kick real fast!” Bissonnette called out.
“I’m out of breath!” someone soon replied.
Then came resistance activities, first by pressing the noodles under water and slowly lifting them back out. Returning the noodles to their back, they performed crunches and tricep presses as a motorboat rumbled by, casting wake.
Bissonnette made sure the group didn’t have it too easy.
“Lower yourself and then contract as you pull up,” she instructed during a squat drill. “Make sure you squeeze those glutes.”
After some lunges and a couple more upper body exercises, Bissonnette sent the group off to a raft farther into the water, where the level would be over their heads without the noodles. Those who were uncomfortable swimming at that depth stayed for alternate exercises chest high.
A couple who was swimming independently politely moved aside as the group passed through.
“We’re a herd of noodles!” someone called out.
As the course wound down, Bissonnette encouraged freestyle movements with the noodles, leading to conversation and banter within the group.
During the cool-down and stretch, a pair of additional women began following along with Bissonnette’s instruction, the last of at least four who hadn’t heard about the class beforehand, but decided to join in.
Some of the others were regular clients of Bissonnette’s, including Fullerton, who had recently began running in earnest.
“I’ve been doing some half-marathons lately, so this is good cross training,” she said. “Some of the exercises are actually more challenging in water than on land, because you’re using different techniques and muscle groups.”
Newbury, Vt., resident Carol Owen, a regular client of Bissonnette’s, enjoyed it for making certain exercises accessible.
“There are a lot of things I can do in the water that I just can’t do on land, lunges being one of them,” Owen said. “Plus, this is a beautiful place to work out.”
Jared Pendak can be reached at jpendak@vnews.com or 603-727-3225.