It's pool time again

Finally we have a bit of sunshine and a little warm weather. If you have avoided swimming pool exercise because of the cold winter, now is your chance to slip in some water fun before winter returns.

If you use the sport of jogging for your fitness workout, give a thought to doing that workout in the water. Pick up some water shoes and jog your feet into a swimming pool.

You can also use your deep hot tub for jogging exercise. When you're wet you won't notice you're sweating.

Water jogging is great fun; you can do it alone, with your kids and without using a lot of pool space. You can splash, run in shallow or deep water, depending on the amount of effort you wish to expend. Whether you're in the indoor or outdoor pool it doesn't matter, unless chlorine fumes are a concern.

Jog for 30 minutes. I know - that's a lot of time to push water around, however, that's what it takes to build up your cardiovascular endurance. You don't have to stay at the same hard-core level for the whole 30 minutes, ease up and bounce for awhile.

But, you have to put in some of that heavy breathing stuff too. Take your pulse at least twice during your 30-minute jog to maintain training levels.

How can you make that 30 minutes go by faster? Count.

You know, one, two, etc. Jump for 50, and jog for 50. Knees up for 50 and double bounce for 50. Jog to the shallow end and jog backwards to the deep again. Get yourself a small kitchen timer that ticks, and set it beside the pool. Great motivator.

Another good way to attack water jogging is to consider interval training. This is a wonderful way to build muscle endurance. Jog for five or 10 minutes, then go to the side of the pool and do pushups or leg work for five. Then restart the jogging and work up to your training level again. Then slow down and go back to the pool side for more strength moves.

Side benefits for water jogging are many, less stress on the joints and water resistance for strength building, and the cooling effect of water while you sweat.

Students ask me if I really try these things myself. Sure I do.

• Jerry Vance is the owner of Sweat Shop/Wet Sweat. She offers classes through the Carson City Recreation and Aquatics Center and is a fitness instructor for the Carson City Senior Citizens Center.