Members of the Aquafit class that meets at the Alexandra Pool enjoy the workout so much that when their instructor stepped back from Friday classes last September, they decided to continue them on their own.

They renamed the Friday class Yakercise, and members take turns at pretending to be Monday and Wednesday instructor Jody Hasting, thoroughly amusing themselves by mimicking her instructions.

“Get moving, this is not a holiday camp!” one will call out, with another responding, “Keep straight! Get your butts under you!”

Although most of the women attending are over 65, anyone listening could be forgiven for thinking it was a group of schoolchildren, especially when Jody is present. She is constantly reminding the women to move their bodies, not their jaws, and the women happily tease their instructor and each other.

The class has had only women attending for some time now, although there have been men who come along and they are welcome. The group also goes for coffee once a month after class and there are always jokes when bumping into fellow members outside the pool about not recognising each other with their clothes on.

Aquafit instructor Jody Hasting takes the class through stretches at the end of the class.

Jody said she has taken the classes for 12 -14 years and pool manager Kelvin and his team are great to work with. She was a dragon-boat paddler for a long time in top crews, and a long-distance swimmer for fun. She is also a farmer and an avid horsewoman.

Class members can make the class as hard or as easy as they like through the effort they make, she said.

“Monday is more of a stretching class while we make the Wednesday class a little harder.”

The group refers to the latter class, only half in jest, as “Wicked Wednesdays”.

Sharlene Prestney said the class allows the members to socialise, and if someone is missing for a few classes without prior notice, someone else would check on them to ensure they were ok. 

Jody and the members take the exercise component seriously, however, and the low-impact movements are particularly suited to older people.

“It’s a form of exercise that doesn’t hurt arthritic people,” Sharlene said. “I can’t go and do physical stuff like I used to.”

Joy Ramsay first started aquafit in May last year after injuring her ankle.

“I wanted to be doing some cardio work that was low impact and I saw the classes,” she said.

She has continued the classes for both the exercise and the social aspect, saying that a laugh is a good way to start the day.

“Getting a good physical workout is great, but for me, it’s also about mental health - it’s the laughter, the camaraderie, and sharing that with others.”

She said if she missed two or three weeks, it took a while to get back into condition.

“It’s low impact but when you get out of the pool, you know you’ve done a workout,” she said.