Mike Derrick usually had to quit at the beginning of summer.
A 78-year-old veteran, Derrick wanted to mow his half-acre lawn himself, but he couldn’t keep up during warmer weather. After conversations with his doctor, he knew he needed to address his health, and he joined the Midwest City YMCA.
A lot of exercises were too hard on Derrick’s joints, so he decided to give water aerobics a try for the first time. The changes came fast, and with the support of the Y, he noticed improvement by the week.
“At first I couldn’t do the full period, but after just a couple months, my wife noticed I had more energy,” Derrick said. “I mowed my yard through July again. My balance and sleep have greatly improved. I’ve dropped from a 2XL to an XL. I’m just plain feeling better.”
Derrick also recently traveled to Chicago to help his grandson move into college, and he was impressed with how well he could keep up with his family during the week.
He credits the YMCA’s water aerobics instructors for helping him make such great progress. They are friendly, encouraging and accommodating, while making sure that he doesn’t push himself too hard and enjoys the class.
“If someone is hesitant about joining the Y, I would tell them that they will notice improvement inside of a month of getting active,” Derrick said. “They will feel better that they’re not the only ones doing the exercises, and I highly recommend water aerobics to anybody who has not been exercising for quite a while.”
