I have spent my whole life in Chicago, and as a result, Chicago transplants often say to me, “You’re used to the winters and the cold, aren’t you?”
The answer is no, I’m not a winter person. I don’t like the short days, the bitter cold, the ice, and the slush. In short, I’m just not a fan. I know I’m not alone, and I’m sure some of you would rather hibernate through the winter too.
However, since we can’t outrun Mother Nature, here are four ways to beat the Winter Blues by coming to the club:
1. Cannonball!
I’m the Head Lifeguard so obviously my list is going to start with the pool. Our indoor 4-lane, 20-yard pool is home to a variety aqua exercise classes. My favorite way to forget about the winter cold is to sit in the hot tub and turn on the waterfall, which makes me believe that summer is right around the corner.
2. Tennis Fun X 9
We have 9 indoor courts perfect for singles, doubles and Cardio Tennis. Ball machine usage is complimentary. Tennis is the foundation of our history, and our new tennis leadership team is excited to help you enjoy the game. We also provide a top-notch youth tennis program to introduce your kids to tennis.
3. Suzanne McCullough’s Favorite Things
Suzanne McCullough runs the Pro Shop at Midtown. She loves helping you find the right outfit, racquet, or shoes to help you better enjoy your workout or tennis game. Stop by the Pro Shop to check out the latest lines of clothing and accessories.
Suzanne also loves to play paddle. If you’re new to the sport, check out our 4 outdoor paddle tennis courts. We have both men’s and women’s teams. Stop by the Pro Shop and Suzanne will get you suited up in warm and efficent gear, put a paddle in your hand, and probably give you a few pointers on how to enjoy this cold weather sport. Paddle tennis is great way to stay active during the winter months, and a fun way to shake up your regular exercise routine.
4. Get Upstairs and Get Fit
Our Fitness department offers a wide variety of classes, including cycling, pilates, and yoga. Our trainers hold a variety of personal training certifications, including MAT and CrossFit. Whether you enjoy cardio or you want to build or tone your muscles, stop by the Fitness Desk to speak with one of our personal trainers to set up a session.
How do you stay active during the winter months?
People often ask me why I began swimmning instead of playing a “real” sport like football or baseball. When I was a child, I usually answered, ”Because my mom made me.”
Today my view on swimming is very different and I don’t think there is a better, more complete workout you can do.
Here are four reasons why swimming delivers an excellent workout:
1. Swimming Reduces the Impact on Muscles, Bones, and Joints
When your body is submerged in water, it automatically becomes lighter. When immersed to the waist, your body bears just 50 percent of its weight; dunk yourself to the chest and that number reduces to around 25 to 35 percent; with water all the way to the neck, you only have to bear 10 percent of your own weight. The other 90 percent is handled by the pool. This allows a person to build their cardio without the impact of a treadmill.
2. Swimming = Resistance Training
Water is about 12 times denser than air. That means every stroke, kick, or curl with an aqua dumbell transforms itself into resistance training. As a result, competitive swimmers have toned and defined bodies, because their in-pool workouts allow them to stretch and strengthen almost every muscle in the body.
3. Swimming Helps You Breathe Better
My mom enrolled me in swimming at a young age due to my asthma. Indoor pools are usually not as dry as, for example, a gym or even the natural weather outside. Swimming can also strengthen lungs and promote correct breathing, which makes it a perfect workout for me and for others with asthma or other lung-related issues.
4. Swimming is a Blast
Any workout can become boring and repetitive if performed for too long, but swimming provides a lot of ways to shake things up. Work your arms and chest with a butterfly or breastroke on one day, focus on your legs with some long kicking sets on another day, and focus on breathing with some long-distance breathing techniques the next.
I have friends today whom I met through swimming 20 years ago. Group swimming or exercise classes give you the opportunity to not only build your endurance but also your relationships. The camaraderie and motivation that develops through swimming is unique to the fitness world. Whether you join a Master’s team or an Aqua Fitness class or whether you and some friends are just tired of the treadmills and Stairmasters and are looking for something different, swimming delivers life-long benefits.
Is swimming a part of your regular weekly workout?
It’s that time of year when the weather turns colder, leaves and
temperatures fall, and shorts and tshirts are replaced with sweatshirts and pants. We turn the AC off and the heat up.
But, the one thing we don’t do is close the outdoor pool.
One of the coolest (partial pun intended) things about Midtown is that our outdoor pool opens up earlier than anyone else in the area; we opened the second week of April, and we close later than anyone else.
This year we are planning to keep the outdoor pool open until the first week of December. We turn the heat up and, if we have to, we will plow the snow away to make sure our winter warriors can get to the pool.
To celebrate and enjoy this chilly feature of Midtown we will be holding our annual Polar Bears for Parkinson’s Day on November 19th. This year we have added a few extra elements to the day’s festivities, as well as a great cause to rally behind.
This year, our Polar Bear Plunge celebration will support the Michael J. Fox Foundation to find a cure for Parkinson’s. Donations of $25 per individual and $50 for families is appreciated to participate in this fun-filled day. You will not only support the Michael J. Fox Foundation with your donation, but also Aquatics Supervisor Susan Kauffman.
In the past, Susan has organized a recurring Swim-a-Thon to help raise money for Parkinson’s research while also battling the disease herself. She has partnered with the Michael J. Fox Foundation and through the Polar Bears for Parkinson’s Day, you can help a community determined to defeat this disease.
Here’s what you can expect on Polar Bears for Parkinson’s Day:
Our Polar Bears for Parkinson’s Day is a great way to say goodbye to the outdoor pool and help support a great cause. We look forward to seeing you on November 19th for a Saturday of arctic fun.
Are you a regular “Polar Bear”? Who wants to see our GM, Rich Novelli, canonball into the pool on the 19th?
Midtown offers a variety of great services and events throughout the year. Between tennis leagues, Dine-In Movies, and wine tastings, there is always something going on at Midtown Bannockburn. Even with these great special events throughout the year there are a few aspects of the club that are offered every day that some of our members might not know about. I have spoken with many of the different department heads throughout the club to compile this list of some of our best-kept secrets of the club.MORE
