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MANVILLE: Bobbing, kicking, rocking … all part of class

By Mary Ellen Zangara, Special Writer
   If you travel past Cooper Pool on a Tuesday or Thursday morning, be sure to take a good look and see who is swimming in the pool, where you will often see about 20 ladies bobbing, twisting and doing all kinds of aerobics in the water.
   The women are participating in the borough senior aqua aerobics class, sponsored by the Manville WalMart store on North Main Street. The store provides funding to the Recreation Department, providing a grant for the class because Sue Asher, a part-time WalMart employee, volunteers to run several sessions of the class. The company also provided a $50 gift card for water, apple juice and orange juice to serve after class.
   The program runs for eight weeks from 10:45-11:45 a.m.
   ”This is my 22nd year and I have one of the ladies — Helen Michno — was has been with me for 21 years; she missed one,” Ms. Asher said. “A lot of these ladies are pretty much up in age — we have some that are in their 80s, 70s, 60s and 50s.”
   The class begins with the women getting used to the water, bobbing up and down, doing a “cross country run”; moving to the “rocking horse” — rocking forward and backward; followed by exercises on the wall with their legs, arms, and with barbells.
   More exercises include kicking with the knees straight and toes pointed, bicycling, arm circles and shoulder rolls and more.
   ”It is a great social time for us,” Ms. Asher said. “We work every part of our bodies. We do exercise to help with the bones, the aches, the pains. Water seems to be one of the best ways to exercise for arthritis or any aches and pains, which we all have. It is just a great time. The ladies stick around for a little bit and chit chat and it is a good time for all of us.”
   ”I absolutely love it,” she added. “I teach school all year so I am away from the kids and I work with the senior citizens and it is a lot of fun.”