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Business & Tech

Swim to Trim: Underwater Workouts in the Palisades

Southern California Aquatics challenges swimmers to get the most of of their underwater workouts in the Palisades.

It’s Wednesday morning on the Westside.  At the utmost edge of Los Angeles where earth meets water, June gloom fog has set in and swimmers partake in their early-morning regimen: workouts at the Palisades High pool.

Three days a week, Southern California Aquatics (also known as SCAQ) utilizes the high school pool for their adult swim club. 

Palisades locals gather every Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 6:00 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. for a healthy dip in the local pool. A modestly-sized group of swimmers,  these adults squeeze on their swim caps, take a stretch and prepare themselves for a good, low impact workout and begin gliding back and forth across the Olympic-sized pool.

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SCAQ has the largest swimming club in the United States (called the Masters) and also provides diverse programs for swimmers of all caliber, be they novice or former Olympian. Triathletes make up half of their clientele.

Strictly adult swim (and we're not talking late night cartoons on a cable network), SCAQ offers weekly clinics in swim technique, ocean workouts for events like triathlons and participation in local, regional and national competitions all over the U.S. 

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On a more personal level, SCAQ also provides careful instruction including conquering fear over the water, modern swim techniques and workout theory. Six of their coaches are Olympians, providing for quality instruction.

SCAQ also offers free trail clinics and one-on-one workouts that help swimmers learn of a more advantageous workout and improve upon problems.

Swimming 101 is their introductory workout where they teach beginners how to utilize the pace clock.  These classes are free and take place Sundays at 9:00 a.m. at Loyola Marymount University and Wednesdays at 7:00 p.m. in Westwood. The LMU introductory course must be signed up for in advance online. No need to sign up for the Westwood introductory course.

“We encourage people to workout one-on-one because it will help improve problems in swimming.  Some people just do lap swimming and don’t really get the most out of their workout.  Here, we teach you the best possible way to get to the other side of the pool ... burning the most calories,” says founder Clay Evans.

The club holds swimming clinics all over the city including Palisades High, Santa Monica College, LMU, University of Southern California, the Culver City Municipal Plunge and the Westwood Recreation Center.

“What’s good about this program is that it is not only a great workout but it’s a social activity that is offered all over the city and is very motivating,” says Evans.

Being so close to the ocean implicates us Palisadians as great swimmers.  If that’s the case for you, improve your workouts with SCAQ. If that may not be the case, try a free class.  SCAQ  classes in the Palisades are about $95 per month.

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