(24 Oct 2014) Hollywood's latest fitness trend is harkening back to glitzy days of films gone by.
Synchronised swimming is making a splash on the west coast - old Hollywood style.
It's reminiscent of Hollywood films gone by, but now synchronised swimming is having a renaissance.
Donning 1940's style swimsuits, bathing caps and old-style makeup, participants say it's a fun way to work out under the Californian sunshine.
This class is run by Aqualillies, a synchronised swimming and dance company based in Los Angeles.
They conduct weekly classes at this old Hollywood stomping ground, named the Sportsmen's Lodge Hotel in Studio City.
It was once frequented by the likes of John Wayne, Clark Gable, Bette Davis and Katherine Hepburn.
This 1 hour and 15-minute class is designed for hotel guests and anyone else looking to take retro-underwater swimming classes.
The company's founder and director, Mesha Kussman, says women who once grew up watching actor and competitive swimmer Esther Williams can enjoy replicating her moves.
"This is designed for women who love to workout, have a really hardcore workout but also feel glamorous," says Kussman.
"An Aqualillies instructor is going to take you to a beautiful pool like the one that we have here at The Sportmen's Lodge and is going to teach you how to do synchronised swimming skills, the kind you see in the Olympics, maybe not at the beginning, but as you get more advanced, you'll start to do some more challenging moves. And also going to teach you how to hold yourself with poise so you feel both strong and also super graceful."
According to Kussman, beginners love the class because it's a full cardiovascular workout and also a chance to express yourself.
Course participant, Heather Lounsbury, is enjoying herself.
The 32-year-old singer and dancer enjoys the chance to replicate old Hollywood-style moves in the pool.
"It's so much fun," she says.
"You get to be a mermaid for a couple of hours every week and not go to the gym, which is fantastic. You dress up in vintage little swimsuits and flower caps and the nose plugs and everything. So, it's straight out of a Hollywood movie in the 40's and 50's. It's so much fun."
Makeup artist, Robyn Baker, 28, loves the combination of going swimming and getting a full workout.
"I enjoy it because it's a lot of fun," she says.
"I love swimming and it's a full-body workout. And it works arms, legs and it's great cardio (cardiovascular exercise) and the great thing is you're having so much fun it doesn't feel like you're working out."
Of course, with any kind of strenuous workout, the appropriate care must be taken.
Michelle P. Tamondong has a Masters in Physical Therapy.
She opened her own facility in 2006 focusing on women's body issues and Pilates-based rehabilitation for orthopaedic sports-related injuries.
She's also been a member of the American Physical Therapy Association since 1997 and the National Strength and Conditioning Association since 2005.
She says it's important to stretch properly before even entering the swimming pool.
"Flexibility is very, very important when you have to do synchronised swimming," she says.
"We suggest that you do a lot of hamstring stretches, quad stretches, back strengthening therefore you also have to have flexible muscles especially in your posture muscles in the back of the spine to support the spine. You have to have flexible shoulder joints so that when you're doing back strokes like your freestyle, elementary backstrokes, sidestrokes you're not limited otherwise you can't float."
"Even walking after surgical procedures, people need to be in the water."
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