By Jennifer Russo

For those who love staying in shape, innovative work out formats are a breath of fresh air. Not only is it important to change things up to target the entire body, but variety also allows those different muscle areas to recover and rest intermittently. Plus, who wants to do the same boring workout all the time anyway?

 

Deep End Fitness was founded by former military officers in California as a way to not only train the body, but to focus on the mind. Water resistance will automatically give you great exercise and improve cardiovascular health, but swimming and working out in the water also helps us to get into a calmer headspace, with breathing techniques and mindful movement.

The program utilizes the operating system of F.R.E.E. which stands for Focus, Relaxation, Economy of Motion, and Efficient Breathing. The result is learning how to relax mentally and mitigate stress, while also promoting water survival preparation and safety, developing critical thinking skills, and an integrated approach to cognitive control.

“For those who are athletes or enjoy working out in other formats, the practices at Deep End Fitness can transfer into improvements in performance for all of those things. We have people who join us to prepare for military training, to learn water skills for sailing licenses, to learn better breath control to manage anxiety, build mental resilience, or to increase CO2 tolerance to improve capacity for other sports,” shares Nathalie Rinck, Owner and Head Coach at Deep End Fitness in Dedham.

Nathalie, who is also an athlete, health coach, and certified CrossFit Trainer, went to California with her partner recently and took a class at Deep End Fitness, immediately falling in love with it. She realized there wasn’t anything like that available in this area and made the move to make it accessible for the local community. 

Classes are currently held on weekends at the Mucciaccio Dedham pool, which is heated. The classes are held lengthwise in the pool so that clients can choose their comfortable water depth, and all that is needed is a basic swim level.

“Part of the mission of Deep End Fitness is to help people become more confident in the water,” shares Nathalie. “You don’t have to be an amazing swimmer and there is always more than one instructor looking out for you, as well as additional lifeguards. Workouts can also be modified to each person’s ability.”

Classes always begin with what is called the “Circle of Trust” – Individuals introduce themselves, share what they are hoping to accomplish that day, and give some information on their water background. There is always a safety brief before the workout begins, as well as breathwork and stretching. Workouts focus on specific skills, can include games, and are meant to be fun. Every session offers a different workout, but it is always a mix of functional bodyweight movements and regulation of the nervous system through breath.

“One thing about jumping into a pool is that we can all feel like kids again. There is a lightness to being in the water, both physically and mentally. Though we take this very seriously, it is also tons of fun,” says Nathalie.

Learn more about Deep End Fitness on their website - www.deependfitness.com/boston or Instagram page - @deep_end_fitness_boston and purchase a drop-in pass to try out a class. Currently, classes are held twice a week, on Saturday and Sunday, at the Dedham Pool, 336 High St in Dedham, MA.

PAID ADVERTISEMENT