ASHEBORO The Asheboro Cultural and Recreation Services Department is gearing up for water aerobics classes for adults throughout the upcoming summer.

Classes are scheduled for Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at Memorial Pool, 321 Lanier Ave., Asheboro, from 10:30-11:30 a.m.

All classes will be taught by Mary Fisher during regularly scheduled Adult Swim hours, where the cost of admission is $1 for adults with a valid RecCard, $1.75 for non-residents and free for those with a senior citizen RecCard.

The class will focus on low-impact exercises in the water, great for conditioning and rehabilitating muscles in a fun and unique setting. The pool is also handicapped accessible, so adults of all ages and abilities are encouraged to participate.

Classes will begin on Monday, June 19, and run for the duration of the 2017 pool season, ending on Friday, Aug. 11. For more information, contact Cynthia Castle at 336-626-1240, ext. 5, or ccastle@ci.asheboro.nc.us.

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Adult water aerobics classes begin June 19 - Asheboro Courier Tribune

Iran has banned women from dancing, cycling, watching soccer matches, listening to certain music and now Zumba.

Thats right. The Islamic Republics Shiite leaders announced this week that, under religious law, the 17-year-old Colombian dance aerobics craze is forbidden.

Ali Majdara, the head of public sports in Iran, issued a statement Sunday banning Zumba and any harmonious movement or body shaking instruction. The ban applies to public and private gyms, clubs and classes. The announcement came just days after Majdaras Iran Sport for All federation provoked an outcry on Twitter by calling for the ban.

Critics took to Twitter as well, but to express displeasure and dismay using the Persian language hashtag #Zumba. Has Colombia summoned the Iranian ambassador yet? one Twitter user joked.

Unbelievable, said Zumba teacher Sepideh Abozari. The authorities are worried about a Zumba pandemic?

Tehran-based cleric Hossain Ghayyomi explained the reasoning behind the ban.

Any harmonious movement or rhythmic exercise, if it is for pleasure seeking, is haram, forbidden under Shiite leaders interpretation of Islam, Ghayyomi said. Even jobs related to these rhythmic movements are haram. For instance, since Islam says dancing or music is haram, then renting a place to teach dancing or cutting wood to make musical instruments is haram too.

While some have tried to justify teaching or listening to music as legal under Islamic law in Iran, he said, They could not change the mainstream of the clerical establishment.

Theres also the fear among religious leaders that Zumba is corrupting Iranian men, who can watch videos of classes posted online. Some Iranian Zumba instructors videos already have been deemed pornographic and blocked by authorities since the ban.

As Zumba has spread to more than 180 countries, it has been banned by other conservative Muslim leaders for being un-Islamic, including by a fatwa, or religious edict, in parts of Malaysia.

But Irans ban comes at a time when the dance fitness trend has gone mainstream here. In Tehran and other large cities, most public and private gyms offer womens Zumba classes. Many women, whose exercise opportunities already have been curtailed by the state, were aghast at the Zumba ban.

Abozari said the classes are incredibly popular, not just among wealthy women, but also among the middle class and the poor.

Even in low-income areas on the outskirts of Tehran where I live ... women pay as much as a month cash subsidy to participate in Zumba class to keep fit in body and mind and tune in to the happy rhythm, said Abozari, 38, who teaches Zumba in her spare time to children too poor to pay for lessons.

At issue isnt just womens rights, she said: Its about the economy. She noted that middle-class and wealthy women in north Tehran often pay for private Zumba classes at home, and those jobs where pay is negotiable and usually generous will now disappear.

Malihe Agheli, 38, a mother of two who works at a bank in Tehran, said the gym at her office already refused to offer Zumba or other rhythmic workouts. She has been paying a steep price, $50 for eight private classes a month. While Zumba classes still may be offered underground, she said, After being banned, it will be more expensive.

Zohre Safavizadeh, who has taken Zumba classes at her Tehran gym in the past, likes the music and the ambiance.

I feel wonderful the body rhythm and the music in background are fascinating, she said.

But as often happens in Iran, theres a political element, even with Zumba. Safavizadeh sees the ban as a backlash by hard-liners to the reelection last month of moderate President Hassan Rouhani.

The hard-liners want to undo what was promised by President Rouhani, she said, and as a result, We as women are deprived small happiness.

Rouhani won after promising to unite Iran. But terrorist attacks by Islamic State militants in the capital this month that killed 17 people gave hard-line Shiite leaders an opening to crack down. Some analysts said the Zumba ban may be the beginning of efforts by Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and other hard-liners to reexert influence and sideline Rouhani.

Tehran-based analyst Nader Karimi Juni wasnt optimistic that Rouhani will make much headway against the supreme leaders bans, including Zumba.

For the supreme leader, America and Israel are archenemies, the eternal foes, Juni said. So whatever lifestyle, tastes or athletic activities are associated with what he calls corrupted Western culture is haram and should be banned.

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Iran bans women's Zumba aerobics classes - Los Angeles Times

Policemen and -women took a break from their aerobics to pose for a fun photo. Photo: Submitted.

For many, sport is a coping mechanism, helping them to deal with stress and focus their minds.

That is why the West Rand Cluster Womens Network and Men for Change Forum participated in a four-hour mass aerobics event at Azaadville Community Hall recently.

Policemen and -women enjoyed themselves with lovely music and a thorough workout.

We need to serve our community with minds that are ready to protect others, therefore we also need healthy bodies, said Lieutenant Colonel Enoch, champion of the West Rand Cluster Womens Network.

The event was organised to encourage all police station employees to take part in any kind of sporting activity they might enjoy.

Do you perhaps have more information pertaining to this story? Email us at krugersdorpnews@caxton.co.zaorphone us on 011 955 1130.

For free daily localnews on the West Rand, also visit our sister websites:

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Policemen and -women cleansed their bodies through aerobics - Krugersdorp News

The City of Stillwater Senior Activity Center is offering a water aerobics swimming class for Senior Center participants. The class takes place Tuesdays and Thursdays at the City of Stillwater Municipal Pool from 12:30 p.m. to 1 p.m. It will run through August 3 with the exception of the week of July 3 7, in which no classes will be held. Cost for the class is $2 per session and is paid at the pool. The Center welcomes all seniors, 50 and over. Activities include: card games, pool and snooker, bridge, exercise classes, line dancing, Zumba, bingo, a painting/crafting class, and an evening of music with country tunes performed by several musicians. Also, a walking trail is located right outside by the Center, in Couch Park. Regular hours at the Senior Center are Monday through Friday, 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; and music night is held on the second and fourth Thursday during the summer, from 6 to 8:30 p.m. The facility is closed on weekends. Stop by 1015 E. 12th Ave. or call 405-747-8080 for more information and make sure to pick up a calendar of events.

Monday A free exercise class is offered to seniors every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday mornings at 9:30 a.m. This class is called, Sit n Be Fit and offers a cool place to get a good workout routine that can strengthen your muscles and increase your flexibility. Everyone has a chair for support. Also, women pool players come in at 9:30 a.m. for some friendly competition in 8-ball games. Bring your pool stick or use one at the Center and join the fun. After the exercise class, a line dancing class is held. The boot scootin begins at 10:30 a.m. At 1 p.m. canasta, social bridge, pool, and snooker are played. Come enjoy the cool activities.

Tuesday If you would like a little more intense exercise class you should check out the free exercise/dance class that is offered every Tuesday and Thursday at 10:30 a.m. It is called, Zumba with Angie. This class will get you moving to some Latin American type music. Please wear good sturdy shoes for all the quick stepping. No slide on shoes allowed. Remember, water aerobics at 12:30 p.m. Afternoon games include canasta, duplicate bridge, and pool/snooker. Most card games start around 1 p.m. except for duplicate bridge which starts at 12:15 p.m. New duplicate bridge players should call the Center ahead of time to make arrangements. Duplicate bridge is played with a partner. Exercise equipment that includes exercise bikes, a treadmill, and a weight set are available for use in the afternoon. Pool and snooker playing are popular, also. Bingo is called at 2 p.m. Its a lot of laughs and everyone wins a prize! We always have a jig saw puzzle out, for the puzzlers.

Wednesday Exercisers and women pool players arrive at 9:30 a.m. again, ready to participate in their activities. At 10:30 a.m., line dancers do some quick stepping to country tunes. In the afternoon, games of canasta and other card games are played starting around 1 p.m. along with pool and snooker. A puzzle is always out ready to be solved.

Thursday Free guitar lessons are offered at 9:30 a.m. Then at 10:30 a.m. Zumba dancers begin moving to some jazzy tunes. The afternoon brings out canasta and bridge players and pool players, at 1 p.m. Bingo sometimes has a guest caller on Thursdays and the exciting games begin at 2 p.m. Music night will not be held this week.

Friday Friday mornings are active with Sit n Be Fit exercise class, womens pool, and a painting/crafting class that all take place at 9:30 a.m. The artists bring in their art projects and supplies and share their ideas and instructional skills with each other. They would like to welcome new painters to the group. The puzzle table is always waiting for someone to stop by and find a piece to the puzzle.

Last weeks reported duplicate bridge winners were: Jane Anderson and Lucy Robinson, 1st and Al Perry and Lionel Raff, 2nd.

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Stillwater Senior Activity Center offers water aerobics class - Stillwater News Press

Kerry Washington revealed on Tuesday that her go-to pregnancy workoutwas water aerobics and she may be onto something.

When youre pregnant, you feel heavier. But in water, you get to feel lighter again, CeCe Marizu, an Equinox Sports Club instructor and group fitness ambassador for their H20 workouts, tells PEOPLE.

When you get pregnant, you also tend to swell and water takes that pregnant feeling away. A lot of pregnant women have pain in their low back, and a water aerobics class can correct your pelvic tilt. And as far as modifications, you dont have to do a million modifications.Swimming is one of the safest sports.

It also allows pregnant women to be in positions that are not safe for them on land.

When youre pregnant, you can be on your back in the water, says Marizu. You have more freedom to mix up your workouts when youre in water versus when youre on land.

RELATED VIDEO:People Scoop: Celebrity Workouts

Whether or not youre pregnant, water aerobics can provide an effective workout without putting impact on your joints like many traditional workout classes do.

Water gives you a natural resistance that still lets you build up your strength without causing injury to your body, says Marizu. Anything you can do on land, you can kind of do in the water. You can do squats, you can do a high-knee march, you can do a run.Well do stuff with your arms where you pull the water down, and then you might grab that buoy as a weight where youre also adding some curls or some tricep extensions.

Being in the water allows people to have a range of motion they cant have on land.

The thing that makes water so special is you can move around all planes, she says. Youre working on rotation, youre working with each sagittal plane, the frontal plane.

It also adds more natural resistance to each move to build strength: a simple kicking move when done in water can work your quads and hamstrings.

You work muscle groups that I dont think people realize that youre working in the water, adds Marizu. Your forearms are a really hard area to target, but even if youre just standing in the water, and you start to move your arms in a figure-8 motion, youre working your shoulders, your delts and your forearms at the same time.

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Why Kerry Washington's Water Aerobics Pregnancy Workouts Are So Effective - PEOPLE.com

Michael Rozman/Warner Bros.

Kerry Washington is a woman of many talents.

Not only is she a Golden Globe-nominated actress, but turns out, the star also studied traditional martial arts in India, is certified in yoga and has dabbled in water aerobics.

"It's harder than you think," theScandal star told Ellen DeGenereson Tuesday. As Washington revealed to the daytime talk show host, she particularly liked doing water aerobics when she was pregnant. What a lucky coincidenceDeGeneres also likes doing water aerobics in the summer and invited the star to join her. Hey Ellen, can we come, too?

If Ellen is in the market for yoga lessons, Kerry is her galunless you ask the star's mom.

As the story goes, after graduating George Washington University, Washington headed to India for seven months to studytraditional Indian martial arts, cultural movement and yoga and also travel. When she returned, she initially planned to live in New York City as a starving artist, using her yoga skills to make money in between auditions. However, her mother made her a deal.

"My mother said that she would let me live at home if I taught her yoga for an hour a day," she recalled."That lasted for a week."

"She was like, 'I hate yoga and you may not be able to live here if you keep doing this.'"

Ellen, maybe just stick to the water aerobics with Kerry.

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Kerry Washington Did Water Aerobics When She Was Pregnant: It's ... - E! Online

The 40-year-old actress has revealed she used to undergo a "70's style" fitness session, which saw her use dumbbells in the water, whilst she was pregnant with her eight-month-old son Caleb.

Speaking about her exercise plan when she was expecting her second child on 'The Ellen DeGeneres Show' on Tuesday (06.06.17), the brunette beauty - who also has three-year-old daughter Isabelle with her husband Nnamdi Asomugha - said: "70s-style water aerobics with the Styrofoam dumbbells in the water.

"It was so fun. And it's harder than you think. I love water aerobics!"

Kerry previously decided to try her hand at being a fitness instructor and jetted to India after college to study traditional Indian martial arts and cultural movement where she became a qualified yoga teacher, because she thought she could make a living from teaching the sport.

The 'Scandal' star said: "I went to India after college and studied ... traditional Indian martial arts and cultural movement, and I was studying yoga and I thought, 'I'll be able to make a living when I go back.'

"This was right after college, so I was going to go to New York and be a starving artist and try to be an actor."

However, Kerry's only client was her mother, Valerie, who let her daughter live with her in exchanged for yoga lessons, which didn't go down well with Kerry's parent.

The Hollywood icon said: "My mother said that she would let me live at home if I taught her yoga for an hour a day. That lasted for a week. She was like, 'I hate yoga! You may not be able to live here if you keep doing this.' "

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Kerry Washington 'loves' water aerobics - Sunday World

PEOPLE.com

Kerry Washington's Go-to Pregnancy Workout Was '70s-Style Water Aerobics: 'It's Harder Than You Think' PEOPLE.com Kerry Washington swore by pool workouts when it came to staying in shape throughout her pregnancies. The mom to daughter Isabelle, 3, and son Caleb, 8 months, said on The Ellen DeGeneres Show that she loved doing 70s-style water aerobics with the ... Kerry Washington Did Water Aerobics When She Was Pregnant: It's ...E! Online Kerry Washington Did Prenatal Water Aerobics | Celebrity Baby ScoopCelebrity Baby Scoop Kerry Washington gifts her parents on HER birthday | Daily Mail OnlineDaily Mail all 9 news articles »

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Kerry Washington's Go-to Pregnancy Workout Was '70s-Style Water Aerobics: 'It's Harder Than You Think' - PEOPLE.com

PUBLISHED: 17:55 06 June 2017 | UPDATED: 23:06 06 June 2017

Karen Bethell

Splash fitness instructor Kate Thomas (centre) puts Sidestrand Hall School students Tom, 18, and Tiarney, 17, through their paces. The Sheringham centre, which already runs sessions for young people with complex needs, is launching a new series of exercise classes for adults with autistic spectrum disorders. Photo: Karen Bethell

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With upbeat, low volume music, the stress-free sessions have been designed to take into account the challenges faced by people with autism or Aspergers syndrome.

Stephen Mews, who is general manager at the Weybourne Road centre, said that after the centre ran ASD training courses for gym and poolside staff, he was keen to hold classes for people who might find traditional, fast-paced, high volume sessions difficult.

After speaking to customers, we did feel there was a need in the north Norfolk area, he explained. Regular classes can definitely be off-putting for people with autism and Aspergers, so what we have tried to do is to design classes which are small, where people know what to expect, and which give people more time to follow directions.

Splash already runs regular studio-based sessions for students with complex needs from Sidestrand Hall School and Sheringham Woodfields School, where groups of teenagers and their teachers are put through their paces by trained instructors.

Those taking part in the new classes will be given a welcome pack with photographs and information about the class instructor and details about exercises.

Splash staff have also created traffic light-style flash cards, so that people with more severe communication problems will be able to let the instructor know if they are finding any aspect of the session too stressful or difficult.

A quiet room has also been set aside for those needing a break from sessions.

I think the training really highlighted for us that there are changes we need to make to classes in order for them to be successful for people who need something slightly different, Mr Mews said. We have designed them to be suitable for all abilities and hope that by doing this, we can help more people find a way in to fitness.

Autism-friendly classes for adults aged 18 and over will run weekly on Tuesdays between midday and 1pm from June 13. Fees are free for centre members or 3.50 for non-members. For more information, or to book, phone 01263 825675.

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New autism-friendly aerobics classes launched at Sheringham - Norfolk Eastern Daily Press

I step into cool water from the shallow end, knowing the quicker I submerge, the easier it is to acclimate to this different world.

On this Tuesday morning, 12 of us stride in rows, pushing through the water to warm up. Floating lane dividers are moved aside for our aerobics class. More ambitious non-class exercisers swim in two lanes reserved for them in this 25 - yard indoor pool at the Morganton Aquatics Center.

Sunshine filters through colored glass window panes. It might be enough light, but far overhead, fluorescent tubes brighten the cavernous space. Sound insulation pads hang from the ceiling reminding me of Mardi Gras with their colors of gold, purple and green.

I suspect all of us envy our instructor's physique. She calls out commands that we aspire to obey, but often cannot. Maybe if I were paying more attention instead of enjoying others' company, I'd do better.

A pal, whom I'll call May, stands a few feet away as we grapple with Styrofoam dumbbells in collarbone-deep water. She tells me about a married couple she knows.

"They used to be so affectionate all the time, even in public."

"No, it was annoying as hell."

We push and pull the weights through the water, stirring up the clean, chlorine scent.

May gives me a look and says, "Now, that same couple is in a Mexican stand-off. Maybe headed for a divorce."

Ah, marriage. We joke about young people not understanding how hard it is.

"Don't they know you want to kill each other half the time? Why, that's what marriage IS."

May is trying to make me feel better because I've told her that loved ones close to me have signed for a legal separation.

The instructor calls out, "Tighten that tummy! Don't arch your back!"

May says, "Another couple I know was so miserable they decided to separate, then wound up violating the separation one night, if you know what I mean."

Pumping my legs in a slow-motion jog, I ask, "Then what?"

May shrugged. "They got back together. Made it work. The child is over 20 years old now."

We both know how unusual such a situation is and are silent for a reverent moment.

Another conversation on the other side of the pool catches my ear, difficult in the echoing space filled with splashes and the instructor's oldies music.

"Did you hear about Mimosa Hills Country Club closing their pool?" one of our classmates asks.

Someone answers, "Yes, they found out it would cost a quarter million dollars to repair it." And with the noise, I can't hear anything else. Was the pool a victim of sudden crisis? Or simply neglected over time so that little by little it came apart?

Sometimes things can't be repaired no matter how hard you try.

I tell May about my loved ones seeing three marriage counselors. She shakes her head.

"Sometimes it's just not meant to be."

Our instructor says, "Listen y'all, I'm sorry about the Mimosa pool situation, but the city of Morganton's outdoor pool is a great resource. We're taking the cover off soon. That's a massive undertaking, by the way, and that pool doesn't get used as much as it could be. When the day cares leave at 3:30, it's deserted."

She brings me back to present hopefulness, back to the possibilities that remain.

Gwen Veazey is a member of the Morganton Writers' Group.

What: The Collett Street Outdoor Pool summer swimming

When: Summer hours start on Friday June 9. The hours will be Monday through Friday from 1-5 p.m. and 7:30-9 p.m., Saturday from 1-7 p.m. and Sunday from 1-5 p.m.

Where: The pool is located at 401 N. King St. in Morganton

Daily Cost for city residents

Summer Season Pass for city residents

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Another day at water aerobics - Burke County Notebook - Morganton News Herald