50+ Lifestyles

Where Can You Swim Laps in the Quad Cities?

By Logan Anderson, BA, CPT, CIFT
Owner of All Strong Fitness LLC

Lap swimming is one of those activities that you often forget about. Not because you want to forget it, but because most of us don’t have a pool to swim in in our backyard. During the summer months, especially in the Quad Cities, we often find ourselves enjoying the weather by taking long walks outside. But what happens during the winter? Some of us may brave the weather and bundle up. I know myself personally, enjoy more “indoor” activities to keep me fit. I usually lift weights or walk on the treadmill, but I know plenty of people who would enjoy swimming. The only problem is, where do you swim in the Quad Cities?

If you are a member of the YMCA in the Quad Cities, you are in luck. This is because most of the public pools that I know of are run by the YMCA. These pools are included at the Bettendorf Family YMCA, North Family YMCA (Davenport), Richard Bittner Downtown Davenport YMCA, Two Rivers YMCA (Moline), and the North Scott YMCA (Eldridge.) When I am writing this article the North Scott YMCA is actually near the final process of opening. There are no detailed pictures of the pool on the website yet, but it does show “graphics” of what the pool should look like. All of these locations have a variety of features. Some have more space, while others have a heated section. The YMCA locations actually host water based aerobic classes as well for older adults. In addition to this, you can also lap swim at the YWCA location in Rock Island, which also offers some low impact classes as well. There might be some more that I am not aware of, and if this is the case, please reach out to my contact information below. This allows me to help advise other local seniors accordingly on the options to lap swim.

If you have never gotten in the pool before, it is a great time to start. Many older adults love swimming because it helps ease some of the pain from arthritic joints. In addition to this, it offers a low-impact way to exercise that may help individuals dealing with chronic pain.

At the end of the day, these are a few of the local options that are in the Quad Cities for swimmers and those wanting to start. Although there are more outdoor options, I wanted to give some insight into what is available for the winter. Enjoy the rest of the year.. Either on land OR in the water!

Logan Anderson is the owner of All Strong Fitness LLC. For more information, please visit allstrongfitness.org or reach out to allstrongfitnessllc@gmail.com.