Aquatics

MUSC Wellness Center Pool Update

The MUSC Wellness Center pool will be temporarily closed beginning July 1, 2025, for a full renovation. The renovation is expected to take approximately 90 to 120 days to complete.

This exciting project will significantly improve both the appearance and functionality of the pool, including upgrades to systems, surfaces, and the overall user experience. We appreciate your patience and understanding as we work to enhance this important part of our facility.

Updates will be provided through MUSC Wellness Center social media channels.

Normal Pool Hours of Operation

Monday - Thursday: 5:30 am to 9:45 pm*

Friday: 5:30 am to 6:45 pm*

Saturday - Sunday: 9:00 am to 4:45 pm*

*The pool closes 15 minutes earlier than regular facility operating hours.

What is Swimming?

By Kathleen Wilson

Many picture swimming as effortless, seamless, beautiful strokes up and down the pool. Yes, that is one form of swimming. In spite of my years spent chasing those effortless motions, I have a surprisingly different definition of swimming.

If your ship is going down, is the captain more likely to ask who has the proper hand entry, who is able to swim the four competitive strokes or who is comfortable in the water and can manage until the situation resolves?

An excellent swimmer is a thing of beauty; however, I would argue that swimming is more about the ability to get from point A to point B, calmly and safely, regardless of how conventional it looks.

My clients often hear me say that swimming is only three skills; a front float, a back float, and air exchange. The rest is simply movement. In addition, those floats need not be perfectly horizontal and right up on the water’s surface, another game changer to a new or reluctant swimmer. Many of us, myself included, do not float right at the surface- I float at a 45-degree angle, with my feet resting on the bottom of the pool. It is still very much a float. Some float just under the surface, un-nerving to a newbie but still floating.

Air exchange is generally underestimated, yet a critical skill. Most swimmers overthink it. Always remember that water is much more dense than air, therefore it takes considerably more time to exhale the breath that only took one second to inhale.

Our Wellness Center pool is a fantastic resource for members. Swim assessments are a wonderful way to try a single lesson (40-45 minutes for $30) or a package of four, 30-minute lessons. Whether new to swimming or a swimmer looking for higher level stroke refinement, I can help. It is always immensely gratifying to watch clients exceed their own expectations, whether it is establishing those three basic skills or achieving higher level swimming technique. If a client needs a training regime for an upcoming pool or open water event, I can share decades of experience and knowledge.

Swimming is perhaps the most versatile form of exercise available. It can be blissful, gentle laps or a source of excellent cardio and full body movement, moving up and down the pool. Taken even further, it can be pure power with incredible speed and flawless technique. All qualify as swimming.

Make this the summer to explore or to expand those basic swimming skills.

Come get your swim on!

Water Training Benefits

Aquatic exercise is extremely versatile with far reaching body impacts. Do you have achy joints, especially knees and hips?

Try the water if you wish to reduce strain on your joints yet build muscle. Moving through the water is the ideal way to strengthen and improve the length and flexibility of a whole range of different muscles without the added stress of gravity. It is truly a full-body mode of exercise with virtually no special equipment needed- just a swimsuit and a towel! For lap swimmers, a pair of goggles is recommended.

Looking to change up your cardio routine?

Swimming builds endurance, muscle strength and cardiovascular fitness. It is a terrific way to create a healthy mix of gym or land cardio with the benefits of the water.

“Swimming exercise affects lung volume as respiratory muscles including diaphragm of swimmers are required to develop greater pressure as a consequence of immersion in water during respiratory cycle. This may lead to functional improvement in these muscles and also alterations in elasticity of lung and chest wall, leading to an improvement in forced vital capacity and other lung functions of swimmers.” Source: Determinants of lung function changes in athletic swimmers. A review

In addition, water exercise helps you maintain a healthy weight, healthy heart and lungs.

Do you want to begin water exercise but not swim laps?

Water exercise is versatile. Simply walking in the water provides an increased cardio output through the resistance that water offers. Adding additional movements in a water exercise class or adding equipment such as noodles or water dumb-bells can boost the intensity of work. If not a confident swimmer, this is an excellent way to reap enormous benefit while in the water. Consider one of the water exercise classes offered, jump in and enjoy this tremendous asset found at MUSC Wellness Center.

Aquatics Training

Swim Assessment

The Wellness Center offers swim assessments that can serve as a starting point for a beginner swimmer or to assess stroke mechanics and technique for a current swimmer.

The cost is $40.00 for both members and non-members for a 40 minute session. Contact Kathleen Wilson to schedule an upcoming swim assessment.

Swim assessments are limited to one per person.

Swim Instruction

No matter what your level, the Wellness Center's swim instructors can help you reach your goals!

The standard swim instruction package includes four 30 minutes sessions. Pricing as follows:

• Members - $160
• Non-members - $200
• Students - $144

Customizable packages are also available.

Aquatic Classes

Low Impact Water Class (Coming Soon)

This program is designed for those with chronic conditions who wish to use the buoyancy of the water to reduce pain, improve strength, range of motion, balance, and flexibility. Benefits of exercise in water:

• Water removes the impact stress of ground reaction force.
• Water provides greater resistance than air helping to strengthen muscles and burn more calories than on land.
• Water allows you to work at a higher level that you could tolerate on land, which helps improve mobility and strengthen cardiovascular endurance.

Water Aerobics

This is a full body water workout for all levels combining cardio respiratory, muscle conditioning, and interval training.

Water Tabata

Prepare to work harder! This workout is full body, low impact and FUN! You experience a wide variety of exercises that will challenge and help to improve your cardiovascular and overall fitness level.

Fees For Services Policy

It takes an extraordinary commitment of our resources to prepare, coordinate, and staff our facilities, programs, services, and classes; therefore, all payments are non-refundable and non-proratable.

The following fee for services, classes, and programs are not refundable and not prorated:

• Locker Rentals
• Parking Fees
• Room Rental
• Guest Fees
• Program Fees including small group training, swim lessons, personal training sessions, Pilates, etc.

MUSC Wellness Center reserves the right to delay or cancel any activity or class due to inclement weather, natural disasters, or extenuating circumstances. Weather make-up sessions may be scheduled, but are not guaranteed. No credits or refunds will be issued for classes not attended. All training sessions and programs must be purchased in advance. Session and program payments are non-refundable. Training sessions cancelled within 24 hours of the scheduled time will be redeemed, and cannot be rescheduled unless the trainer and management provide an exception for special circumstances. Transferring unused personal training sessions to an immediate family member may be allowed at the discretion of the Wellness Center Director.

Aquatic Trainers

Kathleen Wilson

Kathleen Wilson has a multi-faceted background in aquatics. As a competitor, she specializes in marathon swimming, having completed many of the world's greatest swims and was the first South Carolina resident to swim the English Channel. While still actively training and competing in marathon swimming, she has coached numerous swimmers to successful outcomes of other major marathon events and currently serves as the coach for MUSC's Wellness Center Swim Club. As a swim instructor, she enjoys working with adult students and is founder of SwimCalm, a program designed for adults with fear of water and who wish to learn to swim. Kathleen was enshrined into the SC Athletic Hall of Fame as part of the class of 2018!

Marty Rivers

BS, WSI, CPO, CPT is a Certified Personal Trainer and Master Swim Coach at MUSC who has more than twenty years of experience developing and implementing individualized and group swim lessons and programs for students at all levels. In his coaching career, Marty has trained one State Champion and several winners of the HCC competition at MUSC. Marty started swimming at the age of 13 and brings a dynamic and functional approach to swimming that enables students to meet and exceed their potential by developing their mental and physical stamina and capability.