WILSON'S FITNESS CENTERS |

From First Splash to Confident Swimming

admin — Fri, 03 Apr 2026 18:57:52 +0000

Congratulations are in order for Souyma Kattikat and Steve Ferndandez!

If you stopped by the Wilson’s pool on a Tuesday night these past few months, you may have seen them swimming side by side—laughter echoing through the glass atrium.

It didn’t start off like that, says Souyma: “I was quite anxious at the start, as I was uncomfortable in the water and couldn’t even put my head under. Kat’s calm, patient, and encouraging teaching style made a huge difference. Swimming with her felt relaxing, and she gradually helped me overcome my fears—to the point where I was confidently dolphin diving for pool toys! By the end of the program, I had learned three strokes.”

Coach Kat beams, saying that “the sense of ease, confidence, and play” she sees when Souyma and Steve swim together today is exactly what she hopes swimmers gain from the adult learn-to-swim (ALTS) program. This story comes at the perfect time, as April is Adult Learn-to-Swim Month.

According to United States Masters Swimming (USMS), approximately 37% of adults in the U.S. are not yet able to swim the length of a pool. Further, only about half of adults can perform all five basic lifesaving water skills: jumping in, treading water, turning, swimming 25 yards, and exiting. The ALTS program is working to expand access to lifesaving skills and a love of swimming nationwide.

Souyma started working with Coach Kat on her own, and, after several sessions, her husband, Steve joined for tag-team lessons. “My husband also made great progress,” Souyma says. “He finished with two strokes under his belt and felt great about his improved skills.”

Souyma and Steve looked forward to the weekly lessons. “What really stood out to both of us,” she says, “was how thoughtfully Kat tailored each session to our individual needs and goals. She balanced encouragement with skill-building in a way that kept us both motivated and comfortable.”

“Tag-team lessons are so much fun,” says Coach Kat. “Learning is great—and learning with a friend or spouse, well, that’s even better. I told Souyma and Steve that now they’re ready to race their kids all over the pool this summer.”

At their final lesson, Souyma and Steve showcased the many skills they had learned, and Coach Kat even introduced flip turns. After practice, she presented them with certificates of accomplishment, which the two accepted proudly, laughing at the “surprise graduation.”

“We highly recommend Kat to anyone—especially adults who may feel nervous about learning to swim,” says Souyma. “Her approach truly transforms the experience.”

How can you get started with Coach Kat at Wilson’s? Send her an e-mail and get your session scheduled! kathrynfweaver@gmail.com

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The Body Is Fascinating: Understanding Fascia and Why It Matters

admin — Thu, 02 Apr 2026 19:48:27 +0000

The Body Is Fascinating: Understanding Fascia and Why It Matters

Have you ever heard of fascia? For years, it was dismissed as “the fuzz” and often removed during cadaver dissection. Today, however, fascia is gaining recognition as one of the most important systems in the human body.

Fascia is a form of connective tissue that surrounds, supports, and integrates every part of us—muscles, bones, organs, nerves, and even individual cells. You can think of it like a three-dimensional web or a layer of saran wrap that holds the entire body together while still allowing it to move fluidly.

But fascia is more than just structure. It plays a key role in how our bodies move, feel, and adapt.

What Does Fascia Do?

Fascia helps maintain the body’s shape and distributes tension throughout the system. This concept is often described as tensegrity, or “floating compression,” where the body maintains integrity through balanced tension rather than rigid support.

In simple terms, when one part of your body moves or experiences stress, that force is distributed across the entire fascial network. This is why tightness or dysfunction in one area can show up as pain somewhere else.

Healthy movement helps organize fascia. Lack of movement—or repetitive, imbalanced movement—can lead to disorganization, stiffness, and discomfort.

Fascia and Sensation

Fascia is richly innervated, meaning it contains many sensory receptors. These receptors play a role in how we perceive movement, tension, and even body awareness (also known as proprioception).

Because of this, fascia is deeply connected to how we feel in our bodies—not just physically, but sometimes emotionally as well. While research is still evolving, many practitioners observe that chronic stress, traumas, and tension patterns can influence how the body holds and moves.

The Role of Hydration and Hyaluronic Acid

Fascia is made up largely of water—about 70–75%. This hydration allows tissues to glide smoothly against one another.

A key component within fascia is hyaluronic acid (hyaluronan), which helps lubricate tissues and supports elasticity. When fascia becomes dehydrated or restricted, this glide can be reduced, leading to stiffness or a “sticky” feeling in the body.

That’s why both hydration and movement are essential for maintaining healthy fascia.

What Affects Fascia?

Several factors can impact the health of your fascial system:

Sedentary lifestyle or lack of movement
Repetitive movement patterns
Injury or surgery
Aging
Chronic stress and tension
Emotional holding patterns

While we can’t control everything, we can influence many of these factors through daily habits and awareness.

How to Support Your Fascia

Taking care of your fascia doesn’t have to be complicated. Here are a few simple, effective approaches:

1. Move Your Body Mindfully
Practices like yoga, tai chi, and somatic movement encourage full-body engagement and help maintain balance throughout the fascial network.

2. Breathe and Slow Down
Meditation and breathwork can help reduce chronic tension patterns. When the body relaxes, fascia can move more freely.

3. Use Self-Myofascial Release
Foam rolling and similar techniques apply gentle pressure to tissues, which may help reduce tightness and improve circulation.

4. Stay Hydrated and Nourished
Drink plenty of water and include nutrient-rich foods like leafy greens, healthy fats, and proteins to support tissue health.

5. Explore Vibration and Sound-Based Practices
Emerging approaches suggest that vibration may influence how fluids move within tissues. While research is still developing, many people find these methods relaxing and beneficial.

A Whole-Body Perspective

Fascia reminds us that the body is not a collection of separate parts—it’s an interconnected system. Changes in one area can influence the whole.

By becoming more aware of how we move, hold tension, and care for ourselves, we can begin to support not just our physical health, but our overall sense of well-being.

Ready to Learn More?

Curious how this applies to your own body?

Join me for Free Your Fascia (link?), a hands-on workshop where you’ll learn practical tools to release tension, improve mobility, and better understand how your body moves and feels in everyday life.

Your body is always communicating. Fascia may be one of the ways it speaks—are you ready to listen?

The post The Body Is Fascinating: Understanding Fascia and Why It Matters first appeared on WILSON'S FITNESS CENTERS |.

The Science of Sound Healing

admin — Mon, 02 Mar 2026 19:23:18 +0000

As we look back through time, we become more aware of the power held within the heart of all music and all sound. Sound healing is rooted in the understanding that we are energetic beings, each with both individual and composite frequencies. When these frequencies fall into dissonance, we drift out of coherence—physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. Through sound healing, we can guide the body back into harmony. Using instruments and the human voice, we introduce stable, pure vibrations that help restore coherence, bringing health, peace, and a sense of inner alignment.

David Gibson captures this beautifully: “We are on the threshold of a new world where the understanding of sound and vibration is about to transform our entire medical system, our educational system, and provide access to higher states of awareness for the masses.” All matter is composed of a single fundamental substance—energy—and all energy vibrates. Every form in the universe expresses a unique shape or structure based on its vibrational frequency. Even our DNA carries its own vibrational blueprint. When we recognize that everything—from trees to stones to human beings—has a distinct vibrational signature, it
becomes easier to understand how sound can influence us.

Sound healing uses instruments such as Tibetan bowls, drums, flutes, gongs, chimes, and the voice to create specific frequencies measured in hertz. These frequencies interact with an individual’s vibration through a process known as entrainment, gradually guiding dissonant
frequencies back into resonance. If someone is experiencing anxiety, depression, or other forms
of imbalance, their energetic field may be disrupted. Sound introduces a coherent vibration that helps restore harmony.

A classic example of entrainment is a room full of grandfather clocks. Even if they begin ticking at different rhythms, over time they naturally synchronize. The same principle applies to the human body. Here is a fun example of entrainment and resonance with metronomes:
metronome entrainment Resonance refers to the frequency at which an object most naturally vibrates—its inherent or free resonance. Humans are incredibly complex, with a composite frequency made up of
countless individual frequencies: organs, fascia, emotions, and more. These frequencies shift constantly in response to both internal and external influences—food, toxins, stress, thought patterns, and environmental factors. Sound healing offers a way to bring in harmonious vibration, helping the body return to its natural state of balance, healing, and energetic optimization.

Try these simple sound healing techniques:
1. Listen to any soothing nature sounds. Because nature vibrates and is the least affected by dissonance, it can help soothe the spirit and bring us back into the nature of ourselves.
2. Even better, Take your voice on a walk into nature, to let it flow freely in the open air. Feel the resonance of your song blending with the natural world, and feel a sense of liberation and connection. Find harmony with nature.
3. Practice Brahmari Pranayama (Bee’s breath): Inhaling through our nose with our hands in Shanmukhi mudra (thumb covering tragus, index under the eyebrow, middle to the divot in the nose, ring below the nose, and pinky below the lip), exhaling as we hum with the ears closed and the jaw open with the tongue to the bottom of the mouth. This practice calms the nervous system, relaxes the muscles of the voice, reduces external sensory activation, it slows and deepens the exhalation, and creates focus and creativity.
4. Attend a sound bath or schedule a private session with a trained Sound Healer.
5. Listen to a recording of a sound bath if there are no live opportunities near you.
6. Play an instrument with joy, releasing judgement.

The post The Science of Sound Healing first appeared on WILSON'S FITNESS CENTERS |.

The Jingle Bell Swim Makes Spirits Bright

admin — Fri, 02 Jan 2026 19:55:13 +0000

“You can’t swim a thousand fly every day, but I’m glad I could today,” said Mary Bean as she and Coach Kat walked out of Wilson’s Fitness Center together, their arms full of gifts for children in central Missouri.

Monday, December 22, 2025, marked the first annual Jingle Bell Swim at Wilson’s Forum. Led by Kathryn Fishman-Weaver (“Coach Kat”), the event embodied her USMS practice group rules: swimmers are for challenge, fun, and each other.

The event was organized around a focus swim, a focus non-profit, and extra holiday joy.

Participants each chose a primary event for the evening and then swam it 10 times. Mary chose the 100 butterfly; triathletes Paula Rawlings, Jenny Burleson, and Gretta Cohoon focused on freestyle (with options for 100- or 200-yard repeats); and Kelsey Fishman and Lilah Weaver focused on breaststroke.

Along the way, the USMS practice group laughed through swim challenges like a snowball relay, a jingle bell hop dolphin kick set, and an underwater treasure hunt. Each participant also completed two Individual Medley (IM) swims and a partner kick. Coach Kat says sets with stroke variety help improve agility and confidence.

The special winter event included a gift drive for Heart of Missouri CASA, a non-profit organization that supports children navigating foster care in Boone and Callaway counties. Swimmers brought board books, craft kits, tumblers, and more to make the holiday season—and home visits—a little brighter.

Each swimmer received a custom wave phone stand and bragging rights for completing an event that was good for the body, the mind, and our community.

Swim Training with Coach Kat

Swim Group Classes

The post The Jingle Bell Swim Makes Spirits Bright first appeared on WILSON'S FITNESS CENTERS |.

How To Create Holistic Healing

admin — Thu, 04 Dec 2025 16:28:46 +0000

We live in a world that often leaves us feeling chaotic and dissonant.

Anxiety and depression affect over 14% of the population.
Stress is reported in over 50% of the population.
75% of adults experience physical and emotional symptoms related to stress.
60% of adults live with at least one chronic disease.
Over 24% of adults live in chronic pain.

Most healing modalities focus on symptoms rather than root causes. Yoga and Sound Therapy, however, work with the whole person — mind, body, energy, and spirit — to uncover and resolve the source of dissonance that leads to disease.

The Power of Yoga

Yoga is an ancient science of healing that integrates:

Body → postures (asanas)
Energy → breath (pranayama)
Mind → emotions and thoughts (yamas/niyamas, pratyahara, dharana)
Spirit → meditation (dhyana & samadhi)

Each practice invites us to connect to ourselves at a higher level of awareness and understanding.

The Power of Sound

Sound healing, like yoga, is both ancient and modern wisdom. It recognizes that we are energetic beings with unique frequencies. When those frequencies become dissonant, we lose coherence.

Through sound healing instruments and the human voice, we can restore harmony at every level — physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual — bringing health, peace, and joy.

Harmonious Union: Where Sound and Yoga Unite

Yoga and sound therapy together address both the physical and the energetic roots of imbalance.

Example: If you have knee pain, we explore:

Physical causes (movement patterns, tendons, ligaments, fascia)
Emotional connections (thoughts, feelings contributing to pain)
Energetic disharmony (patterns of pride, ego, or dissonance)

Healing then integrates:

Postures
Breathwork
Right thinking
Awareness of past conditioning
Harmonizing energy through instruments and voice

A Simple Practice: Brahmari (Bee's Breath)

When feeling anxious or disconnected:

Inhale deeply through the nose.
Soften or close your eyes.
Exhale with a gentle humming sound.

Benefits include:

Calms the nervous system
Focuses the mind on the present moment
Cools heated or angry energy
Relieves headaches
Lowers blood pressure
Stimulates the vagus nerve

Tuning In To Heal

Healing doesn’t always come from doing more — sometimes it comes from tuning in. By weaving together yoga and sound, we create space for stillness, clarity, renewal, and harmony.

Stay tuned for Catina’s upcoming posts on:

The science and research behind yoga and sound therapy
How these practices support specific health concerns
Different styles of yoga and their unique benefits

The post How To Create Holistic Healing first appeared on WILSON'S FITNESS CENTERS |.

Making Waves: USMS Coach of the Year Inspires Wilson’s Adult Swimmers

admin — Fri, 07 Nov 2025 18:57:10 +0000

Recently, Wilson’s Fitness welcomed Coach Mike Hamm for a special night of adult swim events. He planned the events with Kathryn Fishman-Weaver, “Coach Kat,” who runs our adult personal coaching swim program.

Coach Mike is a lead instructor for United States Masters Swimming (USMS), where he teaches the three levels of USMS coaching courses as well as the clinic course for coaches. In 2024, he was named the USMS Coach of the Year. An accomplished swimmer himself, Coach Mike was an Olympic Trials qualifier, a USA All-American, and is a USMS All-American.

He met Coach Kat a little over a year ago when she was launching our Adult Learn-to-Swim program. She said his visit to Wilson’s was “a kind of full circle moment” for her as a swim coach. “Coach Mike is such a positive influence on swimming,” says Kat. “It’s impossible to be around him and not improve, both as a coach and a swimmer.”

During Coach Mike’s visit, he toured our facilities, led a stroke clinic, joined us for an adult learn-to-swim community event, and celebrated Coach Kat’s recent designation as a Level 3 USMS Coach.

Mike shared that he was impressed with everything happening at Wilson’s. “The facility is first rate, top-of-the-line, and offers clients an extensive number of options that makes this health club a quality facility” He adds that “The people were just great—so kind and welcoming. Instructing from the pool deck was super comfortable, and the swimmers were all so coachable.”

In planning the visit, Kat said she couldn’t wait for Coach Mike “to meet the incredible swimmers who practice at Wilson’s.” This includes swimmers like Ellie Trick, who has been a regular at Coach Kat’s group practice since the beginning of the swim program.

Ellie joined the stroke clinic to further refine her technique. “Coach Mike was fun and made class a good time,” she said, adding that he taught her new skills, especially around breathing. “It turns out,” says Ellie, “that for me, swimming is a lot more thinking and not as much splashing in the water to get to the finish line.”

Kelsey Fishman, another regular swimmer in the practice group, said, “Coach Mike made everyone feel great about their progress.” This is the goal of both USMS coaching and the inclusive adult swim program we’ve built at Wilson’s. Coach Mike says these clinics were “all about making small technique adjustments that have a big impact in the pool.”

For Tabitha Kimble, one of the adult learn-to-swim students from 2025, she came to the clinic hoping to make progress on her freestyle kick. At the end of the clinic, she had not only made progress—she was demonstrating her progress to the whole class.

Swimmers had many reasons for joining the clinics. A few triathletes came looking to improve their efficiency. One long-time distance swimmer said she had heard about all the fun happening in Coach Kat’s group practice and hoped this might be the first step in helping her fall back in love with the sport.

The swim events were all marked by personal goals, small technique adjustments, and a lot of laughing. As such, there was no competition—only progress, persistence, and community. Yet both coaches agree that if they had awarded a most-inspiring-clinic-swimmer, that recognition would have gone to Betty Mwai.

Growing up, Betty never missed watching the swimming events in the Olympics, and she always loved the water. However, until she joined the swim program at Wilson’s, she says “dog paddling” was her way across the pool. This all changed, says Betty, when Coach Kat invited her and her friend Jenniffer to join the then new swim program.

Betty still lights up thinking about it. “I was so excited! Coach Kat not only believed in me, but she has taught me the right swimming technique.” Betty attended every event with Coach Mike during his visit. Like Ellie, she says, “The stroke clinic was such a fun class! I was able to learn a lot of great tips to help improve my technique.”

When asked if Betty had anything else to add, she says, “Just a big thank you to Coach Kat and Coach Mike!”

The post Making Waves: USMS Coach of the Year Inspires Wilson’s Adult Swimmers first appeared on WILSON'S FITNESS CENTERS |.

Love to Swim

admin — Tue, 02 Sep 2025 18:59:23 +0000

Love Columbia and Wilson’s Fitness partner with Coach Kat on a special Adult Learn-to-Swim Class

Miss Ronnie Kitchen (67) took a deep breath and jumped into the deep end of the MAC swimming pool. She popped back up to enthusiastic cheering from her teammates. “You know, that was kind of fun!” chuckled Ronnie, “Now, swim me back over to where I can touch.”

“You don’t need me to swim you over there!” laughed head coach Kathryn Fishman-Weaver (“Coach Kat”) as she and Ronnie swam back to the ladder together.

“You would hardly believe that just two weeks ago, most of these swimmers had never put their face in the water,” said Coach Kat, who was simultaneously shivering in the cold and glowing with joy.

It was late August and fall breezes already hung in the air. Even though the temperatures had dropped and the sun was setting, the group was reluctant to leave the pool. This evening marked the end of our Love Columbia and Wilson’s Fitness Adult Learn-to-Swim Pilot Program.

As the website reads, Love Columbia serves to “connect relationships and resources to love people forward and engage the whole community.” This collaboration with Coach Kat and Wilson’s Fitness did exactly that. Like 37% of adults in the United States, prior to our program, Ronnie Kitchen, Larisa Segers, and Tabitha Kimble hadn’t yet had the opportunity to learn to swim. The U.S. Masters Swimming (USMS) Adult Learn-to-Swim (ALTS) initiative is on the front lines of transforming that statistic. Coach Kat who is a certified ALTS instructor is passionate about sharing her love of swimming with her community.

Tabitha Kimble, one of the swim students, shared that she is “very thankful” for this opportunity. She adds that “Coach Kat made me so comfortable with the water and I trusted her! These four classes have changed my life, I never put my head under the water and now I am jumping in the water and swimming small laps! I am very grateful!”

“Learning to swim has been on my bucket list for years,” agrees Larisa Segers, “but my family’s needs are prioritized over mine, so I kind of gave up. This opportunity was such a blessing.” says Larisa. “It boosted my courage to learn how to swim at 46 years old.” Larisa has the opportunity to go on a cruise next week and she adds that these “lessons came in the knick of time! And the coaches were awesome!”

Ronnie agrees, calling the swim instructors “patient, compassionate, and innovative in their guidance of us through this journey.” From swimmers to coaches, everyone says these swim lessons were truly special.

Mary Bean, a former competitive swimmer who practices regularly in Coach Kat’s Monday group swim class at Wilson’s, volunteered to help coach the lessons. “Mary is a natural teacher,” says Coach Kat. “When I asked if she wanted to volunteer, she didn’t hesitate. She then showed up to every practice enthusiastic and always ready to demonstrate great technique, and encourage the class.”

“Coaching in this adult learn-to-swim program has been such a rewarding experience.” says Mary. “I’ve always loved teaching, but I’ve never really had the chance to work with adults in this way before. Watching them overcome hesitation and realize they can swim has been an incredible highlight of my summer.”

One evening during the program, Mary’s friend, Kathleen Matz reached out to get together. Mary told her that she had swim practice but that Kathleen was welcome to come along. Kathleen had some recreational experience coming into the class but no formal training. She jumped into the practices with curiosity and a willingness to learn.

“Like so many swimmers,” Coach Kat said Kathleen had questions about breathing techniques in freestyle. “And, as often happens, once her breathing became more natural, she became more unstoppable.”

At 67, Ronnie Kitchen was the most senior member of our group, and at 14, Lilah Weaver was the youngest. Ronnie says that “Learning to swim at this later season of my life has been an amazing new skill.” She adds that “it has regenerated my sedentary body and mind.”

Lilah attended the four swim practices and helped in a variety of ways, gathering equipment, joining the swimmers in the pool, and offering ongoing encouragement. “It was so amazing,” says Lilah, “to see everyone go from basic skills to really swimming.”

Coach Kat was touched that Lilah—who is her daughter—helped with the program. “I am thankful that, like me, she got to know some incredible women in our community. Miss Ronnie, Larisa, and Tabitha are role models for lifelong learning and practicing courage.”

Miss Ronnie sums it up best; now that she knows how to swim, she says she also knows that she can do anything!

Kathryn Fishman-Weaver is a lifelong educator. When she isn’t in the classroom, her favorite place to be is the water. Kathryn enjoys pool and open water swimming (OWS), stand up paddleboard (SUP), and sharing her love of the water with others. She holds a PhD in educational leadership and is a United States Masters Swimming (USMS) coach and certified adult learn-to-swim instructor.

The post Love to Swim first appeared on WILSON'S FITNESS CENTERS |.

Summer Relays

admin — Mon, 04 Aug 2025 19:22:12 +0000

Summer Fun Adult Swim Meet on July 28, 2025

As a former competitive swimmer, Mary Bean says that “it was incredibly nostalgic—taking my mark on the block.” Diving in at the recent Summer Relays outdoor meet “brought back a flood of memories” from her swim team days.

The special swim meet was organized by Kathryn Fishman-Weaver (“Coach Kat”) who teaches group and private swim lessons at Wilson’s Fitness. The meet consisted of six relay events ranging from traditional competitive events like the 200 Medley Relay to more creative races like the 100 Beachball Relay.

Coach Kat is passionate about expanding swim programming and creating a space where everyone feels confident and welcome in the pool. This meet included swimmers who were reliving their glory days, current triathletes, recreational swimmers, a high school student who is taking online P.E., and athletes who are brand-new to competitive swimming.

Ellie Trick shared that the meet gave her the opportunity to try the starting blocks for the first time. “I never had the confidence to do that before. Our swim community is so encouraging and welcoming!”

The Summer Relays were held at the MAC pool. Coach Kat’s 9-year-old niece, Jacey served as the meet assistant. She passed out blue ribbons to the first place relay teams and started each event with an enthusiastic “Swimmers take your mark…GO!”

“You know,” smiled Hope Timmermann, “tonight my googles leaked and I got water up my nose. It’s like I was a kid again.”

“Play is one of the goals of Recess Relays,” says Coach Kat. According to her, the three core commitments of her swim program are to be for challenge, fun, and each other. “Tonight’s meet,” she smiles, “met all three.”

Participants earned a finisher’s swim meet medal and bragging rights to carry them through the next swim challenge.

Recess Relays Group Swim Class meets on Monday nights at 5:30pm. Come join the fun!

The post Summer Relays first appeared on WILSON'S FITNESS CENTERS |.

Adult Learn to Swim Training

admin — Mon, 07 Jul 2025 17:54:53 +0000

“I never imagined swimming would become such a big part of my life,” says Jenniffer Macharia, “but now, it’s my favorite sport and the best way I know to relax and recharge. There’s something calming about the rhythm of being in the water, and today, every time I swim, I feel stronger and more at peace.”

This month, Jenniffer became our first Wilson’s Fitness graduate of the full adult Learn-to-Swim (ALTS) program.

Like 37% of adults in the United States, prior to the program, Jenniffer hadn’t yet had the opportunity to learn to swim. This changed when she reached out to Kathryn Fishman-Weaver (“Coach Kat”) for lessons. Kathryn is a U.S. Masters Swimming (USMS) athlete, coach, and certified ALTS instructor.

Jenniffer and Kathryn both laugh, remembering their first lesson together. On the first day, they worked on walking across the 4-foot pool together. “Even then,” says Jenniffer, Kathryn kept telling her that she could learn to swim. “She’s been my biggest cheerleader,” says Jenniffer, “celebrating every bit of progress I made, no matter how small. Her passion for teaching radiates through every lesson, and her unwavering belief in me gave me the strength to keep going, even when I doubted myself.”

“Small forward steps, or in the ALTS program, small strokes forward make all the difference.” says Kathryn, “Every time we were in the pool, we made progress. Jenniffer is a fast learner and a great athlete.” The two met once to twice a week and worked their way through the ALTS curriculum. “Once Jenniffer mastered swimming 25 yards freestyle continuously and confidently, there was no looking back.” says Kathryn, “After that, she was truly a swimmer.”

Today, Jennifer is a regular at the pool where she practices the four competitive strokes and is working on flip turns. Like all sports, there are many important techniques athletes learn through training. Among the specific skills they worked on, Jenniffer says the program taught her “how to breathe in water, float with confidence, move with grace, and master every stroke.” She adds that “Kathryn didn’t just teach me the techniques; she made me believe I could learn them. She is not only a great swimmer and trainer, but also one of the most patient, encouraging people I’ve ever met.”

Kathryn is flattered by the compliments and quick to add that Jenniffer has also become a role model in the pool. “Several people have come up to us to say that seeing Jenniffer’s progress has inspired them that they can also learn to swim. And they’re right. They can!”

Continuing Swim Education

In addition to the ALTS classes, Jenniffer participates in Coach Kat’s Monday evening mixed-level group swim class, Recess Relays. Kathryn says she runs the class with three key commitments: “We are for fun; we are for challenge; and we are for each other.” The social camaraderie has been instrumental for swim progress.

“Learning alongside others makes the experience feel welcoming and far less intimidating.” says Jenniffer. “It’s in the way we support one another, celebrate small victories, and share countless laughs along the way that makes this journey not only beautiful, but also deeply enjoyable.”

Earlier this month, she met Jenniffer and another Recess Relays swimmer at a neighborhood pool for deep water and diving practice. The deep water access gave Kathryn the opportunity to confirm that Jenniffer had mastered the ALTS skills and recognize her with a surprise certificate from USMS. Both say this special moment is one they’ll remember forever.

“If you’ve ever thought about learning to swim but felt unsure,” says Jenniffer, “I’d say: go for it. In our adult learn-to-swim program, you will feel safe and supported, with a coach who cares about your journey. It’s never too late to learn, and the water might just become your new happy place!”

For more information about the Adult Learn-to-Swim program or the Monday night mixed-level swim class, contact Wilson’s Fitness (573-446-3232) or Coach Kat (kathrynfweaver@gmail.com).

The post Adult Learn to Swim Training first appeared on WILSON'S FITNESS CENTERS |.

Spring Fling Event

admin — Tue, 06 May 2025 20:19:11 +0000

In January 2025, Kathryn Fishman-Weaver (“Coach Kat”) started Wilson’s first swim-based group fitness class. The class, which she calls Recess Relays, aims to support adults as they build endurance, swim skills, strength, and water confidence.

Coach Kat, who sometimes refers to the class as a pool field day for adults, says that she reminds all the swimmers she coaches “that we are for fitness, fun, and each other.” She adds that “Once you become an adult, you rarely get to go play at the pool, and that’s a shame. Sports and play go together and swimming is no exception.”

Each Monday, the swimmers who attend her class look forward to seeing what she has planned for them. On April 21st she surprised the group by hosting Wilson’s first Spring Swim Fling.

The event included 9 challenges focused on fitness, fun, and swim skills. Each challenge was followed by a leveled swim. Swimmers could choose to complete 9 x 200s, 9 x 100s, or 9 x 50s. “As an educator, I write differentiation into all my planning.” says Coach Kat. “It’s important to me that everyone who comes to class experiences success.”

Swimmers took advantage of the three leveled options, with Mary Bean completing the top distance and logging well over 2,000 yards at the event.

The nine challenges included play-based events such as a beach ball partner swim, handstand contests, and dolphin dives for colored gems that Coach Kat had hidden around the pool; swim drills such as corkscrew (where a swimmer turns from backstroke to freestyle) and social kicks (kickboard drills with a friend); as well as more competitive events that the class had worked on in previous weeks including butterfly and backstroke sprints and the 100 yard Individual Medley.

“Recess Relays is my go-to spot for fun and fitness.” says Spring Fling Finisher, Mickie Abiyou. “It’s like a never-ending playground for grown-ups! Each time, I’ve burnt over 1,000 calories while having the time of my life! I’ve walked away from class time and time again thinking, ‘That was an absolute blast!”

All Spring Swim Fling finishers received a flower lei and certificate marking their achievement. Ellie Trick, a Recess Relays regular says, “I have enjoyed learning the basics swim strokes and new skills. This class has made me more confident in the water, and our Coach also makes everything fun, like our Spring Fling Event last week!”

Wilsons members can join Coach Kat each Monday at 5:30pm for Recess Relays, which is included with their gym membership. Non-members can pay a $17 drop-in rate per class. While no formal swim experience is required, swimmers should be able to confidently swim the length of the pool before joining the class. Not quite there yet? That’s okay! Reach out to Wilson’s for information about Coach Kat’s private and tag team adult-learn-to-swim coaching packages.

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