The Main Ingredient
‘As you spend your days creating structures that contain and control water,’ wrote Brian Van Bower to open his January 2003 Aqua Culture column, ‘it’s easy to lose sight of the water itself. Yes, we’re conscious of the fact that we have to filter, treat and sometimes heat it, but in its role as the defining feature in our products, water is so familiar a participant that in some ways it almost becomes invisible.’
‘I’d like to heighten our general awareness by relating a few experiences I’ve had through the years – incidents that have caused me to stop and consider the truly profound nature of what I like to refer to as our “main ingredient.” ’ He continued:
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‘For starters, it’s useful to look at the specific properties of water that make it useful in treating and preventing a variety of human ailments. I’m no doctor, and it bears specific mentioning that information about therapeutic benefits should come from those who’ve studied the clinical issues involved here, but the fact of the matter is that you don’t need to have gone to medical school to know with confidence that getting in the water can be very good for you.’
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‘Much of the reason for water’s prowess as an exercise and therapeutic medium is that it provides bathers with a pleasant and invigorating experience. Doctors and physical therapists will tell you that when patients enjoy their therapeutic regimens, they’re more willing to exercise longer and more frequently. Exercising in water thereby feeds the spirit in important ways and can have a tremendous positive influence on a sense of well being. ‘
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‘I’ve always been glad to share what I know along these lines with others who might themselves be looking for a way to improve their physical and even emotional well-being. . . . One day while I was talking with the lady next door, she related to me that she was struggling with an arthritis in her knee and that the pain was becoming more than she could stand. [I shared] what I knew about hydrotherapy and . . . [n]ot long after that, my neighbor began doing exercises in the swimming pool at Miami Dade County Junior College and subsequently bought a spa.’
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‘So today, when potential clients mention that one of their objectives or desires is to use the water for exercise, I know that the value and benefits those clients will receive may well go beyond anything that can be measured in dollars and cents. Simply knowing that the “main ingredient” in our products can have such a tremendous effect on our clients’ lives gives me a wonderful sense of purpose and confidence as I move through my day-to-day paces.’
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‘Furthermore, I’ve found that you never have to look far for inspiration along these lines. Whether it’s something as obviously important as providing freedom of motion for handicapped kids and helping seriously ill individuals regain their health or something as simple as providing everyday relaxation and/or exercise for able-bodied clients, the curative power of water is something to embrace and hold close in our thoughts.’
‘When you stop and think about it,’ he concluded, ‘those of us in the watershaping trades have both a privilege and even a responsibility to share these fantastic benefits with others. Doing so, I believe, begins with developing our own understanding of water itself and all the wonders that come with it.’
Brian’s awareness of the benefits of being in water and using that time for stretching or exercising is certainly not unique, but is it something you bring up with your clients? Or do you wait to gauge their potential use of the watershapes you’re discussing? Please share your own stories below.
Brian Van Bower runs Aquatic Consultants in Miami, Fla., and is a co-founder of Genesis 3. He can be reached at [email protected].