Quarry Lakes Swim Center

Quarry Lakes Swim Center is a great controlled introduction to open water swimming. With clear, warm water, close proximity to shore, lifeguards (most of the time), it is great for anyone who gets bored in a pool but is scared of the cold and murky waters of the SF Bay. The swim center is best accessed via the main park entrance on Isherwood Way. Go to the left hand parking lot after going through the gate.

There is a separate gate for the swim center, which you will see as a one story brown and gray building at the southwest edge of this parking lot. Signs also point the way. Admission is $3 for adults. Quarry Lakes has issues with water levels, but this summer so far everything seems good.

The swim center has a large grassy area that slopes downhill to the beach. The swim area is actually divided into three sections. Two squares side by side about 25 yards x 25 yards each. These are great areas for kids to play and for those who need to get comfortable with open water.

Past those squares is a long rectangle shaped roped off area that is about 50 yards x 10 yards. It is in this area where the adults serious about swimming tend to congregate. The water is about 15 feet deep here usually, with visibility to the bottom. I last visited in mid May, and estimated the water temperature to be about 70-75 degrees. The visibility will help tame the worries of a new-to-open water swimmer.

Strength exercises you can do at home

With a simple set of dumbbells and a swiss ball, here are some exercises that can be done at home.

• Bicep curls (alternating arms, single arm, simulatneous arms, sitting, standing)
• Dips (put arms up on any chair, park bench, or couch, with legs straight out in front of you)
• Mountain climbers (track start position, kick legs back with arms holding upper body up)
• Alternating dumbbell press (on a flat bench, which can be had at any WalMart for less than $50, lay on your back, raise arm with dumbbell straight up, alternate arms)
• Jump overs (described below in the 3 simple exercises)
• Swiss ball extensions (lie on swiss ball in between chest and stomach, legs straight back, with toes on the ground. Holding lightweight dumbbell, extend arms forward. Tip: start with very light weight)
• Situps/suitcase crunches
• Bent over rows (standing with dumbbell in each hand, bend at waist, then pull shoulders back with upper arms)
• Tricep extensions (hold dumbbell behind your head, raise your arms until straight-careful, this one can strain the elbow)
• Jumping jacks
  
• Swiss ball leg raise (hold swiss ball between legs, with your back on ground, raise legs)
• Negative push ups

There's lots more out there-get creative with the natural movements you make whenever you exert yourself, think about the muscles you are using, and then simulate those movements holding a dumbbell.