From Runner to Swimming Fanatic: Florida Woman Surpasses 450 Swims Using Zygo App
Meet Amy, a 46-year-old physician from Port Richey, Florida who is one of Zygo’s most dedicated swimmers. Using the Zygo app, Amy has racked up an impressive record of over 450 classes. Given the sheer number of swims, it would be reasonable to assume that Amy has always been a swimmer. However, before swimming entered her life, Amy was actually a dedicated runner. When a herniated disc derailed her running habit, she decided to explore swimming as a means of recovery.
As a newcomer to swimming, Amy initially struggled to find her rhythm in the pool. “Swimming was a huge change and at first, it was really hard to get into,” she said. “I was anxious in the water and found it hard to get my breathing right. It was not like running at all! If I was going to continue, I knew I needed something to help me.”
Amy’s husband discovered Zygo before it had launched. Quickly recognizing how it might help his wife, he got on the waiting list and Amy became one of Zygo’s first customers. Initially, Amy used Zygo to stream music underwater, but the real turning point was when her 12-year-old daughter introduced her to the Zygo app, an on-demand library of content with instructor-led sessions paired to music.
“We do a lot of Peloton classes at home, so we thought the idea of guided workouts for swimming sounded fantastic. Once we started, we were hooked!” said Amy.
At first, Amy struggled to find the same endorphin rush she used to get from running, but Zygo’s app changed her entire approach to swimming workouts.
“Before, I was just sort of zoned out while swimming,” I would get great distance but I wasn’t getting the same feeling you get after a hard workout” she said. “I tried researching pool sets and bringing them to the pool. However, being new to swimming, they were difficult to understand and often the paper would end up wet and become illegible. The Zygo app solves these problems. I simply choose the duration and type of workout I want to achieve and just listen. Having a coach in my ear pushes me to new levels in the pool. I find myself doing sprints and pacing sets that I would never have done without someone cheering me on!”
In addition to her role as a physician in internal medicine, Amy has completed a fellowship in bariatrics. In this field, Amy recognizes the importance of movement for people who struggle with excess weight. The challenge has been finding activities that are low impact on the joints but still achieve the same cardiovascular fitness as traditional HIIT exercises.
“So many people aren’t able to do traditional HIIT training, despite how great it is for burning calories and boosting your metabolism,” she said. “Zygo allows everyone to get the benefits of interval training without adversely impacting the joints.”
“However, interval training can be challenging in the pool without a coach,” she adds. “It’s not easy to stop and take your goggles off to read the printed set list or to watch the clock for timing. So, when I discovered Zygo had an app with workouts for the pool, I knew this was huge.
Amy was impressed at the variety of classes available in the Zygo app – everything from beginners to advanced swimmers.
“There are short classes for days I just don’t have much time and just want to get some movement in to longer classes for days I need a challenge. Classes can range anywhere from 10 minutes all the way to 90 minutes! There are classes for standard 25 yard pools, endless pools, and some based completely on time rather than distance that can be done in any size pool which makes it perfect for taking it on vacation. There is something for everyone!”
For Amy, variety is key. She mixes things up with endurance, HIIT, Tabata, and even classes that incorporate dry land activities.
“There are so many options. It’s exactly why people call it the ‘Peloton’ of the pool!”
Amy still enjoys all forms of exercise and regularly runs, cycles, rows or lifts weights but she says no matter what, swimming is her top workout. She never misses a day of swimming with Zygo.
“The way you feel after swimming is different from other exercise,” she said. “I don’t know what it is, but you just feel so good!”
Amy said that her daughter, a Zygo user as well, often joins her in the pool, fostering a unique bond through shared workouts with Mel, their favourite Zygo swim instructor.
“It’s such a great product that every single type of swimmer can value from.”
