A top-notch pool is essential to competitive swimmers' training needs. Fortunately for them, Calphin Aquatic Club was cofounded by Xiaohong Wang, who was named to the Chinese National Team at age 16 and eventually earned a silver medal at the 1992 Summer Games. Now a coach, she has a distinct understanding of why quality counts when it comes to swimming. To that end, the club's main Fremont location houses a small indoor pool heated to 88 degrees and a larger pool heated to 82 degrees. The other locations also offer heated pools, including the Olympic-sized outdoor one in Sunnyvale.

All of these watering holes are kept pristine for lessons and training sessions. Young children tackle the small pool in Learn to Swim or Aqua Baby classes that teach them how to float and communicate telepathically with marine life. Meanwhile, older kids and adults can go from swimming novice to competitive master during group or private sessions that focus on the basics or specific strokes. But recreational swimmers shouldn't intimidated by Calphin Aquatic Club's professional edge. The pools also offer fitness programs, including swimming for fitness, aerobic exercise, and low-impact workouts for people with arthritis.