I hadn’t been in a swimming pool in four years. And I had never attended a Zumba class in my life. With those two things going, you could say attending an Aqua Zumba class was almost like taking a stroll on the moon. Okay, now that you know everything about me, let me just put it out there – I can barely even swim. Isn’t that like the bare minimum skills needed to exercise in water?
I was still up in arms in excitement, I had just got a gym membership and the thought of checking out another cool fitness regime felt right up my alley. Plus, who could possibly turn down the opportunity of spending their Sunday afternoon busting out mean moves in a plush hotel pool? Not me!
These cool polarized Vincent Chase sunglasses (Rs 999) will be your perfect Aqua Zumba buddy!
What was the exercise like? Here’s the breakdown.
In spite of my initial excitement, it took me awhile to get adjusted to the fact that I was indeed, dancing in the water. Moving the lower half of your body, especially your legs is a bit of a struggle since the water pressure is pulling you down and you have to work against it. Trainer Sugandha Wadhwa told me, “This is what makes the exercise so effective and makes one lose those extra inches easily. You are constantly working on your entire body as opposed to focusing on specific areas at a time. In just four Aqua Zumba classes you workout as much as you would do in twelve regular Zumba classes.”
And if you are having second thoughts about the swimming bit, the Zumba pool only has a depth of 4 feet, so you’ll have your feet on the ground all through the way! With proper help, Aqua Zumba can be really beneficial to people with joint pains, it is even recommended for pregnant women and wheelchair-using individuals. As a form of workout, it is really quite inclusive.
Don’t forget to invest in this cool Speedo swimsuit (Rs 1,199) before you go for your first Aqua Zumba Class.
If you have been to Zumba classes, exercising in the swimming pool won’t seem as fast or as rigorous. But once you are outside the water, you’ll feel the fatigue of literally ‘working against the tide’ setting in. Personally, I loved the class because the trainers and everyone in the pool were just as enthusiastic as I was. There was never a dull moment.
The Roseate Hotel is a really nice picturesque setting to try this class, with a maze of small lakes and lush greenery, the swimming pool sits along the resort and it’s where more than a dozen other aquaphiles gather. I loved the vibe that the music set — they had us grooving to Livin’ La Vida Loca. The crew, bouncing about in the water and stretching their limbs to a range of music – from Ed Sheeran’s Shape of You to Sukhbir’s Oh Ho Ho Ho – my first step in the world of Aqua Zumba was a great splash of fun.
If you are planning an outdoor workout sesh, by the way, these Bluetooth speakers from Soundbot (Rs 4,062) are a must-have!
We hopped about, we swayed our hands and sashayed to upbeat tunes like no one was watching. This was followed by a great spread of sandwiches, salads and fresh fruit juices. I don’t know what your Sunday looked like but mine was pretty great!