Londoners love a new fitness craze; something that is a little unusual and promises a perfect summer body for when our favorite season finally arrives and we can head to sunnier shores. So with my impending holiday to Portugal fast approaching, I thought it was the perfect opportunity to don my swimsuit and try out the latest class to reach the capital, AquaAllure, with my fitness buddy Frances.
The class takes place at the Dolphin Fitness Club in Pimlico, and after taking a quick peek around the center we bounced down to the pool where our instructor was waiting for us, ready to give us a quick tutorial on adjusting the bikes and getting them immersed.
I seemed to remember that adjusting the tension on the bikes was the source of my 45mins of hell during a previous spinning class, so I listened intently to ensure I got it right this time!
As we got spinning, I thought it was quite calming, and I enjoyed being in the water without getting my freshly washed hair wet. 10 minutes in, we started to feel the burn in our legs, especially when we started combining aerobic arm movements. It was actually quite strange feeling the burn of an exercise and not dripping with sweat. When I did feel slightly warm I just splashed my face with a bit of water, feeling instantly refreshed and like I could push myself harder.
The AquAllure class is a full body workout which also challenges your concentration, as we had to cycle without holding on – a great exercise for your core and a surprisingly difficult balancing act. We found all the exercise movements themselves to be quite simple to do, yet you could feel your muscles being worked, especially in those common problem areas.
With just 10-15 people in the average class, it felt almost personalised as the instructor could give individuals attention as well as the entire group.
Our class was made up of people of varying fitness levels, from young personal trainers to older women, making it an excellent choice for a total fitness beginner. In fact, one of the primary reasons the founder Dorine created the class was for people who were looking for a low impact exercise that still achieved results. I’ve already started a mental list of people who I’m recommending this for including friends who’ve had trouble with their knees and pregnant friends who want a low resistance activity that still tones those problem areas.
We finished the class with some stretching, although our muscles already felt relaxed from the water and it was time to hit the showers. Both of us agreed how refreshed we felt, albeit starving!
There’s something about swimming that always sparks my hunger levels so we headed straight upstairs to the Bar & Grill for a healthy pick-me-up salad.
Over lunch we discussed the benefits of underwater cycling with AquAllure founder Dorine Denjean, who assured us that we wouldn’t experience the muscle soreness that often occurs after normal spin classes – extra incentive to push myself even harder next time!
I found AquAllure to be a low impact but high intensity class, with the beauty of underwater cycling being that the water creates the tension, making it gentler on the joints, but no less difficult – trust me.
As well as providing a great workout it was surprisingly relaxing – the perfect stress buster!
A few more sessions and I’ll be set for my holiday, however I think this is an all year round general health and wellbeing activity for anyone, no matter their age or fitness level.
For more information on AquAllure visit their website >