Keep fit and stay cool in the pool this summer with aqua sports

From biking and boxing to aerobics and yoga, keep fit this summer with aqua sports, a fitness trend in the UAE.

Fitness Instructor Christina Clarin teaches an aqua-aerobics class.  Mona Al Marzooqi / The National
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As we continue to sweat through the long, hot summer, it is all-too easy to let exercise routines slide in favour of lounging in the pool to keep cool.

The good news is that you can do both at the same time.

The UAE aqua-fitness scene is becoming ­increasingly popular, with a variety of keep-­­fit – and keep-cool – classes available in Abu Dhabi and Dubai.

Fitness First at the capital’s Al Seef Mall offers one such low-impact, high-intensity watery workout.

“I teach five aqua-aerobics and ­aqua-yoga classes a week in a pool that is covered and shaded from the sun,” says senior instructor Christina Clarin, who is from the Philippines.

“The aerobics classes are set to music and last for 45 minutes. My focus is on cardiovascular activity that brings the heart rate up, so there’s a lot of jumping and hopping about.

“I use foam noodles as equipment for resistance training. They can be used for bicep curls or shoulder presses to build upper-body strength. Clients can also step on them while squatting or pacing, which is great for the lower body, too.”

All that bobbing about in the water is good for weight loss, says Clarin, adding that clients who attend three or four classes a week can expect to see results within about a month.

“Some of my clients have been told to try aqua classes by their doctor because they are overweight by around 5kg to 10kg,” she says.

“Many of them also have injuries of one type or another. Anything from joint pain, sensitive knees and ankles to back problems. Some of these problems stem from them being overweight, while others happened due to horse riding accidents or improper weight training.”

While activities such as flyboarding, cable skiing – ­water-skiing without a boat – and diving are more favoured by men as temperatures soar, underwater spinning and water Thai-chi tend to be favourites with women, says Clarin.

She says her classes attract Emiratis and Arab women from across the region as well as westerners, from age 18 to 55, who come to relax or sign up for stretching-focused sessions.

“Aqua-yoga is something new that we’re offering that incorporates traditional, balancing yoga poses, such as the warrior stance and hip-opener exercises,” she says. “The water provides total support and balance to the body and often appeals to those intimidated by mat yoga.”

For some, the idea of signing up for public classes in a gym can be daunting.

This was on the mind of French-Moroccan national Karima Rahali-Sebti when she designed her aqua-fitness programme at her Dubai health and wellness centre, L’Atelier ­Aquafitness.

“Our classes are for ladies only and we have a lot of Emirati clients,” she says. “We provide a cosy space, a private, indoor pool and we don’t take more than 10 people at a time, which the ladies love as it makes the experience very personalised.”

Rahali-Sebti says participants do not need to be strong swimmers to take part and water levels in the pool never rise above chest height.

L’Atelier’s only requirements are that the participants wear swimwear with shorts and a waterwear “rash” vest. Wet shoes are also needed – they can be borrowed for free for your first visit and are available to buy at the centre thereafter.

After pioneering the aqua-bike studio concept in the region in 2013, Rahali-Sebti has expanded her range of water workouts to include interval training and high-octane cardio classes.

“We have aqua-training, based on a circuit-training concept involving three stations,” she says. “[There is] aqua-biking, the ­aqua-trampoline and aqua-­boxing. Ladies move from one station to the next under the close guidance of the coach, who sets the pace and choreographs the session.”

As well as improving general health, aqua fitness is also useful for treating more serious medical conditions, according to Zalak Sanaf, a musculoskeletal physiotherapist at Drs Nicolas & Asp clinic in Dubai. “The water takes away about 75 per cent of your body weight, making it much easier to do exercises without strain,” she says.

“The buoyancy and resistance of the water in any aqua therapy is also helpful for those with lower-limb weakness, and even those with paraplegia or rehabilitating from strokes.”

However, she advises pregnant women to be careful. One source of concern is classes in hotels that chill their pools during the summer months.

“Pregnant women need to consult their doctor before taking any aqua classes,” she says. “Not least because the water needs to be maintained at a certain lukewarm temperature – about 23 degrees, generally. “Some pools will also use underwater jets for hydromassage and to help stimulate the muscles, so any complications, such as hypertension, need to also be assessed ­beforehand.

“That said, if everything is OK, then we are happy to recommend classes from the third month of pregnancy to the last trimester.”

With classes geared towards boosting stamina, strengthening muscles and burning up to 700 calories in less than an hour, aqua exercising can be addictive, says Abu Dhabi resident Deborah Lecci, a regular attendee at L’Atelier Aquafitness.

“I used to go to classes in my native Italy and as soon as they started here I began them again,” she says.

“It’s a total-body workout and really helps you tone up. But more than that, it’s great fun. Best of all, although you really work hard in the classes, the water resistance means that you simply don’t feel it.”

Fitness First aqua classes cost from Dh100 to Dh125 each, while voucher deals start at Dh850. Some clubs are women only. For more information, visit www.fitnessfirst.com

Single classes at L'Atelier Aquafitness in Dubai Safa 1 start at Dh125, a package of 30 costs Dh3,720 for 12 months. Call 04 338 8323 or visit www.latelieraquafitness.com

rduane@thenational.ae