Perched on stationary bikes, 12 people pedal furiously to the beat of pumping music. So far so normal. Except they are all clad in swimsuits and half-submerged in water.
Welcome to the aqua spin class, a water workout on exercise bikes placed in swimming pools. Participants bank on water resistance - a little cup at the bottom of each pedal collects water that the user pushes against while cycling - and its lower impact on joints to keep fit.
The activity, established in Europe about 10 years ago and now making waves in the United States, started in Singapore last year with home-grown fitness company Aqua Spin.
Managing directors Yannick Dedigama, 26, and Alicia Antonuccio, 23, run six classes a week, with about 12 students a class.
Ms Antonuccio, who is French, started attending aqua-spinning classes when a knee injury kept her from high-impact exercise such as biking and running.
She and Mr Dedigama, who is from Switzerland, have been based in Singapore for the past three years.
Both were working in the finance and design industries before starting Aqua Spin.
"The activity works out all the muscles of the body," says Ms Antonuccio.
For example, a sprint-cycling session shapes the legs and calves. Another move, where participants hook their feet to the bike's handles and do crunches from the saddle, tones the core and tummy.
Meanwhile, a backwards bench-press, done by resting your hands on the saddle, works the triceps and arms.
The pair will teach aqua spin classes at the Young Women's Christian Association from January.
Another sports school, Aqua 4 Fitness, will introduce the same pool cycling classes early next year.
They are among a growing array of newfangled water workouts, including aqua zumba and aqua gym, that are making a splash here. At least five companies now run such classes.
For example, LifeSparks Studio offers classes in aqua zumba, where participants work out to Latin beats in a pool based on a dance-based fitness programme created by a Colombian dancer.
The classes started in July at Fairway Club in Jurong, with about 10 participants a week, says founder Charlotte Ng, 32.
Meanwhile, Aqua 4 Fitness founder Jean Tan, 31, launched her aqua zumba classes in June last year at Jurong West Swimming Complex and Home Team NS-JOM @ Balestier.
She started with about 10 participants a week, but the number has since risen to about 50 people a week.
Knowing how to swim is secondary, says Ms Tan, as classes are conducted in a pool with a depth of between 0.9m and 1.5m. About half of her students are non-swimmers, she adds.
"The activity combines the zumba craze with water fitness and ensures that participants get the most effective workout with a low risk of injury," she says
Meanwhile, Fairmont Singapore started an aqua gym class in August, where participants use equipment such as dumbbells, aqua belts and "noodles" - foam floats shaped like a stick - to exercise in water.
The class is open to the public and sees about eight students each week.
Marketing manager Julia Yu, 37, who practises yoga and pilates four times a week and has been attending the water gym classes for a month, says: "Doing this strengthens my muscles and core and having the water lap against the body while exercising is like having a therapeutic massage."
Health experts agree, saying that the lower impact on knees and joints and the cooling effect of water help participants work out more effectively.
"Due to resistance from the water, more muscles are involved and you burn slightly more calories," says exercise physiologist Ray Loh, 45, of the Sports Medicine and Surgery Clinic at Tan Tock Seng Hospital.
Aqua exercises work the same way as an antigravity treadmill, where a percentage of a person's weight is lifted while running to reduce pressure on joints, explains sports trainer Shayne Hu, 23, from the Changi Sports Medicine Centre at Changi General Hospital.
But those who are at high risk of a heart attack should consult a doctor before doing these water workouts as water pressure and the intensity of the exercise may have adverse effects on their circulatory system, she adds.
Aqua classes may also not be effective for everyone.
Mr Loh says: "It all depends on an individual's fitness and determination. Some may find it more difficult to move in water and thus do less and burn fewer calories in the end."
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Aqua gym
What: These pool gym rats buff up using dumbbells, also known as aqua bells, which are filled with air to create buoyancy for water exercises.
They also use an aqua belt, which protects the lower back during exercise, and a "noodle", a foam float shaped like a stick, in the workout.
Weekly classes started at Fairmont Singapore in August.
There is no music, and up to eight people a class do repetitions of various moves in the hotel's outdoor pool.
In waist-deep water, instructor Kwan Shwu Ying, 42, gets participants to do moves such as pushing dumbbells into the water, which helps to strengthen the arms, chest and back.
With the "noodle", which is commonly used in aqua aerobics, they perform swirling motions in and out of the water, using water resistance to tone their arms and triceps.
The water workout is also gentle enough for those with joint injuries, says Ms Kwan.
She explains: "The buoyancy in water helps to support one's body weight, which lowers the force of impact on the joints when you exercise."
Where: Willow Stream Spa, Fairmont Singapore
When: Thursdays, 7 to 8pm
Admission: $180 for four one-hour sessions or $360 for 10 one-hour sessions; cost includes the use of the fitness centre and Willow Stream Spa facilities on session days. Prices exclude government taxes
Info: Call 6431-5600 or e-mail [email protected]
Best for: Those with joint injuries. Participants should be at least 18 years old.
Aquarobics
What: Using the "noodle", a stick-like float made of foam, classes of about 20 people each ape the moves of instructor Ivana Dortova in aquarobics, or aerobics done in water.
The sport has been done in public pools since the 1990s and the 50-year-old has been teaching classes at pools here, such as Pasir Ris Sports and Recreation Centre, for five years.
Ms Dortova, who is from the Czech Republic, has been based in Singapore for 15 years.
With upbeat music accompanying the workout, she leads her classes through moves performed in water, such as jumping jacks, quick side-steps and pushing the "noodle" to the bottom of the pool, working arm and leg muscles.
Ms Dortova says aquarobics is suitable for those who are overweight and might tyre easily from doing aerobics on land.
It is also good for people who are recovering from health problems, she says, citing an example of an elderly woman recovering from a stroke who attended her class recently.
"Doing cardio on land puts a lot of pressure on the joints, but in water, the impact is a lot gentler," she says.
Where: Singapore Sports Council Learn-To-Play programme, various locations
When: Various times
Admission: $48 to $118 (for 12 one-hour classes)
Info: There will be free trial sessions for aqua aerobics and aqua zumba at the sports council's open house at Sengkang Sports and Recreation Centre tomorrow and Pasir Ris Sports and Recreation Centre on Nov 10. For course schedules and timings, go to www.icanbook.com.sg
Where: Young Women's Christian Association, Fort Canning Lodge, Swimming Pool @ Level 3
When: Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, 7 to 8pm
Admission: $90 for eight sessions of one hour each (YWCA member), $120 (public)
Info: Call 6223-1227 or e-mail [email protected]
Best for: People of all ages, especially exercise newbies and those who have not been working out for a while.
Springboard and platform diving
What: Those who admire the graceful executions by professional divers can take a few tips from these classes.
Platform and springboard diving is "a sport by itself", says Mr Damien Ler, 35, diving manager of the Singapore Swimming Association.
"It has many elements of gymnastics and aerial awareness, such as having the flexibility to make each movement more graceful," he says.
The association is the governing body of dive clubs such as the Aerotumblers Diving Club and APS Swim School, which have been conducting lessons for the past two years.
Unlike most other aqua fitness courses, those who take up diving must know how to swim. You should know basic strokes, such as the breaststroke, and should be able to swim at least 25m.
Each diver starts from a height of 1m before moving on to the 3m board. The highest is 10m.
Students learn basic forward starting positions and how to dive headfirst into the water, as well as more advanced skills such as the twist, somersault and backward dives.
The schools started two years ago with nine students aged eight to 18 and now teach more than 40 students, aged six to 24.
There is no age restriction, as long as one is confident in the water.
Undergraduate Rachel Yip, 20, took up diving to complement gymnastics, which she has been practising since she was four.
Diving helps to build strength and flexibility, which are also needed for gymnastics, she says.
She adds: "But more than that, you have to overcome the fear of heights even before you dive. This is a challenge that is very thrilling and fun for me."
Where: Aerotumblers Diving Club, Queenstown Swimming Complex
When: Weekly classes, various times on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays
Admission: $120 a month for four lessons
Info: Call 6871-8716 or go to www.aerotumblers.org
Where: APS Swim School, Farrer Park Swimming Complex
When: Weekly classes, various times on Saturdays and Sundays
Admission: $113.40 a month for four lessons
Info: Call 6777-5823 or go to www.apsswim.com
Best for: Those who are confident in water and do not have a fear of heights. Skill in gymnastics is a plus. There is no age restriction.
Aqua Zumba
What: Zumba, an energetic dance-based fitness programme created by a Colombian dancer, is usually done in studios.
But some enterprising sports buffs have taken it underwater.
LifeSparks Studio started aqua zumba classes in July at Fairway Club in Jurong, while Aqua 4 Fitness started in June last year at the Jurong West Swimming Complex and Home Team NS-JOM @ Balestier.
Unlike traditional aerobics, music is central to zumba, where choreography is tailored for different songs.
Trainer Charlotte Ng, 32, founder of zumba school LifeSparks Studio, says taking the activity underwater is a way to "ride on the zumba craze".
She adds: "Because zumba concentrates primarily on the dance, people tend to forget that they are moving about so much."
Mr Winston Tang, who runs his own investment business, has been attending weekly aqua zumba classes at Aqua 4 Fitness for a year.
The 56-year-old says: "It is good for someone my age. It is nice to mix this Latin-inspired dance workout into my usual activities, such as golf and slow walking, but without causing high impact to my joints."
The Singapore Sports Council will roll out aqua zumba classes at its facilities next year.
Where: Aqua 4 Fitness, classes are held at Jurong West Swimming Complex and Home Team NS-JOM@ Balestier
When: Weekly, various times
Admission: $60 to $80 for four one-hour sessions
Info: Call 9691-4973 or e-mail [email protected]
Where: LifeSparks Studio, class venues vary, depending on participants' preference
When: Weekly classes at various times to begin in January
Admission: $20 to $25 for a one-hour session, minimum of eight participants to start a class
Info: Call 9002-3158 or e-mail [email protected]
Where: Young Women's Christian Association, Swimming Pool @ Level 3, Fort Canning Lodge
When: Eight weekly sessions, dates and times to be confirmed
Admission: $150 for public participants, $120 for YWCA members
Info: Call 6223-1227 or e-mail [email protected]
Best for: Fitness newbies and those with injuries who like a lively workout. You should be at least 1.2m tall.
Aqua spin
What: Participants pedal on stationary bikes which are partially submerged in water. Each pool bike, which costs about $3,500, can also be used for other moves such as crunches and bench presses.
You can also pedal while standing upright to work your hips and quadriceps in your thighs, while relying on the water's buoyancy for balance.
A typical class lasts 45 minutes, including a warm-up, followed by a sprint cycling session. The class will then focus on moves targeting the legs and abdominal muscles and then the upper body, before a cool-down.
Conducted by aqua-bike trainers Yannick Dedigama, 26, and Alicia Antonuccio, 23, the classes are open to the public at the Hollandse Club and Singapore Polo Club. The pair will teach at the Young Women's Christian Association from January.
Housewife Anna Setiawan, 39, who has been practising the sport weekly for a year, says: "I do it because cycling in water is much safer than cycling on the roads. Besides, when you exercise in water, I feel that it massages my legs, which hopefully helps to get rid of some of the cellulite."
Where: Swimming pool at Hollandse Club and Singapore Polo Club
When: Weekly classes of 45 minutes each, various times
Admission: About $40 for a class
Info: Go to www.aquaspin.sg or e-mail [email protected]
Best for: Exercise newbies and those who are not able to run or cycle on land due to joint injuries. You have to be at least 1.5m tall to join the class.
Safety tips
Be aware of your posture while doing aqua spin. Do not crouch over the bike while you pedal as you normally would on land.
Instead, keep your head up, shoulders level and sit up straight while cycling.
This way, you will get the most effective workout for your core muscles and avoid injury.
Tuck in your core muscles in the abdominal area while doing aqua sports.
To do this, suck in your belly button. This helps to strengthen your core and decreases the risk of lower back pain.
While doing aqua sports, most people choose to go barefoot. Those with sensitive skin or want to avoid blisters - particularly after repeatedly grazing the foot pedal for aqua spin - can wear socks or aqua shoes, which are also used for other water sports such as kayaking and snorkelling to protect the feet.
Most participants wear swimsuits, though some come in half or full body suits to ward off the cold - especially for early morning or evening sessions - and fend off allergies to pool chemicals such as chlorine.
Protective eyewear is not a must while doing aqua activities, but you can choose to wear goggles or sunglasses and a cap while exercising.
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