A water aerobics version of cycling, where participants use specially designed aquatic stationary bikes. It provides a great lower-body workout and is easy on the joints. Those who are used to land cycling, can easily adopt to aquatic cycling exercises. Aquatic bikes are specially designed to use in water. You can perform these exercises alone or in a group where an instructor is present.

1.       Adjust the bike: Adjust the aqua cycle’s seat and handlebars to a comfortable height for you. The bike should be set up so that your feet can easily reach the pedals while you’re seated in the water.

1.       Get into the pool: Walk into the pool until the water is about chest-deep or deep enough to sit comfortably on the bike seat with your feet touching the pool floor.

2.       Begin cycling: Sit on the aqua cycle seat and start pedaling. You can cycle at your own pace, adjusting the resistance if your bike allows for it. The resistance is provided by the water, so the harder you pedal, the more challenging the workout becomes.

3.       Follow the Instructor: In a group aqua cycling class, there might be an instructor leading the session from the pool deck or in the water with you. They will guide you through different cycling techniques, such as sprint intervals, hill climbs, and tempo changes.

4.       Upper body movements: Some aqua cycling sessions may incorporate upper body exercises, such as arm movements or using water dumbbells, to engage the upper body muscles while cycling.

Image credit: Gary Bembridge, CC BY 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons