As a first-time mom, I had no idea what to expect going into my pregnancy. Every woman's body reacts differently when she gets pregnant, so when I found out I was expecting, I knew that the only thing I could do was sit back while my body did its job.
Unfortunately, my pregnancy has been a bit of a bumpy ride, and the side effects have limited my movement to basic activities.
With morning sickness that lasted well beyond the typical first trimester, my doctor recommended I steer clear of the gym until the nausea let up. During my pregnancy thus far, my only semi-strenuous activity has been swimming, but as someone who relieves stress through movement, swimming has hardly been enough to appease my exercise addiction.
Now, at 30 weeks pregnant, the morning sickness has finally started to subside, and I'm ready to start adding more exercise back into my routine.
Thankfully, I recently came across an aqua cycling class designed specifically for pregnant women. With my doctor's seal of approval, I decided to give this prenatal aqua cycling class a try and treat my body to some much-needed movement.
Thumbnail Photo: Instagram / aquastudiony
What Is Aqua Cycling?
As the name suggests, aqua cycling is like any other cycling class, except that the bike is completely immersed in a 4-foot pool.
At AQUASTUDIO in New York, several types of aqua cycling classes are offered, including the prenatal class designed just for pregnant woman, which I took. Individually, each class is $42, or you can sign up for a package and get five classes for $200.
What Aqua Yoga Claims To Do
According to AQUASTUDIO's website, aqua cycling offers both mental and physical benefits.
On a mental level, aqua cycling helps you to feel "blissfully energized." According to the studio, "When you cycle in the water, you find yourself. You go back to the origin."
From a physical standpoint, aqua cycling offers a number of health benefits, including cellulite elimination and better sleep.
For pregnant women, and people recovering from injuries especially, aqua cycling "allows you to move your joints in a wider range of motion than you could on land" and does not impact the joints, muscles, or bones as a regular workout would.
Thoughts Going Into The Workout
I can't lie: After so many months off my feet, I was nervous to try this unusual form of exercise. However, as a longtime cyclist and avid swimmer, I was excited to try aqua cycling and get my body moving again.
First Impressions
Going into this class, my hope was to get a good workout and meet some other moms-to-be with whom I could exchange tips and tricks.
When I got to the class, I learned that about 10 other pregnant women would be joining me, and everyone was in a different stage of their pregnancy. I was shocked to see that one woman was 39-and-a-half weeks along and managed to complete the class just fine!
I felt more comfortable being surrounded by fellow pregnant women, and I quickly eased into this new and exciting workout class.
Most Difficult Part Of The Class
For me, the most difficult part of the aqua cycling class came when we had to hold onto the seats of our bikes and stay afloat. This required a lot of upper body and core strength, but it didn't hurt at all!
Most Enjoyable Part Of The Class
After months of not being able to enjoy the gym, I enjoyed that the water gave me a nice, low-impact upper body workout.
Using the water as resistance gave me a good workout without putting too much pressure on my joints and muscles. Plus, I got to use muscles that I don't typically use, even before becoming pregnant!
Post-Class Thoughts
Would I recommend this class to a friend?
Definitely! I would even consider doing this class with a friend, as I think it would be even more enjoyable with some company! The staff at AQUASTUDIO made my first time aqua cycling surprisingly easy, and everyone I encountered was knowledgable about the water workout.
Would you do this class again?
Absolutely. I got a great workout from aqua cycling without straining my body, and I feel like aqua cycling is a safe way to stay fit while pregnant. I'm even considering taking a few classes postpartum!
Do you know someone who's pregnant and looking for safe ways to exercise? Make sure to SHARE this article with them!
