1. Anyone can do them.

ATTENTION: AQUA CLASSES AIN’T JUST FOR OLD LADIES, Y’ALL.

I will be the first to admit that I hesitated to try aqua classes because of the stereotype that only old ladies take them. And for the daytime classes, that’s pretty much the case — who else is available in the middle of the work day? But I was battling a workout dilemma: I’d tried several other “land” classes, but inevitably they were too hard on my body. I’d overdo it, end up in pain, and miss a week or two while my body recovered. But I needed to establish some sort of routine, or I’d never get out of that cycle.

I decided to give aqua class a try. I put aside my embarrassment in attending an “old lady” class, bought a tankini (my cute bikinis aren’t aerobics-friendly), rearranged my schedule, and attended some mid-morning sessions. And I loved it! Then I saw that aqua classes were offered in the evening as well — so I slipped on my water shoes and attended one of those.

Schedule? Better. Physical demand? Higher. Population? Younger. I had found my jam, in regards to time of day, culture, and challenge. I hadn’t consistently gone to the gym in years, and I found myself going three or four days a week most weeks.

2. They give you confidence and put you in touch with your body.

There’s just something about being in the water. Maybe it’s primal — being close to a water source increases the chances of survival. Maybe it’s a reminder of the buoyancy we all experienced in the womb. Maybe it’s the health benefits: less stress on the joints, speedier recovery from injury, toxin removal…

Regardless, since I’ve started attending aqua classes, my connection to my body has grown exponentially. I move more freely, more (for lack of a better word) fluidly. I’m strengthening myself in a smoother, more natural way — the natural resistance of the water combines with the buoyancy and enables me to move in ways that I can’t move on dry land (frog jumps, anyone?)

A few months after I started aqua classes — which were aerobics/strengthening-oriented — I decided to try something I’d never done before: Aqua Zumba. As a bonafide White Woman with Questionable Rhythm and Tight Hips, I was nervous about performing the sexy, Latin-inspired moves. However, I lucked out — the instructor was fantastic (see #5) and after a few sessions, I started to learn the choreography and what’s more, I noticed that I felt more confident overall. And maybe even a little … sexy?

3. You get to play in the pool.

When was the last time you played in the pool? I mean really played — and not because your kids wanted a buddy, or because you were playing volleyball or basketball or Marco Polo. I mean just playing for the sake of playing, moving your body, feeling free in the water, just because you wanted to? That’s what I realized I was doing about two-thirds of the way through my first aqua class. I hadn’t had that sense of freedom and playfulness in a pool in a long time, and the thrill was addictive.

Most aqua classes have music, too. So not only do you get to play, you get to play with a soundtrack and channel some major Main Character energy.

4. You make friends.

Making friends is hard, especially in adulthood. And especially when you don’t have kids and the subsequent stumble-upon friendships with other parents. And especially when you work from home and can easily go days without leaving the house. And especially when you’re married and rather introverted, so an evening at home with the husband and cats suits you just fine.

For a while now, I’ve been more intentional about making new friends, which is really scary and vulnerable. (Remember how it felt to walk into the cafeteria on the first day of school?) Unlike other fitness classes, I believe aqua class to be especially primed for making new friends. Why? Perhaps because it hearkens back to the playing-in-the-pool days of childhood I referenced earlier. Perhaps it’s because everyone is bouncing around feeling weightless, and that just puts you in a better mood and makes you more sociable. Perhaps it’s a simple matter of endorphins. I can’t tell you the exact reason, but I do know that it’s working. I’ve exchanged numbers with a few people, and am on friendly, chatty terms with several more.

5. If you’re lucky, your instructor will be amazing.

I’ve enjoyed all four of the instructors with whom I’ve taken aqua classes; they each bring a unique style to the pool deck. But one of them stands out. Let me tell you about Brian. He teaches the Aqua Zumba class at the Life Time club in Columbia.* Brian is absolutely gifted at teaching Zumba. If you’re lucky enough to have an aqua instructor like him, you’ll be swept up in positivity, encouragement, energy, and fun. I pulled him aside after a few classes with him to let him know that he’d changed my life — he made me feel more comfortable in my skin and that I could do anything I set my mind to — which says a lot, considering how much I’ve struggled with crippling anxiety over the past several years. His classes brought me back to life.

That, friends, is the magic of aqua class.

*GASP! As of this writing, Life Time Columbia has cancelled all of its evening aqua classes, including my beloved Aqua Zumba with Brian. I have called corporate to lodge a formal complaint and implore them to bring evening aqua back.