HYDERABAD: Jumping jacks, arm lifts, leg kicks, leg shoots -- you can now do all of this under water right here, in Hyderabad. Sounds bizarre? Aqua workouts, which have got many celebrities across the globe curious about their benefits, has been made possible in the city by Kavita Reddy.
The aqua fit instructor, who started Aqua Fit India, has opened a facility in Jubilee Hills and it is teeming with energy. “It comprises the usual workouts, but has added movement as you are under water. It is fun, especially in summer, and helps you burn calories. As you are buoyant, you weigh less. Also, your joints are well-protected in water, which is also why a lot of hydro therapy is used when you are recovering from an injury. Even if it is not an aqua workout, water is used as a medium for therapy,” she says.
For those reading this piece, if you think that this is not your cup of tea as you do not know how to swim, Kavita clarifies that the two are unrelated. As long as you are comfortable in water (it is mostly in the shallow side of the pool), this format works for all age groups. “You can modify the exercises depending on how old you are and what suits your body,” she says. For athletes, Kavita offers an athlete conditioning workout and for golfers, she plans a strength-building routine. “It is also good for pregnant women; we can design the workouts to be challenging or gentle. Aqua workouts are cardio-intensive, calories are burnt faster and you can develop amazing strength,” she says. The recommended time for this work out is 50 minutes to an hour, depending on the intensity one is used to.
Ask her what made her to bring this format to Hyderabad, and you will be inspired. “In 2011, when I was in Bengaluru, my body had undergone a lot of changes related to pre-menopause. I started spending more time in the pool to relax. Apart from this, I was doing the usual pilates for my lower-back disc problem. I had also injured my knee badly when I was a young athlete. But, I have now retained the strength in my legs by working out in water,” she says.
Slowly, she started exploring other exercises that she could do in water. “I spotted an aqua needle at a shop once and looked it up online. One can use it many ways while working out. So, I asked a friend, who was visiting Singapore, to get me one. That’s how it all started,” Kavita says.
A few years later, she got to know that someone in Bengaluru was conducting aqua fit classes. “I was inspired and decided to bring to Hyderabad,” says the certified trainer from Singapore. As they say, rest is history. Kavita found Strokes in Jubilee Hills and started holding classes in a temperature-controlled pool from March 14.Meanwhile, Hyderabad-based singer-songwriter Keertana Bhoopal has been into underwater workouts for over a year now.
“I started off when I was in Bengaluru; Kavitha had introduced me to it. For me, it was a completely different ball game as I had a lot of injuries from sports. Whatever fitness I tried, I was not able to get rid of the injuries. The moment I got into the water, I felt energised. It is a low-impact workout and it helped straighten my back,” says Keertana, who used to play tennis.