Five Ways to Exercise In and On the Water in Philly

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Between new pool barre classes and boot camps, Philly is suddenly, well, swimming in on-the-water exercise options. First step: Invest in a sensible swimsuit.

Aqua Vida’s AquaFIT at Spruce Street Harbor Park • You’re probably familiar with Aqua Vida’s crowd-favorite paddleboard yoga and meditation classes, but its newest addition, a high-intensity interval-training workout conducted entirely on stand-up paddleboards on the Delaware River, is the standout of the season. Don’t fret: The fear of face-planting subsides as you land on-the-water burpees, hold boat pose and master mountain climbers. Still, wear something you don’t mind getting wet — just in case. $99 for a three-class card; aquavidasup.com.

Fitness Alive’s Masters Swim Happy Hour Series at Fitness Works • This recurring six-week series, held on Wednesdays from 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. at Fitness Works’s South Philly indoor pool, will transport you back to your high-school swim team days. Expect an hour of swimming, complete with butt-kicking drills and sprints. Afterward, the group gathers at a nearby watering hole for post-workout drinks. $150 for a six-week series; fitnessaliveswim.com.

Water Barre at the Rittenhouse Spa & Club • Bored barre fans emitted a collective squeal when this luxe spa and club added water barre to its fitness menu in January. And the class delivers: With the pool’s edge acting as a bar stand-in and the water’s resistance providing an added challenge, the same low-impact moves you’d tackle on land take on a new life. Free for members, $20 for nonmembers; therittenhousespaclub.com.

Tsunami at Life Time Mount Laurel • This workout is every bit as intense as its name suggests. Expect a boot-camp-style class — complete with medicine ball tosses, planks and squats — done on an inflatable board plopped into one of the three pools at this 100,000-square-foot fitness club. When your knees begin to buckle, remember that poolside relaxation is near; the drop-in class fee gets you all-day access to the sprawling club and its outdoor waterslides. $20 for members, $25 for nonmembers; lifetimefitness.com.

CarlyFit Beach Boot Camp • Come Memorial Day, this Saturday-morning oceanside boot camp is a vacation staple at Margate’s Huntington Beach Block. A favorite among Philly fitness trainers, the boot camp utilizes bodyweight moves (think: bear crawls and push-ups) that are even more calorie-torching thanks to the sand’s resistance. Plus, no one will bat an eye if you promptly run into the water post-workout. $15; carlyfit.com.

Published as “Make a Splash” in the June 2017 issue of Philadelphia magazine.