As if in slow motion, the ocean came closer to my line of vision and, arms outstretched in front of me, I plunged once again into the refreshing water.
I imagined my first experience of Floatfit would involve more falling than exercising but miraculously I had stayed on the board for the duration of the 30 minute HIIT session. It was during the photo session Vicky and I cockily embarked on after the class that I found myself falling face first into the water, time and time again. (I mean, did I really think I could do a tree pose on water when I barely manage it on land? Come on Jayne!)
Floatfit is possibly the most fun I’ve ever had whilst exercising. Our class took place on the calm bay of St James’s Club & Villas in Antigua and consisted of a mix of burpees, squats and downward dogs on a board similar to what you’d use for stand up paddle boarding. Floatfit (or Caribbean floatfit® Aquabase to use the official title) is an exclusive partnership between Aquabase and Elite Island Resorts in the Caribbean and I personally think it’s genius – what better way to cool off during a work out under the sun than taking a strategic dive into the water mid-squat?
Although heaps of fun (you are on holiday afterall) you get a pretty good workout from Floatfit as just standing and twisting your body gets your core working. My upper body was tested each time I hauled myself on the board and our abs got a good workout from the all the leg raises. You’ll be eased into the hard-core burpees and planks by a warm up, which involves making lots of waves and testing your balance on the water – the key is to watch something static (like a palm tree!) on the horizon and not the board underneath you that rocks wildly with the movement.
As I boasted earlier, Vicky and I did manage to stay on the Aquabase throughout the class but the guests either side of us took a few dunks. (Perhaps deliberately?) There’s no judgement here though, we all had a little giggle (once they popped back up again!) and they simply got back on and picked up where they’d left off.
The main reason I stayed upright was because I approached some of the moves quite cautiously, in some cases holding a downward dog until the group moved onto something easier. (No judgement here remember?) Our patient instructor kindly guided us every step of the way, shouting out reminders to centre ourselves on the board and distribute weight evenly if he spotted some telltale signs of tipping.
The combination of the gorgeous setting, novelty of working out on water and risk of the odd dunking meant the Floatfit class was over in a flash. (Or should I say splash!) It was one of the fastest and most fun work outs I’ve ever participated in and how cool to do it while floating in Antigua’s warm waters.
Where do I sign up for the next one!
More Info
Caribbean floatfit® Aquabase classes are held at St James’s Club & Villas twice a week, currently Monday and Thursday but check the resort schedule for details. You can also find Floatfit at Galley Bay Resort & Spa and Palm Island (who both do sunrise/sunset stretch classes rather than HIIT) and St James’s Club Morgan Bay. Pineapple Beach Club will be launching classes shortly.
What To Wear
I wore Nike leggings over my swimsuit to cover my wobbly bits. Other female participants wore shorts or vests over their swimmers and one man just wore his board shorts. Basically come in whatever is comfortable for you. You can wear sunnies to protect from the glare but you might want to be safe and make sure they are attached to you – mine went for a swim but luckily Vicky found them later. Most importantly wear sunscreen and have fun!
Just for laughs – a few outtakes from our post-workout photo shoot. (We cried with laughter when we saw these!)
I travelled to Antigua as a guest of Elite Island Resorts and Kuoni. All opinions are my own.
And thanks very much to my awesome travel bud Vicky Flip Flop for taking all these shots on her GoPro.
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Hahaha love this Jayne! Those outtakes are hilarious!!! Damn I wish these classes were running when I visited Palm, Galley, and St James’, they look like soooo much fun!
C x
It was so much fun. I usually watch the clock in a gym class but you don’t notice the time passing when you’re on the ocean!
Hahaha this looks like the best thing ever! Such a unique idea for making exercise fun! Happy travels! 🙂
It is such a cool idea isn’t it – and what a place to do it!!