Try an aqua aerobics class
A friend has invited you to do this with them.
Aqua aerobics is an exercise class in the shallow end, led from the poolside, and you do not need to swim. Deep-water classes are for swimmers.
GentleUnder £100 / $130A few weeksIndoorsWith othersUK and US
What happens in a class
Better, a UK leisure-centre operator, describes aqua aerobics as gentle exercise in a swimming pool, combining aerobic moves with strength and conditioning. Its classes last 60 minutes. The British Heart Foundation describes an instructor demonstrating moves from the poolside, with exercises such as star jumps, sideways lunges and jogging, and foam weights.
Albuquerque's city pools say each water aerobics class includes a warm-up, cardio and strength exercises and a cool-down, with moves such as water walking and leg lifts. "You won't be swimming," the city says.
Not every class is the same. Better runs a standard class for all abilities, a basics class for beginners with simpler movements at a lower intensity, and a deep-water class in the deep end with buoyancy aids, for which you must be able to swim. Albuquerque's deep-water class has you treading water the whole time, helped by floating weights.
What a class costs
| Where | Format | Cost (as last listed) |
|---|---|---|
| Dolphin Centre, Darlington (council leisure centre) | Aqua aerobics, pay per class, April 2026 to March 2027 | £6.00; £5.40 card holder; £4.50 concession |
| City of Albuquerque pools | Water aerobics, single class | $3.25 |
| City of Albuquerque pools | 10-class punch pass | $28 |
| City of Albuquerque pools | Water exercise year pass | $215.00 |
Better's page does not list aqua aerobics prices; it says booking depends on availability and membership type, through its app or website, and that not every Better centre runs the class.
How to start
- Look up the timetable of your local leisure centre or city pool; in the UK many are run by councils or by operators such as Better.
- Book a standard or beginners' class held in the shallow end; deep-water classes need you to be a confident swimmer.
- If you have a medical condition, check with your doctor before you start.
Where to go
- Better: aqua aerobics classes and how to book (UK) UK
- Darlington Borough Council: Dolphin Centre prices 2026-27 UK
- City of Albuquerque: water exercise classes US
We opened these links on 11 November 2026 and found them to be what we say. Dates, places and prices are on the official page, where they stay up to date.
Plan this
Two ways to plan it.
Plan it yourself Free
The links you need to book it, get there, find somewhere to stay and eat, and see what else there is to do nearby. They are searches for you to run; nothing is saved.
Show the links
Plan it with dates
Pick a day, or a month, and we will set out how to get ready, step by step, with a date and a reason for each. The hard part of a day out is the timing: the right season, tickets and getting there. The plan watches the calendar for you.
Questions people ask
Do you need to be able to swim to do aqua aerobics?
Not for a standard class. Better says all exercises in its standard class take place in the shallow end, so you do not need to swim, but its deep-water class is for confident swimmers.
How long is an aqua aerobics class?
Better's aqua aerobics classes last 60 minutes.
How much does aqua aerobics cost?
A class at Darlington's Dolphin Centre costs £6.00, or £4.50 with a concession. A single class at Albuquerque's city pools costs $3.25.
Where this comes from: Better, Aqua aerobics classes; British Heart Foundation, Aqua aerobics; Darlington Borough Council, Dolphin Centre prices April 2026 to March 2027; City of Albuquerque, Water exercise classes. Opened 11 November 2026.
Read next
Sarvjeet Kaur took up archery with her son as coach and came home from Abu Dhabi with gold
How Sarvjeet Kaur, a retired businesswoman from India, came to archery on a counsellor's suggestion, learned it from her son, and won gold and bronze at the Open Masters Games Abu Dhabi 2026; and how to book a beginners' course or train towards your first competition.
Twenty-three hours across three Hawaiian channels made Ted Lomicka the first man to finish the Maui Nui swim
How a Tennessee healthcare executive who came to open water through triathlon swam three Hawaiian channels non-stop, through a night and alongside a young humpback, and how to start swimming in open water or build towards a long swim yourself.