Work Out Like a Mermaid

Trying to keep your New Year’s fitness resolution? AquaMermaid classes put you in a mermaid tail and are a fun way to get a killer workout.

Anna Yatsko, AquaMermaid Instructor and former Silverton Aquarium Mermaid, making mermaiding look easy

If you’re diligently trying to stick to a fitness plan for 2018, let me give you a suggestion for any flabby middle parts you’re working on: take AquaMermaid classes. Yes, you get to wear a tail (a.k.a stylish monofin), not only to stay true to being a mermaid, but also because that tail is the key to really working your core. Between the tail holding your legs together and the resistance of the water, your abdominal muscles are in for a wake-up call.

I got to see the AquaMermaids in action back in October, when their Las Vegas operation came online at the Municipal Pool on Bonanza in Downtown Las Vegas.

I had recruited a volunteer mermaid to come with me as my appointed Person in a Swimsuit, but she cancelled at the last minute. I briefly contemplated putting on the tail myself and getting in the water, then I remembered that I never appear in a swimsuit in public. (Also, it’s very difficult to take pictures while swimming and my Nikon isn’t waterproof. Any excuse will do to keep me out of the water, honestly.)

Although I have a strict no-swimwear policy, I’ll admit that when I met everyone at AquaMermaid, I wished I’d brought a suit. Their merpeople come in all shapes and sizes, and everyone was welcoming. 

A local vlogger, Jacob Orth of the YouTube channel Jacob’s Life in Las Vegas, was also at the class I attended. Unlike me, he was brave enough to put on the tail and get in the water. As it turned out, the biggest tail they had was bright pink, but Jacob was such a good sport that he appeared not to mind at all. Watching him get lessons really illustrated what a workout this is: he’s a very fit individual, and he was definitely working hard.

Jacob Orth getting instructions from AquaMermaid founder Marielle Chartier Henault

In an interview with the RJ, AquaMermaid’s founder, Marielle Chartier Henault, said that there’s a swim test before people can participate. Based on what I saw, that’s a good idea. The fun factor could easily convince you to overlook the physical demands of the class. While it becomes immediately obvious that mermaiding works your core, it’s worth noting that this activity will work your entire body plus provides what looked like butt-kicking cardio workout (or should I say tail kicking?).

AquaMermaids in action

Anna Yatsko, AquaMermaid Instructor 

Classes for kids and adults currently are offered on Saturdays, and you can sign up online. Single classes are listed on the website, but ask about monthly subscriptions if you’d like to make putting on the tail a regular thing. They also do parties for kids and adults.

Would you like to try swimming like a mermaid?

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All pictures by Terrisa Meeks.