“The great thing is in Aqua [cycling] you can’t cheat. No coasting, no turning down the resistance. The water pushes you.” This is what Instructor and Head of Development at Aqua Cycle Anne Koller says is a main different (and benefit) of the new fitness craze over its older brother Spinning. Although the class has been around in Europe for at least a decade (its origin is unknown but it’s rumored it was born in Italy when a physical therapist put a bike in the water to help athletes recover without injury), it’s new to the U.S. with only one studio located in downtown Manhattan. Curious to see if the class lived up to its hype, I, a runner who is an average-at-best cycler and non-swimmer (the doggie paddle is my means of survival in the ocean) decided to test the waters.