HIIT workouts have been a big hit among gym goers for years now. Understandably so: They crush loads of calories and improve your fitness, fast. But sometimes you need to switch up those all-out-effort intervals to give your body a break — and challenge it in new ways. Enter these pool exercises from Life Time Fitness, EXOS and Speedo’s collaborative class, WTRX.

An important note: This is not your grandma’s aqua aerobics class. You may not hold regular water classes to the same fitness standards as, say, a bootcamp. But that’s exactly why fit pros created WTRX.

“In a nutshell, I wanted to bring sexy back to the pool,” says Rob Glick, senior director of programming and innovation at Life Time Fitness. “When we think about HIIT classes, they’re pretty rugged, pretty intense and pretty sexy. A lot of times when people think about aqua classes, those are not the words people would use.” That is, until now.

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Making Aqua Workouts Awesome

WTRX, offered at Life Time locations across the U.S., starts with a dynamic warm-up both in the water and on the deck. Then, like classes you might take in a studio, you’ll move around different stations, doing exercises that challenge your muscles and get your heart rate revved. Instructors also mix in high-energy activities, like partner races across the pool, treading water or a quick run of Marco Polo. (Work hard, play hard, as they say.)

Even if some of the exercises performed in WTRX look similar to those you’d do on land, the experience is totally different. And Glick explains several reasons for that.

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First off, the water slows down your movements so you can better your coordination. For example, if you have trouble with a single leg squat or kettlebell swing outside of the pool, you’ll be able to work on your form and execution in the water, Glick explains.

Working out in the water also means less gravity, which leads to less impact on your joints. So you won’t wake up feeling super sore the next day. “Training in water removes the eccentric action of exercises,” says Glick. “That’s where most delayed onset muscle soreness comes from” — that downward phase of lifting.

Finally, it also adds constant resistance to every motion you make and in every direction. For instance, when you do a bicep curl, the downward motion works your triceps as you act against the H2O. Better yet, you’ll lap up the fun factor as you race around the pool.

RELATED: 3 Swimming Workouts for Every Skill Level

5 Pool Exercises to Dive Into

Now it’s time to dip your toes into WTRX with these five pool exercises, borrowed from the class…

This article originally appeared on InStyle.com. 

The general rule of thinking is to apply creams, lotions and serums with the thinnest or lightest consistencies first, recommends New York City dermatologist Joshua Zeichner. “For every rule, however, there may be an exception,” he says, so follow these guidelines with your judgment and the advice of your doctors.

In the mornings, “I usually recommend washing the face first and afterward applying serum,” he says. “Then you can follow with your moisturizer and lastly a mineral sunscreen.” There’s some debate, he says, about when is best to apply a chemical sunscreen. Some pros suggest applying to clean skin “as the ingredients in the chemical sunscreens interact with the skin to give adequate protection.” Chemical sun blockers work “by absorbing UV light and converting it into heat,” he says. “A mineral blocker works by forming a protective seal over the skin and reflecting harmful UV rays away.” That’s why it’s best to slather on that layer of mineral block right before you head out the door. “Cosmetics or moisturizers with tint should be applied last.”

A note about the wrinkle-fighting ingredient retinol: “I generally recommend applying it in the evening,” says Dr. Zeichner, as in some product formulations the ingredient has the best chance at remaining stable and potent outside of certain UV light. So try designating it to your evening skincare ritual.

And if you’re dealing with acne medications that contain ingredients like benzoyl peroxide, try applying these over your moisturizer, as moisturizing the skin first hydrates and can help minimize any potential irritation, suggests Dr. Zeichner.

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Generally speaking, you can view the morning as a time for prevention (your key player being sunscreen), and the evening a time for repair (hello, retinol). “For that reason, I typically recommend antioxidants in the morning, as they serve as fire-extinguishers that put out inflammation caused by free radical damage,” says Dr. Zeichner. (Free radical damage is a side-effect of sun exposure.) At night, look to products that repair and help stimulate skin-firming collagen with ingredients like retinol and peptides.

Summer is in full swing, and it's become clear that one of the biggest trends for this sun-filled season is cutout sleeves. Translation: Shoulders are going to be on the scene this summer. Though celebrity trainer Gunnar Peterson argues that they never left: “Shoulders have always been in style,” he says. “They are like the little black dress of the upper body.”

Whether new fad or old hat, it’s time to give yours a little extra love, so they'll be strong, sculpted, and ready to show off during the these dog days and beyond. To do that, you have to work them from all angles.  “The shoulder has three heads: the anterior, medial, and posterior head,” explains Peterson, who is the director of training and endurance for the Los Angeles Lakers. “You have to train all three.” He also notes that the leaner you are, the more muscle separation you’ll show.

Follow along with Peterson’s four-move shoulder circuit in the video above, and you’ll be reaching for those tank tops in no time.  

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Front Raise

Stand with feet hip-width apart and a dumbbell in each hand at thighs; palms face back. Raise dumbbells straight up to eyebrow height, keeping arms straight. Slowly lower back to start and then repeat.

Lateral Raise

Stand with feet hip-width apart and a dumbbell in each hand at sides; palms face in. Maintaining a slight bend in elbows, raise arms straight out to sides to shoulder level. Slowly lower back to start and then repeat.

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Rear Deltoid Raise

Stand with feet hip-width apart, knees soft, and a dumbbell in each hand at sides; palms face in with a slight bend in wrists. Hinge forward at hips and lower down so that torso is almost parallel to floor. Keeping a slight bend in arms and back flat, raise arms out to sides until they are in line with body, and squeeze shoulder blades together. Slowly lower back to start and then repeat.

Overhead Press

Stand with feet hip-width apart, a slight bend in knees and wrists at shoulder-height and a dumbbell in each hand; palms face forward. Press dumbbells directly overhead. Pause, and then slowly lower back down, and repeat.

Peterson’s Tip: “If you start to fail—you can’t do the move properly and your form is compromised—and you are in the 5, 6, 7 rep range, lighten up the weight. If you are cranking out 15 reps and are still fresh as a daisy at the end, add some weight. You want to get to where you are reaching technical failure between 12 and 15 reps.”