An interview with Gretchen M. Ashton, CFT, SFT, SFN, SSC, NBFE, Owner of ScubaFit®

Every once in a while, you meet someone who changes your perception of what is possible. Rarely do you meet someone whose passion, purpose, and excellence are reflected so deeply in everything they do. Gia Lucy is that kind of person. Meeting Gia expanded the way I see aquatic fitness, water-based training, and the connection between movement, confidence, service, and purpose.

When I discovered Aqua Body Strong®, I immediately recognized the connection between its fitness principles and the physical demands of scuba diving. The workouts emphasize balance, core stability, strength, coordination, breath awareness, and confidence in the water—exactly what divers need to stay conditioned, comfortable, and healthy for long-term participation in the sport.

Then I met Gia. What I discovered went far beyond the equipment and workouts. Her enthusiasm, commitment, values, and heart for people aligned profoundly with my mission and ScubaFit®. It was a privilege to spend a couple of days on the water with her, learn more about her vision, and complete my Aqua Board and Aqua Combat instructor certifications.

Aqua Body Strong® classes go far beyond traditional water aerobics. They combine aqua boards, bikes, gloves, trampolines, treadmills, and other innovative tools to create fun, dynamic, purposeful workouts incorporating cardio, strength, Pilates, and yoga, with limitless adaptability for all ages and abilities. Most importantly, they reflect Gia Lucy’s vision, energy, and extraordinary spirit. I am excited to share, in her own words, what she has developed and why it matters to her, the people she serves, and anyone seeking strength, confidence, and connection through the water. For those who already understand the pull of the blue, that message feels familiar. Aqua Body Strong® simply gives it a new rhythm, one class, one splash, and one stronger body at a time.

Gia Lucy

Q: Aqua Body Strong® has a vibrant, unexpected origin story. Where did the idea begin, and how did it evolve?

A: Aqua Body Strong® water fitness began in Cancun, Mexico, in 2017. We worked with hotels, bringing fitness instructors to resorts for teaching vacations as an exchange program. We saw a need for water activities that would get guests off their beach chairs, give them memorable experiences, and inspire continued fitness, wellness, and health at home.

A: We brought water fitness boards to resorts so guests could do yoga, Pilates, and HIIT classes. Aqua Boards are inflatable, yoga mat-shaped boards tethered to pool lane lines. Guests were so excited that they told friends, pools, and aquatic centers back home. Soon, aquatic centers asked us to bring the program to the United States. Today, we offer five classes: Aqua Cycling, Aqua Combat, Aqua Board, Aqua Trampoline, and Aqua 360X. They use water-based bikes, treadmills, trampolines, boards, boxing gloves, and bags, appealing to all ages and interests. Moving familiar land-based exercise, such as spinning or kickboxing, into the water makes the transition easy.

Q: You’ve shared that water and the ocean have always been part of your life. When and how were you introduced to scuba diving, snorkeling, and other ocean activities?

A: I grew up in San Juan Capistrano, California, the sixth of seven children, with four brothers and two sisters. Our lives centered around the beach and ocean. My brothers were surfers, and my dad was an avid fisherman. I think my mom took us to the beach to keep the house clean. We spent our days at the beach and in the water, and I surfed, boogie boarded, and body surfed from a young age.

I became interested in diving and snorkeling during my senior year of high school, exploring the small coves of Laguna Beach. I was enthralled by the Garibaldi, other fish, and kelp, especially at Shell Beach. It opened my world to what was beneath the sea.

The beach has always been my passion. During my senior year of college, I began writing a book about Orange County beaches. My degree is in biology, but my grandfather, a writer for film and television and a publisher, taught me to write. By graduation, my book was half finished. It became Sun, Sand, and Surf: Your Ultimate Guide to Orange County Beaches, with surf and dive reports for local beaches. Researching it was wonderful and took four years and many days on the beach and underwater.

I became scuba certified during a vacation with my husband in Cancun. The warm tropical water offered clear views at depth, with beautiful corals, turtles, and more.

Q: How have your ocean experiences shaped the way you prepare people physically and mentally for feeling more capable in the water?

A: I’ve been fortunate to live and create businesses near beaches and oceans. Growing up in the water gives me an advantage in water fitness. With a pool and the ocean virtually in our backyard, I learned early how water reacts—its currents, turbulence, resistance, rhythms, and sounds.

When I teach bodysurfing or snorkeling, students facing large waves often wonder whether to go under or over. For me, the answer is in the sound and rhythm. I can hear where a wave is and know when to go under. Friends who grew up along the shore share this ocean sense. We can talk in the surf, pause to dive under a wave, surface, and resume the same conversation.

Q: How do Aqua Body Strong® classes build the strength, balance, breath control, and body awareness needed for scuba diving, snorkeling, surfing, and stand-up paddleboarding?

A: Consider a bird dog yoga pose on the Aqua Board. From a tabletop position, you extend your right leg back and left arm forward. You may notice too much weight on your right hand or your right hip lifting out of alignment. With practice, you become more aware of balance and weight shifts and gain greater control. On a dive boat crossing wakes or large waves, that awareness helps you reposition to maintain balance.

Standing on the board also teaches an athletic stance: soft knees, lifted chest, head straight, and eyes on the horizon. A beginner may stand on a board or boat with locked knees, gripping the rail. The same principle applies to water skiing—look down, and you fall down.

Aqua Trampoline develops balance and coordination. Without a stability bar, you move through combinations such as tuck jumps followed by side kicks. These movements create currents and turbulence that move your body upward and sideways, requiring you to use your upper body and core to counterbalance. This translates especially well to scuba shore entries, where waves and currents challenge your stability. Aqua Body Strong® classes build the strength and confidence to manage those conditions through practice in the pool.

Q: Where have your scuba travels taken you?

A: While living in Cozumel, Mexico, I was fortunate to dive throughout Cozumel and Cancun. I also dove often in California, especially at Catalina Island, and snorkeled along the California coast while writing a second book about San Diego beaches. Other destinations include the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, St. Croix, and Saint Martin.

Q: You recently returned from Italy. Did you dive there?

I didn’t dive or snorkel, but I was in the water. I attended the European Aquatic Association’s annual conference in Florence, which marked the association’s 30th anniversary. I was invited to present as part of the U.S. team. Teams came from Russia, Greece, Portugal, and many other countries. I brought two master trainers, and although it wasn’t a competition, ours was the only sold-out class. It was exciting to see how much everyone enjoyed the American team.

Q: Community service is another important expression of your work. How did it lead you to relocate your family?

A: My husband and I entered communities through fitness. Wherever we lived—Cozumel, Honolulu, Hawaii, or California—we joined local gyms and met people.

My husband was a pastor, and we felt called to move to Cozumel and serve in the mission field. We later worked in Oaxaca. We began at an orphanage, planting a community garden and teaching children to use and care for tools and become self-sufficient. We cleared jungle and held fundraising events. Through fitness classes and dinners, we brought local families and tourists together across cultures. It was a privilege to see the Lord transform young people who had been involved in gangs or cartels—even murder, drug dealing, and kidnapping—into people who loved and served others. We had 200 children attend vacation Bible school.

Q: That is an incredible success. How does your faith shape the way you define success personally and professionally?

A: My definition of success differs from most people’s. Many things that matter to others don’t matter to me. What matters most is sharing God’s love. That is part of my work with fitness and Aqua Body Strong—helping people feel better, feel loved, and belong to a community.

I know God is the one who makes everything work. If I sell equipment, people feel better, or a community grows, it is because He makes it possible.

For more information:

Gia Lucy, Founder and CEO, Aqua Body Strong®
Website: AquaBodyStrong.com

Gretchen M. Ashton, Owner, ScubaFit®
Website: ScubaFit.com