Tired of aerobics, walking or your usual fitness routine? Niharika Mandhana shows you more exotic ways to cut the flab
You can plug in, walk to music. You can slap on the sunscreen and go swimming or you can get into designer duds and work those muscles pumping iron. But if you are like most people, you’ll soon get tired of your fitness routine.Well, here’s good news. Bangalore, fortunately, offers you more than just the regular forms of exercise.You can dabble in anything from dancing to a combined form of exercise that gives you benefit of more than one form.
KICK BACK WITH CALLANETICS
Calla-what” you say? Callanetics is a form of exercise that uses postures, positions and precise movements to tighten and reshape the body. Yana Lewis, a ballet artist and yoga practitioner who conducts callanetics classes at Chisel says, “Callanetics involves exercising your muscle groups, stretching, toning and strengthening. It is a full body work out. Alignment and awareness of one’s body are important in this form. To get the desired effect of an exercise, you must ensure that the movements are perfectly right, the alignment is correct, attention is paid to detail.”
So is callanetics for you? Well, this form of exercise caters to the needs of a wide variety of people — young, old, those recovering from injuries, dancers and sportspersons. Yana says, “My job as an instructor is to investigate a student’s health before he or she starts. The age factor is not important. I adapt the steps to fit the physical requirements. Many come to me with back injuries and callanetics has helped them tremendously.”
Even though callanetics is not so spoken-about, it has a fair number of takers in the city. Shipa L and Nanda M, housewives and practitioners of callanetics, chose this over other forms of exercise for a reason, “We didn’t want to jump around and get breathless like in aerobics or on a treadmill. With callanetics, we have discovered muscles that we didn’t know existed. We are definitely losing inches, if not a lot of weight. We feel it’s more effective than any other exercise.”
Tikoo, a dancer and choreographer has his own funda, “I do callanetics for general fitness, to keep my body flexible and build stamina. These are important for any dancer.”
So is callanetics for you? Well, this form of exercise caters to the needs of a wide variety of people — young, old, those recovering from injuries, dancers and sportspersons. Yana says, “My job as an instructor is to investigate a student’s health before he or she starts. The age factor is not important. I adapt the steps to fit the physical requirements. Many come to me with back injuries and callanetics has helped them tremendously.”
Even though callanetics is not so spoken-about, it has a fair number of takers in the city. Shipa L and Nanda M, housewives and practitioners of callanetics, chose this over other forms of exercise for a reason, “We didn’t want to jump around and get breathless like in aerobics or on a treadmill. With callanetics, we have discovered muscles that we didn’t know existed. We are definitely losing inches, if not a lot of weight. We feel it’s more effective than any other exercise.”
Tikoo, a dancer and choreographer has his own funda, “I do callanetics for general fitness, to keep my body flexible and build stamina. These are important for any dancer.”
So if you are looking for an effective, no-nonsense variety of exercise, look no more!
SHAKE A LEG
If you think shaking the booty and curling the wrists to Arabic music is only for pretty girls in the deserts of Persia, you have another thought coming. For many women in Bangalore, it is a fun way to lose some kilos, trim those sides and unwind.
Arati Punwani who teaches belly dancing at the Doodle Den says, “A lot of ladies are sitting at
desks all day. Belly dancing comes as a relief for them, an exciting way to sweat it out. As a form of exercise, it works the back, sides, abdomen, inner thighs and arms.” Asked if she had any apprehensions about people being open to the idea, Arati says, “I started it off with a bunch of friends who were interested in learning. Before I knew it, it became so popular. Our batches are growing every month. I realised that the awareness and excitement about the dance form was already there in Bangalore. It was like people were waiting for something to start.”
The diversity of people opting for belly dancing goes to show how many people have given up the ‘not my cup of tea’ attitude. Girls of 12 and women of 55 are dancing side by side; housewives, students and people visiting the city for a couple of months have taken to this form; a majority of the students though seem to be working women.
Gayathri, an HR consultant who spends three evenings a week belly dancing says, “It’s not like I’m going to go perform on stage or anything. It makes me move and stay in shape without making me crib about it and that’s good enough. I don’t have the patience for anything else.” So, if you’re looking for something exciting, something exhilarating, something fun, belly dancing would be right up your alley.
desks all day. Belly dancing comes as a relief for them, an exciting way to sweat it out. As a form of exercise, it works the back, sides, abdomen, inner thighs and arms.” Asked if she had any apprehensions about people being open to the idea, Arati says, “I started it off with a bunch of friends who were interested in learning. Before I knew it, it became so popular. Our batches are growing every month. I realised that the awareness and excitement about the dance form was already there in Bangalore. It was like people were waiting for something to start.”
The diversity of people opting for belly dancing goes to show how many people have given up the ‘not my cup of tea’ attitude. Girls of 12 and women of 55 are dancing side by side; housewives, students and people visiting the city for a couple of months have taken to this form; a majority of the students though seem to be working women.
Gayathri, an HR consultant who spends three evenings a week belly dancing says, “It’s not like I’m going to go perform on stage or anything. It makes me move and stay in shape without making me crib about it and that’s good enough. I don’t have the patience for anything else.” So, if you’re looking for something exciting, something exhilarating, something fun, belly dancing would be right up your alley.
PACKING A PUNCH WITH SERENITY
Power lunches, power naps and now, power yoga. Ask five people what it is and you are likely to get five different responses — it’s yoga done faster, it’s yoga done to music, it’s yoga combined with aerobics- like exercising. Power yoga is different from regular yoga only in that it combines the four elements practiced in isolation in regular yoga i.e. asana (physical movement), pranayama (breathing control), mudra (expressive gestures) and bandha (locks). The asanas essentially remain the same in both forms but power yoga unites them with breathing regulation
or tightening of certain muscles thereby making this more intense. Also, power yoga allows very few breathers. The non-stop activity sweats you out.
M Aslam Khan aka Mak, a power yoga instructor and martial arts expert, says, “Power yoga is nothing but the western version of the hatha yoga and a combination of the different styles of hatha yoga like the Iyengar, Ashtanga and Bikram variety. It has its origin in America where the rigid system of performing certain asanas in a stipulated order and combining it with spiritual
chants was rejected.”
The pros of doing power yoga are aplenty. It leads to a balance of strength and flexibility, developing the core of the body. Several yoga practitioners have switched over to power yoga since the impact is believed to be quicker and it sounds cooler to be doing power yoga!
Gauri K, a student and fill-in instructor says, “It is enough to do power yoga only twice or thrice a week because it is so effective. We can’t do more, nor do we feel the need to.” Madhu, an erstwhile yoga practitioner, adds, “The thing with power yoga is that it challenges the body at a different level — the stretching and firming up is much more.”
So on World Yoga Day, let’s open our minds to one more school of yoga — power yoga.
or tightening of certain muscles thereby making this more intense. Also, power yoga allows very few breathers. The non-stop activity sweats you out.
M Aslam Khan aka Mak, a power yoga instructor and martial arts expert, says, “Power yoga is nothing but the western version of the hatha yoga and a combination of the different styles of hatha yoga like the Iyengar, Ashtanga and Bikram variety. It has its origin in America where the rigid system of performing certain asanas in a stipulated order and combining it with spiritual
chants was rejected.”
The pros of doing power yoga are aplenty. It leads to a balance of strength and flexibility, developing the core of the body. Several yoga practitioners have switched over to power yoga since the impact is believed to be quicker and it sounds cooler to be doing power yoga!
Gauri K, a student and fill-in instructor says, “It is enough to do power yoga only twice or thrice a week because it is so effective. We can’t do more, nor do we feel the need to.” Madhu, an erstwhile yoga practitioner, adds, “The thing with power yoga is that it challenges the body at a different level — the stretching and firming up is much more.”
So on World Yoga Day, let’s open our minds to one more school of yoga — power yoga.
TRY THESE TOO…
PILATES
Madonna is probably the most famouscelebrity who endorses this form. Developed by Joseph Pilates, this method started out beingcalled Contrologybecause he believed his method uses the mind to control themuscles. Theprogramme focusses onthe core postural muscles which help keep the body balanced and are essential to provide support for the spine. In particular, Pilates teaches awareness of breath and alignment of the spine,and aims to strengthen the torso muscles. Ahot body and complete control of most situations are an added bonus!
KRAV MAGA
It is an eclectic self-defence and military handto- hand combat system developed in Israel. Today, it’s become one of the most energising forms of martial arts and, therefore, fitness. Originally developed to neutralise real life situations during war time, this form has transformed
into something that teaches self-discipline, intense fitness and high levels of concentration. Indian Krav Maga Foundation conducts classes. Check out http://www.kravmagabangalore/. com for details.
It is an eclectic self-defence and military handto- hand combat system developed in Israel. Today, it’s become one of the most energising forms of martial arts and, therefore, fitness. Originally developed to neutralise real life situations during war time, this form has transformed
into something that teaches self-discipline, intense fitness and high levels of concentration. Indian Krav Maga Foundation conducts classes. Check out http://www.kravmagabangalore/. com for details.
CAPOEIRA
An Afro-Brazilian blend of martial arts, game and culture created by enslaved Africans in Brazil during the 16th century. Originally, participants form a circle and take turns playing instruments, singing, and sparring in pairs in the centre. The game is marked by fluid acrobatic
play, feints, subterfuge and extensive use of groundwork as well as sweeps, kicks and headbutts.
Today, these very moves are taught to participants in order to build strength, awareness of space and body and endurance. The only known teacher of capoeira in Bangalore is Dilsagar, who has combined various other forms to come up with a fluid fitness regimen.
An Afro-Brazilian blend of martial arts, game and culture created by enslaved Africans in Brazil during the 16th century. Originally, participants form a circle and take turns playing instruments, singing, and sparring in pairs in the centre. The game is marked by fluid acrobatic
play, feints, subterfuge and extensive use of groundwork as well as sweeps, kicks and headbutts.
Today, these very moves are taught to participants in order to build strength, awareness of space and body and endurance. The only known teacher of capoeira in Bangalore is Dilsagar, who has combined various other forms to come up with a fluid fitness regimen.
The Mirror Squad 