From yoga to belly dancing, people are shunning gyms for more interesting forms of workouts
Gym memberships are going down as people opt for fitness forms like yoga, dancing, Pilates and kickboxing, confesses the manager of an elite New Delhi-based gym. On the other hand, he says, fitness classes are usually full. Finally, one can give the gym a miss, as an increasing number of people shift from gyms to other ‘interesting’ forms of workouts. Belly dance classes, aerobics, swimming, spinning and Pilates routines are popular. Admits socialite Kitty Kalra, who is a fitness buff but hates the traditional gym routine, “I now focus on Pilates and power yoga. I believe in a variety of workouts since I get bored easily. It keeps my energy and interest going!” Several people confess that they started their fitness routine with a gym but then soon tired of it. Actor Shah Rukh Khan too was recently advised to try belly dancing to maintain his abs.
Similarly, Ponds Femina Miss India World Manasvi Mamgai swears by her group workout sessions. She can’t imagine herself doing weights in the gym, all by herself. “I really look forward to working out with friends. It’s an amazing stress buster. Also, I can’t imagine only doing weights and other machines. Group workouts keep me motivated. I do tai chi, aerobics, power yoga and even belly dancing.”
Confesses Seema Katyal, mother of three, “My friends and I go for regular walks. We don’t like gymming, but wanted to follow some health routine. On weekends, we even hold breathing classes. We challenge each other to keep up the motivation." Besides boredom, there are other factors that lead to gym fatigue. Tollywood actress Anushka Shetty has been burning out in the gym to look good on screen. But she now complains of a torn cartilage and has put on a few kilos due to lack of exercise. Hers is not an isolated case. Many people suffer from side-effects of gymming. Also, the workouts are mechanical and there’s not much scope for creativity. Explains yoga master Bharat Thakur, “I recently uploaded some YouTube videos on my workout. One needs proper instructors in a gym and they are not always available. I constantly innovate to ensure that people don’t get bored.”
Many men are turning towards football, cricket, kickboxing and women towards yoga and dancing.
Fitness expert Deanne Pandey advises people to be careful about deciding their workouts. She says, “I used to be a hardcore gym person but now I also follow Iyengar yoga and Pilates. Both are intelligent forms of workouts." She warns, “You cannot just decide one fine day to quit gymming and go for a sports activity or alternate group workouts. It can lead to injuries. It’s important to secure your muscles and joints.”
Gym memberships are going down as people opt for fitness forms like yoga, dancing, Pilates and kickboxing, confesses the manager of an elite New Delhi-based gym. On the other hand, he says, fitness classes are usually full. Finally, one can give the gym a miss, as an increasing number of people shift from gyms to other ‘interesting’ forms of workouts. Belly dance classes, aerobics, swimming, spinning and Pilates routines are popular. Admits socialite Kitty Kalra, who is a fitness buff but hates the traditional gym routine, “I now focus on Pilates and power yoga. I believe in a variety of workouts since I get bored easily. It keeps my energy and interest going!” Several people confess that they started their fitness routine with a gym but then soon tired of it. Actor Shah Rukh Khan too was recently advised to try belly dancing to maintain his abs.
Similarly, Ponds Femina Miss India World Manasvi Mamgai swears by her group workout sessions. She can’t imagine herself doing weights in the gym, all by herself. “I really look forward to working out with friends. It’s an amazing stress buster. Also, I can’t imagine only doing weights and other machines. Group workouts keep me motivated. I do tai chi, aerobics, power yoga and even belly dancing.”
Confesses Seema Katyal, mother of three, “My friends and I go for regular walks. We don’t like gymming, but wanted to follow some health routine. On weekends, we even hold breathing classes. We challenge each other to keep up the motivation." Besides boredom, there are other factors that lead to gym fatigue. Tollywood actress Anushka Shetty has been burning out in the gym to look good on screen. But she now complains of a torn cartilage and has put on a few kilos due to lack of exercise. Hers is not an isolated case. Many people suffer from side-effects of gymming. Also, the workouts are mechanical and there’s not much scope for creativity. Explains yoga master Bharat Thakur, “I recently uploaded some YouTube videos on my workout. One needs proper instructors in a gym and they are not always available. I constantly innovate to ensure that people don’t get bored.”
Many men are turning towards football, cricket, kickboxing and women towards yoga and dancing.
Fitness expert Deanne Pandey advises people to be careful about deciding their workouts. She says, “I used to be a hardcore gym person but now I also follow Iyengar yoga and Pilates. Both are intelligent forms of workouts." She warns, “You cannot just decide one fine day to quit gymming and go for a sports activity or alternate group workouts. It can lead to injuries. It’s important to secure your muscles and joints.”
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