Playing acrobat, doing the trapeze and being flexible on a pole, are getting Mumbaikars fit in a fun way
Forget the treadmills, dumbbells, kettlebells and rowing machines. Workouts seem to going off the ground to add a new dimension to Mumbaikars’ fitness routines. They use your own body weight to you going upside down on a pole, suspended from ceiling straps and flying through the air with the help of ropes. Ready to engage with some anti-gravity fun? Here are three routines to try…
DOING THE POLE DANCE
Here’s a fitness regimen that has swept the West and, of late, pole dancing is catching on in Mumbai, too. If you have harboured any preconceived notions towards this — passing it off as just a series of saucy moves — banish that thought. The city now as a number of enthusiastic pole dance learners who are balancing, arching and carouseling their way to a fitter body. Aarifa Bhinderwala who has trained in pole art in Australia, says, “Pole dancing is a wholistic and an all-encompassing practice that works on the body and mind to defy gravity and overcome limitations. It works every muscle in the body while building a rock-solid core, greater flexibility, endurance and stamina. It strengthens the spirit of the poler, that translates into poetic grace and grit. It’s also great to see more women open to learning it now.”
Shilpa Rane who also teaches it, says, “Pole dancing is considered a fitness workout and is not just about a gyrating routine. It is also empowering for women as you really know how strong you can get by trying moves on the pole. It tests flexibility, endurance and strength to be able to do the moves without a break. While it’s yet to become mainstream, it’s getting popular in the city. I’d advise everyone to take time out from their busy schedules to try it.”
One needs to be patient when picking up pole dancing. She explains, “Because it happens mid-air you need to keep balance and coordination in sync, so it takes a minimum of three months to get the basics right. And each routine can last from one to three minutes depending on your level.”
BENEFITS
Burns calories and cuts the flab Improves flexibility in the spine and legs It lowers blood pressure Builds muscle tone Improves stability and balance Boosts cognitive abilities
GLIDING THROUGH THE AIR WITH AERIAL SILK
Stressed out? How about hanging upside down or even gliding freely through the air? Yes, that’s possible, courtesy aerial silk.
Aerialists use a variety of yoga poses as they hang this way using the silk (special fabric that one is suspended from) for support. Also called, ‘Aerial Acrobatic Flying Dance’, Aerial Silk has quite a few takers in Mumbai. Affirms Aditi Deshpande, who teaches this, “Mumbaikars are increasingly signing up to learn how to climb the silk. Counteracting gravity this way releases tension from the body. It can add like a retraction for the spine and decrease pain. One also can do a lot of flexibility positions here, such as a split, back arch-balance and back bending. Since the exercises are performed off the ground, you have to work harder to balance while exercising. Thus the mind-body co-ordination has to be there. When I started out, I had just 15 students and close to 300 Mumbaikars learning this across the city. What’s more, anyone at any age can try this.”
Fitness enthusiast Aanchal Gupta tried the regimen and loved her experience. “Aerial silk left me feel flexible, I wish I had tried it earlier. At first, I was skeptical if could do the moves upside down using the silk. Despite my foundation of weight training, it still took me two months to pick up the technique. But once I did, the feeling of gliding through the air was such a high.”
Nutritionist Renata Pavrey took up the aerial silk class as it was an extension of her dance and other sports activities. “I heard about the regimen and decided to give it a go. It’s easy to learn and an instructor eases you through the moves. First, they teach you make the ‘knot’, which is basically wrapping your leg in the silk to give yourself a footing. Then you hoist yourself up and do the movements. If you are doing an inverted movement, you wrap the silk around your waist. In one move, we also learnt to make a ‘swing’ and sit on it, so there are a lot of variety in the movements. Since this is anti-gravity, it eases the pressure from the joints. It also allows for a better stretch, for instance — doing a split or a back bend. Certain movements boost blood flow like a head stand and this is easy to do with the silk. The material helps you carry your weight through it all,” she explains.
BENEFITS
Increases flexibility and improves body alignment Wakes up even dormant muscles Pushes the body to limits that are otherwise much harder to achieve on the ground Removes boredom from the usual workouts on terra firma Aerial silk is also calming owing to the oxygen supply to the brain
HANGING OUT WITH TRX SUSPENSION
TRX, also called or Total Body Resistance Exercise, is another popular anti-gravity workout where you perform different movements while being suspended from straps. Explains teacher Bindiya Vishwasrao, “The TRX is usually suspended from the ceiling or another secure spot . Rule is, the farther you are from the TRX, the easier it is, the closer you are, the tougher it is. Standing on one leg makes it more challenging, so there are variations to the style, too. It targets all muscle groups as you are dealing with your total body weight. It’s also an excellent way for correcting the form and one can do cardio, stretching and strength-based moves on the straps.” Can anyone try it? “Yes, TRX is helpful for a city like Mumbai, where people have sedentary jobs and often suffer from neck and shoulder pain. But warm up well before taking it on,” she advises.
BENEFITS
TRX is convenient as you can set up the suspension system anywhere, even take it along on a holiday It is anti-gravity and therefore, low-impact It improves muscle strength and decreases risk of cardio-vascula r disease Unlike a machine in the gym, here, if an exercise feels tough to perform, change the load just by realigning yourself at a better suspension angle
