Smacking it just right...

FITNESS CRAZE

With Kareena Kapo­or’s size zero figure creating waves, especially among teenage girls, new fitness trends like kickboxing, pilates and power yoga have now taken over in contrast to the conventional forms of exercise like jogging, gymming and swimming. More and more gyms in the City are now incorporating newer fitness regimes with kickboxing being the latest one.

Metrolife talks to a few youngsters to find out their take on this self-defence-cum-fitness mantra.

While some youngsters believe that it is “just a phase that Bangalore is going through”, there are others like Shreya Sood who say, “With self-defence becoming a major concern, kickboxing has now become the latest craze especially among girls. The gym is now a thing of the past and more and more people are getting drawn to kickboxing.”

She adds, “It’s a good way to ward off laziness as well.” Highlighting the advantages of kickboxing, Banie Sethi, a student says, “Kickboxing, which is a brilliant cardio workout, is a complete workout using the upper and lower torso compared to other sports/workouts where only one part of the body is focussed upon.”

On being asked whether kickboxing is preferred as a fitness regime or a self-defence routine, Shruti, a student, says, “There are more girls than boys learning kickboxing, for it is not only an excellent workout but also very necessary for self-defence, especially owing to the increasing number of crimes against girls. In these times where cries for help often fall on deaf ears, it is extremely important to learn the art of defending oneself.”

According to Nayantara Lakshman, a student, “Kickboxing not only gives you a complete workout, but also a sense of self-confidence to carry yourself, something extremely necessary for the 21st century woman.” She notes, “Furthermore, having that air of confidence around you can warn people even if they just give you one look.”

Rohan, a kickboxing instructor feels, “With growing awareness towards fitness, youngsters today are drawn towards this energetic workout which doubles as a self-defence art. The number of students are increasing each year with not only the youngsters opting for it, but quite a few middle-aged individuals as well.” While his friend Siddharth, another instructor, describes kick-boxing as “a fun, energetic and a full body workout.”