Metrolife: Now, working out is mix and match

Fitness is a growing cow, Aparna Pathak, Pilates instructor, believes mixing works.

“Pilates is a workout which helps in core strengthening and balance. The best way is to mix it with good cardio and meditative exercises. Humans need endurance, flexibility, muscle mass, balance and relaxation and it is essential to work with exercises like those,” she says.

Cardio exercises don’t provide the benefits of stretching or balancing. “A mix is holistic. One is much more confident when a variety of exercises are involved,” she says.

Aparna vouches that many 30 to 40-year-olds are mixing fitness styles. “Of the clients I see, 50 to 70 percent are blending workouts,” she adds.

“Many runners who exercise a lot don’t necessarily work on their core strength and flexibility. They might have to stop running in a few years. This can be avoided by working on their joints, which undergo a lot of stress.”

- Aparna Pathak, Pilates instructor

Naveen Sharma, founder of Ashmayu Yoga, says while yoga helps with flexibility, one running is good for cardiovascular endurance. “While running addresses the heart, yoga eases out any injuries or stiffness in the lower part of the body,” he says.

He adds that using one’s own body weight for cardiovascular training is best. “There are forms like callisthenics, TRX and anti-gravity workouts, which mostly use one’s body weight for better functionality,” he adds.

Earlier, out of 100 people, 70 would head to the gym, Naveen says. “Now at least 60 per cent try different things. Most fitness spaces host multiple activities, which explains the demand for them,” he adds.

Shwetambari Shetty, fitness expert with Curefit, has mixes dance, combat and strength training.

Four elements are essential for fitness: cardiovascular strength, muscular strength, flexibility and mobility. “When looking at workouts, one should list each style under these categories, eg. a basic Zumba workout comes under cardiovascular exercises; Zumba toning (which includes dance with small dumbbells and weights) addresses muscle strengthening and so does aqua Zumba,” she says.

Combining back-to-back cardiovascular exercises with similar workouts can be dangerous. A right mix is important because one’s body gets attuned to a routine and can hit a plateau fast. It’s like when you are on a diet and you need to go on a cheat day to shake the body up,” she says.

If you don’t mix your workout, you have to live with monotony, says Shwetambari. “Fitness enthusiasts are mixing routines since 2012, when many were only doing Zumba. Almost 80 percent now mix exercises now,” she explains.

Weigh it out?

A one-hour Zumba session which includes nonstop movement can burn about 400 to 800 calories, which can result in a good amount of weight loss and heart health.

A prowl class addresses cardiovascular and muscular endurance. It can help burn 500 to 900 calories per hour.

No more stiffness

“I feel more energetic after my yoga and TRX workout sessions through the week. I have found that my body isn’t stiff anymore and I also feel more motivated. Anything done repetitively, without a change, can be boring.”

- Spandana J, Software professional and fitness enthusiast.

This and that

(A routine assuming five days exercise in a week)

For weight loss:

• 3 days: Cardio (with or without meditation)
• 2 days: Pilates

For weight gain:

• 3 days: Pilates
• 2 days: Yoga