Bid adieu to the gruelling gym equipment and say hi to the foot-tapping Bhangra, sensuous Salsa and rapid fire of Hip Hop.
Cofounded by Uday Raj Anand, Bharat Sadana, Neha Bedi and Rajat, Crush Fitness gives a new approach to fitness by bringing in the fresh element of dancercising to the Indian landscape. Their programmes are run in 40 centres in Delhi and NCR clocking around 500 classes a month with 2,000 students. They also conduct wellness programmes for corporate groups. When Uday bumped into Bharat, it was the meeting of two divergent poles. Uday, 29, did BA (Honours) in Economics at St. Stephen’s College, Delhi, and also has a double master’s from Oxford University.
He then worked for a short stint with Bain & Company and tried dramaturgy by performing in Shakespearean plays for Wide Aisle Productions for a year besides helping his father in his chemical business.
While Bharat was a professional dancer-cum-dance fitness trainer for nearly a decade, Uday hated any kind of workout where he had to exert his body. “When I was in Class VIII, my uncle gave me a pair of sports shoes. It was reason enough for making me cry.” A chance attending of Bharat’s class made Uday a fitness fanatic. The duo then partnered to create dancercising. “Crush Fitness India was born out of a wishing well for a friend. I used to tell Bharat, ‘You should make your programmes big’.”
“We wish to motivate languid lads and lasses to perk up and work out. We want to make working one big party,” says D Anshuman Bagri, Vice-president Marketing, Crush Fitness India. “We try to take the work out of the workout, and motivate people to begin their journey of fitness,” Uday adds.
Crush Club is a 45-minute dance workout which is a medley of music and a fusion of six dance styles—Bhangra, Salsa, Hip Hop, Merengue, Bollywood and Jazz. Uday explains, “Bhangra includes plyometric movements that involve jumping. The dance form works on shoulder, calves, quadriceps and arms. Salsa incorporates low impact movements targeting lower back, glutes, hip mobility and muscle coordination.” He adds that Hip Hop has low to medium impact movements focused on core strength and muscle control while working out focuses on chest, back and legs.
Merengue has medium to high impact and its high speed movements concentrate on cardio health and agility. Bollywood is a freestyle that combines element from many styles. It’s a full-body workout aimed at shedding inhibitions and allowing the body to move freely. Jazz, on the other hand, connects all the above-mentioned styles and focuses on elongating spine, improving range of motion and flexibility. Uday adds that dancing improves posture and muscle growth. It activates brain regions related to motor, musical and social aspects.
They also have Crush Combat, which is a high-intensity fitness class with Kick-Boxing, Brazilian Capoeira and Taekwondo in a 60-minute workout. Combat classes focus on functional strength and help develop muscular control, strength and agility. “Crush Combat has numerous drills and is targeted towards fat reduction,” says Anshuman.
Crush Core is based on the six principles of Pilates: concentration, control, centering, flow of movement, precision and breathing. Clubbed with soft music, it helps develop core strength, flexibility and micro-muscle control. Pilate is also recommended for people with joint problems. Recently, they launched their brand of high-quality lowers and gym T-shirts.