Adding a little bit of fun to your fitness regimen always peps up the mood. But how about a regimen completely based on a fun activity — dance. Meet Reema Sarin, the brain behind Bollyfit where Bollywood dance numbers meet aerobics. Based in Delhi, Reema defines Bollyfit as a mélange of Bollywood style thumkas, coupled with Bharata Natyam, Kathak mudras, classic aerobic movements, salsa moves and Hindi film dance steps, all at a strenuous pace.
Why Bollywood?
Dancing to Bollywood tunes come naturally to us, moreover Bollywood music is energetic, pulsating and something that people instantly recall. The beats charge-up the atmosphere to burn calories the aerobic way, Bollywood music just makes the workout fun and stress-free. Chartbusters like Sheila ki Jawani, Munni Badnam Hui, Dum maro dum, Dhinka chika and Chamak Chalo are in demand. Students quickly get into the groove with the current hits. Since Bollywood is widely followed in India, the moves are instantly recognisable: the nifty shoulder swivel, the delicate flourish of a hand, the undulating hips and swaying torso.
How does it work?
Classes begin with warm up and stretching exercises, followed by dance moves. They start slowly and as the tempo builds up, it gets fast before cooling down. Reema’s fitness regimen’s essence is high beats per minute (bpm). Explaining the concept Reema says, “To make the classes fun-filled, high on energy and fast paced, every song that I use is carefully selected and tested at increased speed of 130-140 beats per minute (bpm). For Step Aerobic classes, I use songs remixed at 110 bpm, as this exercise routine requires songs at slightly slower beats per minute.”
“There will be a dance twirl as well as a jumping jack. The dance part includes 100 lunges and 50 jumping jacks, so it is extremely strenuous. While a normal aerobics class would burn 250-300 calories, BollyFit burns around 500 calories. You can call this a glamourised version of fitness, a combination of fitness and dance,” adds Reema who also juggles with different professions such as modelling, acting, emceeing and lifestyle brand consultancy.
BollyFit boosts metabolism by building up calorie-burning muscle tissue, and ensures that you’ll preserve lean muscle mass as you lose fat. These exercises have been shown to reduce the risk of osteoporosis and heart disease and help control diabetes. “All kinds of dancing have huge health benefits. It counts as a moderate-intensity activity, and dancing regularly can help reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes. The variety of moves, particularly in Bollywood dancing, puts different muscles to work and helps to develop flexibility and balance. The fitness dance moves work out each and every muscle in the body in a very distinct way, all very addictive and help actually de-stress and unwind,” says Reema, adding “It is actually not just about losing weight, but also about keeping fit; improving flexibility, stamina, endurance, strength and leading a high-energy life.”
Somewhere, Reema’s agenda is also to make Bollywood dance accessible to everyone, whether beginners or professionals, after all who doesn’t enjoy Bollywood?
Selling Bollyfit
Thanks, to her management and business acumen, Reema has given a strong marketing and promotional thrust to the concept that includes a website, videos, workshops across India where Bollywood dance is positioned as a new form of exercise, appealing to those who wish to increase fitness and lose weight. “Bollywood music is preferred by Indians over all other genres. People love my BollyFit workshops because of the entertainment quotient that comes from the fast-paced music. I have conducted workshops in discotheques and night-clubs, besides fitness centres. I’m also planning to do a BollyFit DVD soon,” says Reema.