BENGALURU: Fitness is not about being a certain size, it is about having an exercise regimen and being able to fulfil the goals or targets that you have set for yourself. With the festive season on and weddings in full swing, it is time to get started with some activity that challenges you. It could be tabata or zumba, walkathons or marathons, pilates or yoga.
The workouts that are trending today are:
Quick workouts — The short tenure HIIT or micro-high intensity interval training lasts between 5 and 20 minutes. It stimulates your mind and regenerates the stem cells. The short attention span and irregular working hours make it difficult for many to work out longer. Many apps are a testimony to the rising popularity of such micro workout sessions. There are clubs that give quick, burst workouts to begin a day or as a break from work shifts.
Walkathons are amazing for mind-body balance since they give mental health a boost. Walking in nature is therapeutic and there are emerging associations of walkers who also do adventure trips on foot. It gives a sense of freeness and happiness.
Running individually or participating in a virtual run, jogging, running...these are the simplest forms of workouts with no appliances required except for running shoes. While participating in a virtual run, one could register with a peer group, or unknown people, or with family. Such runs impart a sense of bonding and well-being along with flexibility of doing it at your pace and place at any age. Rajat Khurana, managing director, ASICS India & South Asia says, “Running is known for being a solo sport, however, a few event formats like Ekiden relay, drive the spirit of cooperation. Working together as a team is a more powerful way of working out as one tends to find ways to win through managing the strengths and weaknesses of other players. Personally, it has been exciting for me to see teammates pushing each other to complete their individual goals and win as a team. Events like these provide an opportunity to athletes where they have an option to run virtually, with all Covid protocols maintained. Team sports cultivate mental toughness and bonding with other athletes, and the gaps between a pro and beginner are diluted. Ekiden is one such initiative by ASICS that aims at providing the best experience for all fitness/ running enthusiasts.”
LISS or low-intensity steady-state activities like yoga or pilates have risen in popularity owing to the need to maintain posture and mind and body alignment in the pandemic era that confined us indoors. Pilates is a versatile workout that you can include to widen your fitness horizon. Clubbing yoga and pilates is a great idea as pilates is a low-impact workout that helps with strengthening of muscles.