Let’s face it, some of us were never meant to be gym bunnies. Period. We mean, running on a treadmill (where time moves slower than a video loading on 2G) ain’t our idea of fun; plus, every now and then, mainstream can get really mundane. That’s why we like to think a little outside the box when it comes to fitness—and boy, did we strike gold. From sultry Poga to fun Cycle Karaoke— turns out there are myriad wacky fitness routines that will whip your body into chiseled perfection. Better yet, they also masquerade as fun, exciting classes and make you forget you’re actually exercising.
So ladies, are you ready to give these crazy, fun workout alternatives a whirl? We sure are!
What: Animal Flow
The workout: Go ahead and get a little primal with the Animal Flow workout. Inspired by the movements of the members of the animal kingdom, the no-equipment, body weight-based workout encompasses a combination of exercises, stretches and movements that targets all those forgotten muscles; think yoga, combined with break-dancing and gymnastics thrown in. Sign us up!
What To Expect: Unlike other fitness routines, this one trains all of the different abilities of the human body such as strength, endurance, power, flexibility, balance, mobility, and coordination. Result: tremendous core strength and body awareness.
What: Cycle Karaoke
The workout: If you believe Karaoke only goes well with your post-work martini, then think again. Cycle Karaoke is all about belting your favorite jam (like queen Bey) in the middle of a good ol’ cycling session. Don’t worry most of the singing happens during slow-to-medium paced songs, so you won’t be left breathless at the end of it. Plus, since you can adjust the resistance of the bike, it’s only as hard as you make it.
What To Expect: In addition to burning copious amounts of calories, it also builds muscular endurance over an extended time frame; not to forget, all that singing will raise your endorphin levels and make you forget you are cycling like a mad woman. Do we need to say more?
What: Masala Bhangra
The workout: Move over Zumba, Masala Bhangra is here to stay. Derived from two Indian words: ‘Masala’, which means spicy in Hindi, and ‘Bhangra’, which is a traditional folk dance from the Punjab, this fitness program modernizes the high-energy folk dance by blending traditional Bhangra dance steps with the exhilaration of Bollywood moves.
What To Expect: For one, you can expect to complete around 8000 steps (of your daily 10K step count) in just an hour. Also, every class is a complete cardiovascular workout with body conditioning and toning benefits.
What: Aerial Silk
The workout: Want to get high (literally) on your fitness regimen? Then consider Aerial Silk, a kind of gravity-defying gymnastics, which is becoming popular with the millennials out there. The activity involves climbing two long ribbons of fabric secured with a carabiner from a high ceiling and performing tricks while off the ground. You can also start slow with aerial yoga (with adaptations of traditional yoga postures) while suspended by a loop of fabric.
What To Expect: Since deep and controlled breathing plays a crucial part in this workout, it strengthens your heart and reduces the risk of cardiovascular-related diseases. Plus, the weight of gravity also strengthens your bones, which is great for preventing osteoporosis.
What: Pole Dancing
The workout: Combine resistance training, cardio, acrobatics and sensual moves all in one—and what you get is the sultry pole dancing workout. All that twirling and twisting around the pole boosts your strength, opens up your joints, improves coordination and gives you a body confidence boost like never before.
What To Expect: Pole dancing accomplishes a lot of things; not only does it build an incredible core and upper-body strength, but it can be sexually liberating as well. After a few classes, you will fall in love with your body like never before. We guarantee it.
Outdoor workout is refreshing and fun! Want to know how? Check out:
