WELL BEING
Calorie crunching couples
SHILPI MADAN
|
Maximise your workout by exercising together. You’ll end up more shapely and spend more time together.
|
Photo: S. Thanthoni
DUO ACT: Work off the flab and spend time together.
The next time you drool over eight pack abs or curvaceous figures, get cracking on those ungainly inches. Get moving together to shrug off the flab and woo Cupid the sweatilicious way.
Forget dependency on bulky machines. Choose free-hand exercises and strength training instead. “Partner squats are an excellent option,” says fitness expert Shalini Bhargava. “You can perform sets of squats facing each other while holding hands or even squat with your rears touching each other. Likewise, you can perform a set of lunges while standing in an overlapping position, in close proximity.” This lifts the yawn-inducing warm up and cooling down minutes of your session too. The companionship helps in lifting the strain of repeated crunches, push ups and stretches.
Cardio cats
“Choose a cardio machine that both of you like,” suggests Shalini. “Opt for treadmills, steppers or bicycles or a combination of two; say 20 minutes on the treadmill followed by 20 minutes on the elliptical trainer. Sometimes your choices may differ. You may not use a particular machine while training alone but, with your partner, you might be inspired to use it and therefore cross train.” Running up an incline together puts in a different punch into your regimen. “It infuses a sense of competition that is enervating and makes you enjoy your entire work out,” points out fitness specialist Leena Mogre, Director, Leena Mogre’s Fitness.
Racing with each other preps you up immediately. Seated on spinning cycles with your choice of music pounding in tandem with your movements lends a different kind of high. “It is extremely motivational and yields excellent results in terms of motivational value, weight loss and strengthening of camaraderie,” says Leena. The advantage here is that if you are an outdoor person, you can pursue spinning in an open studio.
Yoga prowess
Improved sexual appetite is a vital asset that power yoga brings with it. “Couples can practise various meditative asanas to open up their chakras,” says power yoga expert Prabha Yadav. “This results in improved flexibility, clarity of senses and fosters a feeling of togetherness in the duo as well. The sessions help in the loosening of your limbs and make both of you fall in sync with each other.” You can make physical contact with your partner and spark off the magic again.
Kicker knock
“Kickboxing together is a superb method of letting yourself go completely,” says Leena. “Couples favour this form of exercise as it involves a measure of physical strength, is enervating and keeps them on their toes.” He helps his partner perfect the moves and she revels in the competitive activity. Apart from perfecting the techniques of self defence and resistance building, kickboxing also builds up on muscle and shears those ungainly inches from your posterior.
Dance away
“Couples can sign up for classes in Salsa, Latin American and Ballroom forms of dancing,” says Shalini. “Even if you have two left feet, the music, your partner’s proximity and the fun element easily get you into the groove.” Rev up the heat as you perfect some great new moves – both on and off the dance floor. Still hesitant? Snap up a learning salsa step-by-step DVD to get hooked.
Play games
Strike a deal with each other: Favourite sports on every alternate day. Make way for brisk walking, jogging, swimming, aqua aerobics, badminton and lawn tennis. Rope in another couple to get yourself started on the game spree. You can plan a hiking trip on new territory over the weekend for the perfect cardio exercise under the sun. Apart from spending time with each other, you will end up discovering more than you imagine. Else if the lady complies, chalk out a session of squash at the court and throwball on the beach.
Printer friendly
page
Send this article to Friends by
E-Mail
Magazine
