The New Year is finally here and while losing weight is on top of everyone’s resolutions this time again, fitness experts admit that this motivation begins to fade away after some time. To keep the fitness regime going, one of the biggest trends that’s set to grab attention of the fitness-conscious is a workout that combines various techniques along with a dash of fun — fusion exercises or combination workouts, as they are more popularly known blend the benefits of two well-known forms of exercising to create a whole new regime. Like, Piloxing that is a combination of Pilates and kickboxing or Bellyfit which is a fusion of belly dancing and cardio workouts.
The key in an effective workout of this kind lies in picking and choosing the right combination. “The main aim of these exercises is that it takes away the monotony of a regular workout in the gym. Also, with so many options — like combining pole dancing with aerobics or a power plate workout with yoga — these can be customised according to one’s needs. For example, for someone who needs more toning and lesser weight loss can benefit from a combination of power plate and yoga exercises and those looking for a flat abdomen can go in for Bellyfit,” says Bhawana Dubey, a fitness trainer who specialises in these workouts. Celebrities around the globe have already taken to fusion exercises and some like Kareena Kapoor, Bipasha Basu and Lara Dutta strictly follow these regimes to maintain their stunning figures.
According to fitness trainers, like any other exercise routine these too follow a pattern of sorts. “Every combination that you pick will have a warm-up routine, high-intense moves and a cool down regime, these are mandatory for any kind of workouts. Also, the routine will begin on a slow note and will gradually become more intense,” says Ratnakar Sawant, a fitness expert who combines routines like aerobics, Bolly dancing, power plate and Tai Chi. Another thing that is fast becoming a common feature in these workouts is the use of yoga. “Since yoga asanas help to energise the mind, body and soul a lot of people request them to be incorporated into their regimes. So we usually include them as stretching exercises in the beginning as this helps to improve flexibility and strengthen the muscles,” he adds.