Everybody wants to have a body like that of a hot star. But don’t ape their workouts blindly
In the eighties, Jane Fonda came out with a workout video, making aerobics a rage across the country. It even found takers in Bollywood. Several celebs, including Rekha, are known to have adopted Fonda’s mantras, dished out on videos, as their fitness regime.
Jane Fonda's DVDs are available at amazon.com. click here for details >>The glam babes also popularised their own signature fitness mantras. Size zero queen Kareena Kapoor and the actress with the washboard flat abs, Shilpa Shetty, made yoga a rage. [
Shilpa's Yoga DVD - Buy From Amazon.com >>]
Bipasha Basu not only has her own personalised fitness mantra — a mix of cardio, yoga and weight training — but also popularises it through
her workout DVDs. While Asin swears by the ancient martial arts form of Kalaripayattu, Masumeh prefers kickboxing. For Sameera Reddy, it’s swimming that’s worked wonders.
And while these celebs flaunted their toned figures, little did the public realise that each one of these celebs achieved the targetted look through workout regimes modulated for his/her specific body type.
Most people hit the gym or start a fitness regime with a goal in mind. The means to the end are not factored in, says fitness experts. “I want a workout like Aamir’s or the same regime that Kareena follows... I want a body like Suriya’s or a figure like Bipasha...” are the common requests.
Herein lies the problem, not all workout regimes work the same wonders for different people. Says Bipasha Basu, “Every individual has a different body mass, weight, bone density and stamina. These are the key things that help a person decide which workout will suit him/her best. Every individual needs a different workout depending on the body’s requirement. It’s very important that you recognise your body type and then figure out an exercise regime that’s best for your body, with your instructor.”
Sameera Reddy, who lost oodles of weight after years of struggling to shed the kilos, says it’s all thanks to perfecting the right workout. “Just as people are conscious about what they wear, it’s equally important to realise what’s best for your body. After trying out several work-outs, I found that what works for me is a combination of swimming and yoga. So, now I stick to that and it has worked wonders for me. ” Of late, Shahid Kapoor’s been flaunting an eight-pack. But these chiselled abs were not the aim of his workout, he maintains. Instead, they were a by-product of his regime, which focussed on stamina and endurance. “My aim was to build stamina and the abs are just a by-product. The aim should never be the cuts, but endurance and fitness,” says Shahid. Agrees Asin, who quips, “The idea should be to be fit and healthy and not to be size zero.” According to Dr Preeti Verma, “Often, in a bid to copy fitness fads made famous by screen stars, people overlook their own body requirements and body types. Ideally, any workout should be planned keeping in mind your age and weight. Following the wrong workout can cause more harm than good. It is always better to understand your body before zeroing in on a workout. Screen celebs should be treated as inspiration, not the goal.”
Explains gym instructor Reema Tyagi, “The purpose of any workout is to feel good — mentally and physically. It’s more important to be fit and healthy, rather than to get into a very small dress size.”
Figuring out the right fitness programme, though, should not be a DIY exercise.
Says Kiran Bose, a 28-year-old entrepreneur, “Some months ago, I had noted down Shilpa Shetty’s diet and workout regime, that she had revealed in one of her interviews. Without consulting an instructor, I started following the same diet, and even the workouts and yoga asanas. Not much later, I fainted during one of the workouts and had to be rushed to the hospital.” Since then, Kiran has been very careful and runs a new exercise by her instructor before incorporating it in her workout.
And expert guidance is not just required for heavy duty cardio and weight training. Even yoga is best done under trained supervision. But the trouble is that there are way too many qualified trainers flooding the market, says ashtanga vinyasa yoga expert, Dipika Mehta. “In the west personal weight reduction regimes are regulated, unlike in India, where most people are not even aware of their body. They just read in books about Kareena Kapoor’s suryanamaskars and start doing the same. What is important is not the number of suryanamaskars you do, but the alignment of your body as you do it.”
BIPASHA'S TIPSBefore starting to work out, sit down with your fitness instructor and chalk out a proper work-out schedule, keeping in mind your body type.
Your aim should not be that of acquiring a body to look like so-and-so, but to get a healthy, fit and toned body.
It’s important to wear the right shoes and the correct exercising gear.
It’s very important to maintain the correct postures and use the right breathing techniques to get the best results. These will help avoid injuries as well.
Eating healthy is as important as adopting a healthy lifestyle. So, get your six to seven hours of sound sleep.
Avoid alcohol and smoking.
Start your gymming session with a warm-up to avoid injuries.
Avoid talking excessively while exercising.
Maintain a healthy diet and make sure your intake of vitamins, proteins and carbs is right.
Avoid intake of steroids to beef up your body. Stay natural.
Keep yourself stress-free and adopt a positive attitude in life.
Bipasha Basu Has Launched Her Own Fitness DVD 'Fit & Fabulous You'Fit & Fabulous You is a do-it-yourself DVD devised for a workout which promises to cut fat and tone up muscles. The DVD has 60 minutes of workouts. The first half is for beginners and the second for advanced workouts. The video was shot in Delhi last year and also features interviews and diet tips from Bipasha and fitness expert Deanne Pandey. For More Details
Click Here >>To Buy the Fitness DVD on Amazon.com. Click Here >>
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