Fitter, Fabber You

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Discover the exercise that will keep you coming back for more and those resolutions to get fit might come true this year.

We all know the feeling — starting the new year somewhat flabby after the festive season’s excesses and determined that this really will be the year when we get off the couch and hit the fitness trail. Organisations, including the American College of Sports Medicine, seem to suggest that 2018’s hottest trends will be more of the same – group fitness, senior work-outs and yoga, which, with good reason, never seems to lose its popularity.

But, if you fancy trying something different in 2018, there are plenty of fun options to choose from. Some have been here for a while, others are newly available in Bahrain.

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Bungee Fitness

Channel your inner Peter Pan with this great fun form of exercise. What is it? You might well ask. Florida-based fitness expert Raphael Konforti tells popsugar.com: “Normally bungees or resistance bands make exercises more difficult, but when the bungee is anchored to the ceiling, the resistance completely changes. The bungee is pulling you up, almost like an antigravity machine. So, any exercises done underneath the bungee, like lunges, are actually easier. The catch is the further away from the anchor point you go, the more resistance you’ll have to overcome to get there. What’s most appealing about bungee training is how much fun you have! Bungee training combines elements of dance and rhythm with your standard money-maker exercises like squats, lunges, planks, push-ups and sprints.”
We’re reliably informed that classes will be running from March, more info when we have it.

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Boxing

Apparently boxing is due to make a comeback in 2018. According to livestrong.com: “Women who train at a boxing gym receive a multitude of benefits. This type of workout can burn hundreds of calories per hour, making it valuable if you want to maintain your weight or shed a few pounds. Boxing also strengthens both your upper-body muscles and the muscles in your core and lower body. Boxing improves your balance and flexibility while also boosting your confidence and serving as a valuable self-defence tool.”
Ladies are very welcome in the ring, or at least on the sparring mat, at MMA Bahrain, where they say: “It’s not about the fight, it’s about the confidence and exercise”. Female BoxFit classes run three times a week, on Sundays, Tuesdays and Thursdays.
Call 35 071-616.

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Pole Dancing

Banish from your mind the idea of seedy clubs and leering men; pole dancing is officially one trend in women’s fitness that is both empowering and fun. It’s great for building core and upper-body strength as well as confidence. Local realtor Lana Furman, who’s been taking classes, says: “I only started last month but I already feel stronger and more flexible. It’s a mixture of gymnastics, dance and acrobatics, a fun way to stay fit.” And if you don’t think you can manage the pole to start with, classes also include using a hoop, which looks just slightly easier.
If you fancy giving it a go, Ahmed’s Predator Studio has several classes a week. They also do an intriguing class called High Heels which looks like burlesque!
Call 33 192-666.

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SUP Yoga

OK, so by now we all know what stand-up paddle boarding is, and yoga is one of the world’s most popular forms of exercise. But yoga on a paddle board? Yep, it’s doable, it’s fun and it’s also incredibly good for you. According to doyouyoga.com the benefits are many and varied, from being forced to slow down your yoga practice to challenging your muscles in a different way and developing greater mindfulness as paying attention to every breath and body movement, every placement of a foot, leg or arm, is key to keeping balance.
Get your feet on a floating yoga mat at Beach Culture in Amwaj. Classes are usually regular but are currently subject to the weather.
Call 77 363-677.

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Rowing

Since the island now has its very own rowing club, Bahrain Rowing and Canoe Centre, this is one sport that’s now within everyone’s reach. And the centre is truly inclusive catering to everyone from elite athletes to those with disabilities and people from low-inclome households.

Scull rowing is great for the legs, core and upper-body strength. Canoeing builds core strength and balance and, as an added bonus, they’re also promising dragon boating – think Hawaii Five-0.
Advance booking is mandatory, as boats have to be individually set up, and there are four time slots available daily — 6.30am-8am, 8am-9.30am, 4pm-5.30pm and 5.30pm-7pm.
Contact bahrainrowing.org

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Bollywood Dance

Who can forget the train station dance scene to the strains of Jai Ho in Slumdog Millionaire? If you can hear that song without shaking your booty, you clearly have no soul! But if you want to learn how to do it properly, build you aerobic fitness and truly up the ante in terms of coordination, then Bollywood dance classes are the place to be.
Check out the action at Bollywood Steps, in Ramli Mall, which has classes on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
Call 39 323-453.

And Now For Something Completely Different…
Here are a couple of fitness ideas we’re not quite so sure about.

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Water Walking

Nope, this has no religious connotations. Rather, it’s about crossing the water’s surface inside a giant, plastic hamster ball! They’re called WaterWalkerz and look much like the zorbing balls, which were a big craze in Europe a few years ago. The tricky part is staying upright. To avoid falling, you’ll need to engage your abs and keep yourself moving – so, what looks like a lot of fun is really a full-body workout, too.

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Cycle Karaoke

Yes, you did read that correctly. Apparently the Americans have taken this one to heart and can regularly be found belting out their favourite tunes whilst peddling like stink in a spin class. Suppose you could at least demand a slushy ballad when the going gets too tough. Can’t see this catching on somehow!