My interview in Telegraph newspaper

This interview of mine, got published in Telegraph and can be checked online here.

A healthy mix

Yoga combined with other workout routines is the New Age fitness mantra, says Saimi Sattar

So, New Age hybrids are born every day. There’s Spynga, a mix of yoga and spinning. Or try Yogilates which combines yoga with Pilates. If you’re in a more aggressive mode try Qiangbo, a blend of martial arts and yoga. There’s also Aquayoga, a combination of aqua aerobics and yoga. “The combination of workouts is important as each has unique benefits to give in a short time,” says Kiran Sawhney, who runs Fitnesolutions in Delhi. The workouts are customised. Trainers consider a person’s fitness levels, body type, and goals. Also, there’s the all-important question of a person’s interests. So, if someone is interested in martial arts, Qiangbo is better than Yogilates. The duration and frequency of the training is also determined accordingly. Pix by Jagan Negi Yogilates Experts say that there are plenty of similarities between yoga and Pilates. Both focus on breathing and correct postures.  Take a look at a Pilates move called roll up. You move from a lying down position to sitting up and touching your toes. In yoga there’s a similar asana, the difference being that one begins from a sitting position and it’s held longer. So in effect there are elements of Pilates (starting from a lying down position) and bits of yoga (holding it longer). Then, there’s the setu bandh asana that’s similar to the pelvic raises done in Pilates. These are modified to bring in bits of yoga and Pilates. In other cases certain Pilates moves are followed with yoga exercises. Aqua aerobics and yoga Water has two properties, that of buoyancy and resistance. “A leg raise goes higher in water because of buoyancy, increasing flexibility and making it easier to practice outside water,” says Sawhney. Water resistance feels like wearing a heavy coat while exercising. This overload means you lose up to eight times more weight than normal. In vriksh-asana, for example, you stand on one leg with the other leg curled up against the thigh. Water resistance makes it difficult to hold a pose. This enhances muscle co-ordination and balance. So, the next time you take the yoga mat to the gym, hop on to a spin cycle, or plunge into the pool for a round of aerobics and you’ll find the payback is so much better.