Mind-body workouts
It may be a sign of an ageing market, but last year saw a leap in the popularity of fitness classes that were gentler and kinder to the body, such as yoga, Pilates and tai chi. Or perhaps people are tired of enduring the aching joints and muscles caused by the more traditional methods of keeping fit. Or, they could be looking for a workout that exercises both mind and body.
Many in the United States and Australia are turning to a new style of fitness class called the mind-body combo workout. One such class is a combination of yoga and Pilates called 'yogalates'. Its creator, Australian fitness instructor Louise Solomon, describes it as a 'fusion of East meets West, of mind and body'. According to Solomon, this mind-body class uses yogic breathing to calm the mind and Pilates exercises to strengthen the core muscle group for better posture and functional fitness.
In Hong Kong, Lorraine Aronson teaches her version of yoga-Pilates. She says the form of yoga used in these classes depends on the instructor - whether hatha, Iyengar, Astanga or, in her case, gyrokinesis. This is a relatively new yoga form and incorporates key movements from the three disciplines of swimming, gymnastics and ballet. It was developed 20 years ago by Juliu Horvath, a former dancer and yogi, and is performed on either specially designed equipment or a mat.
Aronson says the yoga-Pilates class doesn't have a set structure or routine. Instead, the instructor develops the flow of the class depending on the participants.
Breathing is a vital part and Aronson says this exercise is really good for people with back and hip problems or injuries. The mix of yoga and Pilates allows the teacher and student to work together to come up with the ideal workout.
If the popularity in the US and Australia of these mind-body combo classes is any indication, then the yoga-Pilates class may be the beginning of many more to arrive in Hong Kong. Some of the other combo classes popular in the US include a fusion of yoga and tai chi called yo-chi T, or yo-chi-ball T (adding a fitball), or one of the more packed classes in California, yogabutt T (only in California!). In this class, participants use a small ball between their legs when doing the yoga postures. According to the founder, Beth Shaw, it forces people to work more on their core muscles.
Devotees of yoga or Pilates may not like the idea of these fusion classes, but they'll probably become popular with those looking for the quickest way to work both the mind and body.
