In the hopes of acquiring a healthier lifestyle and a fitter body while juggling the busy life of being a parent, moms and dads are looking for a workout routine beyond the ordinary. It is definitely a plus if these workouts help boost their confidence in their bodies and help make them more attractive to their spouse.
To break away from the conventional exercises and tools available in gyms and fitness centers, more and more alternative workouts are cropping up in the market. We share with you some of the hottest workouts in the metro to bring out a sexier you.
1. Pole Dancing
Gone are the days when pole dancing was merely women’s way of entertaining men in bars, strip clubs or during bachelor parties. Pole fitness, as the workout has become known, targets different muscle groups in the body, making it a very core-intensive sport.
The benefits
“A lot of lifting is involved in all the moves, but it also engages your upper body and thigh strength,” explains Kris Isaac from Polecats Manila. “Mixing this with a choreographed dance gives you a cardiovascular workout as well. You'll notice in a couple of months that you're stronger, tighter and a lot more coordinated in your movements.”
Isaac recommends moms to join the one-hour sessions at least twice to thrice a week.
The mental and emotional benefits, though, according to Isaac, far outweigh the physical ones. “Pole dancing allows you to do things you never thought you could do. With every session you take, you are surprised by just how far you can go and how wonderful your body truly is. This boosts your confidence and it will show in the different aspects in your life. I mean, if you can invert on a pole while 9 feet up in the air, then you can do anything.”
Misconceptions
Because pole dancing didn’t start out as a serious workout, Isaac also points out how people may tend to just dismiss it as stripping for a living, when it fact, it takes much discipline, training and hard work to be good pole dancer.
“But that doesn't mean that it isn't fun!” stresses Isaac. “It's definitely something you can get addicted to, even after just one try.”
Because it’s such an erotic activity to watch as a performance, even husbands are encouraging their wives to try pole dancing because it combines sexiness and strength, says Isaac. “And women are also turning to pole dancing for a workout that isn't boring and is constantly getting more exciting.”
Isaac also emphasizes that pole fitness isn’t just for women. In fact, Polecats Manila has been getting more male enrollees.
The cost
“The walk-in rate for a one hour session is P500,” explains Isaac. “But if you want to purchase a class card for 8 classes, it's only P3,000. That brings it down to P375 per class.”
For more information, visit Polecats Manila’ Facebook page, http://www.facebook.com/PolecatsManila.
Photography by Pong Ignacio
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2. Bellydancing
This traditional Middle Eastern dance has gained a reputation for being not just a spectacular performing art, but also a great form of exercise.
The benefits
This sexy workout makes use primarily of the torso and the hips, improving flexibility and a good method to prevent ailments such as osteoporosis. The undulation of the body helps strengthen the upper body, arm and shoulders.
Belly dance expert, fitness instructor and mom to an 8-year old son, Jill Ngo-Crisologo explains that the key to belly dancing is one’s correct form and method as she dances. “It builds confidence, your body becomes more flexible and your core becomes stronger. It will also tone your arms and legs,” she explains.
Misconceptions
Crisologo would also like to correct the notion that bellydancing just involves the stomach, and that it is a sleazy kind of dance, as when it is done correctly, it can be rather elegant to watch.
The cost
“The walk-in rate is P380, however, we suggest getting the four-session package worth P1,350 for a month; the P2,000 for 8 sessions in a month package; or the P2,200 for unlimited sessions in a month,” explains Crisologo.
For more information, visit Jill Ngo-Crisologo’s Facebook page.
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3. Hoop Dance or Hoop Fitness
The hula hoop, more familiar to many as a childhood toy, serves more purpose in the health department, it seems. Popularized by Daniel Darwin, Fil-Am Talentadong Pinoy Hall of Famer (6-time champion) and professional firehooper in New York City, hoop dance has now grown into a full-fledged workout alternative in the Philippines.
How it works
Daniel Darwin shares, “The hula hoop as an approach to fitness relies on grace more than on strength or flexibility or agility. People of any age group, body type, or walk of life can find their grace in hula hooping; it's an incredibly accessible form of not only exercise but also artistic expression and of youthful playfulness.”
The benefits
“The benefits of the hula hoop as a method of exercise is three-fold: the first is that it's nearly impossible not to have fun while you hula-hoop,” says Darwin. It's something you can enjoy with your kids, in fact.
“The second is that even a simple rotation of the hoop around your waist ends up incorporating quite a comprehensive workout. Hooping is not only an intense cardiovascular workout [get ready to sweat!], but in keeping the hoop spinning, we end up working the core in a way that feels like you've done a hundred crunches by the end of a ten-minute dance.”
“And the third benefit is that though it is a rigorous exercise method, it's also an art form. You end up learning rhythms, movements, gaining flexibility and developing a personal style of hooping that is performance-driven, fierce, and a brilliant thing to watch and share with others.”
Because the effects of hoop dance vary per practitioner, there’s really no one recommendation as to how often or how many minutes in a day or hours in a week one should practice it.
Aside from the physical benefits, students have a newfound appreciation for their body. “The flow-arts [hula hooping, poi, contact juggling, etc.] teach you to appreciate your body in a new way, to achieve beauty in a way that's not about looking beautiful but rather about feeling beautiful,” explains Darwin.
Misconceptions
Because the hula hoop is more known as something for kids and played around just with the waist, people might think that hoop dance is just for kids and restricted to the torso area.
“In truth, the only reason kids are better at hula hooping than adults is that we've been taught our whole lives how to walk, which muscles to contract to suck in our bellies, how to move so as to get by in this world,” says Darwin, “whereas kids are free. They don't care if they look silly, or how their bodies move, so the hoop spins easily around their bodies. Part of what is so fun about hula hooping is the liberation that my students feel when their muscles finally release. When they start feeling the momentum of their movements and the fluidity we all have in our bodies to move uninhibitedly the way we used to when we were kids.”
As for being limited to just the waist, if you’ve seen just how hoop experts have successfully danced with multiple hoops around their whole body, then you’ll see just how hoop fitness extensively helps develop flexibility.
The cost
"We have two rates to work with people's different schedules. For people who can't commit to a weekly attendance because of their jobs or family schedules, we have a drop-in rate of P350 per class. But for those who know they'll be there each week we also have a discounted package rate of P1,200 for four sessions."
For more information, call 0915-7946716 and look for Daniel or 0917-8591013 and look for Giselle Tomimbang. You may also visit the Manila Hoops Facebook page.
Photo by theclyde via flickr creative commons
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4. Salsa
A Latin dance that oozes with sensuality is salsa, characterized by swaying hips, rapid steps and skipping motions, involves a lot of energy and an intense connection with a dancing partner.
The benefits
“You'll learn a new sexy dance and at the same time, exercising in a fun way, and a new hobby to get into,” says salsa instructor, Jonathan Picayo, of Prodigy Mambo Dance Company. “It's also a chance to meet new people and unwind after a long day at work.”
Because of the vigorous movements involved, salsa can be considered a great cardiovascular activity, as well as an effective stress reliever. On average, salsa can burn an average of 420 calories per hour, so it can also be used as a way to lose weight.
Moms can incorporate salsa dancing as a low-impact workout, as often as two to three times a week, as a supplement to daily exercise.
Misconceptions
“The most common misconception about Salsa is that people think it's just a form of ballroom dancing and that it's for old people, but its not. It’s for all ages,” stresses Picayo. “Also, some people think that Salsa is a hard dance to learn, which is not true. It's very easy and fun and all you have got to do is to learn the basic steps, practice, and apply it on the dance floor.”
The cost
“Salsa dancing in some of the salsa clubs in Manila are free and they usually offer a 30-minute basic class for the newbies,” explains Picayo. “For a group lesson, it ranges from P250 to P300 per class.”
For more information, call 0917-3341231 or 0906-3058690 and look for Jonathan Picayo. You may also visit the Prodigy Mambo Dance Company Facebook page, http://www.facebook.com/prodigymambo.
Photo by cliff1066 via flickr creative commons
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