www.womanthismonth.com January 2018 FEATURE | new year fitness 37 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. 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 And Now For Something Completely Different… Here are a couple of fitness ideas we’re not quite so sure about. 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. 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! 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. 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. 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.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy Mjk0MTkxMQ==