Fun Ways To Get Fit

Bust out of your rut and burn calories with exciting workouts currently making its rounds in the fitness world

- Yap Jin Wen

Experts recommend that adults exercise for at least half an hour on most days of the week – but what if you just cannot make it stick?

If you are tired of that same-old-same-old-routine or have not found an activity that you truly enjoy, take a look at these intriguing new ways to squeeze in some physical activity.

MERMAIDING

If you are a water baby and like to stay fit in the water, why not learn to swim like a mermaid? It is currently trending in the US, Canada and especially in Asia. Fortunately, Malaysia is among the few countries that has mermaiding schools.

The basic movement of mermaiding is similar to the butterfly stroke or the dolphin kick. The only difference is that mermaiding uses a monofin – a large tail that propels the swimmer through the water faster than normal.

Naomi, an instructor at The Mermaid Mission – Malaysia’s only mermaid swimming academy – describes it as a fantastic way to keep fit and tone core muscles while having fun. Specifically, the exercise targets muscle flexibility of the shoulders, hips and spine.

Adds Syrena, Singapore’s first mermaid swimmer and instructor at the Singapore Mermaid School:

“Psychologically, it gives you a great boost as well – who would not want to be a strong, powerful, mythical creature who can swim gracefully in the water? It can do wonders for your self-esteem.”

For anyone who wishes to discover their mythical self, Dolphin Lee Aquatic Sdn Bhd @ Selangor (The Mermaid Mission) is conducting mermaid classes at just RM160 per month. For more information, visit www.dolphinlee.com or call them at 03-3344 1228 / 019-603 3522.

SLACKLINING

Tightrope walking has been around for centuries, but it has gotten a modern twist with the sport of slacklining.