Discowale Khisko

Fitness trend: Masala Bhangra

A recent commercial for a beauty product starring Kareena Kapoor has something like this for a tag line, “makeup that doesn’t seem madeup.” If we were to devise something similar for Masala Bhangra, it would be, “a workout that doesn’t seem like a workout.”

Masala Bhangra is the new fitness form gaining foothold in India. Created by Sarina Jain, the new form of dancercise blends the high-energy folk dance from Punjab with adrenaline pumping Bollywood moves. We caught up with Masala Bhangra Master Trainer in India, Shalini Bhargava to know more about the workout.

According to Shalini, the uniqueness of this workout lies in the fact that it mixes cardiovascular activity with fun and is not just limited to people of a certain age group and fitness level as steps or moves can be modified to suit all. Shalini explains, “Masala Bhangra is a 45-60 minutes class and the music is based on dhol beats which help in making it a high energy workout.” The beauty of this workout Shalini feels is the fact that, “one does not need to be a dancer to be eligible for Masala Bhangra. It is a group activity, is fun and burns up to 500 calories an hour.”

What works for the participants in these sessions are the moves that ensure a person gets a complete cardiovascular workout. “Since the arms are up in the air and shoulders are moving up and down for most part, typically as is done in Bhangra, the upper body gets stronger. A lot of emphasis is placed on the thighs, so the legs too get stronger. The core muscles too get stronger as one is supposed to maintain an upright posture throughout. So this workout tones the entire body,” says Shalini, who was recently a part of a Masala Bhangra party at Pune.

As many as 150 participants came together for the party, conducted by Sarina Jain and Shalini Bhargava, making it the biggest Master Class that has ever happened in India. “People were completely thrilled and excited and did not want to stop. I am very proud that India has its own dance based workout and all I can say is that people have to experience it to feel its magic,” says Shalini.

There are trainings and Master classes lined up across India in the coming months and the biggest event is happening in Mumbai-The Masala Bhangra Mela. “This is like a fitness convention for all Masala Bhangra Ambassadors and Non Ambassadors. Enthusiasts from all over the world are expected to attend the event to be held in November,” reveals Shalini. (Details can be found on www.masaladance.com)

The top 3 popular numbers For Masala Bhangra:

• The Masala Bhangra theme song sung by Jasbir Jassi
• Gal Ban Gayi by Sukhbir
• Discowale Khisko from the movie Dil Bole Hadippa