Some truly bizarre workouts

These bizarre workouts may not guarantee inch loss, but do promise a bag of laughs To involve those reluctant to step into a gym, an amusing gamut of exercises is devised around 'fun activities'. Think laughter yoga, disco yoga, performing circus stunts using a trapeze and sexercises such as pole-dancing and strip aerobics. While many strike the balance between having fun and staying fit, some wacky ones stand out for their comic effect. Buff huff-n-puff Nude exercise enthusiasts hail their workouts as "freeing, liberating and uninhibited". Others must prepare to soak up scandalising images of fleshy flab, sweaty genitalia and a lot of body hair among other visual delights. Not to mention, running the risk of being infected - like contracting piles from pilates. While a unisex session would satiate a pervert's deepest fantasies, one can only pray to not be facing the back of a dude doing lunges or squats. Getting your own towels and yoga mats (for nude yoga) has never been as pressing. Treat them as seat covers while riding exercise bikes or doing bench-presses. At some gyms, you can wear undergarments; wellendowed women are allowed to wear a sports bra for comfort. The idea is to motivate you by appreciating your naked body and seek inspiration from betterlooking bodies. Also, nudity allows for unrestricted body movements. Interestingly, Spartans exercised in the nude and 'gymnasium' means a place for exercising naked. Doggie-style discipline It is often said that if your dog is fat, you aren't getting enough exercise. So what could be better - and funnier - than you and your pooch helping each other out with some mean yoga aasanas? Doga, or yoga for dogs, has some strange workouts cut out for both master and mutt. The proponents believe a long walk is not an allround workout for your dog, but balancing its body on its shaggy head is. While dogs are supposed to help you get a deeper stretch or lie under your knees when you crack a few crunches, you are supposed to hold its limbs or tummy to ease it into poses. In short, you support the dog's back and the dog supports yours. If your dog is a toughie, you have the option of joining him at doggie boot camps where you will be punished with push-ups and squats if your pooch doesn't pull off the strength and endurance drills on command. Having a dog as your workout partner also ensures that you don't compare, get envious or fret over not developing bulkier biceps or a slimmer waistline. Karaoke the carbs away While busting your rear at the gym, a karaoke session is the last thing your violently throbbing heart would want to indulge in. At cardio workouts melded with karaoke - known as cardoke or Karaoke spin classes - you sing 'I want to break free' loudly, while the bicycle or cross-trainer monitor helps with the lyrics. Other than boosting collective energy, the concept behind this trend is that our singing is a fine gauge of our heart rate at its optimum level. So you must relax a bit should your lungs struggle to handle Dancing Queen; and step it up if you are able to belt it out effortlessly. Fans claim it helps them control their breathing. But of what use would that be if you drop dead in the middle of your favourite number! Be unkind, rewind This year's outlandish fitness trend urges joggers and runners to hit the rewind button. Benefits? Less pounding of feet, toned muscles, better protection of joints, greater calorie burn are, improvement of balance, etc. Never mind that you have to continuously strain your neck to keep a watch on where your confused legs are taking you. In a city like Mumbai, where vehicles scoot through footpaths, you'll have to look for that rare open playground or park to run backwards; unless you want to crash into road work debris, garbage bins, stray dogs, or speeding vehicles. If you, for a moment, forget to look where you are going, you could disappear into a pothole.