Yayy! It’s Bhangra today!

Mona

Agility as well as coordination, speed and endurance – if something could help you with it all while also offering enjoyment, all packed in one hour ... well, that’s Bhangra workout for you!

Gyms have enjoyed great patronage from the city crowd and it’s the beats of dhol that are taking fitness enthusiasts nearer to their body goals. Bhangra fanatics swear by the awesome workout and great energy that stays with you through the day, and here we talk to some of the Bhangra fitness trainers on their take.

Fun+Punjabi = Funjabi

It was loud beats of dhol that attracted young Jassi to bhangra and two decades on, the charm hasn’t faded a wee bit. One of the last Sundays saw Extreme Bhangra Fitness - The House of Funjabi by Jassi Singh with about 200 participants at 6:30 in the morning enjoying and getting fit.

With a bachelors degree in mass media and a course in choreography, the 24-year-old Jassi, anchor, actor and fitness trainer, started a Bhangra fitness group and two years on he is enjoying dancing the blues away with his students as small as 5-year-olds to 60 plus at Jacked Fitness, Panchkula.

Fitness funda: “Bhangra is a complete physical, mental workout,” says Jassi. We understand the physical part but mental? “Listen to Punjabi songs and is it possible to stay gloomy post it,” asks this handsome turbaned boy with a mischievous glint.

Topping the charts: Zora Randhawa, DJ KSR and DJ Frenzy numbers; Patiala Peg and Do You Know bhangra remix by Diljit Dosanjh.

Fitness taking over folk: “No way. In fact Bhangra catching up as a fitness fad is only promoting the dance form. We hold workshops in Mumbai and Bangalore and start the workout on dhol beats only. Rather, it is garnering more attention to this beautiful traditional dance form,” says he.

Moment: While learning under Gurinder Guri Singh and now teaching, Jassi has loved the Bhangra beats, it was a quick act with anchor Aparshakti Khurana and Australian cricketer Dean Jones on national TV that Jassi recounts his favourite!

Bhangra on a world tour!

While in school in Ambala, Preet was majorly offended that all kind of folks would get representation during cultural shows including Rajasthani but not Bhangra. So, he went all the way to Delhi to do a certification course and once back, was training teams not only in his school but also for college youth fests. All of 19, and currently taking Bhangra fitness classes in Platinum gym and Ozi in Panchkula, what bothers this teen is that every Gupta, Bansal, Kashyap, Rana is getting a pro at Bhangra except the sardars! “Would you believe it that Chinese are doing Bhangra these days? And here in the land of this folk are hardly any takers!”

But then that hasn’t stopped this boy from exploring options. Major fan of Bhangra Empire, Preet Ghotra has learnt some moves from following the best Bhangra troupes on Youtube and working on some of his special moves. “Can you believe the best Bhangra bands are in Canada,” says the boy who aims to have his own band on the world stage someday.

Fitness funda: Now where else would you find a workout that takes care of movement of your eyes to that of the toes? Done vigorously, this can make you burn 1500-1600 calories in an hour. Is there something to beat that?

Topping the charts: PBN’s songs — an amazing combination of fast and slow beats just superb for a workout

Health@peppy numbers

Growing up in Chandigarh, Jyoti Mishra was fascinated with Bhangra to begin with and when she chose to be a fitness trainer that was her moment to learn something that she totally enjoyed. A zumba instructor and aerobics trainer, she swears by this Punjabi folk dance and its reach within and outside the country.

Fitness funda: Apart from the vigorous movements, it’s the immediate connect with fitness enthusiasts that Jyoti swears by. “The moment I announce that Bhangra it is today, the energy level and the workout of that session is amazing.”

Topping the charts: Panchtara, Jehri kuri, Phatte chukdi, Time table

Fitness taking over folk: Let’s be realistic. Stressful jobs today leave us with little time to pursue our interests. However, everyone is keen on good health so if that hour of workout keeps one connected with roots, what’s the harm?

Dance, lose weight and have fun!

Class 5th it was when Ranvir Rana’s love affair started with this Punjabi folk dance that’s currently his ‘junoon’. Teaching at Dance Dacha, this gold medallist in nationals in Bhangra finds in it, his ultimate joy.

Fitness funda: See not only one gets to flex each body part in Bhangra; with peppy songs - it is way more fun than day after day of same old exercises.

Topping the charts: Daljit’s Patiala, Sherry Mann’s Hostel, Malkiyat Ailakh’s Chude Wali & Na ja na ja.

Fitness taking over folk: That’s a reality hard to miss. Truth is that Bhangra in its true form has gone missing from regular life and is just restricted to youth festivals now.

This one’s is a Bhangra heavyweight!

Micky Singh is one Bhangra name in the city to reckon with. When the city crowd was going crazy over zumba, Micky thought why not let Bhangra do the fitness job? As a Bhangra dancer, it was a session with Masala Bhangra fame Sarina Jain that this city guy took seriously. Over the last few years he has developed and copyrighted his own Heavyweight Bhangra Fitness Style and takes it across internationally. Making fitness enthusiasts literally dance to his tunes through the entire Europe, Mickey who has maintained his tricity contact through Kris Gethin Gym, Mohali is taking his fitness funda over to the US and Canada this winter. “Burning 700 calories an hour and getting ready to make those cool suave moves in parties what more can you ask for,” asks Micky!

mona@tribunemail.com