Don’t follow star workouts blindly! ~ Life Stylzz

The hot bods flaunted by tinseltown stars are great for inspiration, but don't go about aping their workouts blindly. We tell you what could go wrong....

In the 80s Jane Fonda came out with an aerobics video and aerobics became a rage across the country and even found takers in Bollywood. Several celebs including Rekha are known to have adopted Fonda's mantras dished out on videos as their fitness regime. Recently Aamir Khan, Shah Rukh Khan and Shahid Kapoor kicked up a storm in the brawny-look department with their eight-pack and six-pack and soon acquiring those envious packs became the dream for every guy who hit the gym with a vengeance.

Not to lag behind, the glam babes of Bollywood too popularised their own signature fitness mantras. Size zero queen Kareena Kapoor and the actress with the washboard flat abs Shilpa Shetty made yoga a rage. Bipasha Basu too has been following her own personalised fitness mantra.

While most celebs have hit bull's eye with the workouts that work the best for them, the aam junta often tends to ape and follow their celebs blindly. A fact most gym-coaches and fitness instructors across the city would vouch for. "I want a body like Salman's or a figure like Bipasha..." are the common requests. However, health experts insist that just like not all fashion trends suit everyone, similarly, not all workout regimes can be applicable to all.

Fitness freak and actress Bipasha Basu says, "Every individual has different body mass, weight, bone density and stamina. These are the key things that help a person decide which workout will suit them best. Every individual needs a different workout depending on his/her body. It's important you recognise your body type and with your fitness instructor plan a work out that best suits you."

Sameera Reddy too says that just following any fitness regime doesn't help. "Just as people are conscious about what they wear, it's equally important to realise what's best for your body. What works for me is a combination of swimming and yoga. So, now I stick to that and it has worked wonders for me," she adds.

Even Shahid Kapoor on his way to acquiring his envious eight-pack did not tread the same route as Shah Rukh or Aamir did for their films. In fact, while Aamir's workout aimed at bulking up the muscles, Shahid's work-outs were more stamina-building and endurance-based. "My aim was to build stamina and the eight-pack or six-pack are really a by-product. The aim should never be the cuts, but endurance and fitness," said Shahid.

According to Dr Preeti Verma, "In a bid to copy fitness fads made famous by screen stars, people overlook their body requirements and body types. Any work-out should be planned keeping in mind your age and weight." She adds, "Following the wrong workouts can cause more harm than we can imagine. It is better to understand your body before zeroing on your workouts. Screen celebs should be treated as inspiration not the goals."

Gym instructor Reema Tyagi says, "The purpose of any workout is to feel good, mentally and physically. It's more important to be fit and healthy rather than to get into the size-zero dresses."

Kiran Bose, an entrepreneur recalls, "About eight months back, I had noted Shilpa Shetty's diet and workout regime from one of her interviews. Without consulting an instructor, I started following the same diet, and even the workouts and yoga asanas. As a result, I fainted during one of my workouts and I had to be rushed to the hospital." Now, she reveals that since that day, she has been careful of running a new exercise through her instructor before incorporating it in her workout.

Most experts believe that proper personal guidance is essential. Ashtanga vinyasa yoga expert Dipika Mehta feels today there are many not-so-qualified yoga trainers flooding the market. "The West has regulations for personal weight reduction regimes unlike India where most people are not even aware of their body. People read about Kareena's suryanamaskars and start doing the same. What is important is not the number but the alignment while you do suryanamaskars. It's about not feeling stressed out."