SO YOU WANT TO FIT…

LET's face it: exercise can feel like drudgery if you don't spice up your routine with some variety after a while. And that's a big concession for a health nut like me to admit. So that is why I'm always on the prowl for hot new trends in exercise. We all could use a little motivational boost now and then. And by fat, the hottest and latest exercise trends are all in the mind/body genre.

Here's a round-up of what moves are keeping the very fit even fitter. Pilates is one of the most popular exercise systems going today. Developed in the 1930s by New York-based physical trainer Joseph Pilates, the system involves a series of stretching and strengthening types of exercises designed to keep ballet dancers limber and strong, with a non-bulky, elongated look. Migrating out of the ballet world to the fitness scene, Pilates is taught by certified instructors at clubs and spas that promise that latest, greatest ways to maintain sculpted perfection.

The emphasis is on posture, breathing and a confounding number of verbal cues to "rotate your pelvis", "move from your core", and "tuck your tailbone a centimetre more". Performed either on medieval-looking equipment, ominously given names like the "Reformer", or on cushy floor mats, Pilates may just tighten areas of your body that you thought had long ago lost the battle to gravity. Look for Pilates-trained instructors near you, or ask if they have learned any specialised forms of "core conditioning" work, a similar approach that aims to develop that sleek and toned look.

What else is capturing the attention of the fit crowd? Yoga maintains its first-place standing as the fastest growing exercise system in the U.S., parts of Europe and Asia. Depending on what lineage is followed, yoga is viewed as the superior method for restoring health and wellness, gaining fitness, and developing unity of mind, body and spirit. But the quality of instruction in most international cities varies widely. Most Westerners fasten onto the notions of control and discipline of the body without focussing on the inner-directed skills of unburdening the mind and directing the spirit.

Much of the clarity of mind and freedom from stress that is emphasised in various hatha yoga schools in India somehow gets lost in the translation by the time it reaches yoga studios in Los Angeles or Buenos Aires. Some classes, highly popularised in urban centres, lack the calming effects of yoga, while they feature the heated, strength-training aspects of Ashtanga or "power yoga", as it is called in Germany and the U.S. The celebrities Madonna and Sting swear by this approach, believing that it gives them the stamina necessary for their high-energy performances.

Then there are the hybrid trends that attempt to combine popular classes. For example, Pilates has just been combined with yoga to form Yogilates. Created in 1997 by Johnathan Urla, Yogilates is described as "an alternative path to optimal fitness and health" in his new book. Urla recommends you start with a beginner series at least three times a week, allowing your body time for recovery and "for the changes in your neurological pathways to be absorbed".

# You need enough floor space, a yoga mat to protect your back, a rolled towel to place under your head, and a firm pillow to sit on. Urla also recommends a yoga strap, two or three-pound dumb bells, and a foam yoga block. Wear loose clothing, remove dangling jewellery, shoes and socks. Start with a spine stretch and hip hinge by sitting up on the floor, and opening the legs slightly wider than your hips. Place your hands on the floor for support. Then hold your legs in parallel, flex your feet and allow your knees to bend slightly as you inhale and stretch your spine up straight.

Next, exhale and round your spine over, curling from the top of the head toward the ground. Use your core (abdominal and back) muscles to round your spine and feel the stretch in your spine. Inhale and roll your spine back up to sitting straight. Then exhale and hinge forward from the hips, keeping your back straight as you lean forward. Press your hands into the floor to brace your back and push yourself forward. You should feel the stretch in the back of your legs.

Inhale and bring your back up straight.

In the beginning, you may find that you are very inflexible in your hamstrings, the muscles in the back of your thigh. Be very careful with this exercise. Do not overstretch or try to grab your legs and pull beyond any strain, or you may risk an injury.

All exercises must be practised over and over to create any lasting change in your physique or performance. Start out very slowly with any routine you are learning, and perform the movement with control and ease. Never do any bouncing or jerky motions or you could strain or tear muscles, ligaments or tendons.

Developing the physical skills will certainly help you improve your health; however, developing the skills of awareness that accompany mind/body workouts may prove to be an even greater boost to your overall sense of well-being.