Seven Years Old

6th April 2008, The Zone completes seven years (in its present avatar). As is the norm, at such occasions, one tends to review the journey so far and on doing so it made me think, “Wow, what a journey it has been indeed!”

It’s been full of many firsts and it is with great pride that we, at The Zone, Mind & Body Studio, are able to say that we have set many a trend in the field of fitness not just in the city, or South India but also in the country.

In the last seven years it has been our constant endeavor to extend the highest standards and quality in equipment, service, ambience and above all our expertise. Along the way we have made many friends and strived to make a difference to the lives of all our clients.

It began in April 2001 when we opened as the first private fitness studio in Bangalore; to introduce state-of-the-art, bio-mechanically safe and user-friendly equipment sourced from the top brands in the world.

We had wanted to change your view of a gym. And we did.
From traditional gyms that were nothing more than sweat-shop, machine-lined, crowded spaces.
To the unique Zone experience in an unusual setting: a spacious bungalow with a light, spirited atmosphere and a spa-like ambience.

Our focus always being our clients. To provide a welcoming, non-intimidating space that feels like home!

Holistic approach to fitness.
We have always been driven by the philosophy, ‘Work your Body, Work your Mind’.
A major shift from the traditional view of exercise as a sweaty, painful, physical activity to be endured in a crowded gym or aerobics class.

Our Belief: That no one form of exercise can give you complete fitness.
Just as there is no such thing as the one magical diet.

Today’s stressed and pressured lifestyles have made us aware of the need to include fitness activities in our lives. However, for most of us it’s either a daunting task or just boring.

So we decided to give you varied activities, all under one roof. To provide a mix of different activities for the mind and body.

Our Goal: To enhance your experience and enable you to achieve a fuller, more effective workout.

To show you how movement and exercise can actually make your body feel terrific.

To let you discover the fun and exhilaration to be experienced from different activities.

To remind you that exercise can help boost your mood and stimulate your muscles; making you feel more alive and connected to your body.


The Zone Way:
- To shift the focus from the stress and expectations of weight-loss to just reveling in the activity.
- To de-stress and enjoy; devoting the time you spend at the studio to yourself.
- To finding the right reasons for wanting to do it; to derive maximum benefits not just for the body but for the mind too.
After all, if you approach your entire exercise and fitness program with an attitude that you are going to enjoy it and feel good about it, then you will not only look forward to doing it but will do it with more energy, intensity and focus. This will actually show you even better results.

In the next few posts do indulge me as I highlight the landmarks and achievements that we, at The Zone, have made in the last seven years. And if it sounds like blowing one’s trumpet, well yes, I guess that’s what it is; but then aren’t we all guilty of that every once in a while!

I also want to extend a heartfelt “thank you” to all The Zone members. For your support. Your encouragement. Your views. For all that has helped us reach here.
It has been a pleasure to be instrumental in unfolding the world of fitness to you, not just as a short-term fix but as a lifestyle and way of life.

Myths, Misconceptions and More…..

The good news is that more and more people are discovering the benefits of engaging in a fitness program. Which is great, but that leads me to the flip side. The greater the number of people working-out the more theories, opinions, myths and misconceptions that start doing the rounds. Here are some of the ones I encounter most frequently.

I Only Need To Do Cardio Exercise To Keep Me Fit. Not true. Weight training exercise not only increases strength but also improves your cardiovascular system. Studies have shown that it helps in controlling blood pressure and keeping your cholesterol in check. It increases muscle strength and bone density, reduces body fat, and helps in injury prevention from normal activities.

Spot Reduction Works. I find myself going hoarse in the throat explaining this one. NO, doing ab crunches everyday will not give you a six-pack. Doing endless reps on the hip and thigh machines will not make your legs sleek and toned. Spot-reduction is a myth and a commonly used sales gimmick used to sell specific ‘toning’ equipment.
All those ab and hip exercises will definitely strengthen and tone the muscles in those areas but you will not be able to see the definition there until you get rid of the subcutaneous layer of fat covering that muscle. To get rid of that flab you need to use a combination of cardio exercise and correct dietary habits. Fat is stored all through the body and not just in specific parts. Contrary to what you may like to believe, while doing an exercise it is not possible to tell the body to lose fat from a specific place only!

When I Stop Weight Training My Muscle Will Become Fat. Muscle and fat are not interchangeable; they are two different types of tissue. When you stop exercising, within a few weeks itself, you begin to lose the muscle gains you had made through training. Along with the exercise, most often even the good eating habits are tossed which results in consuming more calories and thus accumulating fat on your body. All this leads to a loss of the toned shape that you had plus a gain in weight, leading you to believe that your muscle has turned into fat. Muscle and fat are not interchangeable. One can replace the other but fat cannot get converted to muscle or vice versa.

Women should not do strength training as that will make their muscles large and bulky. This is another misconception that I find myself constantly reassuring women about. The reality is that women do not produce the amount of testosterone necessary to create big, bulky muscles. A well-planned strength training program will give a woman a fit and feminine look not a big, huge muscled body. In fact, a weight-training program to increase and strengthen muscle in their body is essential for women as they are at greater risk of osteoporosis than men.

"With all my exercise the scales have not budged." Hopefully, by now you are aware that cardio and strength are both necessary to achieve your fitness goals. For every individual the mix of the two, in their program, will vary depending on what your goals may be – weight loss, muscle gain, maintenance.
Now, as you exercise the cardio will help to lose fat while the strength training will lead to more muscle on your body. The combination of fat-loss along with the toned muscle results in giving you a fit and streamlined body.
However, you need to remember that muscle weighs more than fat and so initially when you start your program due to the fat-loss and muscle gain equation, you may find that though the numbers on the weighing scale are not budging you are losing in inches. Does that really matter? When you can see that your body shape is changing (for the better) and you are not only becoming fitter but also getting toned and defined.

A woman’s strength training program should be less intense than a man’s. This is most often followed by the statement that women should use only strength machines and not free weights. Why? The basic principles guiding strength training programs for men and women are the same since physiologically they are very similar.
The differences in their programs will arise only from their individual goals and the fact that generally women have different problem areas, in terms of where they store body fat (mainly the hips, thighs and upper arms), than men.
For strength training to be effective the resistance placed on the muscle has to be sufficiently heavy to challenge the muscle. Keeping the intensity low will not result in any positive changes making the workout ineffective.
There is no reason why women cannot use free weights. What is important is to use proper technique and form while performing exercises, whether on machines or with free weights.

“You have to sweat to have a good workout.” I have this said to me by very concerned individuals who are moving around the gym floor or the group exercise room switching off fans or avoiding the AC vents. May I please state, loud and clear, sweating is NOT an indicator of how hard you are exercising or how much fat you are burning.
Sweating is our body’s way of cooling itself. There are individuals who may be working out at high intensity but hardly breaking out into a sweat; on the other hand I have seen persons who barely start their warm up and already have a pool of sweat around them! This brings me to another point I’d like to clear up – drinking water at regular intervals through your workout is a GOOD thing. In fact it’s a necessity as it’s important to stay hydrated while working out, sweating leads to a loss of fluids from your body that could lead to dehydration.

Exercising during your period is not safe. Many women avoid exercise during their menstrual cycle due to concerns that any strenuous activity can be harmful for their bodies. While exercising during your period is a personal choice, it’s okay to do so. I do. In fact, I find that it always makes me feel better. Your period shouldn’t keep you from performing your daily activities. Many women find that working-out during their period helps ease symptoms such as stomach cramps, nausea and discomfort. Unless your doctor advises against it, women can exercise through their periods. Often due to cramps or discomfort, especially in the first couple of days, you might want to avoid or decrease the intensity of your usual workout program; otherwise you can follow your regular routine.
Women often worry that exercise could cause changes in their menstrual cycle, leading to fewer or even a total ceasing of periods. Amenorrhea (a condition where the menstrual cycle completely ceases) typically occurs in female athletes who engage in strenuous training programs involving vigorous exercise.

“I’m the expert….”

Umm…no, that’s not me stating “I’m the expert and I know it all (in fitness, exercise and all matters related)”, rather that’s a strongly voiced, very often smug, statement that I encounter from individuals. Needless to say, by individuals I refer to people who are professionals and qualified in their respective fields; which just do not happen to be fitness or wellness related.

Those who use this phrase –
- The exercisers (could be for years, could also be just a couple of months); persons who have been exercising, in some form or the other, and as a result feel they know all there is to know about exercise.
It’s a different matter that most of that knowledge is based on tips they picked up from fellow-gymmers, or the internet, or magazines, or they could have actually even used the services of a ‘personal trainer’ for some months / weeks / sessions. About the fellow-gymmers; what works for him / her may not necessarily work for you. The internet and magazines can be good sources of information but do stop to consider they address a vast general population and what you need is information and programs specific to your needs and lifestyle.
Without going into how qualified the personal trainer may have been (you could refer to an earlier post - Some more of ‘You Say, I Say..’ ) do keep in mind that when you engage in a regular fitness program your fitness levels should improve, which means that your program and goals need to be reviewed and revised as you progress (or don’t). Well, you need a qualified expert for that.

Now, when you begin to consider yourself an expert on exercise and fitness, based on the fact that you’ve been now doing it for a certain amount of time, you effectively limit yourself to the same routine that you have been following all this time. This rules out all the new methods, techniques and exercises that have developed, need I add, as a result of on-going study and research into anatomy, physiology and the science of movement and exercise.

Of course, another reason why you may prefer to rely on your own expertise is because you may be unwilling to try the new, preferring the safety of the old. The old is something you have become good at and are familiar with. The new would test you and maybe even challenge you to work harder. The fact that you may have to initially drop the weight you lift or that you are seen trying a new group class where you have to learn new moves is something you’d rather avoid.
Why? When we engage in a fitness program we should be looking to wanting to challenge our bodies and minds. And, we should want to take advantage of all the advances made in this field. Getting stuck in the same program is only going to limit you, or worse have your body stop responding to the same exercises you have been going through all this time. Wonder why, though you have been working-out for such a long time, you are just not seeing the results?

- Then there are the non-exercisers who, nevertheless, know it all. These could be persons who do not like exercise and so, based on ‘research’ they have done come to the conclusion that exercise is not necessary. They put forth a variety of reasons such as - you only need to control your diet, exercising can lead to injuries, you put on weight when you stop etc. By controlling your diet you may lose weight but does that make you fit and strong? An exercise program under the guidance of an expert will minimize any risk of injuries, allowing you to achieve your goals in a safe systematic manner.

Even though I’ve been in this field a really long time I don’t say I know everything about fitness and exercise. How can I? The field of fitness is a constantly evolving science; some exercises and methods used a couple of decades ago have been found to be unsafe or worse, damaging to the body. At the same time we have newer, safer, more effective methods of exercise, fitness and rehabilitation that are being introduced and further developed. So how can even I possibly presume to say ‘I know it all’? Yes, it’s my field of work and I have the expertise in it that the layman will definitely not have but I know that as this science evolves so is my knowledge of the same.