Freestyle workout is Bengaluru's new fitness fad

BENGALURU: With freestyle workouts and newer training forms becoming popular, Bengalureans are increasingly joining groups that engage in such activity, even as regular gyms continue to remain in vogue.
Among the many new workouts that are gaining popularity are Parkour and Calisthenics. Parkour is adapted from military obstacle course training and the practitioners are expected to get from one point to another in a complex environment, without assistive equipment and in the fastest and most efficient way possible.Calisthenics is a form of exercise consisting of a variety of movements - running, standing, grasping, pushing, etc .
Neha Khincha, a chartered accountant, began her journey with the 'underground movement' two years ago. "Parkour and Calisthenics not only help in building body strength but are also fun and exciting," she says.
Dhruv Uthappa's love for Parkour began with a video game when he was just 14. "National Games Village complex in Koramangala used to be our hub for Parkour till Chaos Faktory, indoor parkour and free-running academy, started in HSR Layout two years ago," Uthappa, 22, says .
On Saturday, Chaos Faktory had organised the second edition of its 'Movement Gathering: Chaos'19'- which saw more than 250 people from almost 18 states participate in competitions and workshops on Parkour, Calisthenics, Chase-Tag and Style-run.
For Chaos Faktory's co-founder Chethan D'souza, Parkour is not about public display of dangerous stunts on tall buildings, but a fitness regime that makes one physically and mentally disciplined.
These off-beat workouts have also helped people like 30-year-old Sonia Sohel shed kilos. Sonia is an architect who travels from Indiranagar to HSR Layout every day just for the workout.