Ringing in the weekends at a bar or a club on Fridays is almost passé. If you like to be trendy, then your weekend definitely begins with doing a few extra reps of deadlifts, extra laps of swimming or perhaps a long leisurely bicycle ride before sunrise. That’s because parties are not just about ‘eat, drink and make merry’ any more. The growing interest in fitness activities is leading to many creative party ideas.
Taking a cue from parties for children held at amusement parks — where they jump, hop, skip and party too, more and more grown-ups in the city are organising ‘fitness parties’. The concept of fitness parties isn’t just about doing extra reps, it involves doing an activity that involves physical fitness with a group of like-minded friends or even gym buddies.
Says Umang Daga, an interior designer and a fitness enthusiast says, “Our fitness party is all about more weights, more motivation and more pain. We usually do it on weekends and head for a good healthy breakfast or brunch after,” adding, “Our fitness trainer Bilon Aristotle uses it as a test of our endurance and form. We look forward to it as a team, as it comes with surprise elements. The tears and sweat at the end of it, make us believe in how much we can push ourselves and what we can do better,” adds Umang. Those who love this kind of party, with food and drinks also included, of course, call ‘it the best start to a binge day’.
There is also another word to these fitness parties — ‘sufferfest’— to denote a celebration of suffering together and helping each other stay focussed. “Once it is done, it brings a sense of joy and pride that we could do it. It could be lifting the weight I didn’t think I could or assist my partner in doing it. I usually do fitness parties just before going on a break, where I know I would binge more than at other times,” says Adarsh Rajan, a freelance event manager.
Angana Gohain Barua and her husband Parijat Guha’s way of chilling is to go on a long ride with their cycling group and end it with a nice breakfast. “Sometimes we use the destination as our party venue. When we feel like having a good cup of coffee with a reasonably good and healthy breakfast, we take the route that leads us to a cafe in the city. Sometimes, we cycle to Secunderabad from Gachibowli, and then fuel ourselves over a lavish breakfast on our way back,” smiles Angana.
Then there are groups that like to trek up a hill or run a new route. For such parties, the group members are usually planned to match each other’s stamina. Taking a long new route comes with its share of adventures, so taking a new person who has just started running will not just slow the group down, but can cause anxious moments. “When I am out trekking with my children, I keep in mind their stamina and go with a bag full of emergency supplies. On the other hand, it’s much more relaxed with a group of experienced trekkers. We love trekking into the forest and our ‘picnic’ basket is usually filled with fruits, nuts and water. We throw in a lemon or two, because when life gives you lemons, you make lemonade,” laughs Tulsi Naik, F&B manager, Novotel Hyderabad Airport.
The point of these parties is about being able to do something that you wouldn’t do as a routine. Says Havovi Batliwala, who’s into holistic wellness. “Everything we plan to eat is also well thought of. We can indulge, conscious of what we are having. When you have worked so hard to burn the calories, you obviously think twice before putting it all back. A little splurging is allowed, so a bite or two of a brownie with a cup of espresso feels like magic.”
The beauty of the party also lies in the ease of organisation: “It can be arranged even at your home, if you know how to keep your group motivated with some physical activity, say Zumba or yoga. Thankfully, this is one party where designer wear, make-up and hairstyling are not needed,” laughs Havovi.
Roohi Senthil a Hyderabad-based celebrity yoga teacher host fitness parties on her students’ birthdays. They do extra Surya namaskars followed by longer meditation and a final extended stretching session. “We do go eat at the fitness centre’s cafe or have a good lunch and dinner (if one hosts it), otherwise we are happy doing our extra rounds of asanas and meditation. Anything that goes into making one healthy, is an ideal birthday party,” smiles Roohi.
