I loved clubbing. I used to party a lot in my early 20s, until the ageing process deprived me of the ability to stay awake, much less active, past midnight. What I miss most about those days is dancing to fun (and ear-splittingly loud) music in dark places. It was just so exhilarating, knowing everyone around me was too drunk to care. I have often wondered, why can't someone bring clubbing forward to like 7pm?
As if someone had been eavesdropping on my thoughts, here is my answer. Clubbercise, a fitness method that feels more like a night out, has made its Asian debut in Bangkok at Virgin Active, with a class called Pulse.
Pulse is a fun, easy-to-follow dance fitness routine, set to clubby music in a darkened room with disco lights. The class originated in the UK, where roughly 50,000 people are enjoying this fun workout every week.
Pulse is all about bringing a clubbing experience (minus the drinks and drunken hook-ups) to a fitness centre. The 60-minute class promises to help you burn as many as 500 calories.
Whether you agree with the premise depends on your clubbing preference. Are you a Route 66 regular, a Nunglen gal, an Insanity aficionado or a clubbing virgin? As an R&B/hip hop habitué, I was looking forward to some Usher or Drake tracks. I could even make do with some Yin Yang Twins stuff from the last decade. Needless to say, I was a bit taken aback when the first song to greet me in this class was I Like To Move It. Yeah, that song from the movie Madagascar.
They weren't kidding when they said the moves are easy to follow, even for a person with a lack of hand-foot coordination skills. They are essentially a blend of simple aerobic moves, but the glow sticks make it more fun. When there's a move you can't follow, you can just stand and improvise -- the room is dark enough for you to feel comfortable doing whatever you want.
I wouldn't say these moves are anything like dancing in Bangkok clubs. First of all, before the class begins, you will be asked to stretch out both arms and turn around, making sure that your glow sticks are not poking other people. And we all know hot clubs in Bangkok are so crowded even nodding is challenging. The class, however, is fun and a great way to let off some steam after work.
As the class progressed, the song list improved, with the likes of Jessie J's Bang Bang and House of Pain's Jump Around. The moves stayed simple throughout the class, but the pace quickened in the middle, before again slowing as we reached the stretching part.
It's not a hardcore workout class, as in it won't leave your muscles in pain the next day. That's a good thing, because it means you can do it every day and your body won't protest (much). You can even borrow the moves and dance at home to the music of your choice. Don't forget to draw the curtains, unless you're an exhibitionist.
Pulse classes by Clubbercise are available at Virgin Active. Visit www.clubbercise.com or www.virginactive.co.th.
