Not for the gym selfies, nor for the size zero moniker that she herself gave birth to: New momma Kareena Kapoor Khan has gone back to her usual yoga regimen, determined to ensure that no matter what shape she is in, her health always remains in peak condition.
Anshuka Parwani, friend and yoga instructor to the actress since 2009, reveals that the best thing about working with Bebo is that she knows her body so well. “Kareena was one of the early adopters of yoga in the current crop of celebrities, and knows it blessedly well. She is partial to her Pranayams, and never ends a session without some Om-chanting,” she divulges.
Anshuka pictured with Kareena; the duo have been training together since 2009
She does advise caution against returning to the grind immediately post-delivery though. “During pregnancy, there are certain hormones released that help improve elasticity. Sometimes, it gets mistaken for hyperflexibility, and women end up pushing themselves too far. A minimum window of three weeks is required for the body to recuperate post-delivery,” she explains.
If you are looking to retain your postnatal fitness levels, yoga is your fastest, and safest, ticket back to prime health. “Pregnancy is known to send your hormones on a rollercoaster ride. But a mixture of Pranayams, certain physical postures and meditation can help accelerate the process back to recovery. It also strengthens the uterus and kegel muscles, helping the body deal with carrying extra weight,” adds Anshuka.
Kareena Kapoor Khan’s weekly yoga regimen
The Bandra-based trainer puts Kareena through a mixture of mat Yoga, mat Pilates and her own baby FlyFit, which she describes as a mixture of anti-gravity yoga and aerial Pilates.
- Each session starts with Surya Namaskars for warming up, before moving on to ashtanga yoga to work on strength, stamina and flexibility.
- It’s followed by multiple physical postures and mat Pilates for developing core strength.
- The duo then switches the intensity with some Flyfit to work on flexibility, and ease off the pressure as it is assisted.
- The session ends with 10 minutes of Pranayam and meditation.
Kareena clocks in a one hour session thrice a week, and is routinely joined by fellow fitness junkies, Amrita and Malaika Arora Khan.
