The trainer named outdated and current approaches of Soviet aerobics

Amateur sports of the USSR times were much tougher and more complicated compared to what is offered now, said fitness expert, senior trainer and head of teacher training department of the international network of ballet and stretching studios LEVITA Akulina Bakhturina. She told Izvestia on February 15 about outdated and current approaches of Soviet aerobics.

The USSR had a strong professional school that brought up a large number of athletes and dancers. They won prizes all over the world. This influenced amateur sports as well, the specialist explained.

"In modern times in amateur sports and fitness, the emphasis is on the process, on building a safe training process. Today, people do sports in fitness halls and studios, first of all, for health, and only after, secondly, for specific results," the expert pointed out.

The trainer explained that in aerobics or, as they called morning sports, rhythmics of the USSR times there was an effective cardio load, which led to good results. Elements from aerobics of those times are still very often used in fitness. For example, running or walking on the spot, running with a slam. And today fitness instructors use them in their complexes.

Various inclines, leg swings, variations of the plank - these exercises were also in the Soviet physical exercises. They are still relevant today.

"A lot of the rhythmics were borrowed from classical choreography. Some morning programs were led by famous ballerinas and dancers. And the Russian ballet school was one of the strongest in the world and still is. Many exercises from choreography are still used in fitness and are even becoming more and more popular among amateurs. For example, in the last couple years, many fitness clubs and studios have started teaching barre, ballet pump-up and parterre choreography. All these directions come from ballet," Bakhturina noted.

"Fitness is becoming a must-have for life."

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At the same time, according to her, ineffective and potentially dangerous approach can be called a hobby of ballistic stretching in the Soviet times. It was an element of aerobics or its supplement.

"Ballistic stretching is stretching that is performed with sharp jerky movements. This type of training was actively used by professional athletes, but for amateurs such stretching can be traumatic. Modern approaches to fitness suggest other variations of load. Dynamic, static or passive stretching is much more effective", - said the expert.

In addition, said the trainer, in physical minutes, workouts and exercises of the USSR times often used classical squats, lunges, twists on the abs. They had their effect, but now these exercises have acquired a new improved format. Fitness experts, relying on biomechanics and body anatomy, have developed much more effective variations of these exercises.

In addition, nowadays much more attention is paid to working with joints, with their mobility. In general, fitness has become safer, the expert emphasized. Training includes more exercises to work with deep muscles, as well as more preparatory exercises.

"For example, if earlier women sat in the 'butterfly' in order to pull the inner surface of the thigh, now we do three to five preparatory exercises to make our body comfortable in the 'butterfly' position," Bakhturina added.

Earlier, on February 14, the founder of the DNAOM laboratory, Andrei Isaev, told Izvestia that winter sports have many advantages that make them attractive to people of all ages and fitness levels. For example, regular physical activity in the fresh air strengthens the immune system, helping the body to resist colds and other infections.