During the COVID-19  pandemic, group fitness activities have slowly diminished due to increasing restrictions.

Although the pandemic is keeping us apart, technology and social media are bringing us together as a community in new ways, and Vancity Bhangra is trying to keep us connected to the culture, and to pockets of joy-- even from a distance.

Jaskama,l who is also known as @jasgrewalfitness wanted to help people stay active during this time through  ‘Active Bhangra X’ workouts on Vancity Bhangra’s YouTube channel.

The classes, which will be offered online in January, were previously offered in person before restrictions came into effect.

“It’s an active bhangra bootcamp class, which combines workouts combined with dancing,” said Grewal.

The classes are completely free, and Jaskamal says dancers can burn up to 500 calories per workout.

“I want to give back to everyone by helping them get into the best shape of their lives."

In the YouTube videos, Jaskamal will play the role of the instructor, guiding you through the 30-minute workout, and keeping you engaged as he cracks jokes to lighten the mood.

The classes are designed for all fitness levels, through modifications that can be made to the moves.

In the videos there are 3 people, with one person who does the modified versions of the Bhangra and workout moves, and another person who does the more advanced versions of the moves.

As a Bhangra dancer myself, I really wanted to do Bhangra workouts, because Bhangra allows me to stay connected to my Punjabi roots, along with getting a killer workout that doesn’t even feel like a workout.

For many months I had been watching YouTube videos doing hip-hop and western style dance workouts to stay in shape during quarantine, so I was excited to learn about these new classes.

I got a chance to join Jaskamal during some of the in-person classes before restrictions were implemented, and I was surprised to see how I was able to stay motivated the entire time.

Getting a great workout while listening to your favourite Bhangra music by your favourite artists was a win-win in my mind.

What I absolutely loved about the classes was that it is a cardio-intensive workout and there is absolutely no equipment needed.

Jaskamal also explained that he wanted to keep the class high intensity, so that even if you’re a seasoned Bhangra dancer, you are able to benefit from the classes.

What I observed through the workout was that he counts out when to switch the moves, so even if you are a beginner you can keep up and catch on to the next move.

Another unique aspect about ‘Active Bhangra X’ is that Jaskamal uses mixes from Bhangra competitions during the classes, which keeps the energy level high and consistent, and keeps things fun.  

The fitness component is also not forgotten, and during the breaks from the cardio-intensive Bhangra, Jaskamal pushes you to stay active by doing planks, push-ups, sit-ups, wall-sits, and more.

The integration of these workouts keeps your heart rate up during classes and gets in your core, back, and arm workouts all in one.

This intensive Bhangra workout will keep you on your toes (literally) and also give you a chance to learn new Bhangra moves you can break out post-COVID-19!

Make sure to give Vancity Bhangra a follow on YouTube to get updates.