If we learned one thing from the new Kylie documentary, it’s that the pint-sized queen of pop is a grafter. That woman works hard. What’s her secret? Well, it’s not running.
‘We say in my family, “Minogues don’t run.” None of us run,’ she once told WSJ magazine. ‘But we like to walk, so that works for me. If I’m somewhere where there’s Pilates, I love that. I’ve also tried Gyrotonics; that was really fun. I would say my ultimate workout is being on tour. I’m never as fit as when I’m on tour, so I can’t wait to tour again. My body needs it.’
This makes sense, says GH fitness expert Kim Hawley: ‘Dance can be an excellent workout, combining cardiovascular exercise with balance, coordination and a whole load of mobility.’
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Production still from the Netflix documentary, Kylie
The intensity of the workout depends, of course, on the kind of dance (a polka will get your heart pounding faster than a waltz), but, says Kim, ‘It’s more than just the body that has to get involved – constantly having to remember steps and sequences gets the brain involved as well, which, believe or not, is a calorie burner, too!’
Touring is, of course, a tricky one for the average woman to copy. The last time I did karaoke, the bar conspicuously emptied. Arenas aren’t calling any time soon. And yet… ‘You definitely don’t need dance training from an activity perspective,’ says Kim. ‘Your body doesn’t actually care if you’ve spent years practising the perfect pas de deux or if you’re just jigging around the kitchen to your favourite tunes and reliving your youth,’ says Kim.
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Happy woman listening to music in kitchen at home.
Jigging around the kitchen is definitely within my wheelhouse, so how can I tell if I’m jigging hard enough for it to constitute a real workout? Simple, says Kim: ‘Vigorous exercise will make you out of breath.’ She suggests this easy way to test if your activity level meets the threshold for the 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity activity the NHS recommends we do weekly: ‘See if you can speak in full sentences – if you can, then it’s time to up the ante.’
I’ve got 10 minutes while supper cooks, I’ve turned Padam Padam up loud and I’m ready to lean in. What does Kim suggest? ‘Pacey styles such as dance cardio, hip-hop or any high-energy routines are great,’ she says but, ‘anything that involves large movements, such as jumps, knee lifts and kicks, is great. If you can get your arms overhead, then the heart has to do a little more work to get the blood round. Basically, throw on your favourite songs, dance like nobody is watching – and that smile spreading across your face means another 13 muscles are in use, too.’