Pick'n'mix exercise

In the fickle world of physical fitness, there is a growing sense of yoga fatigue. And if the world's film and pop stars, whose boredom threshold is notoriously low, lose their passion for this ancient discipline, what next? As someone who's been studying yoga for 20-odd years and written two books about it, this will probably not happen to me. But I felt honour bound to research into what exercise trend might come next, especially as it's the start of the new year and everyone is putting on their trainers in a desperate attempt to lose the excess Christmas pounds.

The simple truth is that the next hot gym trend is a cultural mix. You can choose from Tae Bo (t'ai chi and kick boxing), Pilates Mat (yoga and Pilates together), Hydro Barre (ballet class in the water), Karaoke Ride (group singing as you ride bikes), Merengue Salsa (salsa steps mixed with hip hop) and something called Crouching Tiger: a mixture of yoga and t'ai chi set to a jazz beat.

Since all of the above sound fairly exhausting, I decided first to take a class with Beverley Witherington at The Third Space in Soho. Beverley mixes Feldenkrais with physiotherapy, and I would defy anyone who took a one-to-one hour with her not to come out feeling wonderful. The strange thing about Feldenkrais (developed over 40 years by Dr Moshe Feldenkrais, a Russian who lived in Israel) is that it is very gentle. You hardly feel as if anything is happening as you learn how to roll and rock your body in a slow sequence of movements sitting or lying on the floor as well as standing or sitting in a chair. It is a method often used by modern dance artists who understand the power of gentle integrated movement, but it is also good for the stiff and inflexible. Beverley's skill as a physiotherapist adds to the therapeutic way the body seems to find the right positions.

Although Feldenkrais is powerful, it is not strenuous and many people don't feel they've exercised unless they come away exhausted and soaked in sweat. So I got out my exercise kit and went to meet Amanda D'Archambaud, who teaches Street Salsa at The Chelsea Club. A couple of enthusiastic girlfriends came along and, although our salsa style wasn't too bad, I think there was a general consensus that dressing the part would have helped us considerably. Salsa is a sexy dance and Amanda, our teacher, was a vision in midriffbaring black kit, hip-slung belt, red lips, hoop earrings and a dramatic black ponytail. Somehow, her Latin looks made the fast-paced "one, two, three, hold, one, two, three, hold, shimmy, shimmy, kick" routine (to a Cuban beat) and the syncopated hand-clapping and shouts of "merengue" all the more exciting. The class is a mixture of mambo, cha-cha, merengue (from the Dominican Republic) and salsa steps all rolled into one with hip hop moves added. It was hard work but great fun.

Later that week, I tried Linda Wells's Crouching Tiger class. This is based on the esoteric discipline of Wing Chun Kung Fu, with origins in the martial arts, turned into a display known as Chinese Opera style. Having studied for six years with a septuagenarian master in this art, Linda has written music combining jazz dance with oriental and created a class which involves learning choreographed sequences. It may be my fashion background, but yet again, I felt that the correct zen outfit of drawstring karate pants, bare feet and a tiny cropped top would have improved my style. Unlike the Salsa class, which was interestingly only attended by women, Linda's Crouching Tiger class had three or four rather hunky men in it, all looking somewhat Bruce Lee-like as they made warrior moves to a disco beat.

A solid week of aerobic exercise was exhilarating and I'm still getting reports of yet more strange mixedmethod classes. Can it be possible that the new craze in America is for yoga cycling? And what can that be? I'm not sure I'm ready to put away my yoga mat just yet.

Amanda Archambaud's Street Salsa classes, Thursdays 7.30-8.30pm, and Linda Wells's Crouching Tiger classes, Wednesdays 8.30pm and Thursdays 6.30pm, all at The Chelsea Club, 020 7915 2200. Membership starts at £2,000.

Beverley Witherington @ The Third Space Integrated Medical Centre, 13 Sherwood Street London W1, 0207 439 6333. £60 for an hour, one on one.

Kathy Phillips is associate editor of Vogue (Health and Beauty)