"Unlike many other forms of traditional exercise, this is about quality rather than quantity," she said.

Some of the less traditional exercises trickled into mixed classes, causing a backlash among men.

This is in contrast to traditional exercises that involve voluntary contraction of these muscles.

One day in Shanghai, we went to watch the traditional exercises performed daily, early in the morning, by the majority of the Chinese population.

Tai chi is a method of traditional Chinese exercise involving coordinated breathing and body movements.

Today, the physical trainer's methods have supplanted traditional weight-lifting exercise as an effective way to tone muscle and build strength.

Foreign language educators are also beginning to incorporate augmented learning techniques to traditional paper-and-pen-based exercises.

"The traditional exercises of situps and double leg-raisings have been offered as the panacea for strengthening these muscles," they wrote.

Try performing crunches on a Swiss ball for an advanced alternative to a traditional exercise.

The only traditional legionary exercise from which he excused the men was swimming.