Those seemingly endless minutes of watching the timer on the treadmill tick mercifully down to zero. We all know how boring workouts can be, or the dreadful feeling we often get before stepping onto a treadmill or a cycling machine — not so much because of the physical effort, but rather because of the routine it becomes after a while.

Now, with most gyms offering alternative forms of working out, exercise can not only be healthy but also fun — and, in some cases, an opportunity to strike up a little romance.

If you have a musical ear and an inner Fred Astaire (or Ginger Rogers) dying to get out, dancing might be the best workout for you. Ranging from classics such as tango, foxtrot or cha-cha to the more modern salsa, Arthur Murray Dance Studio offers a wide range of classes for everyone from beginners to professional ballroom dancers.

If you aren’t sure which dances you’re interested in, ask for a free try-out, which you can even share with your partner in private sessions. If you’re single, learn to wow them on the dance floor — who knows, maybe you’ll find your lifetime dancing partner. Private classes are available with a flexible schedule from 1pm–10:30pm every day except Fridays and Saturdays, when they run 6pm–10:30pm.

Fitness centers also incorporate dancing into workout sessions, with Body Works offering modern dancing classes, Gold’s Gym offering salsa, street and belly dancing and Samia Allouba’s Creative Dance and Fitness Center offering salsa, Latin, hip-hop and belly dancing. Class times are usually between 9am and 9pm.

To satisfy your inner thug, try self-defense or martial arts classes, which will increase your sense of personal security while providing a heavy, full-body workout. Go for kickboxing at Samia Allouba’s, Gold’s Gym or World Gym — brilliant for toning the legs and tummy. For a similar but less intense workout, take up Tae Bo, available at Gold’s and World Gym.

To regain your balance after a long stressful day, yoga or pilates do the trick —both are available at Body Works, Gold’s Gym, Samia Allouba’s and World Gym. These help with relaxation and achieving inner peace. Using a slower paced workout, both techniques include lots of stretching that helps tone the muscles, rather than the cardio, fat burning or muscle building that other classes offer.

Whichever way you decide to go, always try to have a variety of workouts and try new classes to keep it fun. Alternating your workouts keeps them interesting and entertaining, as well as exercising different muscles, which is often hard to achieve when you only focus on one workout. Sports can help relieve stress, keeping not only your physical health in shape, but your mental and psychological health too.

Classes are not necessarily exclusive to members and typically cost LE 15–30 if non-member admission is allowed. For the early birds out there, many classes start at 8:30am, although they usually continue throughout the day until around 9pm.

Samia Allouba’s Creative Dance and Fitness Center: 13B Road 254 Degla Maadi Tel: +2 (02) 519-6575 Mobile: +2 (010) 538-2820 6 Amr St., off Syria St. Mohandessin Tel: +2 (02) 302-0572 Mobile: +2 (010) 538-2821

Smash Academy: Heliopolis Tel: +2 (02) 267-0467 Mobile: +2 (012) 809-9844

Arthur Murray Dance Studio: 39 Road 15 Maadi Tel: +2 (02) 359-7397

Body Works: 29 El-Shahid Ishak Yacoub St. Heliopolis Tel: +2 (02) 291-6484 Mobile: +2 (016) 252-737

Gold’s Gym: 1 Middan El-Mahata Maadi Tel: +2 (02) 380-3601 121 El-Nile St. Mohandiseen Tel:+2 (02) 748-0003

World Gym: 13 El-Mahad El-Shteraky St. Heliopolis Tel: +2 (02) 450-9213 et