These days, getting into shape goes way beyond working up a sweat. It's time to use your mind to transform your muscles.

If the '80s were the era of full-on cardio fitness and pounding your way to a more svelte physique, the '90s mentality represents a gentler approach towards getting in shape. Rather than focusing solely on the calorie-burning and aerobic benefits of a workout, we now look to exercise to fulfill our emotional as well as physical needs.

Over the past few years more and more people have discovered the benefits of workouts that stimulate our emotions as well as our muscles, and it's estimated that mind/body fitness classes now occupy up to 50 per cent of some gym timetables.

Today, yoga, T'ai chi, Pilates and martial arts are the 'it' classes, and even Gin Miller, the American fitness guru who invented the step aerobics phenomenon in the 1980s, is no longer convinced that the trend she started is really the best way forward. 'Getting fit should not be just a battle against calories and fat but something you do that is mentally as well as physically beneficial,' says Miller. 'If you enjoy what you do, the results will be more rewarding and long lasting. In other words there's no point pursuing fitness just because you want to reduce the size of your butt.' Miller also suggests that adding a mental component to your physical workouts can help achieve quicker results and prevent burnout.

Participating in mind/body exercise will give your brain a break too. By focusing on the actual exercises and meditative qualities of these workouts, daily stresses are pushed to one side. You will find yourself feeling relaxed and calm not only during the class or session but also when you go back to your everyday duties.

'There is undoubtedly a close link between emotions and fitness and this is the basis on which many of the mind/body classes are formed,' says Dearbhla McCullough, a sports psychologist at the University of Surrey's Roehampton Institute. 'There's no doubt exercise has a psychological and physical link.'

McCullough also says that mind/body classes can enhance the results of your other workouts. 'Feeling stressed and tense uses considerably more energy than being calm, so if you feel relatively relaxed when you arrive for a workout, you'll be able to put more effort into your class or exercise session,' she says. 'And if you enjoy your workout and think of it as a stress-relieving tool, you'll be able to work to your maximum capacity and get positive results,' she adds.

The mind/body fitness connection comes in many different guises, and some workouts are more effective for body toning and calorie burning than others. So consider what you want physically and emotionally from a workout before you choose which mind/body class is right for you. Most importantly, try and see exercise as a treat, not a punishment. The common theme is that you need to achieve an inner balance to get an outer one. To feel content with the way you look, you must be happy with the way you feel inside.

Try this mind/body exercise
One move known for it's grounding effects is the yoga-based posture, The Tree. It has been practiced for centuries to help people overcome tension and stress.

This balancing move is challenging, but it gets easier with practice and can help improve your concentration. The idea is that after doing a series of moves that allow you to focus, you will be in a more peaceful frame of mind.

How to do it: Start by standing up straight and pressing the sole of your left foot against your right inner thigh with your toes pointing downwards. Raise your arms to the sides to help you balance then rotate your hip outwards so that your left knee points out to the side. Drop your tailbone and shoulders and contract your abdominal muscles. Press your palms together in the prayer position and slowly lift them above your head. Breathe in deeply through your nose and out through your mouth. Hold the position for as many breaths as you can, feeling your spine stretch and lengthen. Lower your arms and switch sides.