I am referring to the latest Racism saga that apparently took place at the Morningside Virgin active last year.
I think it is time for me to stand up and to declare that I really hate these so called “health clubs”, and that I am not surprised at that such an incident occurred. I cancelled my gym membership about five years ago, as the general attitude of the members as well as staff at some of the various gyms I trained at over the years, did not contribute to the relaxing environment I was seeking.
In Johannesburg, ordinary workers wake up very early and rush through traffic to get to the gym. There they encounter hordes of grumpy people who are rushing to get a 30 minute workout, before rushing off again in rush hour traffic to try and make it to work on time.
People are eager to try out the treadmills or other equipment and this is where most of the altercations originate. I have witnessed too many times, where people get into verbal arguments and sometimes even fistfights, just to have the luxury of using their favourite equipment for a few minutes before speeding off to another stress filled day at the office.
Evenings are the same. The only difference is that people are trying to get rid of the corporate nonsense they had to endure all day, and it becomes really difficult to keep your cool in the hot, sweaty environment, where everyone else wants to also cram in some “healthy time” before heading home and attending to kids and food.
Nowadays, I spend my free time productively. I take the dog for a daily jog, play with the children in the backyard and work in my garden on weekends. I also take to the outdoors as often as I can and love hiking and mountainbiking. I even have a few weights that I play around with, if I really feel the need to bulk up.
I understand that many people are forced to attend the gym due to various reasons. I just want to point out that attending your local healthclub is not the be all and end all of a healthy living. There are some alternatives, and a gym membership does not guarantee a healthy lifestyle.
I honestly feel much less stressed and rushed in the morning these days and I am as healthy as ever. No longer do I have to stress about people bitching and moaning if I spend two seconds too long on the treadmill. No longer do I have to face the lockerooms where I have to endure pasty white men swinging their privates in my face and no longer do I have to worry about strange skin diseases or ear infections from their swimming pools.
If you also hate the gym experience, I urge you to save yourself some stress, money and time and invest in a healthy lifestyle at home.
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