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It?s zamana of local gyms
Hectic but sedentary lifestyles, over-indulgence in food, high tension jobs, intense competition and peer pressure? all combine to take a toll on the mind and body, inviting obesity, hypertension, diabetes and above all, stress.
Hectic but sedentary lifestyles, over-indulgence in food, high tension jobs, intense competition and peer pressure… all combine to take a toll on the mind and body, inviting obesity, hypertension, diabetes and above all, stress.
Thankfully, Lucknowites have woken up to the call of calisthenics (gymnastic exercises designed to tone muscles and promote general well-being) for a fat-free, disease-free, healthy and smart body. For them, slim is hip and shapely is smart now.
Interestingly, this fitness consciousness is no longer confined to fashionistas who change into their leotards first thing in the morning to hit the gym. Rather, it has seeped into all sections and age groups of society, so much so that any number of gyms and ‘body-building clubs’ can be seen dotted across the cityscape, with newer ones sprouting everyday. Many beauty parlours have also expanded with muscle-toning and weight loss programmes to suit every wallet.
Nearly every locality has a gym to boast of, be it Power Bodies in Aryanagar, Health Spa in Motinagar, The King in Dugawan, Menz Gym near Kukrail bridge or Yash Health Club on Faizabad Road, to name a few.
While boys flock these gyms in quest of biceps and triceps like the Khans and the Deols, girls want to whittle down problem spots. The middle-aged are keen on ridding themselves of pot bellies and spare tyres. There are an equal number who go in for general fitness or on the advice of their doctor.
Sachin Sharma who runs World Gym on Aishbagh Road has a regular clientele of about 200, mostly middle class. His gym offers aerobics, weight training and a plethora of other exercises including cardiovascular and abs toning, at Rs 300 per month, which includes a steam bath. Needless to say, people of the adjoining areas join willingly as they find it easy on the pocket, close by and well worth the effort. Sachin’s clients are of all ages, the youngest being a 14-year-old boy who wants to shed most of his whopping 110 kg!
Chandrani, a regular at the gym, says both she and her brother joined this gym (she to gain shape and he to build his muscles) as it was close to their house and not very expensive. After five months now, both are pleased with the results, specially when their friends compliment them on their improved looks.
Similarly, Ishita, who does weight training at the gym to gain weight, joined it as she was tired of her thin, angular frame.
“A weight-gain programme at a health club in the posh Gomtinagar or Hazratganj areas would have been too expensive, besides the arduous journey to and fro, so when I heard of this particular gym I decided to join,” she says and adds that in less than a month, her stamina, strength and flexibility have improved.
Such local gyms may not be as well-equipped or as meticulously planned as swanky upmarket health clubs, but they do deliver to a large extent, because exercise in any form makes the body supple, youthful and firm, stirring up the circulation and making the body better able to throw off toxic waste. That is why, combined with proper diet, it is the most effective weight regulator.
Sachin, however, has a word of caution for fitness enthusiasts. Workouts, he says, should be undertaken only under the guidance of an instructor, otherwise vigorous calisthenics can be harmful.
But whether it is a fetish for fatloss and fitness, or awareness about a healthier way of life, the fact remains that for the multitudes now, exercise is no longer a bore and a chore. From the housewife to the office-goer to the student to even the electrician round the street corner, everyone is fitting in some form of exercise in their regimen. What more proof needed then, that the City of Nawabs is no longer languid!
Cardiologist Dr A K Shadra feels that the increased tendency towards more physical activity and weight regulation is a healthy trend. Physical activity not only wards off certain ailments but can act as great stress buster too, he says.
He is of the opinion that the more physical a person is, the less mental he is likely to become, which is why, he says labourers are less prone to mental stress compared to inert individuals.
However, weight training and other exercises requiring lots of strength, pushing and straining should be done under the watchful eye of a trainer who is familiar with bio-mechanism, he cautions. Also one should exercise in keeping with one’s cardiac reserve ( capacity of the heart to withstand increased blood flow during exercise).
