Ludhiana, April 11
‘Be a Man’ screams a banner and urges the youth to join the newly launched gym at very competitive charges of Rs 500 for three months. Ever since Sanjay Dutt, Salman Khan and the latest heartthrob Hrithik Roshan started showing off their muscular bodies, the boys have taken to body building seriously to impress girls. Girls, too, want to have slim figures for they also want to impress boys and join a number of beauty contests that are taking place. The boys and girls, men and women have started exercising on latest machines in the health clubs run by some prestigious hotels and clubs. Stylish and not-so-stylish private gyms have sprung up in all the colonies. Besides, installing some machine, they give training in weightlifting.
The health clubs are installing latest machines like manual joggers, tread mills, rowing machines, horse rider, cycles, leg extension, peg deck, power press and vibrating belts. All these machines tone up different muscles of different parts of the bodies. A loud peppy music is also played to provide entertainment.
There are no doubt advantages of joining the gym health clubs. Anamika and Gita Mehra, who lost weight after the birth of their babies by exercising continuously for two months for two hours a day at a health club, feel good to get their figures back. Priyanka who runs a sophisticated gym in a posh colony says: “Usually more girls come during summers. The days are long and the girls are free. The girls who are going abroad, or are getting married, are the most keen and exercise religiously. Some couples come for exercising together. Even housewives are keen to keep their bodies toned up. “I have provisions for steam bath and massages too. Steam baths are very beneficial as they cleanse the system and the person feels relaxed.” But one has to pay extra for the massage and a steam bath. “I love being in ‘Jacuzzi’ as the water coming out from different points sharply refreshes me”, says Suman. Paramjit, running a nursery has two grown-up children and understands the value of fitness. She says: “The exercises drive away my fatigue. It refreshes me and if I do not exercise daily, I feel sick.”
So far so good. But hardly any health club or a gym has a trained instructor from Talwarkars or any other recognised body. So the coaches utilise techniques learnt from gyms where earlier they had exercised in and tips received from some seniors or magazines.
According to Mr Harbans Singh, weightlifting coach at Guru Nanak stadium: “A one-year diploma course is conducted at the National Sports Institute, Patiala. Three centers in Bangalore, Gandhi Nagar and Salt Lake (Kolkata) impart training. A person gets admission only if he has qualified at the National level. But weightlifting is being taught by untrained people and lots of boys are joining these classes as male contests like Mr Grasim awarding muscular bodies are becoming more popular.
“Obviously, the coaches just give instructions to the trainees . One has to watch the weight lifting
actions like a hawk. During weight lifting, if a wrong muscle is stressed, it can do more damage than good. There are a number of boys in the class. The coach tells them to ‘warm up’ and explains the schedule of the exercise for the chest, arms, legs and abdomen. Then the students are left on their own to exercise. so the boys do not know whether their actions are wrong or correct,” says Harbans Singh.
To start a good gym, Rs 4 lakh or near about that amount is required, and if it is air-conditioned, the cost goes up but it gets more
clientele. There are separate timings for girls and men. Again the problem of trained coaches arises. Some times due to lack of knowledge, and due to wrong movements, the back or shoulder muscle can be injured. Says Rocky: “Due to poor guidance, I suffered a great deal of injury to my back as my actions were all wrong. I was advised rest by my orthopaedic”.
Mrs Molly Joshi, Chief dietician in the CMC, says: “Many a time, the people suffer from effects of wrong pressure and they get a lean and a lift shoulder, which means one shoulder droops. There are a lot of myths about diets which the coaches prescribe. Each individual is different and hence the requirements are different. If the diet creates imbalance, the person will put on weight even after exercising.”
Most of the ladies claimed that their husbands fritter away all the benefits of exercising by having drinks later on.
The way the gyms have mushroomed all over the city speaks of the keen desire of the people to possess slim and trim bodies, but how many sustain the rigour is a different matter.
The gyms with their glistening machines look impressive and it has become fashionable to be telling others: “I go for workouts every day.” Sounds great but let the health benefits not turn into health hazards by faulty exercising .
Choose the gym carefully and find out if the instructor has a degree or a diploma.
