Work out

FROM ISSUE # 147 (March 2008) | IN THIS ISSUE
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Because of the media, the onslaught of western movies, and even middle-aged men like Shahrukh Khan hitting the gym, working out has caught on big time amongst the youth in Nepal.

According to gym owners, most people don't care about keeping fit, as long as they can look good. If anyone is to go through the posters of any of the last five Bollywood blockbusters, one will surely encounter ageing Indian actors sporting twenty-something muscles. Posing bare-chested in huge colourful banners, these actors and actresses do look eye-catching, which tells us something about why the gym is far more opted for by the young generation than yoga, because working-out makes them look good.

Big fitness centers in Kathmandu often have many pieces of equipment like decline-press machines and adjustable arm-pulleys, but also a hefty price-tag. The half-yearly membership at Shahanshah club (including sauna and swimming) runs at Rs 16,000 for six months. But the results are quite fascinating. All gyms generally agree that weight loss of two-three kilograms a month is quite normal, and for anyone who is slightly overweight, working out and exercising could be a good way to trim the extra weight.

But don't have the impression that the local corner gym is as equipped as the posh ones in Hardic and Shahanshah are. However, even some local gymnasiums have added advanced equipment due to their popularity in a locality. The BodyBuilding Factory in Patandhoka is one such place, where besides the regular treadmills and cycles, there are also more advanced accessories. "At Rs 350 per month, having an abs-cruncher is as much as you can ask for," says Ramesh Budhathoki, who's a regular at the gym.

But, some of the average gyms have little more than a manual tread-mill and promote eating vitamin pills as a way of pumping iron. Such pills and wonder drugs usually have dark side-effects, like long-term impotence and sterility. All in all, gyms in Nepal aren't yet perfect. "I am bothered by the lack of equipment here," says a regular at Hardic, even as three new static cycles were just added.

Besides that, the gym is also a time-consuming place. For a student with classes in the morning, or a worker who is busy throughout the day, taking the time to work out formally in a gym would be too much of a hassle, especially when the country's transportation system is so uncertain. Instead, simple exercises at home can actually be quite helpful. Push-ups and sit-ups, together with walking and jogging, are important exercises that don't require a gym membership but can really help in keeping the body fit.  Without a single piece of expensive equipment, these exercises make us sweat our body fat out in our own bedrooms.

In Bollywood, the duration for weight loss and body-building is drastically short. Shahrukh took barely six-months to make his body more impressive, and every now and then a star is seen looking trimmer and more pumped up. This has filled Nepali youngsters with the illusion that the same outcome can be achieved in the same duration. Almost nothing in Nepal can be compared to the grueling state-of-the-art work-outs of these people, and the realization of this makes many Nepali boys give up disappointed. Working out in the gym is a slow process, and definitive features like six-pack abs can take almost forever to be seen.

However, before one decides to jump into the gym, it is best to consider the alternatives. For instance, aerobics and light exercises at home can really do wonders. Yoga is also a healthy and inexpensive alternative, especially since it is broadcasted clearly by many Indian channels like Aastha television. Sometimes working out is not the solution, because many Nepalis tend to have sleep deprivation, which can also cause digestive problems and prevent the digestive system from working smoothly. So, it's best to point out what's causing the weight gain rather than jumping straight to a gym.