The age of gyms is upon us and with it a fitness boom

Gyms serve as emotional valves from crowded buildings in urban centres. [Courtesy] Last week, we mourned the scarcity of open spaces in urban areas; they are quickly built up with high-rise buildings, either residential or office blocks. Covid-19 and remote working have both failed to kill the office. Did I hear we even built offices at home? But the word "officer" is slowly dying. Hard-nosed economists will quickly add that such high-density buildings make economic sense; you make use of scarce land to house more people and make more money. But it often does not make social sense; overcrowding, waste disposal, noise, and air pollution mute the joy of urban life, more so where rules and regulations are ignored. Some suggest we get used to it, but should we? Paradoxically, watu wa Nairobi (urbanites) are respected and maybe feared in the rural areas, yet they often live a worse-off life than rural folks. Did I hear 60 per cent of Nairobians live in informal settlements? How many such settlements are in the rural areas? When shall we start respecting rural folks for owning their houses, with or without affordable housing? In such crowded spaces, entrepreneurs see opportunities. Beyond renting out the open spaces, they have built gyms, where, for a fee, you can exercise on treadmills and other equipment. Gyms serve as emotional valves from the crowded buildings, just like car washes, barber shops, salons, and, may I add, pubs. Ever noticed you are more likely to visit these places when bored? And it's good business. I heard charges range from a low of Sh50 per session to a membership of up to Sh20,000 per month. The charge depends on the location, with higher charges in affluent suburbs. Gyms are a byproduct of crowding. In the countryside, wide open spaces to play were once plentiful but are diminishing. How do immigrants to the crowded urban centres feel after all the "freedom" in the countryside is gone? Or do they simply get used to it? Another driver to the gym is diet. Processed food and inactivity lead to weight gain. Overweight children and adults were rare in the countryside. How could you gain weight with all the farm work, without machines, and with a diet without processed foods? Gyms are also driven by image. We are now more conscious of how we are perceived by others. We see "perfect" body shapes in the media and aspire to be like that by losing weight. A majority of gym-goers want to lose weight. Fasting is also gaining ground as an alternative route to weight loss. Medical researchers have not been left behind with weight loss drugs. Remember Wegovy/Ozempic? All this in a world where hunger and malnutrition are common. How do we match the market for weight losers and the malnourished to reduce "waste?" Do you own a gym or visit a gym regularly? Talk to us.

The age of gyms is upon us and with it a fitness boom

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The age of gyms is upon us and with it a fitness boom

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