…As Keep Fit Awareness Spreads In PH
Ever noticed a growing fad amongst residents of Port Harcourt and its environs, a consciousness to keep fit and maintain a strong and healthy body? People are getting busier especially on weekends. A quick stroll around the city in the mornings, would reveal the activities. At many points, you will see people in groups, sportily dressed and pulling off bouts of exercises.
At the flyovers and conceivable open spaces, in front of eateries and even in the parking lot of churches and schools, people are gathered, sweating it out, in their bid to keep fit and achieve a good quality life.It is the ‘keep fit revolution’.
Nze Safety Nick Obiahu, a Nollywood actor and fitness instructor, recently spoke to National Network’ s Editor, Ken Asinobi on the growing fitness awareness in Port Harcourt. Obiahu elaborated on the issue and gave reasons why body fitness should be embraced by all and sundry.
“To put it simply, physical activity and exercise is important for everyone. Children, adolescents, and adults of all ages need regular physical activity. Physical activity promotes good health, and you should stay active throughout all stages of your life regardless of your body type. Fitness is health and health is wealth. It may be tedious but where there is no pain, there’s no gain. You will have result if you are resilient and keep doing it”, he began.
Obiahu said he cringes at the sight of people going to the hospital on account of avoidable sicknesses and disease. He added that making healthy choices, such as engaging in regular physical activity, can reduce the risk for many health issues and complications that can result in expensive medical care.
“Fitness is for everybody, but the types of fitness exercises differ from person to person and level to level. Even when one goes to the hospital, the doctor would advise the person to do exercises. When someone is ill, there are exercises given and when somebody is fit, there are also exercises to such person. Exercise is for everybody, especially when you discover that your body is not functioning optimally”, he said, adding that even a pregnant woman needs fitness.
The fitness coach described the revolution as a welcome development as according to him, a healthy nation breeds a wealthy nation.
His words, “It is a good development. It is amazing that people would on their own volition do fitness. You see that everybody wants to keep fit. Everybody wants to be smart. It is a deviation from the past when only very few people were doing fitness.
“People never appreciated fitness but today, people on their own wants to do fitness to enjoy good health. That is whyevery available space is being occupied in Port Harcourt and environs
especially on Saturdays. Most people don’t have the time because they work Monday through Friday”, he explained.
Are there risks associated with fitness training?
“Of course, there are inherent risks especially if you don’t get the right training or exercise. Not every coach is good at it. You must have the right person to do it. If you train under the wrong coach who does not know the right techniques, your life will be at risk.
“A good coach can advise you before embarking on fitness training. He will know the kind of exercise to give to you depending on your health status. A good coach should first of all ask the person why he wants to have the fitness
training. The fitness I may give to a chubby person may not be what Iwill give to a slim person”, Obiahu said.
He appealed to the government, churches and NGOs to queue into the revolution tobuild a strong, healthy and virile society.
“Government should collaborate with other institutions by building gymnasiums at strategic locations in the city and environs. It should be provided free of charge or at a drastically subsidized rate because many citizens may not afford the cost of using it if asked to pay”, he said.
Obiahu praised his church, Gateway International Church (GIC) for the standard gym provided for members and urged other churches to emulate the example.
“The objective of the church as a sub nation is to build a healthy institution and teach them the way of godly living. If they emulate the Gateway example, people will keep fit and reduce stress and the pastor will not have time to be shouting ‘fire’ all the time. As humans, do your own part and God will do His”, he advised.
