More Than a Gym
NICK PELLING & HELEN MURPHY investigate the realities of a community leisure centre.
Around this rather bloated time of year, many people begin to think about self-improvement schemes, like joining a gym. The cynical amongst us say that most people will probably go for about three weeks and then slump back on to the sofa and crack open the Pringles. We went along to Summerfields Leisure Centre, on Bohemia Road, to have a look at what is on offer and see whether there is any hope for us over-indulgent sinners. On the reception desk, we found Linda Moon, a most warm and welcoming front of house.
Linda has worked at Summerfields for 21 years. Impressively, she seems to know everyone that comes and goes. She is particularly good with young children, overburdened young mums and bouncy oldsters. As she says, “I have watched kids grow up here.” It certainly seemed that lots of young mums drop in for the tumble-tots sessions and genuinely value Linda’s engaging, good humoured and caring disposition. Indeed, it was noticeable that many of the staff seemed to enjoy working in such a sociable environment.
SURVIVAL OF THE AQUAFIT
Linda explained to us that there is an extraordinary amount on offer in this leisure centre. Alongside the standard gym sessions, there are so many other ways to flex the flesh. You could try Stretch and Tone, or, if you are not a gym person, you could try Aquafit in the pool, yoga or Pilates, or even more exotic sounding exertions such as Drums Alive or Zumba. If you feel a bit more of a need to release some post-festive frustrations, you could try the Freedom Combat Class.
Almost all of these classes are run by a professional tutor. If you feel that you might be embarrassed to jump around in front of others, the centre does make it very clear that their classes are for ‘all levels of fitness’. All you need to do is turn up in something comfy and bring some rehydration fluid – sometimes known as water.
It should also be pointed out that you can enter the classes on a pay-on-the-day basis. For example, it’s £7 for a single gym session or £5.50 for a swim. But there are also membership options that offer concessionary rates, including a very reasonable annual membership rate.
I decided to join the gym myself – Helen Murphy decided not to join and expressed the opinion that I would never stick to it. The gym room is perhaps best if you want to just stay in your own headspace and not have to be sociable. Personally, I don’t like to perspire and turn beetroot in group gatherings: it seems I prefer – for some reason – to focus only on pedalling a stationary bicycle to nowhere.
LETS GET (A BIT) PHYSICAL
However, for those that say all this exertion is usually futile, we beg to differ. Looking at the steady flow of people who come in and out of the foyer and listening to Linda’s hellos and goodbyes, we both had the distinct sense that this place offers a social service: a kind of cross between a community drop-in and a place to just reconnect with your bodily self.
Obviously, people need self-discipline and commitment, but Summerfields is not the kind of place where iron-pumping fitness fascists seek to make everyone feel inadequate. It is more like an all-embracing arena for anyone to make a new start in a new year.
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