Fitness buffs heading indoors to exercise to beat the haze
Fitness buffs heading indoors to exercise tobeat the haze
21 October 2006
published by www.channelnewsasia.com
Singapore — The haze has prompted many fitness buffs to go indoors.
Fitness clubs have been seeing bigger turn-outs and one climbing school hasreported a 30 percent increase in visitors in the past two weeks.
30-year-old Matthew Pinkston has come up tops in triathlons and cycling races inthe past 8 years.
He is now training for the upcoming Osim Corporate Triathlon on 4th November anda 2-day cycling competition in Penang.
His intensive fitness regime includes cycling 80 kilometres to work everyday, 6days a week.
However, an episode of cold and flu last week – worsened by exercising in thehaze – forced him to switch to the gym.
“Triathlon and cycling is actually one of my favourite sports so intriathlon, you need to upkeep your cardio-vascular stamina and stuff so you haveto constantly exercise, minimum an hour a day,” said Pinkston.
The downtown gym has an outdoor ‘sky-rise’ garden with a 25-metre lap pool,which has been under utilised because of the haze.
At other outlets of Fitness First, about 10 outdoor group exercises have alsobeen cancelled when the haze hit “unhealthy levels” above 101.
However, it’s a different story indoors.
“We have seen an increase in the member check-ins, which means more membersare coming into the gym. Because of the haze, they have been doing more cardioworkouts, on our treadmills, rowers, steppers and etc. In terms of cutting down,they have been cutting down on the outdoor studio including swimming,” saidSarah See, Marketing Manager, Fitness First Singapore.
The climbing fraternity is also badly hit, and many climbing enthusiasts havestopped rock climbing outdoors, opting instead for indoor climbing facilities.
“We’ve received quite a number of enquiries from schools because schoolsare now busy with preparing for their post-examination activities. In normalconditions, they will do outdoor trekking, outdoor climbing. But with the hazecondition, I understand the schools are stopping all the outdoor activities,”said Rasi Isnin, Director, Climb Adventure.
