The Body Beautiful

As soon as I finish this, I am off to the gym. I try to go three times a week and on each occasion spend about an hour, divided evenly between cardio and weights. I am not a fitness freak. If I were I would probably be down there more often and for longer, and the results would be demonstrably (and visibly) better. Nevertheless, I do have the capacity to kid myself that I am doing some good to and for my body. In reality, I am likely doing more for my mind by imposing a little bit of discipline in my life.
That aside, there are other benefits to going to my particular gym. It is not large, yet it is never over-crowded. There is no waiting for any of the equipment and, mercifully and relative to my previous gym, nobody abusing the equipment by using it as a convenient seat on which to read and write texts or gossip.
Also, unlike my previous gym, the staff are young, knowledgeable and friendly. Apart from the young part, so are the patrons. Given the age of many of the patrons, including myself, it is comforting to see the defibrillator in the corner. I hope that there is also someone who knows how to use it.
Which brings me to Les Mills.
Yesterday at Les Mills’ Victoria Street (Auckland) gym a 28 year-old man collapsed during a BodyPump session. I do not know what BodyPump is but I understand from the Herald report that it is reasonably strenuous and involves medium to light weights.
The female instructor and three other staff from the gym immediately went to the man’s aid. An ambulance was called (by a patron). One staff member stayed with the man until the ambulance arrived 25 minutes later, and the instructor resumed her class/session.
Rider alert: I was not there, I do not know exactly what happened, and I am relying on the Herald report.
Two questions: should the instructor have immediately resumed the session? No practical reason why not, I guess, except I think the decent thing to do would have been to call off that session, or at least delay its resumption until emergency staff were on the scene and a proper assessment of the man’s condition had been made. I am not alone with that thought. The Herald reports that some at the scene also had that view, and a spokesperson for Les Mills admits the class should have been stopped and health and safety processes were not followed. Am I wrong in perhaps drawing the conclusion that this instructor and perhaps some of her Les Mills class are so self-obsessed that nothing, but nothing, gets in the way of their workout?
The second question is why it took an ambulance 25 minutes to get there. Their station is just up the road. Twenty-five minutes seems an inordinately long time. I would hope for better if I collapse at the gym—with or without the defibrillator.
Anyway, that is my gripe, it is at an end, and I have met my self-imposed challenge.
My challenge was that this week—of all weeks—I could write an entire Fryday without mentioning Fifty Shades of Grey…oops! Bugger!