Don’t Sweat It

In 2017 I didn’t do a lot of sports. Most of the three months I spent traveling in the United States were spent on my ass behind a steering wheel. Safe to say, I rarely broke a sweat. When I got back, I occasionally went for a run but that was about it.

Ever since I moved to Davao City, late last year, my inner “athlete” has been reawakened. Now I get the old heart pumping multiple times a week and it feels good.

And I did something I thought I would never do in my life; I joined a gym

But I had to adopt some habits to do sports under tropical conditions, specifically rising early and drinking lots – and I mean lots – of water. And I did something I thought I would never do in my life; I joined a gym.

Muscular dudes

Gyms have never appealed to me. During my first year at university I had a part-time job in a restaurant that was part of a bigger building complex with a gym. They gave me a free gym membership and I think I went three times in a whole year. It felt stuffy in there with little natural light, and I can’t remember seeing anyone smile plowing away on the treadmill.

Now Sophie and I hit the gym twice a week before work. I run, row and play around with the machines for a good hour. And granted, I enjoy it, if only for the opportunity to chuckle at the muscular dudes making love to their reflection in the wall-to-wall mirror.

Submerged shorts

Part of the appeal is that the twice-a-week gym visits add much needed substance to a much needed routine. That applies as well to the Sunday afternoon badminton training sessions I’ve started having recently. I play with Hugo, a fellow tall Dutchman, and a couple of twenty-somethings from Davao. The venue is called “Smash ‘n Drop” and it’s located smack bang in the middle of Bankerohan, Davao City’s gigantic public market.

I enjoy it, if only for the opportunity to chuckle at the muscular dudes making love to their reflection in the wall-to-wall mirror

During the two-hour training I can easily go through three liters of water. Smash ‘n Drop is not air-conditioned and overall offers little in terms of ventilation. You play, you sweat. After ten minutes my shorts feel like they have been submerged in water. The trick is not to care and simply enjoy playing. Besides, sweating is really good for you, says the author of this GQ article I Googled randomly!

Read the full story at www.vanwerschwrites.com.