My Sporting Life
Although I am not playing soccer for the Simbas, I have joined a “salle de sport,” located not far from campus in one of the student dormitories. My biggest athletic accomplishment so far is that I have learned to jump rope. No tricks yet, but I am proficient at the basics. It is usually how I warm up. Makfitness, as it is called, was opened up last year by a history professor at the university and his younger brother (who went to college in the US).
The monthly rates are $15 for students, $20 for faculty and staff (moi), and $25 for people without university affiliation. This is a decent rate compared to the US, and compared to the $50 to $150 monthly fee charged at the gyms in the expatriate neighborhoods. Still, the rates are prohibitive for most people here. Nonetheless, it has something of a buzz about it. There are always people coming by for tours and kids looking through the windows. People are really fascinated and it is the first time most people have seen anything like it. They just watch. A television crew was in there last month filming some segments for a sports program on one of the Christian channels.
Like many things here, it is very well organized. When you join, you have a consultation with a medical doctor (1,000 fc) and are assisted by trainers throughout your workout. It is similar to having a private trainer leading you through the workout. When I do sit-ups, I have a medical student counting my reps for me. There is a lot of attention. There is someone cleaning fulltime, trainers, doctors, receptionist, manager, etc., all in a relatively small space. This creates a high quality of service, though it might seem a bit aggressive if you are not used to it. But everything is very proper. The staffing situation there is like many places in Kinshasa. Due to the low cost of labor, places hire many people to do jobs that in the US one person would do. It is, however, I believe more than inexpensive labor. There is a value to labor which is different than in the US. US businesses hire as few people as necessary to do the job (and often less than necessary). Downsize. Have the trainer or receptionist clean up at the start or end of the shift. Here, there is a different ethos. My estimation is that the gym is marginally profitable at best at this point. So why not downsize and increase profits by, I am guessing, $100 per month for each person fired? Here, that is significant money. But you don’t see that happening. Most places “over-employ” (as it might be called in the US).
The "salle" is a nice spot with good equipment, much of it more technologically advanced than the jump rope. A few treadmills, bikes, rowing machines, nautilus-style equipment, free weights, etc. I have found that even experienced athletes here are relative novices to a formal gym, so there is a lot of teaching and attention to proper form and health. This gives it a different feel than many US gyms. That, and the fact that most people work out barefoot because they don’t have sneakers.
I don't spend all of my time watching football on tv. I also went jogging this morning at 5 am with a group I met at the gym. Five am is early and dark (almost everywhere), but it was a good workout and a chance to see Rondpoint Ngaba (of my early posts) at a different, if only slightly less crowded, time of day.
If you want to see more of the gym, you can check out the web site, though you won’t find any pictures of me jumping rope or jogging to Ngaba. You’ll have to take my word for it.
The monthly rates are $15 for students, $20 for faculty and staff (moi), and $25 for people without university affiliation. This is a decent rate compared to the US, and compared to the $50 to $150 monthly fee charged at the gyms in the expatriate neighborhoods. Still, the rates are prohibitive for most people here. Nonetheless, it has something of a buzz about it. There are always people coming by for tours and kids looking through the windows. People are really fascinated and it is the first time most people have seen anything like it. They just watch. A television crew was in there last month filming some segments for a sports program on one of the Christian channels.
Like many things here, it is very well organized. When you join, you have a consultation with a medical doctor (1,000 fc) and are assisted by trainers throughout your workout. It is similar to having a private trainer leading you through the workout. When I do sit-ups, I have a medical student counting my reps for me. There is a lot of attention. There is someone cleaning fulltime, trainers, doctors, receptionist, manager, etc., all in a relatively small space. This creates a high quality of service, though it might seem a bit aggressive if you are not used to it. But everything is very proper. The staffing situation there is like many places in Kinshasa. Due to the low cost of labor, places hire many people to do jobs that in the US one person would do. It is, however, I believe more than inexpensive labor. There is a value to labor which is different than in the US. US businesses hire as few people as necessary to do the job (and often less than necessary). Downsize. Have the trainer or receptionist clean up at the start or end of the shift. Here, there is a different ethos. My estimation is that the gym is marginally profitable at best at this point. So why not downsize and increase profits by, I am guessing, $100 per month for each person fired? Here, that is significant money. But you don’t see that happening. Most places “over-employ” (as it might be called in the US).
The "salle" is a nice spot with good equipment, much of it more technologically advanced than the jump rope. A few treadmills, bikes, rowing machines, nautilus-style equipment, free weights, etc. I have found that even experienced athletes here are relative novices to a formal gym, so there is a lot of teaching and attention to proper form and health. This gives it a different feel than many US gyms. That, and the fact that most people work out barefoot because they don’t have sneakers.
I don't spend all of my time watching football on tv. I also went jogging this morning at 5 am with a group I met at the gym. Five am is early and dark (almost everywhere), but it was a good workout and a chance to see Rondpoint Ngaba (of my early posts) at a different, if only slightly less crowded, time of day.
If you want to see more of the gym, you can check out the web site, though you won’t find any pictures of me jumping rope or jogging to Ngaba. You’ll have to take my word for it.
posted by irad at 10:39 AM
1 Comments:
Congratulations, Dr. Dworkin.
I see that you are really having a grand old time and trying your best to be integrated in that society, whereas most other foreigners in your class would have been bitter critics.
Here in the US (Phillie), I will be denied access to the gym if I showed up barefeet. What type of sport attire is most popular in that gym?
Jogging to Rond Point Ngaba, do you jog on the road or on the side walk?
By the way, I enjoyed the latest soccer reportage, but I did not have any comment or questions to ask of you.
Eagerly waiting for more fun reading.
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