I have worked out in all types of fitness centers over the years. My experience in Costa Rica goes back to the early 1990s. The first gyms I used here, in both San Jose and San Isidro de el General were old school: Free weights, dumbbells, barbells, stacks of metal plates, Universal machines with chains and pulleys that looked like the Jack LaLanne originals, wobbly exercise bikes, creaky benches and bad ventilation. Cold water showers and limited bathroom space.
I don’t recall ever seeing a personal trainer working with a client, though that may have been due to the quality of gym (older, cheaper) that I frequented. There were some modern fitness centers in the San Jose area, but were typically more than I wanted to spend for a membership. Flash forward to now. Throughout the steep streets of San Isidro de el General, every barrio, in some places every street, has its own gym.
They range from small and simple, like the old school gyms described above, to large and elaborately equipped, featuring personal trainers, modern equipment, and a large room for doing Zumba or Taekwondo or Rhythmic whatever. It’s all good, in these sedentary times to see so many people, both young and not so young, dedicating time to their health and well-being. Because there are so many options, I go to a well-equipped gym a few minutes from my house.
I see a few other seniors sometimes, but most working out are younger, with bodies and muscles that have yet to surrender to gravity. Like gyms everywhere, mine has its assortment of posers (working out in front of the mirrors the whole time), machine hogs (do a set, then scan the cell phone for 5 minutes, then do another set), slobs (leave the apparatuses wet with sweat, don’t replace the dumbbells and barbells when finished), mixed among those of us who follow protocol.
My average workout is about 2 hours and strenuous for my age. Younger guys call me ‘pa’ which, I think, (I hope) is a term of respect toward an elder. I like to imagine that the younger kids are checking out the iron pumping abuelo. And maybe they are, but are they admiring my effort? Or are they wondering if I am about to collapse, and if so, will they be able to get it all on their camera phones? Another thing most gyms have in common is the music.
If there is a zumba or other type of cardio based workout, there will be a hyper electronic beat that could drive you mad if you were locked in a room and had to listen to it for more than an hour. For regular workouts, it all depends on who is running the gym that day. It may be the guy who likes grunge rock, or it may be the one who likes the mixes– popular songs extended endlessly with a lot of repetition and sped up beats. Lately my gym has been playing what I believe to be ‘gangster rap’.
None of the rappers appear to have gotten the memo on the n-word. But as everyone else in the gym speaks Spanish as their first language, it doesn’t really matter. I don’t know where Costa Rica ranks in terms of fitness. I do know I see fewer seriously overweight people here than back in the states. And if the proliferation of gyms is any sign, Costa Rica is a healthy place to be.
