Dayglo gogos gym their way to better health

Each morning, at dawn, the Spruitview Multipurpose Centre comes alive with the sounds of birds and an array of colourful elderly female gymnasts in their bright gymwear as they go through their hour-long training session.

Although many of them are well into retirement age, the 35 enthusiastic “grannies” seem to have found a new lease on life as they continue to shed unwanted weight and ill-health. Their trainer, Nkosinathi Dube, says he enjoys every “body-toning” and “muscle-stretching” exercise he shares with his elderly students.

Each hour-long gym session starts soon after sunrise, with the 36-year-old Dube taking his enthusiastic elderly gymnast charges through several body loosening moves to get them ready for the rest of the program. What happens in the next hour has helped improve the lives of almost each and every one of these retired pensioners.

Clad in different coloured tracksuits, except for the “new-comers”, who are easily identified because they are wearing their own clothes – this group of lively old ladies has become a regular morning spectacle for local residents. “I just wish we could see more elderly people joining up and participating in these healthy early morning work-outs”, exclaimed a young woman as she strolled past the group.

“My arthritis pains, combined with the debilitating high blood pressure, together with sugar diabetes – have all subsided since I’ve been with this lot”, said gym co-founder 71-year-old Mma Teboho Ntsekhe, gesturing towards her peers. Like many of them, she hails the gym as an important therapeutic remedy for her age-related ailments.

Each one of them seems to have a healthy story to tell about her involvement with the gymnastic group. “We encourage other elderly ladies and gentlemen to get out of their beds and join us here every morning”, urged 80-year-old Martha Rulashe of Paradise Park after she completed the relay race.