Woman starts aerobics sessions for aged people

Monday to Thursday aged members of the Tembisa community take to the street to perform aerobic moves in a quest to fight various health complications.

The instructor and founder of Bophelong Fitness club, Cathrine Mathebe, said aerobic sessions take place in the open on the street with aged people moving to music from a home theatre sound system on full blast.

The aim of the Fitness Club is to allow the elderly people to have fun and to keep them fit.

“This initiative was unplanned and started off as a hobby, which fulfilled my love for music but little did I know this would be the beginning of something unique. I began doing short dance routines in the confined space of my lounge as a means to avoid lying down for most parts of my days,” said the 62-year-old aerobics instructor.

Cathrine’s health had been deteriorating for more than 10 years and led to her resigning from work in the year 2008.

She said she has been on several medical treatments and nothing seemed to help while her condition continued to get worse as the days went by.

Different diseases led to her picking up a lot of weight which confined her to the house and she could not move with ease because of her then obese body.

She said most of her days were spent indoors with much discomfort and that caused a lot of anxiety as she didn’t enjoy the circumstances.

“What people could not anticipate was how the love of music would change my life.

“With every dance move my health improved and it started being evident to the community at large.

“I also decided to partake in two extra activities within the community – playing soccer at Tsogang Basadi FC as well as singing at the Kopanong Busisiwe Choir group,” said Cathrine.

On August 11, 2016 Cathrine established a unique aerobics class which is run opposite her house on Albert Luthuli Street and the elderly have responded positively by joining her club in their numbers.

The initiative has become a spectacle in the community of Hospital View and grandchildren are impressed when their grannies exercise to Tsonga music, an element that makes the Bophelong Fitness club unique from other aerobics clubs we see in the suburbs.

“This has helped aged community members who are suffering from illnesses such as hypertension, low blood pressure as well as tuberculosis.”

On December 2 the fitness club formerly known as Conquerors Fitness Club officially adopted its new name and it is now known as Bophelong Fitness club.

Dignitaries from Vhembe in Limpopo came to support Cathrine in her endeavour to restore healthy habits in elderly people.

Mulima Royal Council said Cathrine has not only served in the community of Tembisa but she has also trained elderly people in Vhembe and her contribution had a positive impact on their community as the training classes she initiated still continue.

“Cathrine was sick and after exercising, she is now cured. Consequently, she came to our clinic and runs training classes. I encourage the elderly to join these aerobics classes because they will benefit and improve their health. Cathrine must continue doing the good work and we as the Mulima Royal Council will continue to support her as she goes further,” said the Mulima Royal Council.

Cathrine’s neighbour, Khabo Nkosi (63), said she is glad Cathrine started the gym to help other people who are suffering her ordeal of being unable to walk.

“I am also going to join Bophelong Fitness club. I encourage elderly people to join the gym because it is free of charge,” said Nkosi.

The training sessions take place at 575 Albert Luthuli Street in Hospital View.

For more information contact Cathrine Mathebe on 082 292 5319/073 747 3255