adminInnocent Choga Fitness
The quest to get fit has evolved since the early days of the human being. Initially this came about naturally as the primitive human being sought for subsistence.Through nomadic lifestyles necessitated by the need to survive the human beings maintained fitness as they had to hunt for food and search for water.
Successful forages were often followed by festivals which involved dancing and cultural games. All these activities involved lots of energy and movement and therefore a high level of fitness.
The developments and advancement in life that followed saw the invention of convenient implements and the change of lifestyles of the human beings.
Their lifestyles transformed from nomadic to living more stable lives as farmers. But these positive developments eliminated the hard work that existed before.
This resulted in less movement and more sedentary lives. The human being recognised the negative effects of living idle lives. They realised the importance of exercise for the building of strong armies, the containment and prevention of diseases.
The Ancient Greeks are also said to have believed in the need for performing exercises to music as perfect medicine for the mind, body and soul.
These were the origins of structured exercising which some city states like Sparta imposed on their citizens. Even in Africa the background of hunting, the nomadic tribes, the moonlight dances and games have been related to us by our grandparents.
Today, we have our own festivals which along the lanes of history have transcended to us in their own different ways.
Last week the National Federation of Zimbabwe Bodybuilding and Fitness (NFZBBF) hosted their annual National Body-building and Fitness competition. In the past this event was mainly a body-building affair but now it incorporates fitness events.
The Secretary General of the NFZBBF Quiet Shangai said body-building competitions are now involving fitness divisions in order to accommodate people of different phenotypes including individuals who want to look good but do not want to look very muscular.
Fitness is now part of the industry at the festivals, unlike in the previous years where only muscle was the key element.
There are many fitness divisions such that a person who is not involved in these activities at a high level will find it difficult to differentiate one from another.
The nature of the fitness sport just like body-building and gymnastics is that the judging can be subjective unlike the popular ball games were the ball is clearly scored, though there can be subjective issues like off side and line touching, but in some ball sports technology can now assist in such instances.
In athletics the winner is very clear. As far as judging is concerned, Shangai says they try to be as objective as possible by using internationally set guidelines and rules to select the winner .These rules are also set in such a way that eliminates extreme biases.
Shangai says in the fitness categories the judges look for athleticism and fitness levels. In the physique divisions the judges will be assessing the aesthetics and athletic shape in the women’s Bikini Fitness division athleticism, femininity and confidence counts. This division has a modelling aspect to it but the participants have to train and eat well. A bit of muscle is a fundamental aspect in all the cases above.
Quiet Shangai says they have introduced children fitness in an endeavour to promote the physique and fitness industry. The physique and fitness industry has become big business all over the world. The fitness divisions appeal to all individuals who exercise but do not want to or cannot look overly muscular.
The local industry was failing to attract women because women saw extremely muscular physiques as unattainable.
Not all women want to look muscular and in the process lose the feminine look.
Not all men have the genetics to look like champion body-builders. Some can only be athletic and good looking while others have aesthetics but can never build tones and tones of muscle.
So we should also appreciate that others do not want to attain these looks. It is imperative to celebrate and appreciate the attainment of fitness physiques at whatever level they would have been reached and at any degree of development; hence their introductions at all local competitions.
The introduction of these activities which require lesser levels of muscularity will encourage ectomorphs (hard gainers) to avoid using drugs to in an effort to compete or match mersomophs (naturally easy gainers). Therefore they participate in their own territories.
There are a number of career paths in the fitness industry which recognises those fitness genres. As a result participation has increased because everyone has somewhere to fit. Society is now willing to identify itself with the industry because there is diversity and that appeals to different people of varying backgrounds.
“Continuous supply of athletes will be guaranteed by the newly introduced children’s fitness. This division involves high school teenagers and tertiary institution students,” Shangai said.
“The idea is to penetrate the school curriculum. Although we all love ball games not everyone is talented in ball games and this is our way of encouraging fitness lifestyles.
“This does not necessarily require expensive equipment; the children in remote rural areas can run and do press ups to attain the required fitness attributes.
“The international body’s rules require the children to wear decent clothing like tight shorts and training bras for the girls, so parents do not have to worry”.
I noticed though that the women’s fitness divisions are mainly composed of one section of our community; our white sisters.
The event’s best entertainer was vivacious Demi Ferreira who performed an energetic fitness routine to Jah Prayzer and Diamond Platinum’s famous song which made her famous and a favourite of many in the audience. She won the under 23 and placed second in the Women Bikini fitness Open.
The NFZBBF’s young and vibrant members like Shangai are working with older experienced members like president Kenneth Murungweni and vice president Godfrey Nyoni.
The association has been remodelled and now has new permanent functions like the development division which is headed by Isaac Ziyavaya, assisted by his secretary Keith Chirimanzi.
There is a permanent judging department which is now headed by Collin Mushunje.
Together the team promise to make the movement a force to reckon with in the sporting arena. Shangai concluded by saying: “Our vision is to make the fitness industry an integral part of the Zimbabwe Socio-economic environment”.
To all fitness enthusiasts, let us meet at Old Hararians at 5.30am today and enjoy the cancer power walk. I will bring my head phones. Exercise for a good cause with good music is good for the soul.
Innocent Choga is a six time National Bodybuilding Champion with international experience. He is studying for a science degree in Physical Education and Sport. Email: [email protected]
Online Reporter