I recently announced my membership of a fitness Gym and most of my friends started teasing me; wondering what necessitated this at my age and season; yes I got diverse reactions. Though I tried to catch fun from both the membership and announcement but analysing the comments on the social media platforms, I concluded I need to do this write-up.
As a public Relations Practitioner with strong inclination for politics, I will make the following assertions but not as a fitness Coach or Physical Educationist (not as a professional). I played good football in my youthful days and I enjoyed playing so much where we can make jest of one another on the pitch; so you know I never played professional football. However, as I get older and more busy, I dropped footballing and other sporting exercises gradually. It got worse after I passed 45yrs, as the routine dropped to sit-up exercises two or three times a week, you can bet that was not enough to keep me fit. I have discovered that people's compliments are not always sincere, particularly when it comes to weight because they don't want to hurt us. "You're okay" is not enough, if you are feeling heavy and your reflexes are becoming slow, please hit the Gym.
In my undergraduate days, I read many books and one of such is The Total Man by Dan Benson. That book and others I read on leadership made me come up with the quotation; "There is more to manhood than the evidence between the thighs" in 1995. There is more to being a man than just being a male gender. Yes, I realized I have to conquer myself and train my mind, so I watched my size and what I fed my mind so much as a Youth. I went to the gym because my walkout routine of average of 6000 steps per day doesn't seem enough to maintain my shape and I need the Gym so that I can monitor my BMI (body mass index) too. So, I challenged myself and posted online to make my people challenge me more without knowing; their jesting and doubts would help me greatly.
Many books revealed how crucial body fitness is in the routine of American Presidents and their movies too suggest same. Fortunately or otherwise, most leadership books portray some American Presidents as the ideal leaders. Furthermore, my Physician friends and other health books also emphasize the importance of physical fitness to great leadership. So my Doki friends, like I love to tease them always keep me on my toes about physical fitness.
SOUNDNESS OF THE MIND: Though most politicians in our clime take pride in potbelly and big sizes but the truth is that we harm ourselves when we overshoot our BMI. Politicians make great decisions, eat at awkward times, rarely take enough sleep and often eat junks; these are recipes for sudden death. People often say politicians are not doing anything in Nigeria but I beg to defer, they do a lot but might not just be in public interest. These lifestyles have great health implications in the long run and many begin to nurse one terminal disease or the other (it has nothing to do with curses from the populace). So, as human beings with tight schedules, they settle for medications only, even when physical exercises are part of the prescriptions. The mental alertness needed in making decisions also require great fitness. I was shocked as undergraduate to discover you need physical stamina to be able to pray or study for long too. The mental demands are great and they require fitness for the ability not to wean too soon. When great leaders visit the Basketball court (Obama) or go to Camp David, it's not out of idleness, it is for mental and physical rejuvenation. Just very few of our political leaders factor exercises into their routines; it portrays discipline and rising up to the demands of the office, not mere pleasure. Chief Olusegun Obasanjo still keep his Squash sessions and I guess that's partly responsible for his alertness and agility at over 80yrs.
THE PUMPING OF THE HEART: According to my Physician friends, as we get older and bigger, the demands on the heart to pump blood to all areas of the body becomes bigger. The heart begins to get weaker and the rate of the pumping reduce gradually. Regular exercises help the heart to return to its optimum pumping level irrespective of advances in age. You make it best when your BMI is also okay. Those with weak hearts are prone to different diseases as they advance more in age. However, appropriate exercises (combined) with medications can help regularize the body functions and put the body in vantage position for rejuvenation and fight any onslaught.
GENERAL STAMINA: My experience from footballing taught me the hard lesson; though the skills are still there but when I attempted to play like my youthful days, my heart almost pump out of my mouth in 15min. I was seriously panting for breathe and couldn't continue the game again. That was even about 12yrs ago. My kneels ached terribly and my body protested vehemently. My science background taught me my stamina was completely down. Since then, I don't play ball without a week notice, so I can do some fitness exercises and prepare my body for the game. If you have not had any exercises for long or you are treating any disease, it is better to participate in outdoor games only after your physician's advice.
FOR THE MARRIED COUPLES: I have had cause to tease my friends about this issue but I write it with cautious conviction. Many homes suffer because the women run away from sex as if it's TOO DEMANDING. Some men even say the women complain of the wahala in suggests when the man makes advances. Hmmmmm! Going by the routine of the responsible wives, their stamina drop so fast and it also reflects in the responses to sex. Mentally and physically, sincerely sex becomes a great burden to many of them but fitness exercises can also rejuvenate their sex lives. Most couples only think of Gym when they are going out of shape or lack of affirmations from their spouses but it should not be limited to that. One way of maintaining your youthfulness is fitness exercises; it helps to build your stamina, maintain your frame and off course, maintain your size too. The fear of your spouse running after younger ones will not be there because in your case, age is just a figure; when you're as fit as you have always being. However when you wear out faster than normal, you will begin to see it as burden, not fun, then there's fire on the mountain. There is THE TOTAL WOMAN book for the women too but don't ask me if I have read that too.
THE PANDEMIC: During the pandemic total lockdown, many people took to walkout but it was majorly because of the increase in size, not really for fitness. The heart is the major target of the Covid 19 virus and that was why people get more susceptible to infection with age because of weakness of the heart. I read that part of the therapy at the isolation center for those not on oxygen is light exercises. This is the reason why most natural remedies against Covid 19 are those which boost the performance of the heart. So as we follow Covid 19 protocols, we must also ensure we stay physically fit because of our hearts. I know the world might not return FULLY to its initial activities because physical job schedules have reduced considerably and that also calls for more exercises by the executives.
Finally, the Bible says; "For bodily exercise profits a little" (1 Tim 4:8) but that little I always add that little might determine how much you enjoy the fruits of your godly exercises. Pastor E. A Adeboye and Rev Paul Jinadu spend regular time walking for hours just to keep fit physically, mentally and spiritually. So, when a younger friend at the Gym complained beside me that we don't need all these "stress" to make heaven, I responded by telling him we need them in order not to go too early (suddenly). You may laugh me to scorn but watch out for my "6 packs", though I won't come and flex my muscles before you to prove any point, I know I will be better for it. In your case, whether one pack or no pack at all, do your best to stay physically fit, you will thank me later. Together, we can help one another to stay healthy and catch funs while doing same.
LEADERSHIP QUOTE: Permit me to conveniently quote myself: "There is more to manhood than the evidence between the thighs'. Rotimi Johnson -Ojasope.
Please share with your friends, you might save a life by doing so.
Adeniyi Rotimi Johnson (Ojasope)
ANIPR, FELLOW-IPDCRM
Ibadan.
