gymming

As I couldn't postpone it any longer, I mustered up the courage and went to the fancy gym today and took a trial session. What can I say? I am speechless. I love it. It was absolutely insane and the best gym I have ever been to!

Each treadmill and crosstrainer had an individual TV screen, remote and earphones. Before using the treadmills you had to sign your name on a board and your expected finishing time (loads of symbols, symbols, symbols, then - Jo) and there was even a developed queueing system on it. In front of the bicycles were two huge flatscreen TVs and each cycle had earphones. Luxury!

They also had those vibrating machines that you stand on and it shakes your flab into shape! I tried it and let me tell you this, 10 minutes is a long, long time on those things! I'm expecting to wake up looking fit like a stick tomorrow morning.

Then...then there was the funniest thing ever: the horse-saddle exercise machine (see picture). I have no - no - idea what it's good for, and I didn't really feel any effort and mostly felt incredibly stupid. But I do like horseback riding so shouldn't complain. No animal cruelty = guilt-free!

Seeing as all machines only gave instructions in Japanese, I'm quite proud I managed to do my programme without any major disasters. Only minor mistake was attempting to go into the men's bathroom (in my defense, it only said 'Toilet' on the door - how am I supposed to know?) but I was stopped before by a nice gym person. Also had to ask for help how to switch on the treadmill (which turned out to be the big red button on the side) but other than that I did it all.

It is only sad I shall not be going back. Given the facilities, this gym is freakishly expensive and I'm checking out the cheaper one tomorrow. Fingers crossed it'll also have the vibrating miracle machines.

Jo x