We don’t think too much about the need to change our wardrobe with the shifting of the seasons. The long sleeves and thicker fabrics make their tentative move out of storage as the sun begins its steady decline in the day-time sky.
The seasonal shift was perhaps even more evident in the daily lives of our elders. As custom would have it, before the various farming revolutions of recent history, diets would change drastically according to which fruits and vegetables were in season as well as the cycles of fishing and hunting activity.
I often find myself wondering therefore, why do we fitness enthusiasts insist on repeating the same type of training all year round, often in conditions contradictory to our own resources and climate?
Just a couple of weeks ago we discussed the regatta races that take place in Malta twice a year, a discussion about which I have since received some interesting feedback indeed. The question was simple, why oh why are these types of activities not more popular?
Imagine our islands dotted with rowing clubs in each and every coastal town or village. Imagine a sports development programme implemented in schools to promote these clubs and giving incentives for more youngsters to get involved.
The regatta has all the charm and promise to be a truly major national sporting event. I would love to see the biannual rowing races in our beautiful harbour become the ‘super bowl’ of local sport. More buzz around rowing and canoeing would mean more accessibility for people simply wishing to get in shape with no competitive aspirations.
Along with waterpolo and swimming, were more investment to take place in the development of such activities, we Maltese would be spoiled for choice when it comes to being physically active throughout the sunny season. We love spending time outdoors in the sun anyway, so why not indulge in our recommended dose of activity while we’re at it? I’d certainly prefer it to being in a lonely gym in August complaining about the heat and the struggling air conditioner.
Outdoor sports that maximise our climate and geographical conditions can technically be practised at least during half of the year. The beauty of the fitness industry is that it is enterprising, and there will always be products and services developed to suit the way we want to train, provided enough of us are interested in the same type of activity. If enough of us head outdoors, the fitness and sports professionals will follow.
Let’s develop a physically active culture that pays homage to our islands and traditions; something unique, something to be distinctly proud of
We have big road running events on our fair islands which are hugely popular. I would love to see us exploit our seas in the same way, which, let’s face it, are more spacious than our roads or land mass.
Even on land there are hidden gems for physical adventurists. Unbeknownst to many of us locals, foreigners from around the world have been visiting our own back yard for years, climbing our cliffs and rocky valleys. Why aren’t we getting out there and enjoying our own terrain?
Exciting and engaging events, combined with fitness professionals specially trained to show us the ropes in a wide range of interesting new activities and disciplines in a way that is inclusive for all, regardless of age or physical condition, would be a massive step forwards towards changing our culture of inactivity. We’re still scoring abysmally in international inactivity rankings, so at some point we need to entertain the idea of rethinking our strategies.
There’s even a market for it beyond our shores, as more and more urban city dwellers now seem to be investing in fitness holidays. If enough people are willing to pay handsome entry fees to run around muddy obstacle courses throughout Europe, I’m sure we could come up with something pretty special for them right here on our own little patch of paradise.
Such innovation doesn’t represent a threat to anyone either. The remainder of our existing fitness industry services only stands to gain. More options available out there for people to engage in more active lifestyles would mean far more people would be likely to consider attending a gym or fitness class at some point or other. More people, more active, more often, is well and truly a healthy outcome for everyone.
Our children are still among the most obese in the world. Our adults are among the most obese in Europe. We have a beach culture and an image-conscious society. We have a publicly-funded health service which should be interested in cutting costs through preventive, healthy living strategies. All the ingredients are there for a healthy need for more active living.
We’ve achieved a lot in recent years in the development of the sport and fitness industries, but there is still a long way to go before we value physical activity and sport as it is valued in many other European countries. So I appeal to any representatives of unappreciated sports to get in touch with me. Let’s start singing praises where they’re due, and invest our resources in the promotion of activities that give us something back. Let’s develop a physically active culture that pays homage to our islands and traditions; something unique, something to be distinctly proud of.
matthew.muscat.inglott@mcast.edu.mt