Tales From The Gym

I'm going six times a week and there's been a bit of difference, but mainly it's just a really good way to wind down after work - the only downside is that I get home and eat about 11-30. However, the gym offers some fantastic insight into the working of the Japanese people.

1: The Japanese have little inhibition - from walking around stark naked in the changing rooms to flinging themselves all over the stretch mats. I see one old man in there a lot and all he does is pelvic thrusts as his warm-up; I think Freud would have something to say on that one.

2: The massage wheel. I've tried to find a picture on the internet of this but nothing. It's a wheel with lots of bumps and dips in it that revolves at different speeds. I'm not sure whether it's for relaxing or toning up your legs but when I put my feet on it tickles. One woman sat on it, so I guess she either had a painful cheek or she wanted to tone her bottom up. But... one woman straddled it like a horse and there can only be one reason for that. Sudden flashbacks of the Sex Museum in Amsterdam.

3: In Japan, "Ally McBeal" is called "Ally My Love" and it's extremely popular. I sometimes wonder whether social class is decided upon who has the Ally Boxset. It's on Monday nights and I run for the whole 40-ish minutes. And I laugh. They must think I'm crazy because everyone else is sweating and looking exhausted on the treadmills at 10pm but I'm in hysterics. I forgot how brilliant it was.

4: The gym has toilets with all those buttons. The first ones I've seen up close. They're a bit daunting with so many buttons and the upwards spray scares me so I haven't ventured near that one yet. But the seat is heated. At least I think so. Unless someone warms it up for me. How thoughtful.

5: The gym is just as much a mental workout as a physical one. You enter and give one of the receptionists your card and they change it for a paper card which you sign your name on. Then you take your shoes off and put them in a locker and take the key for that locker. Then, in the changing room, you put the keycard into a second locker and get changed. You lock this locker by typing in a PIN number. Then you have to put your gym shoes on in the actual gym. It's a good ten minutes of locks and shoe-changes before you're good to go. Phew.