VIDEO: Regular exercise beats illnesses
"I followed the doctor's instructions by joining a gym in Johannesburg but after a year, I lost my job."
Opportunistic illnesses such as high blood pressure, sugar diabetes and others affect a number of people who lead sedentary lifestyles. Ncane Maake (44) was told by a medical doctor to start exercising and living a more active lifestyle to lower her blood pressure in 2015.
The tenacious Maake took the news on the chin and was determined to turn her life around to improve her health.
She said, “I followed the doctor’s instructions by joining a gym in Johannesburg but after a year, I lost my job.
“Then I decided to use most of the monies from my provident fund to establish my own gym in Bramfischerville called No Limit Fitness Studio. I started the gym by recruiting 20 members,” said Maake.
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She said at the beginning it was difficult because she paid a monthly rental fee for R3 000 and had to purchase gym equipment now valued at R 45 000.
Despite the initial stumbling block, her gym membership continued growing and now boasts over 60 members.
“I’ve realised that most senior citizens are targeted by opportunistic illnesses like as high blood pressure and sugar diabetes. My mother also died of high blood pressure in 2012,” she said.
Her mother’s death inspired Maake to recruit senior citizens in the township to be part of the gym so they could lead healthier lifestyles.
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Currently, the gym has six senior women who are sticking to their exercise regimen. Maake expressed her concern that most male seniors do not belong to a gym and do not exercise regularly, which is the reason she encouraged them and keeps her doors open to all, irrespective of age, race or gender.
Siphesihle Mbalo (23) joined the gym in 2017 and said,”I have a blue belt in karate, second Kyu.
“I joined the gym because it is not far away from my workplace and where I live. The gym helped me with body toning and weight lifting. My colleagues and training equipment are my only friends.”
Their gym is opened from 6 am to 8 pm from Mondays to Fridays and caters to people from Dobsonville, Bramfischerville, Meadowlands and the surrounding areas.
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