Exercising is important, but starting to exercise can sometimes be quite difficult. In the Schalkwijk district, womens fitness gym helps women take that first step.
On Friday mornings, music sounds in the gymnasium of Pantarijn primary school. Under the guidance of trainer and coordinator Nathalie Geeris from SportSupport, a group of women of different ages and backgrounds train here. In pairs, they work on abs, buttocks, arms, and back. Nathalie walks around to give tips and encouragement. After the workout, a ball game follows. The rules are simple, but the execution turns out to be more difficult. There is a lot of laughter.
Exercising without men
Research by the Sport and Movement Lab of InHolland University of Applied Sciences in the Meerwijk neighborhood shows that residents exercise less often than the average in the Netherlands. This applies especially to women. Researcher Daphne Heemskerk went into the neighborhood to ask women why this is. “We discovered that a large part of the women want to exercise, but only in an environment where they are not visible to men. So in an enclosed space without windows. The sports location must be close by and not expensive. Nathalies lessons meet these requirements and are a great success.”
Accessible and safe
Nathalie Geeris: “I started this club 2.5 years ago with 2 women. Now there are about 20, only through word of mouth. Women come here because it is accessible and they feel safe here. Everyone can exercise here at her own level. The contribution fee is low, and for holders of a HaarlemPas it is free.”
“I never used to exercise”
Juke was one of the first participants. “I never used to exercise because I didnt find it fun at all. But after my retirement, I thought I should start. Then I heard about this club and went to see. I was immediately enthusiastic. It is a cozy group, with women from different cultural backgrounds. You are actively engaged. Nathalie gives good instructions. But she also teaches you to pay attention to your own limits.”
“Since I started exercising here, I hardly have any back complaints”
Ailien has only recently joined the gym. “I used to walk a lot but always had back pain. I heard about this club from my niece. The atmosphere and the sociability among women immediately appealed to me. And it is not a problem if an exercise doesnt work out. Then Nathalie gives tips, or lets you take it easy for a while. Since I started exercising here, I hardly have any back complaints.”
New contacts
Nathalie Geeris: “There are also women here who speak little Dutch. Other women then repeat the instruction slowly or explain a difficult word. This also creates new contacts. I often find volunteers for other SportSupport activities in this sports group, such as the Half Marathon of Haarlem and the Light Walk.”
The research of the Sport and Movement Lab continues. Daphne Heemskerk: “We will focus in the coming period on sports for young girls in Meerwijk. That group is hard to reach, so there is still a big challenge.”
Learn more
More about the womens fitness gym or other activities of SportSupport can be found on the SportSupport website Agenda - SportSupport(link is external)
More about the research of the Sport and Movement Lab can be found on the InHolland website Sport and Movement Lab Meerwijk(link is external)