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From Mitchell’s Plain to Manenberg and even Grassy Park, around 50 locals have used everything from canned goods to yoga to help maintain a healthy lifestyle.
“Not everyone can afford to go to a gym, but everyone can get tins (of food) to help work muscles and add a bit of resistance to add tone and flexibility,” says the group’s fitness instructor Anthony Hicks, .
Offered at the Colorado Park Skate Park, Hicks says prior to the national lockdown the fitness group had around 100 active participants.
The classes were previously offered at the Colorado Park community hall, but once it was converted to a Covid-19 vaccination clinic, they moved to the park.
The classes run on Tuesdays and Thursdays in the mornings with a combination of aerobics and floor work, as well as guest instructors who occasionally do yoga or Zumba classes.
He says the difficulty the group has experienced with regards to finding a facility will not deter them.
“We should not be limited by facilities. If you want to be healthier, it is time to get out there and breathe the fresh air,” says Hicks.
“Healthy living starts with the mind.”
Hicks adds that he often sees an almost immediate boost in the confidence of new participants, making the classes more than just about weight loss.
Hicks started the classes around nine years ago when residents in the community were in need of some guidance.
“I have been in community programmes with the City of Cape Town instructing kids on table tennis and basketball, and one day the instructor was unavailable and the community asked me to do something for them,” he says.
Hicks encourages more communities to join this initiative or start similar programmes in their own open spaces.
