Well being and being fit

FINDING TIME
By the pool in town is my new way of finding time. I like to have time on my own thinking. And then again taking a colleague for a chat can be a Good Thing to do... the time it can save taking the time to explain something to someone. Thinking and baths has an ancient connection. Plans are made in steam rooms.

There has to be class. The Waldorf pool for guests is open to Members of LA Fitness who provide many other good services. It's lively but not noisy so it's all very peaceful - a place you would want to find time in.

A great place to think in is where the hosts take immaculate care of the environment. LA Fitness, having inherited the architectural detail like columns and fancy ceilings, take care of the detail right down to the high quality of the water in the pool. The pool area is genteel hollywood, with pleasant colours and lights.

One might think that while swimming, doing a class of Pilates, taking a spin with lots of energetic cyclists, one would not be thinking of strategic conversations. True enough – there's not a lot of waffle being shouted between neighbouring treadmills. However it is well known that Archimedes was bathing prior to shouting 'Eureka'.

Speaking from experience there is a serious advantage to be had from going to the gym aside from the bottom line of feeling more comfortable afterwards. This advantage is only open to those who refrain from watching the television while exercising. This sounds categorical enough to engender opposition from boobtubers. But I don't mind - doubt if they will be reading this by default. Too busy being drip fed with audiovisual adverts, 'news',soaps, dramas - anything insignificant enough to take up all of their dormant attention. These folk are not going to shout 'Eureka" any time soon.

TV aside though, talking, thinking, increasing energy, circulating blood and oxygen to the brain - amongst other parts, is great for conversation. In fact it's great for getting to know people better that you know already. The good results are so consistent that there are surely many scientific reasons for it among which is the good old placebo. With this approach a person occupied in business

The initial struggle of finding time to go to the gym for a swim can be replaced by the satisfaction of finding time IN the sauna or steam room. Without the distraction of coffees and snacks, with no extra possessions to watch out for, the space is clear to think things through. A Finnish proverb advises people to behave in the sauna as they do in church. Bathers are warned against shouting, cursing or telling tales. Even being unaware of this there is an air of 'cleanliness being next to Godliness' as spoken further West.

A way to get into the habit of going for a swim is to take a class so there is a specific start to the appointment - just like any other - to take up the challenge of learning Yoga, Pilates, kick boxing or an aqua class etc which, at LA Fitness, are included with the membership. The body building or fitness machines have computer programmes that feed back where you have arrived in improvement to strength and stamina. All thoroughly modern.

Only got 20 minutes? Does it take you ages to get undressed and dressed up and vice versa? You should see the speed of the regulars. It's like all the fitness and healthy thing – a matter of practice.

If you want to contact LA Fitness - call Andrew or Richard on 020 7379 5606 and make a time to start.

You can sit around in the sauna or steam rooms between swims.