Happy Bodies is a warm bath

At Happy Bodies, we can certainly say that working out with us is different from a massive, budget-friendly gym, but is that really true? In this blog post, Gerda Posch, 71 and one of the first members of Happy Bodies in Haarlem-Noord, explains what makes Happy Bodies so different from other gyms.

Just clear your head

I'm 71 years old, have a daughter and a son, and five grandchildren aged 24, 22, 17, 15, and 12. There's something beautiful about every age. The two oldest have grown into wonderful adults, the 17-year-old is becoming a real man, and the 15 and 12-year-olds are also developing well. I'm a happy person. I've been exercising for as long as I can remember. Well, let's be honest: when my husband died, I took a break for six years. But one day I woke up and thought: no, Ger, this sitting still isn't for you, from now on you're going to get back to exercising. Since then, I've been busy again, and I love it. Regular exercise not only helps you build good fitness, it also makes me feel better, both physically and mentally. When my head is full, I enjoy exercising: it clears my head.

At Happy Bodies everyone can be themselves

When I started working out again, I initially went back to the gym around the corner. It was nice and close. But once I started there, I thought: this isn't for me anymore. The guys there helped me tremendously, but they're all bodybuilders, and those girls, they walk around there pretending to be pretty, but they don't do anything. I really need proper support, and I simply don't get that at a regular gym. A few girls who live nearby recommended I check out Happy Bodies. I did, and I immediately felt: this is what I'm looking for! At Happy Bodies, everyone is welcome and can be themselves—old, young, fat, thin, small, tall—it doesn't matter. The coaches are attentive and always ready to help if something isn't working or isn't clear. It's a truly warm and welcoming place at Happy Bodies.

Back in top form

At one point, I broke an arm and a leg. When I was allowed to start rehab, I told the physiotherapist I was working out at Happy Bodies. He said, "They're good! I'll give you a note, so you can continue your rehab there. If it doesn't work out, come back to me." The coaches gave me extra exercises and helped me get back to my old self. I did see my physiotherapist again at some point, just to be sure. He tested me and thought I was in top form for my age. I was very happy about that.

Come on, Ger, just go!

I'm a fan of the Milon circle. The fourth exercise is the cross trainer, which I don't really like. I have asthma, and when I'm on that machine, I get out of breath very quickly. That's the only exercise I stop a bit early. I spend 45 minutes on the Milon circle, and I do that twice a week, after which I do some stretching. Once a week, I do some other exercises. I like it this way, and I'll keep doing it as long as I can. Of course, sometimes I don't feel like it, but then I tell myself, "Come on, Ger, get lost, just go!" When I'm done, I can take on the world again.