I have generally been a fit person all my life. Exercising regularly was never a part of my daily routine until I reached 40. It all began with a bout of cervical spondylitis, for the treatment of which I sought the help of a physiotherapist, who was an employee of the Nizam Club, of which I was a member.
During one of the sessions, he told me that my body had the potential to reach a higher level of fitness, and stay in that condition for a long time, and suggested that I should start exercising regularly. What began with a daily morning walk led to using the gym in the club. Ever since, either a visit to a gym or a brisk walk, followed by some lightweight training, stretching, and bending, has become a compulsory part of my daily routine. Thereafter, as I travelled to various places in the country and abroad, while in service and afterwards, the habit continued.
Among the gyms I visited are those in Kurnool, Anantapur, Rajahmundry, Vijayawada, Visakhapatnam, Kakinada. Other venues included the Gymkhana Club in Chennai, Cosmopolitan Club (Bangalore), Trident Hotel and Andhra Pradesh Bhavan (both in Delhi); hotels in Agartala and Chennai, Bhubaneswar and in the Naval War College at Goa. I have also visited gyms in London, Bangkok, Hong Kong and hotels in Sri Lankan towns Bentota and Weligama.
Gyms have a long history. The earliest recorded dedicated gyms emerged in ancient Greece around the 6th century BCE. Known as gymnasia, they were originally outdoor, open-air spaces on city outskirts used for physical training, wrestling, and education. The term ‘gymnasium’ takes its origin from gymnos (naked), as, in those days, men exercised without clothing. While Greek city-states formalised them, gyms were known even earlier, as spaces for physical training existed in ancient Persia over 3,000 years ago, known as ‘zurkhaneh’, or ‘houses of strength’, Greek gymnasiums were central to public life, serving as training grounds for athletes, schools for young men, and, strangely enough, places for intellectual discussions!
Over time, especially during the Roman era, these evolved, from simple, tree-shaded fields near rivers, into complex, often enclosed, structures that included areas for bathing and socialising. The modern indoor commercial gym model began to take shape in the early 19th century in Germany.
Traditional gym layouts with mirrors and complex machinery can be overwhelming for beginners. As a result, facilities known as ‘spin studios’ are rapidly gaining popularity as a preferred alternative to traditional gyms, as they offer a high-intensity, low-impact cardiovascular workout that efficiently boosts heart health, burns significant calories, strengthens the legs and core, builds muscular endurance, improves mental well-being through endorphin release and is joint-friendly. While traditional gyms focus on broad equipment access, these studios offer a niche, immersive experience that combines fitness with social, party-like atmospheres.
Meanwhile, the younger generations are prioritising ‘experiences’ over routine workouts and preferring the music-driven, dark-room, nightclub-like environments, which feel more like entertainment than a chore. What is more, the dim lighting and structured, instructor-led nature of spin studios create an equalizing, low-friction environment, fostering a sense of belonging that impersonal big-box gyms often lack. The shift, therefore, is not merely about burning calories but also about atmosphere, emotion, and belonging. One often finds people of all ages being put through their regimens by coaches who are professional experts in fitness and exercise. The fitness bug is known to have bitten several renowned people, including globetrotting political leaders, celebrated sportspersons and actors.
Arnold Schwarzenegger, formerly Governor of California, who visited Delhi to address the Delhi Sustainable Development Summit in 2012, was, for example, a legendary bodybuilder who won Mr. Olympia seven times and was known as the ‘Austrian Oak’. His latest advice regarding gym usage, however, focuses on simplifying training, returning to basics, and prioritising consistency over intensity.
Likewise, cricketer Mohinder Amarnath was known for his immense physical and mental fitness during an era when such dedication was rare in Indian cricket. Often referred to as a ‘fetish for fitness’, his commitment was viewed as being ahead of its time, allowing him to endure significant physical blows and make multiple comebacks to the international side. Amarnath, along with peers such as Kapil Dev, was considered a fitness fanatic in an era that did not traditionally prioritise intense physical conditioning
Usage of gyms has also figured in fiction. For instance, in the thriller, ‘The President Is Missing’, written by Bill Clinton and James Patterson, the character, President Jonathan Duncan is depicted as a physically fit, athletic leader who regularly utilises the gym facilities within the White House residence.
Just as in the case of any other addiction, such as alcohol, tobacco, or gambling, a person can develop such a thing as a ‘fitness fetish’, leading to a compulsive need to exercise, no matter what the consequence. The reluctance with which I started going to gyms is nowadays matched only by the extreme unwillingness I feel to stop exercising, once I am inside a gym!
Those intending to remain fit are therefore advised to cultivate the ability to take the occasional gym holiday and desist from straining their bodies beyond the endurance limit. They will also do well to recall the spirit of the advice which Hamlet gives to his mother in Shakespeare’s play, ‘Hamlet’.
“Refrain tonight/And that shall lend a kind of easiness/To the next abstinence; the next more easy.”
I am afraid I am a victim of that disease too. Several times in my career, especially in the last phase, when I was the Chief Secretary, I found that exercise was the best solution to my problems and the mother of all stress busters. In fact, when there was a change in the office of Chief Minister, and I was not quite sure about what lay in the future for me, I doubled the quantum of exercise. And it helped! I continued with the successor and had a good time!
And it is time now for the usual one liner for a humour sent for this piece. I heard about this man who would not trust his personal trainer, because the chap kept pulling his leg!
(The writer was formerly Chief Secretary, Government of Andhra Pradesh)
