On 13 November 2007, over 700 Limburg women of all ages, shapes and sizes joined the 15th annual Vrouwensportdag in De Souverein sports centre, Lommel.
For only 4€ our gemeente Heusden-Zolder organized a coach, soup and coffee and we could choose from eight different programmes, each consisting of three sports.
Sports included: nordic walking, nature walk, laughter walk, yoga, pilates, aerobics, step, African Djembe dance, NIA, percussion, Latin Aerobics, spinning, aquagym, country dancing, folk dancing and bowling,
I chose Nordic walking which I always enjoy. Unfortunately, the initiation course was cancelled in my gemeente for the second year running so I am still looking for a beginners course to build on the odd lesson I have had in other places.
After nordic walking came spinning. I should have known not to enrol for this. Spinning is fast exercise on a stationary bicycle, sometimes sitting, sometimes standing, sometimes leaning on the handlebars and as if it was not difficult enough, varying the resistance so you are in effect going uphill. It was too much for me and I really do not know how the older ladies kept going, except for the fact that "Belgians are born on bicycles". I could barely walk for two days afterwards and going downstairs was painful in my calves.
The best part for me was discovering NIA brought to us by Gitte. She describes NIA as the balance of T'ai Chi, the strength of eastern martial arts such as Tae Kwon Do, expression, creativity and spontaneity of dance and the relaxation of yoga.
"Het evenwicht van T'ai Chi + de kracht van Oosterse krijgssporten + de expressie, creativiteit en spontaniteit van dans + EN de rust van yoga."
It was wonderful, combining all my favourite activities in one class which was at times powerful, graceful, free flowing, harmonious and always fun.
Gitte is the only teacher of Nia in Belgium and you can reach her on her Nia website. The site has beautiful poetry and illustrations.
If you are a Limburg woman, look out for the 16th Vrouwensportdag in November 2008.
Antonia Stuart-James is an English Hypnotherapist in Belgium helping people to make positive change.
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