The room is dark. People are barefoot and drenched in sweat; clothes hug their bodies like a second skin. Eyes closed, they sway to a hypnotic beat. Is this a nightclub on a Saturday night? No, it’s a Monday morning fitness class in Sweden.
Sturebadet in Stockholm is one of the Swedish venues for new, more alternative forms of exercise. Photo: SturebadetWith one foot in the past and the other testing the waters of the future, Swedes have never been afraid to try new things. Nature-adoring and sport-loving, they have always believed that one must move the body to be healthy – whether that’s picking berries in the forest, hiking in the mountains, swimming in a lake or doing a yoga class.
Body/mind training attracts curious Swedes
What is often referred to as holistic fitness, alternative health or body/mind training is in fact a dynamic mix of ancient Eastern healing art forms and new Western techniques. In Sweden, there’s an increasing thirst for this type of fitness training.
At a recent body/mind day at a health club in Stockholm, people of all ages and at various athletic levels had a chance to experience some of the newest fitness forms. The day showcased how the mind can be just as engaged as the body: from Ashtanga yoga to aqua Pilates; from orientalics to Zenergy, qigong, mindfulness and Nia. (See glossary for explanations.)
Martina Lindberg, fitness manager at Sturebadet health club and spa, says the most popular class of the body/mind day was Nia. Nearly 200 people packed themselves into a studio to bend, breathe, shake, stretch, twirl and tweak the moves to suit their own needs – all to the explosive sounds of African drums and Celtic harps.
Exercise for both body and mind
Nia combines yoga, martial arts, modern dance and free movement. Based on the philosophy that mental and physical exercise is of equal value, Nia moves you in a natural way. Feeding both the body and the mind, participants use visual imagery to guide them. The old 1980s adage of “no pain, no gain” is no more.
Click here to watch an introductory video of Nia. (You need QuickTime Player.) Photo: Nianow.com
Sabine Itze-Wärn, a certified holistic health coach, fitness trainer and Nia instructor, says: “Swedes are open and motivated to try new things, and they are serious about commitment. Whenever we try something that works, it’s not for a weekend. It’s for a lifetime.
“We also have an innate awareness about how food and exercise can benefit the body: how hard dark bread is better than the soft white; how riding your bicycle is preferable to driving.”
Proof in the statistics
Could Swedes’ lifelong interest in health and fitness contribute to their long healthy lives?
According to figures from Statistics Sweden from 2006 Swedes live longer than most people in the world, after the Japanese and people in some microstates like Andorra. With the average man living to 78.7 years and the average woman living to 82.9 years, Swedes are active well into their advanced years.
Figures from Statistics Sweden (SCB) from 2005 show that more than 40 percent of Swedes between the ages of 16 and 84 exercise at least twice a week. In 1998, the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) ranked Sweden as the healthiest country in Europe.
”A new world of health”
Fitness is not just about muscles but should involve both body and mind. Photo: Maskot
José Nunez, a personal trainer and expert in functional physical training, sees the importance of balancing the mind and the body, calling it a new world of health. As founder of the fitness concept Bodies in Motion, Nunez believes Swedes are so receptive because they appreciate what is basic, practical, open and adventurous.
When asked why he believes that Swedes like to try new things, Nunez says: “I think we in Sweden like to see what we can do with movement. In the traditional gym, you get bigger muscles, but not necessarily functional power. We can swim, climb, run and jump. Everything we need to stay strong and healthy is right at our fingertips.”
Whether it’s in the forest, the lake, the gym or at home, the recipe for healthy living in Sweden is a fresh mix of movement and rest, relaxation and sport. In life’s great feast, work and play are given equal measure.
Glossary
Ashtanga yoga: Coordination of breath and movement, very physically active.
Aqua Pilates: The Pilates method of exercise, developed by Joseph Pilates, here adapted for use in the water. It aims to strengthen and stabilize the trunk.
Orientalics: A special form of dance aerobics, influenced by belly dancing.
Zenergy: Movements to ignite and calm the senses.
Qigong: An aspect of traditional Chinese medicine where the body’s energy regulates the spirit and breath.
Mindfulness: A technique in Zen meditation.
Nia (neuromuscular integrated action): A body-mind-spirit lifestyle and fitness practice.
Related links
www.sturebadet.se – Sturebadet
www.friskisochsvettis.se – Friskis & Svettis
www.gih.se – GIH, The Swedish School of Sport and Health Sciences
www.scb.se – Statistics Sweden (SCB), life expectancy in Sweden 1751–2006
www.who.int – The World Health Organization (WHO)
Related article
Vasaloppet – only a warm-up for fitness-crazy Swedes – Article
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Karyn McGettigan is a Canadian writer and communications consultant based in Stockholm. She is also a certified Nia instructor, and advocates the importance of a healthy body and healthy mind.
The author alone is responsible for the opinions expressed in this article.
Classification: 193EN
© Photo 1: Lasse Edwartz / Scanpix
© Photos 2 and 3: Sturebadet
© Photo 4: Nianow.com
© Photo 5: Maskot
Copyright:
Published by the Swedish Institute on www.sweden.se. All content is protected by Swedish copyright law. The text may be reproduced, transmitted, displayed, published or broadcast in any media for non-commercial use with reference to www.sweden.se. But never photographs or illustrations. For more information on general copyright and permission click here. If you have any questions please contact webmaster.