THE concept of keeping fit and healthy by going to the gym is still relatively new in Saudi Arabia, and controversial when it comes to women's gyms. Nisreen Al-Nasser is focusing on the junior generation: She is the mastermind behind the new ‘Junior Gym' and getting the show on the road for children's fitness and health in Jeddah. After spending many years abroad, first as a school girl, then as a teenager, and finally as a married woman with children, Al-Nasser returned home to Saudi Arabia five years ago to find there was a distinct lack of activities for children. “There was no place for kids to go to have fun and enjoy various activities. When I first came back, I put my daughters into Saudi schools, but they are not very organized with sports.” Al-Nasser's concept was to teach her children – and other children – how to be active and have a healthy diet, not just as an extra-curricular aspect of their day, but as a way of life. When living in the United States, she used to take her children to a center with sports and arts activities. “There was also the ‘Gymboree' – a franchise set-up where the kids can be active and the mothers can get involved.” She drew inspiration from these organizations to work out plans for her ‘Junior Gym', which opened in February in the Gold Moor shopping Mall in Al-Zahraa District. Al-Nasser has a Master's Degree in Public Health from Boston University and has a sound knowledge of health issues and children's needs. The response to her Junior Gym has been very positive. “All the mothers say: ‘Thank you, we really needed something like this'.” Before a child can attend the Junior Gym, parents are given a medical form to be completed by their family doctor. There is also a full-time nurse on location. Suitable clothing and footwear must be worn, and long hair properly tied out of the way for safety reasons. Al-Nasser doesn't tolerate rudeness or bad behavior from the children: “They learn to play as a team and they learn good manners – if something happens, we stop them from playing until they apologize and then they can go back to their play.” Al-Nasser employs 12 full-time employees in the gym and others are brought in to teach specific activities such as ballet, hip-hop, aerobics and basketball. “The equipment we have is specially designed for children and comes from the United States – I bought some sports equipment that is hydraulic, there is no weight, so from six years up, they use the exercise room to build their muscles without hurting themselves.” If parents request it, advice from a clinical dietician is available. “In the case of children with weight problems, she will sit with the parents and explain to them that she doesn't believe that a child should be put on a diet as such, she just corrects what they eat.” Al-Nasser caters for children from as young as one year old up to 12 years, in the mixed gender groups. She explained how the youngest ones learn the names of colors, shapes and parts of the body through play and games. Girls up to the age of 15 can also attend the gym. “But,” she said with a knowing smile, “it is not so popular with them because they see themselves as young women and don't really like to be associated with the younger children!” The gym opens from 9 A.M. to 1 P.M. when groups come in from various schools, and on one day a week, the facility is open free of charge to a group of girls with disabilities to play basketball. The doors open again from 4 P.M. to 8 P.M. and most children spend the full session there. As we talked, two little girls were working their way up an impressive, colorful climbing wall, attempting to reach a bell to ring a good 30 feet above. Both children were wearing safety harnesses attached to ropes being carefully monitored by staff, one-to-one. The Junior Gym is for members only, and although fees are reasonable, they are unaffordable to a large sector of the community. Al-Nasser would like to see much more activity for children in schools and in the community in general. “I would like to see more clubs for children – and not only sports clubs. I would like to see reading clubs too. You know, there are no libraries where kids can go to read and be read to, or learn how to love books and read every night before they go to sleep. It is very important; it would completely change their mentality and the way they think – it would open up their eyes to different worlds.” She would eventually like to include piano and guitar lessons, fun science and maths, and a swimming pool, and have a complete summer program.
