Health Clubs are the Latest Craze in Baghdad
Aug 14, 2009 | Posted by in Featured, Health and Fitness | 0 Comments
Iraqis are increasingly heading to the gym to get fit, as health clubs have become the height of fashion in the country.
According to the Associated Press, fitness clubs and gyms have become the latest craze to sweep the Iraqi capital of Baghdad, with at least 300 gyms operating in the city.
Haidar Mouwaffak, a 28-year-old auto parts salesman, told the agency that the toppling of dictator Saddam Hussein prompted the proliferation of health clubs and gyms in the country because it resulted in the arrival of more outside influences on Iraqi culture.
He pointed to the arrival of satellite television as opening up the Iraqi people’s imaginations and helping them recognise the benefits and potential of getting fit.
Mr Mouwaffak explained he wanted to “look good, be physically strong and live in style”, which is fast becoming the ambition of many people living in Baghdad.
Earlier this year, the Los Angeles Times reported on a similar trend occurring in the city, suggesting that the improved security situation in the country had helped to encourage more Iraqis into gyms.
The newspaper explained that more people are now willing to spend longer outside their homes because they are less concerned about the threat of violence.