HEALTH Fitness camps – India style

An Indian odyssey


Part One

Personal trainer
Paul O'Brien

For the next two months, my articles will be a little different.
I have two great passions. The first, which regular readers will know, is sport and fitness. The second is travel. I’ve been lucky enough to be given the opportunity to indulge in both, and so for the next while, my words will be coming to you long-distance – from the amazing land of India, where I am helping to establish multi-activity summer camps for kids.
India is, quite simply, a full-frontal assault on the senses. On arrival, the second thing I became aware of (after the sweltering heat) was the noise. India is LOUD! The ceaseless cacophony of car horns, the bustle of the street stalls, the very pulse of life envelopes you. The aroma of exotic foods and spices hooks your attention with some familiar scents and many strange ones. My eyes felt like the speed shutter of a camera, registering hundreds of images in seconds. Colours exploded from everywhere, leaving me dizzy and entranced.
The other striking thing about India, so far, is the people. Friendly and inquisitive only begins to describe them. Life is conducted with a breezy nonchalance. There are surely worries, though they never seem to show on the surface. Many people seem to survive on what, to us, would be an inconceivable amount of money. But happiness is measured here by the close relationships shared with family and friends and by the content of character, not the size of your wallet.
Then there’s the energy. Sometimes you enter a town or city and may become aware of a certain energy. It could be edgy, or chilled out or even slightly depressing. As I drove from the airport into the city of Bangalore in Karnataka, Southern India, the energy gripped me like a vice. It felt like the energy of change and expectation.
Yes, for me, India expects. The country has one of the fastest-growing economies in the world and everyone is looking for a slice of the cake. Change is everywhere.
In truth, that’s partly why I’m here. My work is to bring the benefits of my experience in sports, adventure, management and life-skills training to bear for the benefit of a fledgling company in India. Supercamps India wants to bring European-style, multi-activity summer camps for kids to India. They wanted to work with someone who has a broad range of experience in relevant fields, and I am lucky enough to be that person.
As I drive from the airport towards the city, my mind is abuzz with questions – what will it be like to work here? How different will the working cultures be? How will I relate to people, to the kids at the camps? How exactly will we do this? Am I up to it? What will they expect of me? What are their views on fitness, diet etc? I have always imagined India to be a very spiritual place and am eager to know how this permeates daily life. What will I learn?
I nervously anticipate the months ahead. I know I’m not here to ‘find myself’ but I have the feeling already that India will be a great teacher in many ways.

Paul O’Brien is a certified personal trainer and the creator of Bootcamp West.