Teaching in an English conversation school 英会話 is not quite a sedentary occupation. One spends hours every week quickstepping among the commuting throngs, and hopping up and down in lessons. But I found that I wasn’t getting any aerobic exercise when I started my new career as a Smith’s School of English franchisee. I had previously been teaching English in the evening and had plenty of time to spend out on my mountain bike or hiking.
So I joined a gym (optimistically called a health club) in a multi-story building near my school, Smith’s School of English, Kawanishi スミス英会話川西校. Although it helped my fitness, it got more and more crowded as they recruited more and more customers. As it got busier, it got less relaxed with more and more rules on papers stuck everywhere, and no machines availabe for exercise. So unfortunately I gave up my membership; I could’t enjoy my exercise any more.
Then I realised that Reso リゾ, on the shores on Osaka Bay at Naruohama, a modern onsen/swimming resort that I often visited on Sundays with my wife めぐみ, had a gym as well as a training pool for those using the exercise facilities. So I had a guided tour and really liked what I saw. The facilities were not crowded at all, there were many more machines, and the facilities were much more luxurious than the city centre gym I had left. While using the static cycling and stepping machines one has a lovely view over Osaka Bay with its ships, sailboats and windsurfers. But the greatest bonus of all is that Reso has full onsen facilities as well, including traditional gender separated onsen with sauna, indoor and outdoor baths, jacuzzis and so on. It also has mixed outdoor onsen (swimsuits worn) and indoor and outdoor pools filled with onsen water. After a try-out, when I decided that I would join as a gym member (with access to all the facilities) I was informed that there was a promotion, so I got my first two months free. I really am enjoying getting fit as well as relaxing at Reso.
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