AGAVA FITNESS

I'm wearing my white on green today, my way of standing in solidarity with the Super Eagles since I really can't afford the original jersey or wait, I can't use that to workout so I shouldn't have mentioned  this anyway. I'm talking men but not about how “ they are scum”. As my friend Toyin had often put it “Tuka, your leg travel?”   I guess every Nigerian guy who hits the gym can relate to the question “Do you work your legs?” If you've been asked that, you should probably work your legs.  I have been asked that couple of times in my journey and it's always a wake up call for me. Sometimes it's not even a question, it's a conclusion, they simply say “You should work on your legs”. Some of these critics don't even hit the gym, if they did they would know what it took and damn! The very stubborn calves, they have no idea. Maybe this not about Nigerian men alone, maybe it is about African men but I made it a Nigerian problem when I walked into the ...

Sequel to my article on women in fitness with Dorathy Olali, I had mentioned that there would be a follow-up focused on her stairs workout showcase.  As she had earlier mentioned, stairs could be used to work all muscles of the body. However, the stairs found in a stadium or arena is much better for this course compared to the one you probably have at home. Not the less, you can use any set of stairs to do some productive workout.  My time with Dorathy was eye-opening as to the amazing work that could be done with very limited facilities. The grey area between indoor and outdoor workout which is often overlooked became even more conspicuous.  I have had and done most of my training indoors while Dorathy has done more of her training outdoor. I would find myself lost developing outdoor workout if I'm to be taken out of the blue and she may also find herself lost if she were placed in same situation for indoor workout. The truth is, there is a difference and I would leave t...

Her childhood sprinting career was cut short by a heart disease and Asthma but Dorathy Olali says, she's been inspired by testimonies of how fitness had helped others overcome certain health issues. Dorathy Olali was sharing her inspiration to joining the fitness game, so far it's been a worthwhile journey and her dream of “looking twenty five at the age of sixty five” is on track.  Dorathy Olali is a student geologist at the university of port harcourt. She is also a fitness trainer who has worked with some companies and at various events. I sat with her last week to discuss her journey, her routines and about women in the industry.  Dorathy’s Workout Routine Dorathy works out at mornings from 6am to about 9am. She says she never misses it and does this up to three or four times a week. She loves using the tracks where she does up to eight 400m runs and keeps track of her timing and distance covered. She also loves to use the stairs/steps where she says one can build all part...

A friend recently sent me a picture of his body goal, it took me 9 years back when I only started working out. At age 17, I had one goal, having a six pack simply because I met Tony who had one and all I needed to do was a 100 sit-ups per day according to him. I did that until I had what some teased to be“hunger packs”. That's nine years ago but I wouldn't say I have 9 years experience in fitness.   In 2013, I thought it was time to put my “fine boy looks” to work so I enrolled for some training in a modeling academy. Although I had already started using a gym, trying to become a model only motivated me to work harder. Ty, our catwalk instructor at the time had pick Ivan over me as the guy with the best body in the class. Ivan had this v shape that seemed to be genetic. I wanted that, for me that was how a male model should look. So I began asking questions about the shape and gym mates and instructors told me to work on my Latissimus Dorsi, commonly called Lats.  I learnt qui...

Introduction After a long wait in 2016, the NYSC posting letter finally came out. My heart skipped as I typed my password knowing fully well that this was it , I was either going to have a smooth ride or spend time and money waiting on redeployment. What was I afraid of? you must be wondering. I was relieved when I saw I got posted to Abuja, but I had to check for my sister and my heart skipped even more , I was afraid for her and was ready to trade places if it would be possible. Luckily she got Lagos and I was satisfied with the outcome, those late night prayers didn't go to waste.  NYSC Camp I arrived at the camp in Kubwa, Abuja at noon mentally and psychologically unprepared for what I was going to face like seating on the ground and singing whatever that was they made us chant. The uniformed men though! We had heard a lot about what goes on down here and I wasn't one to experiment with people.  In two hours, we checked into the hostels and I was on a queue trying to get m...

In 2012, prior to my depressive years, I did a lot of thinking about life and “ideas” were one of my thoughts. What I'm about to share now I have never shared before and I can say it's taken 6 years to think this through but I can only share a bit.  Ideas Come From Nature When I think of ideas I first wonder where they come from, I ask myself why the next man has a similar idea to mine or even understands or misunderstands my ideas. In my thoughts I had reached a conclusion that all ideas must come from Nature.  Why? Because I think knowledge comes from observing nature, so ideas must come from nature.  This makes me want to ask you what Nature means to you and eventually I wonder what's your Nature? I think about Nature and I can only think of living and non-living things. And it's true, they are the epitome of all knowledge. More knowledge however must come from living things but how much more from the intelligent “man”.  You must be wondering where this is going b...

What I'm about to share I can only support with a claim, like my friend Faith will say “some of us are blessed with this kind of talent”. A smerk to know human nature and how to motivate men. It's not exactly easy converting thoughts to actions, if these thoughts are actually creative ideas. It's going to take time and effort and sometimes you would move really slow.  Similar Ideas In 2010, I think I saw the future, and I still see this future.  It hit me that our world was in need of a new way make cash transactions and at the time, the cashless policy here in Nigeria wasn't exactly predominant. In my vision, I had thought “paper money” would pass away and money would become something vague, stashed all up in the cloud.  Prior to this era, I had reasoned, mobile Apps would have to be built to make this possible.  Lo and behold, new payment methods evolved and become very popular in Nigeria.  I felt bad that I wasn't one of those who engineered this change, in m...