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There’s no ‘I’ in team

17:02 22/05/2012

Getting fit needn’t be a chore. We pick out some of the clubs and sports that turn burning calories into a social event

When Ernest Hemingway wrote of a Paris spring “...that always came finally, but it was frightening that it had nearly failed”, he could easily have been referring to Brussels, where spring is a series of maddening starts and stops. But change is upon us. The sun has begun to shine once again, the city is returning to life, and the people are heading outdoors.

So with summer within sight it is time to dust off the cobwebs and put the body back to work, tone the muscles, and maybe show a little skin. But rather than the gym or the jog around the block, this year why not try something new? Instead of the same old exercise routine, take the time to tackle sports and activities that may not be as familiar. Change, after all, is good, and getting in shape while making a few friends along the way will make the seasonal shift seem almost effortless, and without fright.

 

1 Get fit the Swedish way

Possibly one of the most fun ways to stay fit is with the fitness routine known as Friskis&Svettis. Since arriving on the Brussels scene in 1999, this Swedish atheletics association has garnered a global following of hundreds of thousands, including hundreds of local members looking to get fit. Activities range from Nordic Walking to jogging to more intense cross-training workouts, both indoors and out. One of its most popular activities is Jympa – a Swedish version of aerobics where following the instructor’s every move is not required, but moving to the sounds of great, upbeat music is. Friskis&Svettis is all about having fun with no age limit and plenty of levels and activities to choose from. Special training sessions are often organised: on May 20, for example, there will be a jogging and kayaking session in Olloy-sur-Viroin in Namur province (contact melaniesteffens@hotmail.com for more information or to register) and, best of all, in July and August all outdoor Friskis&Svettis fitness and running sessions are free.

 

2 Step up to the wicket

Although it fails to dominate Belgium’s sporting conscience, the game of cricket has long been played here. Incredibly popular among Commonwealth countries, the sport involving two teams of 11 players each is slowly attracting more and more people to strap on the pads and swing a bat. Clubs can be found all over Belgium. And even if most are teams comprised mainly of permanent residents, the oldest and best-known club continues to fill its roster with expats new and old and is always on the lookout for new talent. The Royal Brussels Cricket Club (RBCC), established in Brussels in 1885, has its home just a short distance away in Lasne, near Waterloo. Although the season is already a month old, club president Ted Vorzanger says there is always a need to maintain a pool of potential players, and welcomes both the experienced and curious to attend a training session, held every Thursday night at 19h30 at the club’s ground.

 

3 Running and drinking

Their motto involves no finish line, always with a beverage within reach – and we’re not talking about water. They are the Brussels Manneke Piss Hash House Harriers (BMPH3), a running club that’s spent the past 22 years making getting fit a social event. Inspired by the 1930s English pastime of Hashing, the Brussels chapter descends on a new location every Sunday, transforming a run into a team affair of orienteering through an eight to 10km course where the fastest find the way for the others and ensure no one is left behind. Club member Pink Panther (each member goes by an alias) describes the Harriers as a “drinking club with a running problem”. For many of the members running is serious business, so belonging to BMPH3 provides a welcome break from the demands of marathons and creates a social scene for people who love to break a sweat and enjoy a drink. Aside from the weekly run there are plenty of year-round events and parties that bring together the group of expats and their families.

 

4 Get in touch with rugby

With a simple adjustment to the rules the game of rugby is transformed from a tough, physical sport to one where men and women can play together and have a lot of fun. It is still fast and competitive, but the touch version ensures that ice is only needed to keep the drinks cold. And now is the perfect time to get involved with a city-wide tournament underway. FTI Consulting Belgium is currently holding the eighth Blueprint Touch, a mixed-sex and mixed-age charity tournament which runs until June 29. It’s open to EU institutions, businesses and community teams, and the money raised will be shared between Retrak, a charity working with street children in east Africa, and L’Ecole Chanterelle, a school working with disabled kids in Brussels. If you don’t have a work team to join, Brussels Celtic Rugby Football Club has its own touch team that’s taking part. New players are always welcome and are able to attend the first three training sessions free. Additional matches and tournaments continue year-round, in Belgium and abroad.

 

5 Roll up for the roller derby

It may date back to the 1930s but roller derby is alive and well today in Brussels. The sport is experiencing a worldwide revival thanks to renewed interest, mostly among young women. And a simple posting for interested players a year ago gave birth to the Brussels Derby Pixels, an all-female roller derby team that has become a local hit. Team member Margaux Legroux, who was inspired to play after watching Drew Barrymore’s roller derby film Whip It, says playing the physical sport provides her with “a moment to forget my problems”. For now the Pixels are restricted to playing in special tournaments in and around Belgium as no official leagues have yet been launched. But trainings sessions alone provide a glimpse into the frantic, physical action that has drawn so many in.

 

6 Luck of the Irish

Gaelic football, the number one spectator sport in Ireland, can be described as a fusion of rugby and traditional football, with the dribbling skills of basketball thrown in. It’s a fast-paced, high-scoring game, with two teams of 15, goals and upright posts at both ends. The game adored by Irish expats is catching on quickly with other nationalities. Look no further than the men’s and ladies’ teams with Belgium GAA in Brussels. In the club’s first season four years ago, both teams brought home a European championship, and since then have developed into tight social communities made up of expats from all over. “It’s a little hook... a connection with home,” says player Sylvia McCarthy, whose social calendar revolves around the team. Aside from tournaments in Belgium and Europe, the teams play host to social events and fundraisers, making the team about more than just matches. New players are always welcome, and can ease their way in at the weekly Thursday training sessions at the VUB campus.

 

Details

1. FRISKIS&SVETTIS

Fees range in price depending on age and activity but all outdoor fitness activities will be free in July and August

www.friskis.be

 

2.ROYAL BRUSSELS CRICKET CLUB (RBCC)

Annual membership costs €150 while match fees are €10 for home games and €5 for away games (to cover the cost of tea). Training sessions take place every Thursday at 19.30, with matches every weekend between April and September

www.rbcc.be

 

3.BRUSSELS MANNEKE PISS HASH HOUSE HARRIERS

Runs are held every Sunday at various locations. Weekly runs cost €5 – a fee that includes all the beer you can drink. The annual membership fee is €12.50

www.bmph3.com

 

4.TOUCH RUGBY

Find out more about the Blueprint Touch Tournament at www.facebook.com/pages/FTI-Consulting-EU

Brussels Celtic RFC Touch Rugby training takes place every Wednesday and Friday at 19.30. Annual membership fees are €160

www.brusselsceltic.com

 

5.BRUSSELS DERBY PIXELS

Training sessions take place every Thursday from 20.00 to 21.00 in English, French and Dutch. Fees are €200 for equipment

wwwrollerderbybelgium.com/brussels

info.derbypixies@gmail.com

 

6. BELGIUM GAA GAELIC FOOTBALL CLUB

Training sessions take place every Thursday from 20.00 to 21.30. Annual membership fees are €75

www.belgiumgaa.com football.belgium@gmail.com (men)

Belgiumgaa.ladiesfootball@gmail.com (women)

 

Do you want to know how to do something to make your life easier or more enjoyable? Email us at editorial@ackroyd.be with your suggestions

 

Written by Andrew King