BY RAYNALD C RIVERA
The summer sun is almost up at 5am on a Friday as scores of fitness enthusiasts in their best workout getups start assembling on the Corniche getting ready for a physical fitness session which lasts for two hours.
Volunteer instructors lead the participants to move their bodies to the lively music in a variety of exercises from Zumba and Tae Bo to hip hop and pop dance. As time progresses more and more passers-by strolling along the stretch are drawn to join the group.
For two years now, free fitness sessions are being provided by the Filipino Fitness and Health in Qatar (FFHQ) near the Sheraton Park on the Corniche to hundreds of participants.
The group was established as a small group of like-minded individuals who had the same keen interest in exercise for better health. Since then the programme has snowballed to include those belonging to other expatriate communities.
“We started with only 25 members but now we have almost 1,800 Facebook members and counting. Every Friday around 250 to 300 come here for the early morning sessions,” Randy Frogosa, FFHQ founding adviser, told Doha Today.
With a strong support from the Philippine Embassy, the group is said to be the first of its kind organization to have been granted permit by Qatari authorities to conduct physical fitness sessions on the Corniche.
The group also actively takes part in various sport and fitness activities and events in the country such as the National Sport Day, in addition to conducting weekly fitness sessions at the Philippine Embassy.
“Every one is welcome to join our group whose aim is in line with the country’s vision toward a fit and healthy nation and we are thankful for the support,” said Frogosa.
On why the activity is becoming popular, Frogosa said it is because expatriates are looking for something fun to do during weekends to exercise and get fit in a friendly and happy environment in the company of others.
“What more, they just come, join for free and meet new friends. You don’t need to be adept in dancing because the steps delivered by volunteer instructors are so easy to follow,” he added.
The participants come from various age, jobs, backgrounds and nationalities.
“We have a 62-year-old member who never misses a single session. We have participants from different nationalities such as Americans, British, Mexicans, Indonesians, Malaysians and Koreans,” he noted.
The programme has proven very effective in maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
“Personally I have lost weight and have now less visits to the hospital. The same holds true with the rest of the participants. More importantly is that for many of them, this has turned into a habit, which is a very important part of their routine to start their Friday in a healthy way. They wake up early to attend the sessions with their newfound fitness friends.”
Due to their positive experience, participants encourage their friends and colleagues to also join. The activity has already generated interest from other communities. The group also receives numerous invites to conduct free sessions with individual communities in closed venues in Doha and Wakrah, and even as remote as Al Khor and Dukhan.
“But we currently have only four volunteer instructors who are able to respond to the invites whenever they have the time. We need more volunteers so we can also reach out to other locations, which is part of our plans for the future,” he added.
Come June 12, the group is set to lead the opening activity at the Philippine Independence Day celebrations to ensure the attendees are energetic for the day’s activities.
“For the coming Ramadan, we are planning to move to a closed venue which is the Philippine School Doha gymnasium.”
Asked if the activity can be replicated by other organisations and communities, he said, “Definitely, because fitness is for everyone.”
The Peninsula
