Yoga, Cycling, Paddle… activities popular with Tunisians to decompress! – Gnet news

20-05-2022

After two years punctuated by pandemic peaks and successive confinements, and the resulting consequences of economic and social crises, Tunisians are faced with daily stress. Financial pressures, difficulties in finishing the month, lack of visibility for the future… so many worries took hold of our minds…

From now on, sitting on a restaurant terrace or going to a hotel no longer fulfills the need to recharge one’s batteries, in order to better face the vagaries of life. Indeed, the health context has prompted a return to spirituality, meditation and physical fitness, to relax and de-stress… What are these activities that offer so many benefits for the body and the mind? Report.

Yoga, to recharge your batteries and strengthen your mind

Although the practice of Yoga has always existed in Tunisia, in recent years this activity has been increasingly appreciated by Tunisians. This comes down to the physical and psychic benefits it offers its followers.

According to Nadia Chihaoui Jaziri, Yoga teacher, the interest in this previously unknown practice is particularly marked among young people between 30 and 40 years old. “This age group comes in search of a spiritual calm and a moment of disconnection with the bubbling of external life… And, as the ultimate goal of Yoga is to refocus on oneself, to master the mind, and to disconnect, it offers them incredible well-being”, she confides to us.

Nadia reminded that Yoga is based on several methods besides meditation. “The regulation of breathing, the fact of fully oxygenating help to calm down and achieve a feeling of serenity. Postures that are often considered uncomfortable help to introspect. Besides stretching exercises, which release endorphins, anxiolytic hormones that soothe anxiety and stress.

Bike ride, a release!

Outdoor activities are also attracting Tunisians. Like cycling alone or in a group, discovering breathtaking landscapes in the company of cyclists, taking exceptional circuits… Whether they are teenagers, young people, or even seniors, this activity is among the sporting trends, having reappeared since confinement… This is what Omar Kallel, manager of Vélo Smart, a rental shop for bicycles and electric scooters, in Salammbô Carthage, told us.

During an interview with a Gnetnews, he confirmed to us that this craze for Biking has gained ground thanks to the pandemic. The way of life of all citizens of the world has been affected by the confinement. Going out by bike was the only way to get around and go outside during the curfew… It even became a privilege, he underlines. “Attitudes have also changed, drawing inspiration from the Western model, where citizens travel by bicycle, and use this means of transport extensively…”.

According to the manager of Vélo Smart, there are morning people, who have been cycling since dawn, they are generally customers who lead a busy professional life… Young people, on the other hand, come after school or work, to a ride with friends or for a romantic bike ride. As for teenagers, they prefer electric scooters. “For rental gear, there is something for all levels, beginners, professionals and Rocket motorcycle enthusiasts. Minors can also learn how to drive a bicycle at Parc Essaada”, informs us Omar Kallel.

Going back to the advantages of Biking, our interlocutor told us about the release that riding the bike in the open air creates. Apart from the fact that it is a means of leisure, which helps to keep in shape, to build up your thighs and calves, to meet people and to socialize…

The therapeutic effects of Stand-up Paddle

In recent years, Tunisians are more likely to combine entertainment and sport. And this balance, many have found it by practicing paddle, in winter or in summer. It is a nautical activity very much in demand by all age groups, all year round. To find out more, we contacted Helmi Karoui, professional Paddle trainer, often called “Lucky Boy” by his loyal customers.

According to him, contrary to prejudice, it is a sport within everyone’s reach. People come to his club to rest, and practice a gentle sport, which does not require a lot of physical effort, but which brings calm, reconnection with the elements of nature, fresh air, sea water. , and the sand while rowing gently in the open air…

“In the long term, people find that practicing Paddle is a way to face their fears, difficulties, their lack of self-confidence by doing a sport that requires letting go, relaxing to balance your board and not fall into the water…Thanks to this activity, people live a new experience, have fun and get out of their comfort zone…Not to mention, the benefits that this activity offers to the body, to firm the skin, strengthen the muscles, slim the abdominal belt, and finally rebalancing the body and the spirit”.

EB