GMAT
\—')"It's the worst because nobody really
/— looks good when they workout. On
the other hand, it's good because
you've now seen somebody at his
worst, you know what you're getting
into.")
2. People who are really motivated
and workout simply because they love
to workout. (Karen supposes there are
L "about three of those people," she says
jokingly.)
3. And then there are the "competi-
tive people, who need somebody to go
with them, to push, workout with."
"We all fall somewhere in there —
it's a great stress release."
Young adults in metro Detroit join
gyms — most popular are Franklin
Racquet Club, Powerhouse, the Jewish
Community Center, Oakland Athletic
Club, CMI and Bally's. Karen says
Ken Levy's Kickboxing is gaining in
popularity. Kickboxing, which com-
bines boxing steps in an aerobic work-
out, is "very popular with women —
it's a good aerobic workout and a little
bit of self-defense," she says.
And don't forget spinning, an aero-
bic indoor class on stationary bikes,
led by an instructor. Participants wear
headphones to follow along. Small
aerobic studios — like Workout Com-
pany in Bloomfield Hills — offer spe-
cialty classes like spinning or kickbox-
ing as well as standard, easy and diffi-
cult, aerobic classes.
Danielle Kuffler likes to walk the
treadmill and ride the stationary bike
at CMI Health and Tennis Club in
Southfield. "It's a good way to meet
people," she says.
The way men and women approach
sports is certainly different. In fact, far
more men in their 20s and 30s play
team sports and in leagues than their
female counterparts, says Aaron Perga-
ment.
"I play a lot of softball, play on one
co-ed team, but I would say the
majority of team sports, even on the
softball field, are probably men," he
says. "I think it's easier for guys to
keep college friends [to] play sports
with them, that's who I play softball
with. I think with women it's harder
because I'd say a bigger percentage of
men play organized competitive
sports; a lot more of my female friends
don't play organized sports — they
run, bike, go to the gym, whereas
more men play team sports."
Maybe that's because, in Aaron's
opinion, young adult men look at
sports as "a good opportunity to get
some of your aggressions or pent-up
negative energy out — you don't want
to go home and kick the dog." But,
like women, men also turn to sports
for "social time, catch up with friends,
get your competitive drive out."
For Mike Kahan, sports coordina-
tor for the B'nai B'rith Leadership
Network, sports certainly combine the
social elements that are sometimes
lacking in the post-college workplace
with an outlet for stress release.
"There are the leagues where the
players are good and they probably
played all their lives," Mike says.
"They're not really just for anyone.
"But then we have the other kind
of sports — pool, bowling. [People
play] pool to relax and see everybody
and it's a nicer atmosphere than just
staying around at a bar." Bowling, too,
serves more of a social, than an exer-
cise, outlet, "more mental than physi-
cal, you're not going to lose any
weight playing pool," says Mike.
He likes to do both.
"I love volleyball, softball, and then
I know that during the summer we're
going to be putting together a softball
pickup league — anybody can show
up and play, eat bagels, relax. Softball
isn't exactly a physically demanding
sport. It's more social, say hi to each
other."
Michael Benchetrit agrees. He
played in a softball league last sum-
mer, and goes to the JCC about two
to three times a week, intent on an
individual workout. Once there, how-
ever, Michael ends up running into
familiar faces and before you know it,
he's part of a pickup game. Could be
basketball, or walleyball (where a game
of volleyball is expanded to include
the walls as bounce-off points).
He sees a similarity in the way life
changes after college and the way
sports involvement changes as we age.
"In college, you have more time on
your hands," says Michael. "If you feel
like going to workout or play a game,
you can do it in the middle of the
afternoon on Tuesday. [Now], you've
got to seek it out more."
In metro Detroit, "there are defi-
nitely options, but you've got to make
the effort," he advises. "In law school
we had intramural leagues, played
other schools, it would come to you
more. [Now] you've got to seek it out.
But by exposing yourself to an envi-
ronment where [there is a higher
chance of finding activities, such as
the Jewish Community Center], it
becomes that much easier."
As Mike Kahan says, "It's nice to
get out there and do something just to
keep your sanity." ❑
Just imagine if
your safety school
were Harvard.
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