As Nigeria endures a punishing heatwave, the habit of the ‘gentle stroll’ has come under fire. Joel Uzamere, a fitness expert and director at IREP, warns that while most believe they are keeping fit, they are actually just ‘gambling’ with routines that offer zero physiological gain.
In a candid interview, he explains why the difference between activity and exercise is a matter of life, death, and the health of the nation.
The morning is often defined by the sight of fitness enthusiasts hitting the streets for their daily walk. But according to Joel Uzamere, many of these well-meaning joggers are merely moving, not training.
Appearing on Channels Television, Uzamere was unsparing in his critique, suggesting that without “calculated pressure,” the body simply remains at a standstill.
Uzamere insists that the greatest myth in the local fitness scene is that any movement counts as a workout.
He describes the gap between a casual dance and a scientific regime as a “chasm.”
“There is a big difference between physical activity and exercise,” Uzamere explained.
“Physical activity is what you do: you stand up, you sit down, you dance, you eat. That’s level one. But there is no physiological benefit; you are not increasing your cardiovascular system, your posture, or your general fitness. To see real gains, it has to be something prescribed and repeatable.”
For those who boast about taking the stairs at the office as their primary form of fitness, Uzamere offered a swift reality check.
“A staircase is not an exercise. If you want to make it an exercise, we will talk about the speed at which you climb,” he said.
“You use activity as a tool for exercise, but the intensity must be designed for you. Most people get discouraged after six months because they’ve been doing physical activity and not proper exercise.”
Hydration as a Metric
With the current heat index reaching dangerous levels, Uzamere noted that the greatest threat to the Nigerian “fitness enthusiast” is a fundamental misunderstanding of water.
He argues that the national habit of drinking water only when “thirsty” is a physiological failure.
“Most of us don’t even hydrate in the first place. We drink water when we are thirsty — that’s just the mindset. But your brain is 80% water. Men should drink roughly four litres a day and women three litres,” Uzamere added.
“This is not because you’re thirsty; this is what you should drink normally. When you’re exercising in this heat, that figure should rise toward seven litres.”
He also moved to debunk a persistent local myth regarding water temperature during workouts.
For him, the school of thought that says people shouldn’t drink ice water when exercising is not research-based.
“Throw it away. Put ice in your bottle; it will bring your body temperature down and give you the stamina to go ahead,” he argued.
Dodging the Heatstroke
For those without the luxury of an air-conditioned gym, Uzamere suggests that the clock is now the most important piece of equipment. In a season where the sun can be a predator, timing is everything.
“The situation is dynamic. You should choose very early in the morning and late at night. It’s just natural sense: 5:00 am to 7:00 am is the window. If you don’t have a controlled environment, you must be cautious. Professionally, we recommend you reduce your intensity by 20% during heat times like this. Just the ambient heat alone makes your heart beat faster, so you have to bring that intensity down to survive the workout.”
Why Women Need the Weights
Turning to the “Mothering Sunday” weekend, Uzamere addressed the specific health challenges faced by women in their midlife, particularly the “riot” of erratic hormones.
He described the endocrine system as a chemical engine that only stays stable when it is worked hard.
However, he was particularly scathing about the “pink weight” culture—women who avoid heavy lifting for fear of looking “masculine.”
“You hear people say, ‘I have a 3kg weight.’ What are you trying to do with that? Are your children 3kg? No. You’re not lifting ‘old people’s weights.’ Strength training is for functionality. It’s for the ability to carry things and move. By the time you are 50, arthritis shouldn’t know you. Yet, research shows that out of every ten women, eight have arthritis.”
The expert concluded with a provocative challenge to grandmothers across the country, urging them to embrace the weight rack over the treadmill.
“Women run from strength training and run to cardio because they think it’s ‘for men.’ But we both have muscles and bones. In fact, women use them more. Grandfathers read newspapers, but grandmothers still carry the grandchildren and move through the house. Who needs the training most? It’s the women.”
