My wife and I have been living in Israel for about a year now, and mostly enjoy it. It's got great weather, a relaxed working schedule and people are generally nice, as long as you are patient. There is the general stereotype about the "Sabra," or Tzabar, named after a cactus growth, and slang for an Israeli Jew born in Israel. They say that Israelis are sharp on the outside, but soft on the inside, like a cactus. Israelis do tend to be extremely self-confident, and lack the shame that conforms other peoples to a narrow behavioral distribution. This is the epitome of the Chutzpanim. One of the greatest examples is at the gym, where my wife and I go early mornings, and we often wonder if we're still dreaming. Some of the highlights from this Chutzpan dreamscape:
1) Israelis love to do balance exercises; they often stand on one leg or on the half inflated ball while lifting weights
2) One guy, we refer to as the spaceman hums to music he listens to on giant headphones with his eyes closed while waving small, 1-4 kg pink weights around his head. This lasts for 30 minutes or more.
3) People like to do some sort of dynamic stretching, where put their legs together so they're touching, then bend at the knees and hip, and swivel rapidly.
4) People will hold their arms out in a T holding small weights, alternatively swinging each of their arms, bending at the elbow while gyrating rhythmically.
5) Israelis prefer to work with other people. Even if extra racks or pull up bars are available, one or two will often ask to work with you.
6) Israelis love to give advice, and will stop you to show you how to maximize their effectiveness
7) Israelis can't be bothered to rush. The other day we saw a Chutzpan reading a book while another Israeli stared angrily at him waiting to use the bench. He took 15 minutes to finish his set/ chapter.
8) Israelis all carry towels with them at the gym. They use these towels not for sweat, but for placeholders so that they can claim a machine/bench, go do something else, and come back to use the machine, saying they were there first.
9) People on treadmills or elliptical machines sometimes will wave their arms wildly in the air while exercising
10) There is no age limit for any clothing-- grannies will wear tank tops made for 18 year old girls to show off their ample, veined cleavage. Middle age men will show off their thighs in form fitting spandex.
A general rule:
The more wrinkly an Israeli female is, the more revealing her sportswear.
Scientists believe this may have something to do with surface area.
11) Once an Israeli took a weight off my bar when I wasn't looking. When I asked him, he said, "What, you weren't using it!"
Well, embrace your Chutzpah and get out there to exercise! Share your wild gym experiences below!
1) Israelis love to do balance exercises; they often stand on one leg or on the half inflated ball while lifting weights
2) One guy, we refer to as the spaceman hums to music he listens to on giant headphones with his eyes closed while waving small, 1-4 kg pink weights around his head. This lasts for 30 minutes or more.
3) People like to do some sort of dynamic stretching, where put their legs together so they're touching, then bend at the knees and hip, and swivel rapidly.
4) People will hold their arms out in a T holding small weights, alternatively swinging each of their arms, bending at the elbow while gyrating rhythmically.
5) Israelis prefer to work with other people. Even if extra racks or pull up bars are available, one or two will often ask to work with you.
6) Israelis love to give advice, and will stop you to show you how to maximize their effectiveness
7) Israelis can't be bothered to rush. The other day we saw a Chutzpan reading a book while another Israeli stared angrily at him waiting to use the bench. He took 15 minutes to finish his set/ chapter.
8) Israelis all carry towels with them at the gym. They use these towels not for sweat, but for placeholders so that they can claim a machine/bench, go do something else, and come back to use the machine, saying they were there first.
9) People on treadmills or elliptical machines sometimes will wave their arms wildly in the air while exercising
10) There is no age limit for any clothing-- grannies will wear tank tops made for 18 year old girls to show off their ample, veined cleavage. Middle age men will show off their thighs in form fitting spandex.
A general rule:
The more wrinkly an Israeli female is, the more revealing her sportswear.
Scientists believe this may have something to do with surface area.
11) Once an Israeli took a weight off my bar when I wasn't looking. When I asked him, he said, "What, you weren't using it!"
Well, embrace your Chutzpah and get out there to exercise! Share your wild gym experiences below!
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