I still remember the time when I served in the Swiss army. Back then, it must have been in the 70s, Jack Günthard, a «Fitness Pope», was en vogue. He created the AFP for the army, the «Army Fitness Program». Every morning we stood on the barracks courtyard, swinging our feet and arms, doing squats and pushups. Back then I was still fit like a sneaker …

When you’re traveling, your fitness doesn’t increase. You sit in the car for long hours; and in the evening most of us prefer to sit at the table for an «Anchor drink» than to do gymnastic exercises. Sometimes it’s too cold, sometimes it’s too hot. And it rains another time. Or there are several hundred Indians around the exercise mat to watch with curious interest what you are doing. In short: there is always an excuse not to do anything for fitness.

Not so if you are in the same place for weeks or months. Like now with Charly or than in the Balneario. If you don’t want to fall out of shape completely, which wouldn’t be surprising given the good cuisine here, then you have to do something for your fitness. We have been doing this every morning for a few weeks at 7.15 am. Then it’s time for the «Plank Training». (The AFP is out of fashion; today the «5 Tibetans» or Yoga exercises are en vogue!)

PS: My favorite is the yoga exercise «Chicken in the Basket». But Brigitta thinks that this is not the right way to reduce my waist size. A pity!