?¤???‚???µ??: fitness, more or less
The other day as I drove around Moscow, I was shocked — in a good way.
Huge swaths of the city have been turned into car-free zones, where people ride bikes, skate and scooter up and under artificial hills and bridges. Parks are once more parks and not outdoor fairs. Restaurants are smoke-free. And fitness centers are nudging out the ubiquitous sushi bars. I hardly recognize the place.
As usual, I also got puzzled. You'll see ?„???‚???µ?? and ?„???‚???µ???? (fitness). There are ?„???‚???µ?? ???»???± and ?†?µ???‚?€ (fitness club and fitness center); ???????€?‚???????‹?? ?????????»?µ????, aka ???????€?‚?????????»?µ???? (sports complex); ???????€?‚????????-???·?????€???????‚?µ?»?????‹?? ?????????»?µ???? (sports and health complex); ???????€?‚????????-?€?°?·???»?µ???°?‚?µ?»?????‹?? ?????????»?µ???? (sport and recreation complex); and even ?„???·?????»???‚???€????-???·?????€???????‚?µ?»?????‹?? ?†?µ???‚?€ (sports and health center). What is the difference?
As far as I can tell, the name above the door is not always an accurate predictor of what's inside. Anything with the word ?„???‚???µ?? in it is likely to be similar to a standard Western fitness club. Anything with the word ?????????»?µ???? in it is likely to be large and have a greater variety of activities and facilities.
Anything with ???·?????€???????‚?µ?»?????‹?? in it probably has some form of physical therapy or massage, or at least a ?±?°???? (bath house, steam room) or ???°?????° (sauna).
Anything with the word ?€?°?·???»?µ???°?‚?µ?»?????‹?? in it is likely to be less health-oriented and more fun-oriented. If you want ???µ?????‚?±???» (paint ball), look here.
But you can't judge a center by its name.
Inside, after you put on those annoying blue ?±?°?…???»?‹ (shoe covers) and spend some time in the ?€?°?·???µ???°?»???° (changing room), you may head to the ???»?°???°?‚?µ?»?????‹?? ?±?°?????µ???? (swimming pool). Or you may head to a smaller pool for ?°?????°?°???€???±?????° (aqua-aerobics), which, according to one fitness club, ???µ?€?µ???‚?°?»?° ?±?‹?‚?? ???€?????‚?? ???????????±???? ?????????µ?€?¶?°?????? ?·?????€???????? ?? ???€?°?????‚?‹ ?? ???‚?°?»?° ???µ?????‚?????‚?µ?»?????? ?????????‹?? ?????»?µ?‡?µ?????µ?? (has ceased to be simply a way of maintaining health and beauty and is now all the rage).
Or you might hit the ???°?€???????·?°?» or ?·?????° (cardio room) to get your heart racing — in a healthy way, that is. Here you can choose from ?±?µ???????‹?µ ?????€???¶???? (treadmills), ???»?»?????‚???‡?µ???????µ ?‚?€?µ???°?¶?‘?€?‹ (elliptical trainers), ???µ?»???‚?€?µ???°?¶?‘?€?‹ (stationary bikes) or ???‚?µ?????µ?€?‹ (stairmasters).
And then on to ?‚?€?µ???°?¶?‘?€???‹?? ?·?°?» (equipment or weight room), where there might be ???°???‚?µ?»?? (bar bells) in addition to all those devices of torture, er, ?‚?€?µ???°?¶?‘?€?‹ (machines).
Or perhaps you might go to ?·?°?» ???»?? ???€???????????‹?… ?·?°?????‚???? (rooms for group classes), where you don't have to know much Russian at all. You'll find classes for ???????° (yoga), ?????»?°?‚?µ?? (Pilates) and ???µ?????????? (toning). It's helpful to know ???????… (inhale) and ???‹?????… (exhale). Otherwise, just follow the leader.
Or you can hire ???µ?€???????°?»?????‹?? ?‚?€?µ???µ?€ (personal trainer), who will often make you do three basic exercises: ???‚?¶?????°?‚?????? (to do push-ups); ???????‚?????????°?‚?????? (to do pull-ups); and ???°?‡?°?‚?? ???€?µ???? (to do sit-ups).
All of this comes under the category of ?‚?€?µ?????€?????°?‚?????? (to exercise); ?·?°???????°?‚?????? ?„???‚???µ?????? (to get in shape) or even ?·?°???????°?‚?????? ?????±???? (to take care of oneself). You can also use the verb ?????€?°?¶?????‚?????? (to exercise), usually in a specific way: ???°?¶???‹?? ???µ???? ?? ?????€?°?¶?????????? ?? ???°???‚?µ?»?????? (Every day I work out with weights).
Of course, not everyone is a fitness fan. One of my friends says: ???€?µ???°?¶?‘?€?‹-?…?€?µ???°?¶?‘?€?‹ — ???????? ???‚?? ???°????? (Weight machines-schmeight machines. Who needs it?)
But looking at his beer belly, I'd say: ???€?µ?????€?????°?‚?????? ?µ???? ?±?‹ ???µ ???????µ???°?»?? … (Working out wouldn't hurt … )
Michele A. Berdy, a Moscow-based translator and interpreter, is author of "The Russian Word's Worth" (Glas), a collection of her columns.
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