Oman Daily Observer

Brexit gym punchbags help Londoners vent their rage

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LONDON: Londoners fed up with Brexit can vent their rage with a special gym routine that includes highintens­ity exercises like pummelling punchbags bearing photograph­s of some of the main players like Boris Johnson and Jean-claude Juncker.

The 30-minute circuit also features the “Theresa May Sack Race,” “Jacob Rees-logg lifts” and “Politico Headslamme­r” in which participan­ts slam balls on to pictures of British Prime Minister Theresa May and opposition Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn.

There is also a “Cameron Quitters’ Corner” named after May’s predecesso­r David Cameron to take time out.

The Brexfit classes are being offered by fitness company Gymbox, whose boss Marc Diaper said the theme was chosen by a members’ poll of their main frustratio­ns with living in the British capital.

Fifty-two per cent of respondent­s said Brexit, followed by rent prices and train delays.

“We thought well, what better way to actually release frustratio­n and anger than actually put on a Brexfit class as we’ve called it, where you can actually punch your most hated politician in the face on a punchbag,” he said.

The course was designed with the help of an anger management expert, said fitness instructor Boriss Visokobors­kis.

“It’s for our members to relieve the stress caused by Brexit, and all the frustratio­n they see in the mass media and Internet and so on,” he added. “They are leaving our classes feeling relieved, lighter and they do something good for themselves, they work on their body.”

Student Ania Jarzabkiew­icz, 26, originally from Poland, said she felt “amazing” after the class.

“I have a problem to get my student loan because of Brexit, so today I really take out my frustratio­n on this whole situation and I feel really good,” she said.

Fitness coach George, 25, said his favourite exercises were the sack races and punchbags. In this particular class, leading Brexiteer and former foreign secretary Johnson bore the brunt of his frustratio­n.

“It’d be wrong to punch him in the face in real life so... doing it on a punchbag there’s nothing wrong with that, and it’s definitely a great way to get your frustratio­n out,” he said.

With six months until Britain leaves the EU, May has yet to reach a deal on the terms of the divorce, and her plan for future trade ties has been rebuffed by both the EU and many in her own Conservati­ve Party.

Corbyn said this week that Labour would vote against a Brexit deal based on May’s proposals, the strongest warning yet to a prime minister whose plan to leave the EU is hanging by a thread.

 ?? — Reuters ?? A gym instructor punches a boxing bag containing an image of Boris Johnson during a Brexfit gym class at Gym Box in London.
— Reuters A gym instructor punches a boxing bag containing an image of Boris Johnson during a Brexfit gym class at Gym Box in London.

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