Unhealthy obsession with technology, even in the gym, leaves us with no energy to form real friendships

 After eight blissful years far from the gymnasium, I lately broke down and rejoined. I'm no longer a gym man or woman with the aid of nature. My idea of a good exercise is a hike within the woods. @ inspireehealth

However, my aunt currently got osteoporosis in her knee and looking her undergo that jogged my memory of the significance of electricity schooling and doing weight-bearing sports so, somewhat reluctantly, I signed up.

Eight years is a long term to not be in any game, particularly the gymnasium recreation. In the time I've been gone, gyms have grow to be ridiculously posh. They now include free T-shirts, shorts, socks, fruit, water, Wi-fi and a number charging options in your devices. Left your gadget at home? No hassle - they may lend you an iPod. Seeing all this, I significantly taken into consideration giving up my rental and moving in to the gym.

As I began my exercise, I speedy realised what else became distinct compared with 8 years ago: everyone changed into glued to their telephones. Leg press machines have been mere living room chairs for texting, flat benches convenient bases for Snapchatting. On the ab machine, I noticed very little crunching - only Facebooking.

These days, everyone seems to be glued to their telephones within the health club. Photo: Shutterstock

These days, anyone seems to be glued to their phones inside the health club. Photo: Shutterstock

After eight joyful years faraway from the gymnasium, I lately broke down and rejoined. I'm now not a fitness center man or woman by nature. My idea of an excellent workout is a hike in the woods.

However, my aunt lately got osteoporosis in her knee and looking her go through that jogged my memory of the importance of strength training and doing weight-bearing physical games so, particularly reluctantly, I signed up.

Eight years is a long time to not be in any game, especially the fitness center sport. In the time I've been gone, gyms have end up ridiculously posh. They now include loose T-shirts, shorts, socks, fruit, water, Wi-fi and more than a few charging alternatives on your gadgets. Left your machine at home? No problem - they'll lend you an iPod. Seeing all this, I seriously taken into consideration giving up my condominium and moving in to the gymnasium.

As I commenced my exercise, I quick realised what else was exclusive in comparison with 8 years ago: anyone become glued to their telephones. Leg press machines were mere front room chairs for texting, flat benches handy bases for Snapchatting. On the ab machine, I saw very little crunching - handiest Facebooking.

Personal running shoes are steeply-priced. Why spend HK$600 an hour just to speak about the modern-day episode of Game of Thrones?

It got to the point where I almost could not exercise. As I sat watching for everybody to finish taking selfies in order that I should without a doubt use the machines, I commenced looking the various non-public running shoes around me with their clients. Eight years in the past, private running shoes were a rarity. Now, they're practically a prerequisite for joining the gymnasium. I took this to be a sign in their advanced skill and effectiveness with regards to exercising, however, to my marvel, a number of the humans with private trainers were not operating out either.

Instead, they were just standing there chatting - speakme approximately their date and the trendy film they saw. I could not understand it. Personal trainers are luxurious. Why spend HK$six hundred an hour simply to speak about the modern-day episode of Game of Thrones?It dawned on me that possibly we've got turn out to be so depending on all this generation, so used to communicating through a screen, that we no longer have the time, staying power or energy for real friendships. And now, whilst we sense the urge to speak to a real human being, live, perhaps it is less difficult to ebook a person instead of song down a real pal. Is that where the future is heading?

A new website, www.Rentafriend.Com seems to assume so. It allows you to do just that - hire a chum. According to the website, there are more than 526,000 such "buddies" from all around the global for hire, which includes many right here in Hong Kong. For HK$eighty according to hour, you can hire those humans to hang out with, watch a film or go shopping with you.

Such websites are capitalising on the surge of loneliness in latest years. According to Time Magazine, loneliness may be the following massive public fitness issue. A new study by Brigham Young University in the US determined that loneliness accelerated the danger of early loss of life by way of 30 according to cent. That's on a par with weight problems.

EVERY SATURDAY

Whether or no longer we can clear up the loneliness problem with technology stays to be visible, when arguably it is that very technology that is inflicting the hassle. I stay sceptical.

Five irritating fitness center periods later, I determined to ditch the clean towels for a few clean(ish) air: I went on a hike. However, simply as I changed into about to prompt, a fellow hiker came up from behind. He became an aged man sporting a radio which become blasting out Nineties music. For the following ninety mins or so, we hiked the trail collectively and I had to listen to Celine Dion belting out her best hits. It became traumatic as heck, albeit a one-of-a-kind kind of stressful - a greater acquainted one.

Kelly Yang teaches writing at The Kelly Yang Project, an after-college centre for writing and debate in Hong Kong. She is a graduate of UC Berkeley and Harvard Law School. @ technnologylimited