Cultural Exercise

I read with great interest your Nov. 16 Viewpoint piece on why blue-collar workers don’t go to the corporate gym.

I believe what Kerry Pechter wrote is true, but there is another aspect to the problem. He stated that a group of bakery employees was willing to help fund a basketball court and weight room.

I believe this was partly because basketball and free weights are part of the subculture of blue-collar workers.

This type of physical activity is much more comfortable to their culture and background than rowing machines, Nautilus equipment and other more high-tech types of fitness.

As a person who does both high-tech fitness and plays some basketball, I do notice a definite difference in the subculture of participants in different kinds of physical activities.

I believe if corporate gyms are going to work for the many different kinds of people employed in a corporation, their offerings are going to have to accommodate all types of employees, not just the management types who plan fitness programs.

LARRY WIENER

Alhambra