My name is David Jacobsz from Johannesburg, South Africa. I’m a real family man, who just loves sports. My current sport is powerlifting, so being in the gym on a daily basis I don’t see as training but rather a daily routine. To relax, I spend time with my wife and daughter doing the things they love to do—and that is shopping, or we take a drive to explore or try out something new. On holidays or long weekends, we try to go and see all South Africa has to offer, and every now and then we explore international destinations.

It is 5:30 a.m. in Johannesburg. Many people don’t know this, but Johannesburg was named the world’s largest hand-made forest. So it’s not strange to hear the sounds of birds this early in the morning. It is Saturday morning, so in general people feel the need to sleep in after a hard week at work. Actually, it’s a good time for a workout at the local gym. I take the opportunity to have all the equipment for myself and take full advantage of the time I have for training and to clear my mind. Others prefer to take on the tar road with their bicycles. For me, a good workout is the perfect start to any day. It relaxes the mind and energizes the body; the endorphins released during training triggers a positive feeling. With my companion Fitbit, I start counting my steps and calories. Before my workout I already had 1,039 steps and burned 625 calories. After my workout I did 2,029 steps and burned 914 calories.

Fresh air is always good for a person, especially if you live in the city. Now it’s almost 8 a.m. and time for a parkrun. These events take place in pleasant parkland surroundings and they encourage people of all ages to take part—from walkers or those taking their first steps in running to Olympians; from juniors to those with more experience; everybody is welcome. I usually take my family for this fun run. My daughter is only 2 years old and she just loves it.

The route is multi-terrain, taking in tar, gravel, grass fairways, medium rough grass, and cart paths. Family and friends enjoy the run next to the Van Ryn Dam for a beautiful backdrop on this scenic route, with different birdlife and antelopes on the golf course. Today I left the family slightly behind as I ran my personal best in the parkrun. Before the start I already did 2,574 steps and burned 1,118 calories. After the 5km run, I did 7,834 steps and burned 1,775 calories.

It’s almost 10 a.m. and time for another fun activity that is sure to leave you out of breath and a good overall body workout. It’s time for I-Jump (also known as Bounce). It is an indoor trampoline arena with lots of fun for the whole family. From dodgeball to wall climbing and even slam dunks, this place also provides great fun for team building events, as many corporate companies use it for a fun day out or secretly get the team to do some exercise. They work on hourly time slots, which is more than enough for that full body workout. It is also perfect for children’s birthday parties—both parents and children join in the fun. The various trampolines cater to all levels.

Whether you are there for fun or a serious session, there is something for all. The dodgeball area is always good fun for team building (or a perfect opportunity to get even with the boss). Personally I enjoy the slam dunks—I’m not the tallest, so to be able to jump that high is just an amazing feeling.

Before this fun exercise I already did 8,516 steps and burned 2,112 calories. After all the jumping, I did 11,040 steps and burned 2,600 calories.

After a good exercise day like today there is nothing better than to eat a traditional South African braai (barbecue)—the more meat (protein) the better. Should we feel the need for some vegetables we add some chicken to the braai. This is also rugby season in South Africa, so the only snack available is some good biltong (beef jerky). Over weekends the only smell in the air is that of fires getting ready for a braai. South Africans love to braai so much we even have a National Braai Day!

This was a fun filled exercise day. Just before 8 p.m., I finished with 15,457 steps, 12.5km, burned 4,090 calories, did 15 staircases, and my overall training time was for 190 minutes.