In July 1975 Mike Hooper had a vision, this vision was to extend to all people the availability to rid themselves of ailments and illness through exercise. Also he wished to educate people in the ways of being more aware of living a healthier lifestyle. He was determined to make exercising affordable to everyone, not just a privileged few, as was the case when he began exercising.
History
Mike Hooper himself started training at the age of 13, at Issie Bloomberg’s Health Club in Eloff street in central Johannesburg. He exercised religiously under the watchful eye of Abie Jordan, until his single mother could no longer afford the monthly fees. He then exercised at home with a homemade bench and some weights given to him by a friend.
Mike exercised on and off and working for various health clubs until 1974, when he began training seriously at Southern Suburbs Health Centre with Dennis Spong. Mike was determined to open his own health club. He told Dennis Spong so and in 1974 Mike was offered a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity by Dennis, to run a health club in VOORTREKKER ROAD, ALBERTON, that Dennis had purchased. Mike took Dennis up on his offer, provided that Dennis sold the club to Mike at a price to be at outset, after 1 year. Thus began S.A. OLYMPIC HEALTH WORLD.
The original S.A. OLYMPIC HEALTH WORLD was situated at Airaf Corner on the corner of HELSTON and VOORTREKKER Roads. It consisted of a ladies and gents gymnasium in one. Men and women alternated at using the facilities: Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays for men and Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays for ladies. Aerobics was not even thought of. Mike immediately took over a dental technician’s work shop and turned it into a ladies’ fitness hall with him giving fitness classes hourly. It was an immediate success. When Mike took over the business could not pay the rent of R 400, the first month under Mike’s guidance the club made a grand total of over R 1800; both Mike and Dennis were ecstatic.
In 1975 Mike took over the reins of S.A. OLYMPIC HEALTH WORLD completely. He grew from strength to strength steering the club from success to success. It was not easy. An eighteen-hour day shift was the norm rather than the exception. Mike worked as a “bouncer” at the then popular night club known as “Plum Crazy”, to substitute his own income and to take his salary off the expense sheet of the health club. Times were very tough in those days and the only help Mike could afford was the cleaning lady who did a general clean-up once a week, on the other days Mike did the cleaning himself.
It was Mike who initiated the policy his club still enforces today, that of giving all pensioners and disabled persons residing in the Alberton area greatly reduced rates.
People like BRIGADIER GENERAL FRANS COETZEE, DECEASED, a double SPRINGBOK weight lifter and DAVE HUGHES (86), a well-known bodybuilding and weight lifting champion both train(ed) at S.A. OLYMPIC HEALTH WORLD. GOD gave Mike a revelation, and he began the debit order system, realising that it was not good business policy to get lump sums of money up front, but rather fees were to be paid on a debit order basis which is also much safer for the client.
In April 1993 after much deliberation and many arguments with the landlord of the premises at Airaf Corner, Mike saw a property for sale in the Newmarket area. He made an offer to the owner which was accepted and Mike began building the current S.A. OLYMPIC HEALTH WORLD in JANUARY 1994. It was complete in AUGUST 1994, and the club moved. Mike dedicated the club, the land and attributed all his successes to the fact that he had always given GOD the glory and honour for all his personal successes as well as the success of S.A. OLYMPIC HEALTH WORLD. It was opened by Mayor DAAN DIPPENAAR, and dedicated by Pastor JACK WINDT.
In May of 2011, S. A. Olympic Health World took delivery of 10 brand new LIFE FITNESS TREADMILLS. Today the health club boasts additional buildings such as; two squash courts, a dedicated leg section, 22 bike spinning hall, a heated swimming pool, a large aerobics studio with wooden spring flooring, a buzzer timed circuit, a raised level with upright bicycles and recumbent bicycles, an abdominal circuit, bodybuilding area, sunbed facilities, a supervised crèche as well as an outside jungle gym for children. It has grown from a 480sq metre club to a 4500sq metre club.
MEIS BOOYENS joined S.A. OLYMPIC HEALTH WORLD in 2005 and is currently the manageress, while MIKE HOOPER is still active in the administration of the club, legal matters and promotions, but is SEMI–RETIRED. MIKE has been in the health club business for 43 years, and in his own words, “does not regret a day of it”.
Name change
In November 2018 a legal notification was received from the International Olympic Committee / SASCOC claiming that the business was infringing on their trademark. Deciding not cross swords with them, the name was changed and registered, to prevent this happening again. The new name is GENISIS HEALTH AND WELLNESS CENTRE.
Although the name was changed, members can be assured that everything has, and will, remain the same. This includes management, staff, policies as well as our affordable low prices and all other aspects related to the health club. Management takes pride to ensure that all members are treated as human beings not as numbers, and where the public need not fear trickery and as Mike clearly states “to GOD be the glory”.