Don't let go!

29 Sep 2007, ST

This flying fox or zip-line across a body of water is a first for Singapore and allows the public to take part in a treetop adventure course at Bedok Reservoir Park.

At $18 for a shorter children's course and $25 for adults, Forest Adventure, which started last month, is a 1-1/2 hour series of activities; up ladders into sturdy trees, across swings up to 7m high, rope bridges and trapezes, and down the flying fox up to 180m across.


ST PHOTO: ASHLEIGH SIM

Managing director Stephanie Besse, 40, who invested about $800,000 in the project, said it was an idea she pitched to the National Parks Board (NParks). 'NParks and PUB picked Bedok Reservoir Park because it's a place they wanted to develop for recreation, and it has strong mature trees which we need for safety reasons.'

Seven instructors, who have undergone various certification courses, conduct a half-hour safety lesson before anyone gets off the ground, and ensure safety standards are adhered to. Those interested in signing up can visit www.forestadventure.com.sg

Hit those weights

2 Sep 2007, ST

Want to shave off those excess kilos and stay lean? Then strength training is important, experts say

ATLANTA - Amy Jones used to think of a strenuous workout as a long run on the treadmill. Then she joined her husband at a gym he belongs to that stresses Olympic-style weightlifting and other strength moves over cardio.

Within a few sessions, she was hooked. 'I'm more toned, I have more energy and more endurance,' she said. 'I've turned fat into muscle, and my clothes fit better.'

Almost 40 years after Dr Kenneth Cooper coined the term 'aerobics', a concept that would later spawn a generation of spandex-clad cardio junkies, some trainers are steering their clients away from traditional cardio-intensive workouts and towards mostly strength moves.

The reasons: Many exercises that are good for the heart are hard on the joints. And cardio training without muscle conditioning leads to loss of muscle and bone density as well as fat, experts say.

Even Dr Cooper now believes strength training is important.

Some people - those fighting ageing and those with injuries - benefit from more time on muscle conditioning than cardiovascular exercise, he said in an interview from his Texas clinic.

He cites Hall of Fame quarterback Troy Aikman, a one-time cardio king who shifted to more intense weight training. (Aikman said through a spokesman he does not think cardio is overrated, but he cut back on his daily 6km runs because he didn't want to further tax his body. He said he dropped body fat when he made the change.)

Dr Cooper does not believe cardio is a bad habit to be kicked. 'If you go strictly muscular-skeletal conditioning, it's a major mistake,' he said. 'You'll wear out.'

But Jim Karas, author of The Cardio-Free Diet, believes cardio workouts overstress the body and work against those trying to lose weight.

Karas, who helped newscaster Diane Sawyer get svelte, experienced a revelation in the 1980s when he was an aerobics instructor. He saw shocking amounts of excess flesh, even on those who came to class religiously.

Then he looked in the sparsely populated weight room. 'Everyone was so lean,' he said in an interview from his Chicago studio.

He changed his approach and found he and his clients could keep weight off more easily with strength training rather than aerobics.

Karas walks most everywhere - a form of cardiovascular exercise, he acknowledged, adding that he encourages clients to take the stairs instead of lifts and park further away to build activity into daily life.

'My whole goal is I just want people to stop pounding their bodies,' he said. 'When people hear 'exercise', I want them to think of strength training.'

NYT

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Finding the right balance

CARDIO and strength training each has its place in a fit lifestyle. Experts disagree on just how much of each a person needs.

J. Andrew Doyle, an associate professor of kinesiology and health at Georgia State University, says flexibility is a third component of a balanced workout.

Here?s what Dr Kenneth Cooper, the Texas doctor who coined the term 'aerobics' in the late 1960s, advises.

When you're in your 30s: 80 per cent aerobics/20 per cent muscular conditioning.

When you're in your 40s: 70 per cent aerobics/30 per cent muscular conditioning.

When you're in your 50s: 60 per cent aerobics/40 per cent muscular conditioning.

When you're in your 60s: 55 per cent aerobics/45 per cent muscular conditioning Dr Cooper, 76, suggests that some younger athletes need to shift away from cardio because of injuries. 'If your body starts breaking down, listen to it.'

NYT

Take the plunge

26 Aug 2007, ST

Aquatic exercise can help to strengthen muscles and burn calories

ATLANTA - Whether you swim like a fish or sink like a rock, you can shape your body in a pool of water. Just get in and get moving.

Studies indicate that walking, jogging and other movements in at least waist-deep water strengthen and stretch muscles.

Exercises performed against the natural, gentle resistance of water also define ab and back muscles and stabilise the lower back.

Water's buoyancy causes less stress on joints and supports weak or injured muscles, so doctors often recommend it as therapy for people with chronic illnesses and arthritic conditions who need to increase their range of motion and develop balance and stability.

Buoyancy also reduces or eliminates the pain caused by moving against the resistance of gravity. 'A lot of people forget the benefits of water,' says Christie Stewart, GIT Fit director at Georgia Tech's Campus Recreation Center, which offers shallow and deep water fitness classes.

'Younger adults (especially) believe the myth that they'll get a better workout on land, but water workouts burn a lot of calories and produce a good workout.'

According to the Aquatic Exercise Association, 400 to 500 calories are burned in a one-hour water fitness class. Actual amounts depend on your weight, length of limbs, speed and intensity of your movements and depth and temperature of the water.

While some experts argue that water exercise alone does not yield significant weight loss, most agree it burns calories and tones muscle.

Because the movements are easy, and the water relaxing, you tend to move for longer periods of time and reap more benefits from exercise.

'A calorie is a calorie, so it doesn't matter where it comes from,' says Walter Thompson, professor of kinesiology (human movement) and health at Georgia State.

Georgia Tech water fitness instructor Georgia Braxton says: 'It's both a mental and physical break. You can lose inches and inhibitions.'

A nonswimmer, Braxton wore a life jacket during the first week as a water fitness student.

Two years later, her fear of water is gone - although she still does not swim - and so are inches off her body. Her dress size dropped from size 10 to size 4.

Of her fear of water, she says: 'If I overcame it, then anybody can.'

NYT

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Why water?

Buoyancy: The 'light touch' allows people to do exercises they may find difficult on land. Ninety per cent of your body is buoyant when you are in the water up to your neck, so you do not hit the floor as hard. No pounding or jarring.

Resistance: This is a continual force against every move you make, 12 to 14 times more than on land. Resistance does not allow for sudden body movements.

Cooling effects: Water disperses heat more efficiently, so there is less chance of overheating. The water continuously cools the body.

Exercise in water is cooler and more comfortable than it is on land.

Source: United States Water Fitness Association

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Tips for safe and enjoyable workouts

# Buddy up. Try to find a partner to join you. If you're alone, make sure someone else is nearby in case of an emergency.

# Don't drink alcohol before. It impairs your balance, coordination and judgment, and alters your body's physiological response to exercise.

# Wait after eating. Postpone your workout for two to three hours after a big meal. Delay at least one hour before a light workout.

# Warm up. Begin with a jog or bounce, bending your knees then straightening.

# Breathe well. Inhale at the height of the jump and exhale at the lowest point near the water to prevent swallowing water.

# Check bottom. To avoid blisters on your toes or feet, wear water-training shoes or make sure the pool surface is smooth.

# Begin slow. Increase the pace of movements and height of jumps gradually. Listen to your body and slow down if necessary.

Source: The Complete Waterpower Workout Book by Lynda Huey and Robert Forster

Happy feet and shoes that fit

26 Aug 2007, ST

A Sunday Times weekly training plan for first-time marathoners who seldom run beyond 10km

By Jeanette Wang

LIKE fairy-tale princess Cinderella, runners too can find happiness in well-fitted shoes.

The perfect sole-mate can also help you avoid blisters and injuries.

Seasoned runner Paul Sng, 35, who runs about 40km weekly, learnt the importance of wearing the right running shoes the wrong way.

'I've worn shoes that were too narrow. My little toe got bruised and the toenail on the second toe turned black and fell off,' said the car salesman, who has six toes on his left foot.

'Another time, my shoes were too tight and my heel hurt like crazy, so I had to cut short my run.'

Worse injuries could befall a runner wearing the wrong shoes.

Dr Jason Chia, Changi Sports Medicine Centre's associate consultant sports physician, stressed on the importance of picking the right shoes for your foot type (see graphic).

He said: 'Inadequate support or cushioning in shoes can lead to injuries such as plantar fasciitis (heel pain) and shin splint.'

He added that a narrow toe box could cause pain in the forefoot, while loose-fitting shoes could cause blisters owing to excessive movement.

For longer races, such as marathons, he recommended shoes with more cushioning for better shock absorption.

He said: 'The number of steps taken to run a kilometre can be from 800 to 1,200. Each of these steps can exert forces of two to three times your body weight on landing.'

His advice is to buy shoes in the evening when the feet are slightly bigger. This will ensure that the shoes will not be too tight.

When trying on shoes, make sure to wear socks and lace up the shoes.

Ensure that there is a one thumb space in the toe box and enough room between your heel and the heel counter when your feet are pushed snugly forward.