Shaping up the world
Adults are up in amis about kids It s
tme. quite trankly. what the health exjvrts
are saying Since llkiO. kids' fitness has
I xvii going downhill
\ loi ot people are nervous about the
news fitness rvlaled programs are |x>p
ping up daily io solve this problem
I he President’s Council on Physical
fitness and Sjxrrts wants to shape up kids
all over the* world During 1987 and 1988
kids m the Soviel Union will take Ihe
t ouneil's illness test, and kids in America
will take a Russian Illness test.
Hus fitness exchange was die idea ot
lormei pio t«<othall coach George Mien
I le really believes in kids and wants them
io fx- healthy Mien wants kids from all
over ilk* world to help spie ad ihe news
about fitness
Schools. ct>mpanies ami the lederai
government arc involved in ihe youth
fitness scene. too I lie main lest for these
Illness programs is gelling kids involved
and only kids can make that decision
C hris (left) and Jason A rm stro n g show they re stron g enough to ch in up to the bar
Tried and true tests for fitness
USSR tests
H may look Ilka (from left) Ikraaaa Roaa Baraottl, Michelle Dority and Elizabeth Ann
Rose Baraottl are having fun, but they're also exercising. Neighborhood parks are
the best tor fun exercise.
Fun can be exercise
Some kids run to the sofa when they
hear the word exercise. They think
exercise means pain, sweat and bum,
bum, bum. Well, forget that Kids can
keep fit just by doing what comes
naturally — playing.
Adults need a regular exercise plan
because adults don't ordinarily run
an Hind the neighborhood playing tag
or kick the can. But kids do — or can
— and these activities are just as good
for kids as doing sit-ups and pull ups
every day.
A study done at the University o f
Texas Health Science Center shows
that the best way for kids to stay in
shape is to skip “ adult” exercise, such
as aerobics or weight (raining. Aero
bics don’t really help kids too much,
say Dr. Key E. W ilkins and Dr. Earl A .
Stanley. And weight training w ill only
slightly improve their strength.
Instead, these doctors suggest kids
concentrate on having fun. Dancing is
just as gtxid for kids as aerobic class
and can be done at each person’s own
puce. Bike riding bums plenty o f
calories. Raying hopscotch or keep-
away keeps kids fit while they have
fun.
Exercise is important for both ch il
dren and adults. Studies have shown
that exercise even improves mental
outlook People feel better about them
selves and the world around them if
they stay in shape.
fitness experts say it doesn’t matter
so much what activities kids choose as
long as they choose something. Re
member — walking to school bums
about 100 calories per mile. Watching
T V doesn’t bum any.
USA fitness tests
These are the Russian tests
These are the American tests Rus
American kids will be taking
sian kids will be taking
1. Pull-ups
1. 1,500-meter run
2. One-mile run
2. Shuttle run
3. Curl-ups
3. Consecutive alternate foot jumping
4.
V-sit reach
4. Target ball throw
5. Shuttle run
5. Pull-ups
6. 25-meter swim
Besides exchanging fitness tests, the two countries will also teach each
other different sports Softball and baseball will be taught in Russia, and
gorodski and sambo will be taught to Americans
Sing for super health
By Susan Henry
H eiv\ something to sing about
singing is gtxxl tor your health
\ study done by the National Institute
on \ging compared heart and lung tit
ik’ss ot 20 professional singers, aged 23
tob5. with non singers who are the same
ages I lie singers, even those who do
not exerc ise, had girater lung eapahili
ties and lower heart rales than the non
singers
Kate McCormick, who led the study,
said. " Ih e breathing that singers do is
good exerc ise ioi their head and lungs
Singing aloud is good aerobic even, ise
\erohrc 'We usually think o t running,
dancing. spirts I hat isn’t necessarily
so I lie Gtvek word aerohic literally
means "with oxygen "With oxygen
tor singers is a rapid, lung tilling intake
ot air followed by a long, controlled
release
I here's an added Illness bonus tor both
singers and players of wind instruments
Proper breathing involves major muscle
groups ot the torso
hack, diaphragm,
abdomen Woodwind ami brass players
Lifelon g singer Stevie W onder m ust be
in great shape
also work out muscles m the lace, arms
and shoulders
S o go ahead
make music It 's not
lust tun
it s healthy, too
MAi 20 IUNE 3
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