\‘g fitness special
Cityjam
Funked-up .lanet Jackson-style street dance dressed up as a fitness class. Going down big style in London and slowly moving up here. Not for the terminally uncoordinated. but great for dancers and wannabe dancers.
Climbing
Climbing has taken on a new lease of life in the 90s with hordes of yotrng people falling over each other to scramble up sheer—drop rockfaces every weekend. If the real thing in the great outdoors instils a tad too much fear. try indoor climbing to get your feet off the ground. See In .-\t The Deep lind.
Clubbing
Five hours shaking your brrns to the heat pumps the heart. ‘Nuff said!
Cycling
‘llaven‘t got the money. Haven't got the time. Haven't got the gear". Sound familiar"? Get the old boneshakcr out of the cupboard and bike about a bit. Faster than walking. cheaper than driving. environment friendly and gets you fit into the bargain.
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Dance-aerobics Much like cityjarn but not always so hyper- funky. Once again good for those who like a hit more than starjumps to their aerobics.
Dance class
lf you prefer your dance without the aerobics. there's plenty to choose from in and around the central belt. See our special dance feature next issue for news of classes in your area.
Football
Tackle your fitness failings with a spot of five-a-side. or join the local pub eleven and be sure of a place to drown your victories or sorrows post-match. Loads of leisure centres in the central belt have facilities for tive-a-side football. See listings for details.
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Hang-gliding
Not strictly fitness. but better for you
18 The List 26 Jan-8 Feb I996 I
than sitting in your armchair. And all that fresh air must be good for you.
Hi ll walking Nice. gentle. but invigorating exercise that more than justifies you plotting the pub at the summit of your long. arduous trek. And no. walking up the hill to the bus stop doesn‘t count.
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Interval training
A rather hurried bout ofexercise that takes place during the break at the theatre or pictures‘.’ Could be. Then again. maybe it‘s a fitness class that builds strength and endurance with ten rnimrte alternations of aerobics and gentle weights.
Joggi n
9 No special gear (bar a half-decent pair of trainers) and no fancy dance moves —just plain 01' running in circles round the park. Some people find it boring. ()thers find it a no-fuss. relaxing road to fitness with the added bonus of 30 minutes or so solitude. If you don't like the idea of running solo. join a running club at your local leisure centre. or grab an obliging mate.
Keep fit
Keep away more like. This hangover from the 50s means touch-your-toes- and-clap-your-hands style exercise. You left that one behind with your l()() per cent polyester navy-blue shorts in primary two.
Kickboxercise
Boxercise with the added dimension of
kick-box style kicks. llandy if you ever fancy a bit-part in a kung-fu movie.
Kuk sool won
Kill two birds with one stone and get self-defence and physical fitness into one with this traditional Korean martial art form.
I1 New body/new shape
Otherwise known as plastic surgery'.’ No. we haven't uncovered a miracle of modern medicine allowing you to trade in your weary old bod for an entirely New Slur/w. But we have heard that this non-stressful form of weight-training combining light hand- weight routines with low-impact aerobics is the enemy of fiab.
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Pint drinking
We regret to inform you that lifting your prnt glass to your mouth does not count as exercise. You can have one
after that three mile jog. aerobics class or manic bike ride. when your muscles ache and you deserve it.
Power walking
It‘s that very-fast-walking thing they love so much in the States. And no, it doesn‘t make you look like a prat. Much. Really. it‘s a very effective form of litrress if you don‘t want to push yourself too hard.
I' Rollerblading
Otherwise known as in-line skates. roller-blades are the highly groovy (usually) black and shiny things with a single line of wheels that everyone (apparently) glides down the beachfront on in California. \"ery expensive but damn cool. and if you go fast enough you'll get awfy fit.
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Sex
We can't condone pint-drinking in the name of fitness (see above). but we can condone a bout of the old horizontal aerobics. Sex raises your heart rate. burns calories and is generally very good for the heart and lungs.
A 1.: > fist
Skateboarding
Relive your childhood by diving about on a skateboard. Not to mention the excuse to wear some extremely snaz/y
L‘Clll'.
Slide aerobics
Fancy a spot of speed-skating minus the ice'.’ This bizarre fitness fad. involving sliding frotn side to side on a length of plastic with bumpers at either end. began life as training for ()lyrnpic skaters and has somehow found its way into the mainstream exercise industry. The heart-and-lung workout content is high as you build up speed on the slide -- and the advantage over aerobics is there's little impact on the joints.
Snowboarding
The winter sport of the last couple of years is still riding high on the slopes. and the gear is almost as cool as that of its skateboarding sibling.
Step aerobics lrnagine walking upstairs for ()0 minutes non-stop - that's step aerobics that is. The craze that swept the nation
at the beginning ofthe 90s is still going strong. and every fitness centre worth its salt now has a pile of those tell-tale plastic steps piled up in the corner. See In At The Deep End.
Su rft ng Take a trip up North — Scottish shores
have sotne of the best surf in the world.
Swimming
Take the plunge. Swimming is commonly held to be the best form of all-round exercise there is. The water supports your body so the whole thing is nice 'n' easy on your joints and there‘s less risk of injury than with any other sport. Especially good for older folks. beginners and pregnant women.
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Tai chi
Ancient Chinese form of mind and body fitness akin to martial arts. (‘ommonly practised at some unearthly hour in China by outrageously healthy men and women in their eighties and nineties. Classes at far more reasonable times can be found throughout the central belt.
Tubes
People who do power-walking. No really. tubes is a very sensible forrn of exercise involving lengths of rubber tubing as a low-stress alternative to weights. The tubing is held taut between limbs to create an easy resistance between rmrscles. which is great for light toning. Usually combined with aerobics or step. See above.
W Walking
It's a crazy idea. but it might jtrst catch
Weight trainin
9 Not all gyms are full of iron-pumping. pill-popping Arnie lookalikes — so take a walk down your local leisure centre and see what they've got to offer. Steer clear of looking like a bull terrier on steroids by using light weights with maximum repetitions. and remember. weight training alone will not condition heart and lungs. A good gym will structure and supervise a programme to suit your needs.
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O O O
7. is for snuggling up with your downie for a good long sleep. You‘ll need it after this lot.