Physical Fitness

Most people are familiar with that old standby the push-up as a sure way to pump up your pecs. The problem, though, is that many people have developed bad habits over the years. Push-ups can be an important part of a well-rounded fitness program that encourages balanced strength in both your upper and lower body. If your exercise plan consists mainly of biking, hiking, running or brisk walking, your cardiovascular system and lower body muscles are getting plenty of important attention.

Fewer than one-third of California students who took a statewide physical fitness test this year managed to pass all six areas assessed, new results show. State Supt. of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson, a longtime cross-country coach who has made physical fitness a signature issue, announced the results this week as he launched a program to improve children's health. The campaign will use such celebrity athletes as NBA all-star Bill Walton and others to visit schools to urge students to drink more water, eat more fruits and vegetables and increase their exercise.

Debbie Kruck was the kind of little girl who wouldn't eat her vegetables. "I used to hide the lima beans in a napkin," she says. In high school, she used to feign illness to get out of gym class. At about the same time, she developed "a bit of a weight problem." So she tried every fad diet she could think of, only to end up gaining back more than she'd lost. Whoever imagined back then that someday she'd grow up to be named the first-ever "Ms. Fitness U.S.A."? Debbie Kruck, that's who.

Daniel Ackerman had just completed a grueling physical fitness test required for all Buena Park Police SWAT officers when he became disoriented and stared off into space. An on-site doctor noticed something was wrong and by 8:15 a.m. on Friday, Ackerman was in a squad car heading toward the hospital. The next morning, the 31-year-old was dead. The Irvine resident had no preexisting medical condition and appeared to be in his prime, according to his sister. "He's the healthiest person in the family," said Christie Thompson, 19. "He works out every day, he eats healthy.

There are 8 million ways to exercise in the naked city. High-impact aerobics, low-impact aerobics, high-/low-impact aerobics, step, step circuit, power step, power walking, power dance, aqua aerobics, country-Western dance aerobics, hip-hop aerobics, cardio-funk, power-funk, strength training, stair-climbing machines, exercise bicycles, treadmills, kick-boxing, in-line skating, yoga, Pilates and spinning.

It used to be that it was enough just to survive cancer. As more people live longer with this disease, survivors are asking for more: They want their fitness back. And they're getting it, as more organizations, private gyms and clinics offer conditioning programs for the 9 million Americans who undergo treatment or are recovering from cancer therapy each year.

I'm hyperventilating. Twelve minutes into what I thought was a simple, 20-minute workout of pull-ups, kettle bell swings and short-distance runs, I'm bent over with my hands on my knees, mouth wide open, head spinning, shoulders numb and torso heaving with giant belly breaths. I'm spent, I feel nauseated. "Hurry up!" urges my trainer. "You're on the verge of being beaten by a 38-year-old housewife who is four months pregnant!"

Physical activity is known to exert a powerful "feel-good" effect, brightening mood and enhancing mental health -- in fact, regular exercise may be as effective as medication for some people with depression. A growing body of evidence supports this boost to psychological well-being, but the exact mechanisms are not completely understood.

Fewer than one-third of California students who took a statewide physical fitness test this year managed to pass all six areas assessed, new results show. State Supt. of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson, a longtime cross-country coach who has made physical fitness a signature issue, announced the results this week as he launched a program to improve children's health. The campaign will use such celebrity athletes as NBA all-star Bill Walton and others to visit schools to urge students to drink more water, eat more fruits and vegetables and increase their exercise.

The West Valley Family YMCA conducted its first-ever "Senior Fitness Day" earlier this week to evaluate the fitness levels of senior citizens. Sponsored by Secure Horizons, the event is part of the statewide LifeSpan program, a physical assessment study of older adults. Senior citizens age 60 and over were subjected to six tests developed by Cal State Fullerton kinesiology professors Jessie Jones and Roberta Rikli.

The one-two punch of diet and exercise may be the best for obese seniors who want to be stronger and more fit, finds a study released Wednesday in the New England Journal of Medicine . Researchers placed 107 men and women who were obese and age 65 and older into one of four groups for a year: one that dieted; one that did cardio, resistance, flexibility and balance exercises three times a week; one that did both; and a control group that neither...

Two years ago, the National Bureau of Economic Research looked at what makes for successful CEOs, specifically those at companies involved in buyout and venture capital deals. "Success and performance are more strongly correlated with execution-type skills than with interpersonal and team-related skills," the report concluded in part. In other words, being able to get things done trumped being a good team player or a nice guy or gal. OK, so does that translate to maintaining physical fitness?

It's almost a New Year's ritual. You set a fitness goal for the fresh year and start with a bang, until losing momentum and eventually grinding to a halt, only to vow you'll do things differently the next year. A fitness log can stop that cycle, even spurring you to greater goals by keeping you accountable and on track. "Logs offer a great way to document progress -- whether it's in minutes walked or mountains climbed," says Carol Torgan, an exercise physiologist and spokesperson for the American College of Sports Medicine.

If you don't move around nearly enough during the workday, you might need to compensate with these flexibility-enhancing moves. Some require minimal equipment such as dumbbells; others can be done at one's desk or against an unoccupied bit of wall space. Sure, the moves may raise a few eyebrows in the office, but while everyone else is reaching for pain relievers, you'll be sprinting out the door ready for after-hours socializing.

When it comes to their physical fitness, students are taking baby steps toward better health, according to results from the 2008 California Physical Fitness Test released Tuesday. The annual public school test measures six areas, including cardiovascular endurance, body fat percentage and strength and flexibility. Every spring, students in grades five, seven and nine run a mile, among other activities.

Six-pack abs -- everyone wants them, but only some know the best ways to get them. Contrary to popular belief, it's not just about staying loyal to the standard crunches. The secret to the six-pack is more complex and incorporates a healthful diet to reduce fat, cardio to get lean and let those abs show, and functional exercises that consistently engage the core muscles, which also involve the back. Those key abdominal muscle groups include the rectus abdominis (the ones along the front that comprise the six-pack)

Two years ago, the National Bureau of Economic Research looked at what makes for successful CEOs, specifically those at companies involved in buyout and venture capital deals. "Success and performance are more strongly correlated with execution-type skills than with interpersonal and team-related skills," the report concluded in part. In other words, being able to get things done trumped being a good team player or a nice guy or gal. OK, so does that translate to maintaining physical fitness?

Vic Tanny, a one-time schoolteacher who parlayed an interest in physical fitness into a chain of gymnasiums and health spas that at their peak numbered 100 and grossed $35 million a year, died today. Tanny was 73 and died in University Community Hospital in Tampa, Fla., of cardiac arrest. He had been ill for several weeks, said his brother-in-law, Bert Goodrich.

When Wu Yifu wants to play basketball with his friends, he has to travel 30 minutes by subway, pay $2, and then wait for up to two hours to get on the public court. If he tries to slip in without paying, he faces a $15 fine. Sure it's a bit of a hassle, the 15-year-old junior high student said, but it's still better than other Beijing basketball courts that charge twice as much. Wu is lucky. At least he has someplace to go.

Though THE wisdom that comes with age can help navigate metaphorical bumps in the road of life, actual, physical obstacles can cause stumbles and falls. Increasingly, to combat a natural loss of balance that comes with the passing years, many people are turning to balance training classes. About one-third of Americans age 65 and older fall each year -- roughly 12 million people.