Physical Fitness

She might be 13 and beanpole-thin, but Lauren Hagedorn can compete with any Navy SEAL. Hagedorn, a runner and swimmer from Manhattan Beach, stuck out in the crowd of mostly muscled, 20-something guys grunting and sweating through a series of grueling exercise events set up by the SEALs for the public on the UCLA campus Saturday morning. After knocking out a 500-yard swim, 85 push-ups, 58 sit-ups, 12 pull-ups and a 1.5-mile run, Hagedorn panted, smiling at her strong finish.

Bring on the Power Ball! At the FitExpo event held mid-February in the Los Angeles Convention Center, I joined about 6,000 people from around the country who'd taken the four-minute "tryout," the first step in becoming a contestant on the newly resurrected NBC spectacle of strength, speed and coordination, "American Gladiators."

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.

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.

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.

For years, Michelle Cuellar exercised five days a week. "But you wouldn't have known it by looking at me," says the 33-year-old mother of two. "I felt fit -- but I was still fat." No matter what Cuellar did -- run on the treadmill for 30 minutes at a time or attend the occasional spinning class or boot camp, her weight rose. By last summer, she carried 176 pounds on her 5-foot-6 frame. Then, last fall, for the first time in her life, Cuellar started shrinking.

Clare Morvay bustled around her YMCA exercise room in Monrovia doling out hugs, grins and enthusiasm. Her eyes lighted up with each arrival, and she was eager to start on time. But among the sweat pants and T-shirts on Tuesday were tailored shirts, cameras and microphones. Still, she kept her focus on her 16 students rather than the media. "Squeeze. Give yourself a hug! You are going to look good," she instructed. She didn't know what all the fuss was about. She was only turning 90.

STAYING fit on the road requires planning and dedication. Here are 10 ways to stay on track during your next trip -- whether it's for business or pleasure, in Iowa or Indonesia. 1. Stay at fitness-oriented hotels Several chain hotels have begun to focus on fitness. At some Hyatt properties, there are 24/7 gyms with cardio and strength-training equipment.

Giusy Mele-Brown is no slouch when it comes to exercise -- she clocks in about two hours of workouts most days. But in the last six years she had seen her weight steadily climb. She eventually gained 25 pounds.

If you're just getting into regular weight training, or have hit a plateau in your progress, here's an offbeat suggestion: Accentuate the negative. You'll get a positive boost for your workout, and you'll show up those grunt-and-jerks at the next bench for the ignoramuses they are. Negative strength training -- also known as negative resistance training (NRT) or eccentric muscle training -- is the yin to the yang of a particular exercise.