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February 2005
Smooth Technique
More isn't always best when exercising, experts say
By Tracy Wheeler
KNIGHT RIPPER NEWSPAPERS
AKRON, Ohio
It's easy to get caught up in a
more-is-better fitness philoso
phy: more weight on the bench
press, more repetitions on the
abdominal machine, more time
on the treadmill, more intensity
in the aerobics class.
More, more, more.
Hold on, though. Before you
slap another plate on your
weight bar or add another level
to your aerobics step, consider
the principles behind one of fit
ness' newer trends.
It's focused on slower move
ments, holding poses, improv
ing balance and strengthening
our body's core muscles in the torso.
It's called functional fitness. And not
only are the exercises different, but so,
too, is the entire goal. The purpose isn't
to look better - though you probably will
- but to be in better condition to tackle
your daily activities.
'The idea is to have exercises that
mimic everyday life," fitness instructor
Karli Avellone said.
In other words, exercises that are func
tional; exercises that make shoveling
snow a less painful task; exercises that
give you the strength and the balance to
hold a toddler in one arm and hoist a
baby carrier in the other; exercises that
train your body to keep its balance when
a throw rug gives way beneath you.
Don't take that to mean functional
training is easy. It's not.
A new functional fitness class at the
Akron General Health & Wellness Center
had the group of 20 sweating and
breathing hard.
Instructor Stacey Downing led the
group through an endless array of
squats, feet together, feet apart, moving
forward and back, and one-legged bal
ance poses, with some higher impact
shuffling and running in place mixed in.
Unlike a typical aerobics class, the idea
\
Instructor Stacey Downing leads a Strength and Grace
tional fitness class in Bath Township, Ohio.
wasn't to keep people in constant
motion. And unlike yoga or Pilates, it
was more active.
"It was difficult," Anne Ferguson said
after the class. "I injured myself in step
(aerobics) class, so I've been looking for
something like yoga or Pilates but more
active. This might be it."
Ferguson's story is a common one.
In the 1980s and '90s, aerobics classes
were nicknamed "death by Beth," said
Avellone, the wellness center's director
of group exercise. 'The harder the work
out, the better. It didn't matter if they
hmped out of there. If they were in pain
the next day, it must have been a great
workout.
"Now they're coming to us to be
repaired. They'll say, 'I want to keep
working out, how do I do that? My doc
tor says I need to stop.' No, you don't
need to stop, you just need to work out
intelUgently."
But that no-pain, no-gain mind-set still
exists, especially among those who are
exercising to look better.
"Some people when they're doing
functional training, say, 'OK, so it
enhances my quality of life but is it
changing the way my body looks?'"
Avellone said.
KRT photo
func-
'They have to understand,
in functional training you're
training all your muscle
groups, both large and small,
so you're definitely going to
see change. The difference is
the mind-set when you exer
cise. It's not mindless repeti
tion. Whatever they do, they
have to do with concentrated
effort."
In her class. Downing
focused more on technique
than repetitions, urging the
women to stay low during
their squats and to watch their
posture during some yogalike
stances.
'Talk about functional,"
Downing said. "I have three
kids under the age of 3. This
has really been the best thing for me."
Ellen Glickman, a professor of exercise
science at Kent State University, said the
functional fitness trend seems to incorpo
rate the important aspects of a good exer
cise program;
stressing proper
form, focusing
on core muscle
strength,
emphasizing
balance and
working in aer
obic condition
ing.
Still, she said,
the last thing
consumers need
is another "next
big thing."
'There are a
lot of buzz
words that
come along,"
Glickman said.
"And as an
exercise physi
ologist I hate
them all. It's all
marketing."
HISTORY/Page 3
teed by the U.S. Constitution. Sadly,
my generation too often takes freedom
for granted.
The first Negro history week began
in 1926. Originated by Carter G.
Woodson and the Association for the
Study of Negro Life and History, the
Sunday kickoff celebration involved
ministers, teachers, professionals and
business people in highlighting the
"achievements of the Negro." The con
cept was expanded in 1976 to an entire
month of local and national events
exploring African American culture.
What will our generation contribute
to the advancement of African
Americans. What will we stand-up
for?
We, young black men and women,
should be role models for the commu
nities in which we hve. We have a
responsibility to be leaders and not
just followers. We must root out apa
thy, first in ourselves and then inspire
others of our generation to root it out
of their souls as well.
The cure lies in the hearts and minds
of us all. During this Black History
Month, why not examine yourself and
see if you have been infected with the
disease of apathy. A change in mind
and attitude is all you need to rid
yourself of this dreaded disorder.
BECOME THE LEADER
YOU WERE BORN TO BE.
Sense of community is missing on campus
By William M. Monk II
ARGUS REPORTER
In the eastern part of the state,
about 45 miles from Wilmington, I
grew up in the tiny farming com
munity of Kingsville. My grandfa
ther, after whom I am named, had
a 100-acre farm there and I lived
nearby. I used to cut through
woods to get to his house.
He grew tobacco, com, strawber
ries, cucumbers and other crops,
and from the age of six I helped
him harvest his fields. All the
members of my family did,
because he was blind. Indeed,
some of my earliest and best mem
ories revolve around getting crops
ready to go to the mill, so that my
grandfather could get paid.
The fact that William McKinley
Monk was blind did not get in the
way of him doing whatever he set
his mind to do. He always wore a
smile, shared it freely with every
one and never seemed to get
caught up in a bad moment. He
admonished me to wear a similar,
earnest smile, as both a courtesy
and show of respect to other folks.
especially the blacks, in our town.
I've lived through many chal
lenging circumstances. My father
died when I was in third grade.
That left my mother to raise me
and my siblings. She worked two
jobs, and sometimes three.
Her dream was to be a nurse, but
it has never come true.
Instead, the closest she ever got
to nurses and nursing was in 1995,
when she had a kidney transplant
and had to spend a lot of time in
an area hospital. Sometimes they
treated her well, many times they
didn't.
I gave her the kidney that has
sustained her life, and just recently
I decided to become a nurse, in no
small part because of her experi
ence in the hospital. I believe I can
bring not only skill to the job, but
compassion and a sincere, earnest
smile.
As I walk around campus here at
WSSU, I'm often greeted with a
turned head, not a smile. But I
always try to remember what my
grandfather taught me. It doesn't
cost anything to smile and, as
black people, I believe strongly
that we must at least acknowledge
each other.
Let us not pretend that we are
invisible to one another. Sometimes
the old ways are good. Imagine if
our slave ancestors, if Malcolm and
Martin, did not dignify the other's
very presence. How is it that curs
ing, profanity, are mainstream, and
smiling is not.
We go through so
much as African
Americans, and it
has been that way
since our forced
landing on the
shores of these
United States. Our
struggles are far
from over. But some
how an occasional,
random "hello,"
exchanged between
passersby on this
campus and else
where, has the
power to take away
some of the burdens
of life. So smile.
Leam firsthand wtiat it takes to lead othBn as an Off>c«r in tiie
IMted Statts Army. Officer Candidate SchoDl (OCS) provWes the
direction, (raining and skilis you need to become a leader In ttie
Army and a leader bi life. After completine Basic Comtiat Tralnli^
candidates particulate In OCS tralnins for 14 weelu and ttien
attend the Officer Basic Cotrse. As an Officer, ytoi'll be respected
as a Seidef, an Inspirtng leader and a senrant of the rtation.
To find out mere, vIsH GOARMY.CQM/DCSt or call 1-eOO-USAmWY.
Call Your Local
Army Recruiter
Today
Where: (JS Army Recruiting Station
When: g a.m. - 6 p.m. Monday-Friday
Who: Sgt. 1 St Class Rose, 992-5345
ARRMYOFONE*
White House backs bill to set requirements for driver's Hcenses
By Dave Montgomery
KNIGHT RIPPER NEWSPAPERS
WASHNGTON
After weeks of uncertainty,
the White House on recently
threw its support behind leg
islation to deny driver's
licenses to illegal immigrants
in a move that could bolster
Republican support for
President Bush's controversial
immigrant guest-worker plan.
The presidential endorse
ment came as the House of
Representatives opened debate
on Judiciary committee
Chairman James Sensenbren-
ner's bill to toughen border
security by creating minimum
national standards on driver's
licenses, imposing new restric
tions on political asylum and
completing a fence on the U.S.-
Mexican border near San Diego.
The two-day debate marks
the start of what could
become months of acrimo
nious deliberations to over
haul the nation's immigration
laws. Sensenbrenner's bill is
expected to win House
approval despite intense
Democratic opposition.
Sensenbrenner, a Wisconsin
Republican, said his bill
"strikes an important blow to
secure the safety of the bor
der"
He drew a distinction
between his narrowly
focused, border security bill
and more comprehensive
efforts to deal with millions of
undocumented workers now
living in the United States
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