Ativafit

Summer is just around the corner, which means your outdoor workouts may be moving back inside because of the heat. So right now's a good time to take advantage of Amazon's one-day sale on Ativafit home exercise equipment. Whether you're just looking to shake the rust off with some light yoga, or kick into high gear with some HIIT workouts, you'll find the equipment you need for less. These deals are only available until 11:59 p.m. PT (2:59 a.m. ET) tonight, so be sure to get your orders in before then.

This sale covers a variety of compact home exercise equipment so you can get in tons of different workouts without a ton of clutter. If you're hoping to build some muscle, you could snag this adjustable dumbbell for $89, down $42 from the original price. It allows for seven different weight settings that you can switch between in just seconds. Or, if you're looking to shed some pounds with some at-home cardio, you could pick up this stationary bike that can track your distance, speed, time and heart-rate, and folds up when not in use for simple storage. It's on sale today for just $128, or $32 off the original price. And if you're working from home, this under-desk elliptical can help you get a workout in while you work, and it's on sale for $95, down $46 from the original price.

The information contained in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as health or medical advice. Always consult a physician or other qualified health provider regarding any questions you may have about a medical condition or health objectives.

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Start Your Summer Fitness Routine Early With Up to 46% Off Ativafit Exercise Gear - CNET

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, April 6

The Special Olympics Bharat will organise an health fitness camp for special athletes to mark Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav on April 7. The event will be held at the Sain Das Senior Secondary School, Patel Chowk. Dental health checks and nutrition screening of all participants will be held on the occasion. Notably, the camp will see participation of only those with mental disabilities not physical.

Due to the Covid pandemic, no mass event for special athletes was held in the district and this will be the first event in past two years.

Of the 1,000 specially abled people who have been registered for the Jalandhar event, 650 are from Jalandhar district, 250 from Hoshiarpur and 150 from Kapurthala. Similar events will be held in Ludhiana and Amritsar.

Manish Aggrawal, convenor-cum-secretary, District Special Olympics Association, Jalandhar, said, Being a pan-India event, a target of 75,000 specially abled persons had been set across the country for which 1 lakh people have already been registered. The event is being held in 75 cities. Health check ups for specially abled with intellectual disabilities will be held. There will also be an attempt to set a world record. Aggarwal said: We will be able to screen the fitness of potential special athletes in the camp.

Original post:
Health fitness camp for special athletes today - The Tribune India

What if one fine day your company CEO tweets that bonus will be dispensed on the basis of the weight of the employees. Would you be excited about it?On Thursday, Nithin Kamath, founder and CEO Zerodha, made a 'healthy' announcement that those with body mass index (BMI) less than 25 will get half a month's salary as bonus.In the tweet, made through his official account, the CEO also informs about the average BMI of the team. If it goes below 24 by August, everyone in the team will receive half a month's salary as bonus. Adding more rules, the CEO says, "The lowest average BMI or the largest change in average BMI wins. The winner chooses a charity everyone else contributes to." What is BMI?

BMI or the body mass index is the value derived from the weight and height of an individual. BMIs between 20 to 25 are considered to be good for health. BMI numbers below 20 and above 25 are not considered to be healthy.

As per a study: BMI is an estimate of body fat and a good gauge of your risk for diseases that can occur with more body fat. The higher your BMI, the higher your risk for certain diseases such as heart disease, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, gallstones, breathing problems, and certain cancers.

Do people consider Zerodha CEOs decision healthy

Many Twitter users have compared this initiative to "The Office" show's Dunder Mifflin weight loss program.

In the fifth season of 'The Office' the Dunder Mifflin company participates in a company-wide weight loss competition. The prize was to win extra vacation days.

Many other Twitter users have criticized the CEO for taking such an initiative.

"This is serious discrimination and body shaming. There is nothing 'fun' about your program. Why should my pay or a bonus be linked to my body type? The only thing relevant is my work," says one user.

"I hope your team does not have any pregnant women or nursing mothers It is typical for women to gain weight in this phase of their life. And, in your team theyll be penalised or made to compete. Is this fair to them ?," says another user actually pointing out a very serious topic.

Read this article:
Zerodha CEO announces bonus for employees with a BMI less than 25; netizens divided over the announcement - Times of India

New Jersey, USA,-The Global Health & Fitness Software Market 2022-2028 report covers revenue, trading volume, size, value and these valuable data. The Health & Fitness Software Market Report provides an objective and impartial assessment and assessment of opportunities in the Health & Fitness Software market through a systematic market research report that includes numerous other market-related fundamental elements. Health & Fitness Software market report focuses on the major Health & Fitness Software market manufacturers, in order to study future sales, value, market share and development plans. The study classifies markets based on revenue and trading volume(if applicable) and price history, estimating scale and trend analysis, and identifying gaps and opportunities. Define, describe, and predict Health & Fitness Software markets by type, application, and region to study global and key regional market potential and benefits, opportunities and challenges, limitations, and risks.

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Health & Fitness Software Market Size And Share 2022 Analysis By Leading Keyplayers | Mindbody, Acuity Scheduling, Perfect Gym Solutions,...

For many tech and fitness lovers, Fitbit is the first brand that comes to mind when you say fitness tracker. It had, in some circles, briefly achieved that level of cultural ubiquity where people referred to all fitness trackers as Fitbits. Today, were just talking about actual devices made by Fitbit, though. The best Fitbit fitness trackers and watches deliver outstanding levels of functionality, but each one has its own particular benefits. With six different modelsnot to mention multiple generations of each versionit might not be readily apparent which one makes the most sense for you.

To that end, were looking at a handful of the top options for a range of intentions. Each one has been carefully tested to verify that they are every bit as functional as they claim to be, so you can work out (or swim, or even sleep) with confidence knowing that these are truly the best Fitbits.

I selected the Fitbits through a mix of first-hand testing and reviews from real buyers. I tested these alongside fitness trackers, both from Fitbit and other leading brands, such as the Polar Ignite 2 Plus and the Garmin Venu 2 Plus. I specifically tested to determine core functionality like tracker accuracy and battery, as well as the relative ease of use.

The Fitbits that didnt make the cut were not always significantly different from those included above, but our picks usually stood out for a reason. You can choose yours knowing that these truly are the best options available right now.

Each Fitbit variety offers its own unique features and benefits, so its important to keep a few things in mind when choosing which is the best one for you. These are, for the most part, the same considerations to keep in mind when picking any fitness tracker or fitness watch.

To judge any fitness tracker, you need to know how you plan to use it. Are you looking to track your high-impact workouts or simply make sure you get your steps in? Monitor heart health or blood oxygen levels? Or maybe sleep tracking and monitoring mindfulness? Different Fitbits come with varying feature sets that will accommodate different goals. Often, more complex trackers will be larger, more complicated, and more expensive. Finding the right balance among those three factors will set you up to use your Fitbit to the fullest.

Fitbits come in many shapes and sizes, which means that some are more expensive than others. Some models cost as little as $50. Others get as high as $300. Again, you want to find a balance between feature-set and price that works for you, but its also generally important to keep your budget in mind as you shop.

While some Fitbits act as fairly basic fitness trackers, others are much more elaborate smartwatches. Which is right for you depends on whether or not you need all those smarts.

While the features offered by the various models tend to overlapmost build up from a base of 20 health and fitness metricseach individual package tailors itself to a specific set of needs or parameters. To that end, here are the best Fitbits for most people.

Why it made the cut: With its broad range of fitness tracking capabilities, smartwatch functions, and lower price, the Versa 3 is a balanced fitness watch that plays to Fitbits strengths.

Specs

Pros

Cons

For all practical purposes, the Fitbit Versa 3 can do everything that most users want from their fitness tracker. It provides info about steps, heart rate, blood oxygen levels, calories burned, and sleep tracking. Its also water-resistant down to 50 meters, in case youre a swimmer. It even buzzes to let you know when youve entered your personalized target heart rate for exercise, which it refers to as your active zone.

At the same time, the Versa 3 includes plenty of smart functions. You can use it to take calls and receive notifications from your phone. Fitbit also features its own app ecosystem thats smaller than iOS or Android, but features apps for music, payments, and more. Both the Versa 3 and more powerful Sense watch bring a lot of value to the table, but the Versa does so at a lower price, making it a slightly more accessible pick.

Why it made the cut: With its expansive suite of fitness trackers and detailed workout insights, the Charge 5 is a gym rats best friend.

Specs

Pros

Cons

If youre looking for the utmost in fitness-tracking power, the Fitbit Charge 5 delivers. With a full range of fitness and health trackers, it records all the stats you need. What really makes it stand out, however, is its workout intensity map, which leverages GPS and various physical data points to highlight when youre getting the most and least out of your workout. Between workouts, it sends guidance to maintain mindfulness and workout optimization.

Though its primarily fitness-focused, it also features a smattering of basic smart functions that allow you to manage payments, and receive calls, texts, and calendar notifications. Some of these functions only work with Android phones, however.

The one drawback to the Charge 5 is its reliance on a subscription. Like the Whoop 4.0 and other recent high-end fitness trackers, Fitbit gates off many of its most detailed workout insights unless you pay for its Premium membership. You get six months of free access to see if its worth the $9.99 a month, but you should probably decide whether or not youre even open to such an arrangement in the first place.

Why it made the cut: The Sense is a sleek, powerful smartwatch with advanced fitness tracking capabilities.

Specs

Pros

Cons

If you want a fitness tracker that really leans into smart features, the sleek Fitbit Sense delivers. With the largest suite of smart apps on any Fitbit device, as well as most of the key fitness and health tracking functions, it is the most powerful Fitbit we recommend. Most notably, the Sense includes an ECG for detecting heart health, as well as an EDA Scan app that monitors electrodermal activity and then provides a graph of how your body responds to stress. It is also the only Fitbit to come with a 6-month free trial of the guided meditation app Calm, to further support any stress management goals you might have.

Given all that, its worth noting that the Sense is the most expensive device you can get from Fitbit right now. If you want all the features, the Sense may be the best choice, but it is bigger and more expensive than the rest of the pack.

Why it made the cut: With all the essential fitness tracking capabilities, the Inspire 2 gives you the features you need at a more affordable price.

Specs

Pros

Cons

If you just need a basic fitness tracker, we think you should try the Fitbit Inspire 2. It tracks all the basicssteps, calories, heart rate, and so on. It also has some of the more advanced features from other trackers, including active zone alert, cardio fitness scores, and a daily readiness score to make sure you let your body recover between workouts.

That said, it is very much an essentialist fitness tracker. It has some smartwatch functionality, including notifications for calls, text, and social media. It also offers stress management features and menstrual health tracking. All of these features require looking at the Inspire 2s tiny screen, which isnt ideal for anything beyond the quickest of glances. This is definitely a tracker for people who actively want to avoid the smart features and stay focused on working out.

Why it made the cut: Arguably the most feature-rich fitness tracker designed specifically for kids, the Ace 3 helps keep your little one moving.

Specs

Pros

Cons

There arent too many quality fitness trackers out there designed specifically for kids, so the Fitbit Ace 3 stands out as an incredibly useful tracker. It primarily tracks steps and sleep, but can also set challenges to keep kids motivated and active. You can also set reminders to prompt children to get up, move, and stretch, or go to sleep at specific times. Its features are comparatively very limited beyond the basics, but it is water-resistant for up to 50 meters, so it is durable and can stay on in the pool.

The Ace 3 supports the Fitbit app, which features separate viewing modes for parents and kids when you activate the Family Account mode. In Parent View mode, parents can monitor their kids activity, and approve any connections in the Fitbit social community. Meanwhile, Kid View presents a child-friendly version of the fitness tracker experience, with access to stats, badges, personalized avatars, and challenges.

Prices range from $50 for the Ace 3 to as much as $300 for the Sense, depending on the most current sale prices. Weve included the current prices for each device with the recommendations above.

All of the latest generation Fitbit models boast strong water resistance in up to 50 meters of water. Theyre all great for swimming laps or playing in a pool. If youre diving, you may want to consider something a bit more durable.

Once you pair your Fitbit with your phone, it will sync periodically when the Fitbit smartphone app is open. You can manually sync in the app homepage by swiping down.

No fitness tracker is 100% accurate. They approximate your activity by sensing movement, heart rate, and other factors. You can improve your trackers accuracy by feeding it more data. Enabling GPS and entering accurate height, weight, and stride length in the app settings will lead to better results.

That said, Fitbit trackers do fare comparatively well in general testing. A 2017 study found that Fitbits tend to have a 27% median error when it comes to tracking calories burned. While that might seem like a lot, they actually outperformed almost all major competitors. There hasnt been much hard research done since then on the accuracy of Fitbits latest releases, but having compared them against other trackers that are well-regarded for their accuracyas well as good old-fashioned paper-and-pencil calorie trackingI can say that they seem to perform well.

The best Fitbit for you comes down to one of two factors: whether you want a smartwatch or a fitness tracker and your budget. The core fitness tracking features are largely consistent among most models, so you really need to think about whether you care about smartphone-related lifestyle features and the advanced fitness analytics that come with Fitbits premium subscription. Ultimately, most Fitbits are great so long as their features and your expectations are in sync.

View original post here:
Best Fitbits of 2022 - Popular Science

If walking was a colour, it'd be the new black.

There's no shortage of evidence that walking is truly a wonder drug;an exercise that can shed weight, increase life spans, reduce the risk of disease, improve heart health, keep joints mobile and benefit mental health.

"You'd have to take a lot of different pills to get all those different effects that you can get from going for a walk," David Bishop, a professorial research fellow at Victoria University's Institute for Health and Sport, said.

Which is why the UK Royal College of GPs in 2018 recommended that Britons take a brisk 10-minute walk each day.

But above all, the simpleact of putting one foot in front of another "just makes you feel good", Suzanne Crane said.

The59-year-oldfrom Canberra is an outreach ambassador for parkrun.

Parkrun is a weekly, Saturday morning, five-kilometre event for runners held inparks and reserves around Australia and the world.

Despite its name, parkrunestimates between 10 and 15 per cent ofparticipants are walkers.Crane thinks there are some events where thatnumber is as high as 30 per cent.

Crane tried running, but it wasn't for her.

"I was absolutely hopeless at it," she said.

But then three ACL knee operations sealed the deal.

"I came back to parkrun by walking," she said.

"When you're injured, you lose that connection with people.But with parkrun, because you can walk it, you're still able to see your friends."

Four years ago, Crane was thrown another curve ball when she was diagnosed with the auto-immune disease, psoriatic arthritis.

She said the disease could cause considerable pain. And because she's on immunosuppressive drugs, COVID-19 has made mixing with people indoors particularly dangerous.

"It was easy to come back out of COVID and slowly get used to being around people by walking parkrun," Crane said.

"Walking parkrun has been brilliant for mebecause it means I can still be out there with all my friends who are runners, but alsoI'll have a whole swatheof people who are my walking friends.

"It's not only the physical, it's also the emotional like feeling connected with people."

Crane isn't alone. There are a lotof people who for reasons such as age, mobility, weight, fitness and injury aren't able to run.

For most, walking is an alternative that is just as good.

The AusPlay survey, which records trends in Australians' physical activity, shows walking is the most popular form of exercise.

And COVID really ramped up the results for women in particular.

As Professor Bishop points out, walking may not be as efficient as running in terms of calories burnt per minute, but if you measure calories burnt for distance, it's almost the same.

"You could eitherrun four or five kilometres in 30 minutes, or walk the same distance in an hour.I think whatever you do regularly is probably going to give you the most benefits," he said.

"If you can just force yourself to go for a jog once a week but then that takes all your mental effort to get that done versuswalking every single day of the week or a few days of the week,in that instance walking is going to be the better option.

"You can imagine kind of like an exponential increase going from sitting on the couch and doing nothing to walking is going to give you the biggest improvement in your health, and then you're going to get more improvements by doing more intense activities," he said.

Professor Bishop is focusing part of his research on trying to find the right level of exercise for people with dementia and Alzheimer's.

He said increasingly, health practitioners and physiologists were seeing exercise as a medicine.

"Moderate intensity or walking is a really safe entry level where anyone can do itand we know that there arereally good benefits," he said.

"And for people who are capable and don't have other contraindications, then introducing slightly higher doses of exercise is going to be beneficial."

The goal is trying to find the magic spot of just enough exercise before too much is damaging.

The sports world now talks about an inverted U: The more exercise you do, the more beneficial it becomes but there's a point where you go over the top and excessive exercise can lead to increased injuries.

That's exactly what happened to legendary Australian running coach, Nic Bideau, who's coached a myriad of Australian athletes over the decades, including Cathy Freeman, Craig Mottram and now Stewart McSweyn.

After running for an hour a day for more than 30 years, he was increasingly getting sore hips whenever he ran.

The final blow came on a bushwalk in New Zealand, when he fell on some slippery rocks and badly tore a lot of cartilage in his hip.

"It was so bad that I couldn't walk properly," Bideau said.

"I had an x-ray and a surgeontold me, 'You've got real problems with your hip there, and if you want to walk properly, you're going to need to have your hip replaced.'"

He was just 54.

For a man whose life was running, it was a bitter pill to swallow, especially when his surgeon told him that if he returned to running he'd wear out his artificial hip more quickly.

"If I had my time again,once I got to 40, I would reduce that (his running frequency) to three or four times a week," he said.

"It's a really efficient way of getting fit, running.And I loved it and got a good feeling from it, and you always feel really fit and energetic after it.

"But if I'd known this was coming, I would have stopped earlier because I really miss it."

But Bideau, not a man to do things by halves, took up walkingwithgusto.

"First thing every morning, within 10 minutes of me waking up, I'm out the door walking," he said.

"Even when I'm overseas or travelling, I still walk a minimum of an hour every morning and in the afternoon, and up to another hour again in the evening," he said.

Now62, he said he walkedabout 20 kilometresevery day.

"Often when I start, I feel really stiff and about 90 years old, but once I get back and my body's loosened up and I'm moving,I'm ready for the day," Bideau said.

"I've cleared my mind of any thoughts that had been lingering from the day before and all the plans for this day and the next day are alive and well and ready to be undertaken after that walk."

He can't lie. He says he'drather be running.

He says walking for him doesn't provide the same enjoyment, althoughit does provide many of the same benefits.

"You do have that feeling, the endorphins.You feel like you're alive and you're active and you're breathing, and you've got your day started," he said.

"Anyonecan do it if they can walk,and they can get reasonably fit."

Which is the same point Professor Bishop and Suzanne Crane are making.

You don't need to be a Nic Bideau and walk 20 kilometresa day to get a benefit from walking.You don't even need to walk 10,000 steps (a figure that was plucked out of the air as a marketing exercise in the 1960s to sell a Japanese pedometer).

Professor Bishop places more emphasis on the cumulative effect of regular walking.

"I think most people are now seeing that it's that accumulated energy expenditure that is important," he said.

"The recommendations are to try and get around about 150 minutes of activity in a week.And once you're there, that's when you can then start working a little bit on the intensity."

Crane said those looking for a place to start exercising should consider parkrun.

"It's not a race, it's about getting people out there and making them comfortable," she said.

Indeed, the average time for parkrun has been getting slower, which Crane suggests is because more people are walking the five kilometresthanpreviously.

"The benefits to the community are larger and larger from people who have medical conditions to people who have needs for social inclusion and are lonely," she said.

"You can do things that everybody else does and enjoy life. It's important to be able to be out with people."

So why not out head out for a walk?

ABC Sport is partnering withparkrunto promote the benefits of physical activity and community participation.

Excerpt from:
Walk, don't run: Why one of the simplest ways to exercise is making a comeback - ABC News

Planks are one of the most common moves you'll find all sorts of ab workouts, and for good reason. The foundational exercise hones your core's ability to brace, one of the four major functions of the muscle group.

But if your core training sessions are filled with nothing but planksand if you're holding that position for marathon sessions that stretch into minutesyou're approaching your workout the wrong way to accomplish any real strength or aesthetic goals. In this way, planks are overrated. Here, Men's Health fitness director Ebenezer Samuel, C.S.C.S. and MH Advisory Board member David Otey, C.S.C.S., P.P.S.C. break down the aura of the extra long plank hold and offer up even better options for your abs.

The biggest issue that most people have with planks is a lack of progression, says Samuel. People know to grab heavier weights or to ramp up their reps for moves like curls to take the path to progressive overload and muscle growthbut for the plank, the only option guys often turn to is adding more time. That's not effective, and it's also an indication that you're not bracing as much as you should be for the plank's intended benefits.

"There is no virtue to holding a plank for the Guinness Book of World records," he says. "If you want a six-pack, there's a better way to go."

Otey agrees. "One of the key things with holding a sustained plank beyond 30 seconds is you find that your body starts to go into compensatory patterns," he says. "By really focusing on the shoulder girdle specifically, focusing on the lower limbs, and mainly your hip flexors, to try and keep you up for a long period of time."

Ultimately, once you stop squeezing your muscles tight to create full-body tension, you've lost the benefits of the plank. But that's not all. Samuel notes that planks only train that one function of the corebracingwhen you could be exposing your abs to even more movements.

Plank with Shoulder Taps

3 to 4 sets of 40 seconds on, 20 seconds off

Right off the bat, this move adds anti-rotation, another of your core's functions, into the mix. You'll also hone more shoulder stability. As you move through the reps, fight to keep your shoulders level.

Long Lever Plank

3 to 4 sets of 30 seconds on, 30 seconds off

Extend your arms out over your head to bring some anti-extension to your training. As you progress, you can extend your hands even further out in front of you.

Ab Rollout

2 to 3 sets of 8 to 10 reps

Grab a wheel and roll for this variation, which Otey calls his favorite for abdominal training.

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Planks Are Overrated. Try These Six-Pack Ab Workouts Instead. - Men's Health

One thing Ranbir's fitness coach Shivoham applauds him for is his punctuality and his knack for discipline.

"I keep telling everyone, I think one thing which I absolutely admire about you is that no matter what the day is, whether you're training, I mean your work or everything, you're always on time," he tells Ranbir.

He further adds by saying that if discipline is there in one aspect of your life, it will be everywhere.

Referring to the same, Ranbir talks about how he tries and imbibe discipline in his free time or in something that is very valuable to him. He says, "I respect a lot of people who respect time and I expect the other person also to expect that from me. I feel nice when people compliment me about my punctuality. It's something I workout on."

Image credit: Instagram/shivohamofficial

See the original post:
From his workout routine to his diet regimes, groom-to-be Ranbir Kapoor shares his fitness journey - Times of India

In most modern high schools, P.E. is a complete blow-off class something to take when you dont play a sport, and have to fulfill a health/fitness-related elective. Participants often sit on the bleachers and talk, or half-heartedly play some basketball.

There was a time in this country when P.E. was taken more seriously, however, and it reached its absolute apex at La Sierra High School in Carmichael, California.

During the 1950s and 60s, La Sierra boasted what was arguably the most rigorous P.E. program in the country, if not the world. The so-called La Sierra System was born in a time when World War II was over, the Cold War was still heating up, and prosperity and technological advancements were making life increasingly sedentary and comfortable. In this atmosphere, there existed a national concern over whether Americans were becoming too soft, overweight, and complacent to not only defend their country in war, but to vigorously meet the challenges of peace.

As President John F. Kennedy wrote in The Soft American:

physical fitness is not only one of the most important keys to a healthy body; it is the basis of dynamic and creative intellectual activity. . . . [We] know what the Greeks knew: that intelligence and skill can only function at the peak of their capacity when the body is healthy and strong; that hardy spirits and tough minds usually inhabit sound bodies.

In this sense, physical fitness is the basis of all the activities of our society. And if our bodies grow soft and inactive, if we fail to encourage physical development and prowess, we will undermine our capacity for thought, for work and for the use of those skills vital to an expanding and complex America.

Thus the physical fitness of our citizens is a vital prerequisite to Americas realization of its full potential as a nation, and to the opportunity of each individual citizen to make full and fruitful use of his capacities.

To stem the physical deterioration of his fellow Americans and promote the idea of developing a sound mind, in a sound body, JFK utilized the Presidents Council on Physical Fitness to reinvigorate physical education programs around the country, and looked to La Sierra as an example of what was possible in this line.

The first few minutes of the above video will give you a look at what some aspects of the La Sierra program were like.

The La Sierra System had been developed by WWII-veteran Stan LeProtti, who was inspired by the classical, whole man approach to fitness that had been championed by the ancient Greeks. LeProttis program sought to improve the strength, agility, balance, flexibility, power, and endurance as well as the leadership qualities of all the males in the student body, not just those relatively few boys who participated in organized athletics. The program not only incorporated physical exercise a regimen that included an intense 12-minute calisthenic warm-up, sports, games, dance, combatives, gymnastics, running, aquatics, and off-the-ground work on various apparatuses like peg boards but also involved regular meetings to talk about the philosophy the why behind it. Students were taught that the fitness routines in which they engaged not only built their bodies, but prepared their minds for learning and their spirits for tackling lifes setbacks.

The Philosophy section of the La Sierra P.E. handbook includes both Physical Fitness and Psychological Fitness as two of the programs goals, and lists the following among the aims of the latter:

When the producers of The Motivation Factor, a documentary about the La Sierra System, interviewed those who had gone through it in their youth, they reported that the program had delivered on just this desired effect and that it stayed with them into adulthood; when these La Sierra grads had experienced challenges in later years, they returned to their P.E. experiences as a touchstone a reminder that they were capable of doing hard things.

Another unique trademark of the La Sierra System was its use of ability grouping a hierarchy of ranks denoting different levels of physical proficiency. The boys were put in teams based on these levels, and each team/level was identified by different color satin trunks worn by its respective members (sans shirt) while they exercised. All freshmen started out on the White Team, wearing white shorts, and then could work their way up the ranks throughout their high school years. When you tested into the next level, you got to discard your old color shorts for new ones and proudly display your earned achievement. The color system was designed to harness boys natural propensity for competition and publicly-recognized status as a spur towards physical excellence.

One might be apt to wonder if this system didnt shame and embarrass those boys who were at a lower level of fitness, and had to wear the lower-level shorts. Wouldnt the color groups make them feel bad about having to broadcast their position at the bottom of the ladder?

A coach at the time, Richard Chester Tucker, who went on to write his PhD dissertation on La Sierras color system, looked into this very question. He compared the least physically capable third of students at both La Sierra and at a school that had a traditional P.E. program. What he found was that there was no difference between the self-esteem of the boys in each group. But, the boys at La Sierra were more physically fit than those at the other school; for example, on average, the lowest third of boys at La Sierra could do nine pull-ups, while the lowest third of boys in the traditional P.E. program could only do two. In other words, the color-coded shorts system didnt make students feel bad about themselves, but it did inspire them to strive higher; maybe these kids werent ever going to be elite athletes, but the color-code system motivated them to become their best. As Tucker says in The Motivation Factor, We came under a lot of criticism because [people said] Youre making these kids walk around in white trunks. What does that do to their self-esteem? It makes them want to get red trunks!

When interviewed as adults, those who went through the La Sierra program remembered it as being fun and highly supportive; the boys encouraged each other and helped each other reach the next tier.

Within the color system, there were four main levels: White (Beginner), Red (Intermediate), Blue (Advanced), and Navy Blue (Ultimate Athlete). Within the Blue level, there were two sub-levels: Purple and Gold. More than 90% of students were able to advance from the White Team to the Red Team by the end of their freshman year, and 60% were eventually able to make the Blue Team. For every 100 students, only one or two were still wearing white trunks by the time they graduated.

The following benchmarks had to be hit to move beyond the White Team and reach subsequent color levels within the La Sierra System.

Each color level had minimum, median, and ceiling sub-standards; the ceiling standard of one color level was the minimum standard of the next; hitting the ceiling standard within a color level advanced you the next color up. What is listed below is the minimum standard for each main color level:

Red (Intermediate)

Blue (Advanced)

Navy Blue (Ultimate Athlete)

The median and ceiling sub-standards within the Blue level were categorized as their own colors: Purple and Gold. To test for the Navy Blue trunks, you first had to earn your Gold trunks.

Representing the pinnacle of physical fitness, the Navy Blue shorts were obviously extremely difficult to earn, and as a result highly coveted. When a student earned his Navy trunks, his accomplishment was announced over the schools PA system, and the entire student body would erupt into thunderous cheers.

Between 1958 when the Navy Blue level was introduced and 1983 when La Sierra High School closed, only 21 students were able to achieve these trunks. Today, the standard remains as a testament to a time that had high expectations for its youth that believed in their potential and pushed them to reach for as much of it as they could.

Listen to this episode of the AoM podcast for more on the La Sierra P.E. program:

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The Insanely Difficult Standards of History's Hardest P.E. Program - Art of Manliness

Members of the Classic City Roller Girls hold a practice session last month in Athens, Georgia.

Many of us have walked to take breaks from work, burn calories and be more active outside during the pandemic. As we gear up for warmer weather, perhaps you're looking for a fun way to take your walk up a notch. As a cardio and strength-training full-body workout, roller-skating is a heart-healthy way to get outside and get moving. It may be just the type of workout you need to kick your outdoor time into high gear.

Like many recreational sports, once you get the hang of skating you may start doing it on a daily basis. Whether you skate for fun or skate to a destination, skate assured that the American Heart Association recommends roller-skating as a way to stay active and heart-healthy. Plus, because skating is a whole-body aerobic resistance training exercise, you'll improve muscle strength and aerobic fitness, according to research.

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Finally, you don't need to commit to 30 or 60 minutes of skating to get positive effects on your mood. In fact, according to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, only about five minutes of aerobic exercise is needed to begin to stimulate anti-anxiety effects.

Pushing off one foot and then the other while skating requires that you use your glutes, hamstrings, quads and calves each time you pick a foot up to move. Alternatively, when you glide with both feet on the ground, your lower body still works, but it stabilizes you rather than pushes you forward. This type of movement is like using an elliptical or other cardio machine at the gym but even better because your body is working with both feet stationary as well as both feet in motion. Plus, the stability required in the ankle, calf and foot to balance on one elevated skate each time you take a stride is more intense compared with having your foot flat on the ground while running or on a cardio machine.

Before hitting the outdoors with your skates, there are a few things to consider in addition to the benefits of skating. Read on for tips to get started safely.

Benefits

Besides being fun, roller-skating can build core strength and improve stability in the lower body.

Roller-skating and rollerblading build core strength and improve stability in the lower body. Skating also improves upper body strength and mobility due to the pumping and swinging motion of the arms. As you're rotating your torso by using your core muscles, you're using your shoulders and arms to help propel you forward. The legs and glutes push you forward, too. Not only are you moving forward, but also you're moving side to side, which improves hip mobility and strength. Your quads, hamstrings, calves, glutes and hips work in unison to start skating, stop skating, speed up and slow down.

Getting started

As a fitness coach, I always recommend having the right gear before you start a new workout activity. Whether you rent skates or buy them, test out roller skates and in-line skates to see which you feel more comfortable with.

Roller skates have four wheels that are lined up like car wheels: two in the front and two in the back. The wider base makes these skates a little bit easier for beginners. When standing still, you'll feel more stable because of the base of the skate. However, it's more challenging to speed up with roller skates compared with in-line skates.

The wheels on in-line skates allow you to have a smoother ride and skate faster.

Most in-line skates typically feature four wheels lined up front to back and a break behind the back wheel, and the upper boot of the skate fits snugly. The wheels allow you to have a smoother ride and skate faster.

As a kid, I learned how to skate with roller skates. I twisted and turned around the indoor rink and practiced skating up and down my driveway. As I became an adult, I opted for in-line skates because I could skate over to my friend's house a mile away and show off my speed in the indoor rink.

I recommend these steps for adults, too a testament to the design, structure and stability of the different types of skates. Start off on roller skates for fun and then move on to in-line skates once you feel comfortable on wheels.

Safety tips

Make sure you have the right gear such as helmets, kneepads, elbow pads and wrist guards for safety.

Helmets, wrist guards, kneepads, elbow pads they are all necessary for skating. Falling down and scraping your knee is one thing, but falling sideways onto your wrist or landing on your head could be a traumatic injury. The most common reasons for falling are a loss of balance or trying to swerve to avoid a collision or an object in your way.

As a kid, I was always embarrassed to wear so much gear. But as I got older, I realized that I looked more serious with my gear. Plus, I felt more confident to go fast, knowing that I had taken protective measures to keep safe.

For beginners, find a safe place to skate. Start off on a smooth, level surface, like an empty parking lot or even a tennis court. Make sure you pick a place that is well lit, without traffic or obstacles in your way. Avoid skating in the rain because the slippery surface can cause you to fall more easily.

Skate forward and aim for stability, not speed. Get used to starting and stopping. Then start to skate to the right for a few feet and then change directions to the left. Continue this swerving pattern as training.

Ultimately, listen to your body and do what feels best for your current fitness level.

A licensed and credentialed trainer can design a personalized program and teach you proper form and technique. Get referrals from local gyms, and many trainers now offer virtual workouts. After you learn the basics, you can work out on your own.

Training with free weights, like dumbbells, kettlebells and barbells, is often better for muscle building than machines, Shawn Pedicini, a physical therapist at Harvard-affiliated Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital, says. However, machines are ideal if you have balancing issues or other limitations that make it safer to sit during weight training, he says. You can also go back and forth between free weights and machines depending on the type of exercise and which muscles you are working on.

While you need full-body workouts that address all your major muscles, older adults should pay special attention to their leg muscles: quadriceps and hamstrings (in the thighs), the gluteals (in the buttocks) and the calf muscles. These are involved in many daily functional movements like squatting and climbing stairs, Pedicini says. Compound exercises that work different muscles in one movement like squats, deadlifts and lunges are great for building leg muscles.

Pedicini says fewer reps with heavier weights helps you gain the most muscle. An ideal routine would be eight repetitions for each exercise for three sets total. But you can adjust this as needed. People with movement issues might need to use lighter weights and do more repetitions.

Lifting should be done at a seven-second tempo. That means three seconds to lift the weight, a one-second pause and three seconds to lower it. If you cant lift the weight at least eight times, use a lighter weight. When you can comfortably perform eight reps without completely tiring the muscle, increase the weight. Muscles grow stronger only if you keep adding resistance, Pedicini says.

Ideally, you should do weight training at least twice a week. Two days of full-body training can produce measurable changes in muscle strength, Pedicini says. You often can feel results after four to six weeks of consistent training.

Always allow at least 48 hours between sessions for muscle recovery. Some people prefer to break their workouts into two parts: upper body and lower body. In that case, you can perform upper-body exercises one day and lower-body the next.

Use enough weight so that the last few reps of a lifting routine are challenging.

Dont forget to consistently challenge yourself as you progress, Pedicini says. Its necessary to gain the muscle and strength changes you want and need.

Stephanie Mansour, host of "Step It Up With Steph" on PBS, is a health and wellness journalist and a consultant and weight loss coach for women.

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How to make skating a good workout | Health/Fitness | journaltimes.com - Journal Times