New Ways To Work Out
The Sun Herald
Sunday November 7, 1993
EXERCISE used to be so simple - a few push-ups, a jog and some star jumps
Now gyms are packed with everything from rowing machines to electronic steps that tell you how far you've climbed and how many kilojoules you've burnt off.
While hi-tech stair climbing machines are still the most popular equipment at most gyms and Step classes still pack them in, many gyms in the US are going back to basics to give members a more effective and entertaining workout.
Take the new Step Reebok Athletic Circuit which features a monkey bar, a crawl-through tunnel, a maze, stairs to climb and 16 other stations for push-ups, chin-ups, sit-ups and other movements to exercise just about every body part.
Gin Miller, an Atlanta woman who designed the original Reebok "Step" in 1986 and is now behind the 21-step circuit, said it was time to put the fun back into exercising.
"People smile when they do the circuit," she said. "For many it's like the gym classes they had in school. They have one minute at each station and they compete against the clock for how much they can achieve in that minute.
Another fad gaining popularity in American gyms is "sliding". Members wear nylon booties over their shoes and stand on a slide that's 1.8m long and 60cm wide with sides lined with thick plastic bumpers.
Using muscles in the inner and outer thighs, the idea is to slide from left to right like a speed skater, bouncing off the plastic sides to boost momentum.
Stephanie Duncan, fitness director for several YMCA gyms in Washington, DC, said: "The big word now is cross-conditioning in which you combine sliding with a Step class and upper body weight work to get a better result.
"Even instructors are overwhelmed after 15 minutes of this," she said. "By doing a variety of things in one class you exercise all the muscle groups. This avoids injury and gives a better workout."
Liz Webber, a manager of Equinox Gym in Manhattan where stars such as Daryl Hannah and John Kennedy often work out, said members were always looking for new ways to beat exercise boredom.
"Boredom is the number one reason people stop working out," she said. "These new fads keep people interested."
SLIDE ON IN TO YOUR LOCAL GYM
AUSTRALIAN gyms have been quick to snap up new equipment and exercise ideas.
Richard Chew from Healthlands at Bondi Junction said sliding was proving popular.
"It's great for people who ski, play basketball or tennis because it strengthens the inner and outer thigh as well as giving an aerobic workout,"he said.
Mr Chew said the new body bar was also becoming popular. The 1.2m body bar, weighing between 5.5 and 8kg, is encased in foam rubber and can be used for resistance training, arm curls and shoulder braces.
Jamie Hayes, who owns Aerobic City and the Body Express network with branches in Miranda, North Ryde, Brighton-Le-Sands and Bondi, said many clubs were starting "express lanes".
"There is a continued trend towards aerobic cross training on electronic equipment like bikes, stair climbers and treadmills," Mr Hayes said.
With express lanes, everyone has a set time on each piece of equipment. This eliminates delays and ensures that exercisers reach their highest training levels, Mr Hayes said.
Other innovations include the introduction of mini TV and radio panels with headphones so people can tune into programs while they work out.
However, Dr Garry Egger, director of the Centre for Health Promotion and Research, said most of the new equipment was more a novelty.
The circuit-cum-obstacle course available in the US provided some strengthening and a level of aerobic activity, Dr Egger said, but not enough of either.
"It is another way of getting people to do different exercises but they are not terribly effective in increasing aerobic fitness," he said.
The "slide" would be popular with in-line skaters, Dr Egger said, because it worked the same muscles. "But it's more of a novelty," he said.
People using the body bar would be better off with individual dumbbells to avoid allowing one arm to compensate for the other.
However, Dr Egger said express lanes were good and provided an excellent workout.
© 1993 The Sun Herald