THE definition of fitness, according to the Council of Physical Fitness and Sports in the US, is "the ability to carry out daily tasks with vigour and alertness, without undue fatigue, and with the energy to enjoy leisuretime activities and meet unforseen emergencies". Does that mean being able to run for the bus? "Yes," smiles Marie Elaine Grant, chartered physiotherapist and head physiotherapist with the Irish Olympic team for Atlanta.
She is not talking Olympic athletes, she is recommending that we, the non sporting public, should aspire to this definition, and that means taking a certain amount of regular exercise. A brisk 30 minute walk three times a week is a good way to start, she suggests.
"You don't have to be a sporty person to achieve gains from exercise. You won't just feel better, you'll be healthier: there is scientific evidence to prove that exercise is beneficial to health, and that is true for all age groups, she says. Inactivity, on the other hand, leads to fatigue and, in extreme cases, physiological changes, such as weak muscles, reduced bone density and a poor aerobic capacity.
Regular exercise can reduce blood pressure in those "who are mildly hypertensive"; may have a positive role in the prevention of cardiovascular disease; and may prevent the onset of osteoporosis. As for obesity: "Weight loss is best achieved through a combination of diet and exercise."
The current wisdom is that the ideal method of exercise includes several components, including aerobic exercise, stretching, relaxation and strengthening exercises (either isometrics or weight training). "You don't have to sweat. Exercise doesn't have to be uncomfortable," says Marie Elaine.
She has a few words of warning for those about to start on an exercise programme. Those who have a known medical condition should consult their GP first. Those who have not taken regular exercise for some time, or have "a musculoskeletal problem" such as backache, should consult a chartered physiotherapist in case they need to incorporate special exercises for their condition.
Supervised fitness training is available at various fitness centres and gyms. Pat Henry, proprietor of the Figure and Fitness Centre on Pembroke Street in Dublin since 1986, offers a four to six week "prepare for summer" fitness programme (at a cost of £95) involving dietary advice with the aim of losing 10 to 12 lbs (at a recommended rate of no more than 2 lbs a week). He recommends various toning and callanetic exercises especially for the many women who want to lose weight from their bottoms and thighs.
He is not in favour of high impact aerobics: "According to a new book in the US by Dr Michael Colgan called Optimum Sports Nutrition, high impact aerobics can actually encourage the body to develop fat in order to protect the joints from all the pounding." Step aerobics can increase the size of your calves, he believes. Certain exercises, unless practised in the right fashion, can lead to undesired effects, he adds.
He assesses clients according to the size of their wrists, which shows him their body type, and indicates what their ideal bodyweight should be for their height. Each person is then given a special 45 minute fitness programme to practise three times a week, involving a mixture of low impact aerobics, callanetics, yoga, general conditioning and weight training.
QUOTING recent research in US, he says that the most effective way to lose weight and keep it lost is to include in your exercise routine a regular programme of weight training: weight training you develop your muscles, and in order to do that, you burn more calories." Every lb of muscle you add to your body, apparently, burns off 50 extra calories per day, and weight training, more than aerobic exercise, helps to boost metabolism, he believes.
At Riverview Racquet and Fitness Club in Clonskeagh, Co Dublin, there has been the usual May "pre bikini rush", says gym manager, Caleb Cairns. Each person who joins up for a year's membership is given advice on how best to achieve their desired fitness level, with the aid of the club's pool, weight training, aerobics classes, boxing bags and CV machines. The latest in fitness machinery, Skywalkers and Transporters, are both available at Riverview.
"They are non impact aerobic machines which can be set in different ways. The Skywalker exercises the upper and lower body and the Transporter looks after the legs," says Caleb. "Most of the new machines are non impact to protect the knee joints and spine.
He is not familiar with the theories Pat Henry is quoting about high impact aerobics leading to fat gain around the hips and thighs, but believes that people with big frames who develop their muscles will end up looking bigger, while "skinny people will stay skinny, even if they develop their muscles. It is all predetermined according to your body type".
He does not believe in the "no pain, no gain" adage: "Quite often all you need to do is light exercise over a long period. If you over train, you stimulate the formation of free radicals, which help to age you".
Riverview also offers dietary advice, also of the moderate variety: "If you don't eat enough and you exercise too much, your body goes into panic mode and won't let you burn off the fat. It's important not to starve yourself."
A year's fitness membership at the Riverview Club costs a cool £550 just to join, followed by a yearly subscription of £613. Corporate and family rates are also available.