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Times-Advocate, 1978-11-09, Page 17Easily beats Creech in fitness test Clean living pays dividends for editor By BILL BATTEN It’s long been known that the average 40-year-old Canadian is less physically fit than the average 65-year- old Swede. What hasn’t been known, but has now been proven conclusively, is that the average 42-year-old editor of The Exeter Times-Advocate is in better physical shape Page 17 Times - Advocate Serving South Huron. North Middlesei^V* NP’lh Umbtoo 5 lore 1I7J Times-Advocate, November 9, 1978 than the 23-year-old reporter who spends his time working in the next office and cover­ ing events for our sister publication in Zurich. The identity of the latter will not be disclosed to protect the innocent. Let it' I merely be said that his last name is Creech and his first ' name is Tom. Where he ends up in com­ parison to some Swede is • anyone’s guess. The tests which were con­ ducted to check the physical fitness of the writer and his youthful assistant were not part of a game conceived by the former to give him any advantages. It was all part of a fitness awareness program jointly operated by the London YMCA-YWCA and the ministry of culture and recreation as part of the Ontario government’s Fitness Ontario Project. Along with several other local citizens, we had been selected to take part in a promotional testing done on Friday at the South Huron rec centre. Other testees in­ cluded nu’rse Audrey Pooley, SHDHS teacher Colin Lowndes, fire chief Gary Middleton, EPD Constable Kevin Short, rec director Kirk Armstrong, Sorority member Louise Giffin, Lions member George God­ bolt and a few others whose identity can be known by watching people who are suffering from sore stomach muscles. The pre-test candidates are now encouraging their friends to take a similar test when the fitness assessment program returns for a two- day stand next Monday and Tuesday — November 13 and 14. And, before we go any further, we’ll do our bit by suggesting it is a most worthwhile test for any adult in the community. Not only do you get some very realistic assessment of your condition, you’ll also be given a consultation period in which the testing staff will provide you with an ex­ ercise prescription, infor­ mation brochures of various fitness topics and answers to questions regarding fitness in general. The cost is only $12 (it takes about one hour) and appointments can be made by phoning Kirk Armstrong (he’ll be slow answering the phone due to his sore stomach) at the rec centre at 235-2833. While a fitness test naturally involves some physical exertion, this is not a test that will leave you limp with exhaustion. A testee works at his par­ ticular level and only a cou­ ple of the tests involve any demanding work. When the writer and the unsuspecting Thomas Creech arrived last week, we were greeted by the four staff members, who were advised that their two can- didates would be taking photos of each other and so they decided to take Tom first, no doubt suspecting (erroneously) that the writer wouldn’t even be able to take pictures after his test. Before beginning, a can­ didate’s blood pressure is ascertained, plus some medical history to make CHECK CONTENT — SHH nurse Audrey Pooley has the fat content of her body checked by Kathy Hoveling. Readings from several areas of the body are used to determine the final results. certain he can perform the tests without any risk. Having passed that, one’s height and weight is check­ ed, along with the percen­ tage of body fat. Creech is still trying to advise people that his percentage is much lower than the writer’s, although it should be noted that would presumably give the latter more problems in the physical aspects of the test. The first physical test is to measure lung function. It is measured by blowing through a tube and having the results checked on a computerized machine. Creech was all smiles, of course, having watched the waves of cigarette smoke encircling the editor’s head. He gave a couple of mighty blows and the test hit something over 400. The writer, recalling his difficulty in even blowing up balloons for the kids, was naturally skeptical. However, when the meter shot up to 547, Creech was dumbfounded. Then it was on to the aerobic capacity test. This was simply walking up and down two stair steps, the candidates being wired to an electro-cardiograph to test the efficiency of the heart and vessels. To the beat of some lively music, the candidate walks up and down the steps for a three-minute period and then waits to see if his heart rate figures are still low enough to allow him to proceed to the second three- minute session. Tom’s test ended after three minutes, being one point over the go-ahead rate. The writer then started to ascend and descend and Creech was all smiles while watching the pained expres­ sion as the three-minutes elapsed. However, his smile quick­ ly diminished when the testor advised we could proceed into the next three- minute segment. Actually, there was no telling how far we could have gone, except for the fact our laughing ob­ viously pushed the heart rate beyond that which is Please turn to page 31 CHECK PRESSURE — Before candidates start out on the physical fitness assessment test, their blood pressure is check­ ed. Bob Gardner checks Kaaren Batten's. BLOW HARD — SHDHS teacher Colin Lowndes goes through the lung function test while testing staff member John Harrison watches the read-out. FIT OR NOT — These photos give graphic evidence of the comparative fitness of two T-A staff members. At the top, Tam Creech labors to attempt one more situp, while below, editor Bill Batten demonstrates the style capable of people in good (??) physical condition. / ■ J No Refunds or Ex­ changes on All Sale Items 3 I A LITTLE FARTHER — Louise Giffin has her flexibility tested by John Harrison. The object is to push the gauge as far along the ruler as possible. FEELING FAINT? — Debbie MacDonald has a concerned look on her face as she watches Tom Creech go through the aerobic capacity test. The candidate steps up and down two steps for three-minute periods, and Debbie wisely halted this candidate after the first three-minute session to avoid having a collapsed victim on her hands. 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