“SPORTS

Stretching for the 9-1-1 Relay

ALTHOUGH FLEXIBILITY is
one of the big four of fitness
(Cardiovascular, muscular
strength, muscular endurance and
flexibility), it is also the mast
neglected aspect.

By Charles Curtis
Contributing Writer

A proper Mexibility program is
extremely important for maintain.
ing a proper balance of bones and
muscles.

Stretching decreases the risk of
muscular injury (torn muscles and
ligaments), strained muscles and
over-use injuries.

Stretching also decreases the
risk of joint problems, especially
in the lower back, hip, knees and

shoulders; and increases physical”

performance by increasing range
of motion of joints.
Flexibility can be improved by

FITNESS CONSULTANT
Charles Curtis.

gradual and progressive daily pro-
grams of 5-10 minutes.

This does not mean no pain no
gain — you should perform the
stretches at a comfortable intensi-
ty fonat least 15 seconds.

Do not bounce: easy smooth
stretches will allow the muscles to
relax and lengthen as opposed to
tightening up.

When getting ready for the
Lions Gate Hospital 9-1-1 Relay,
(ry to-use the following sequence
of stretehes.

These will help you prepare for
work, enhance performance and
reduce the chances of injury and
the dreaded “24-48 hour-after-the-
event” soreness,

B Warm up: walk and jog to
loosen everything up.

@ Stretches: after each interval of
exercise: same sequence of
stretches,

Remember: train don't strain!

Charles Curtis is a personal
trainer and president of Curtis
Personalized Health Management,
a firm speciatizing in fitness and
lifestyle management.

Putting your best putt forward

PUTTING MAKES up half of
an actual golf game, but, little
time is spent on the greens,

By Dean Kuntz
Contributing Writer

You can putt well with just about
any method. Whatever style you use
it is important to develop two vari-
ables to get the feel for the putting
stroke direction and distance.

Build your feel for direction by
starting with short putts —- no more
than 18 inches. Make sure your put-
ter head is properly on line with the
hole. Get the feeling of accelerating

Beating
the strike

From page 15

‘realization that they should be com-
petitors only on the field of play or
on the ice. Otherwise, they should be
aco-op. They need each other to be
a functioning league.

That means revenue sharing so
the small markets can compete with
the big markets. It would remove
rauch of the pressure — from the
current have-nots —— for salary caps,
the raajor sticking point that has
closed down baseball and threatens
to do the same in hockey.

The players: They should note
the trend in the real business world:
hotshot executives are having to take
sonalier salaries. In return they get
bonuses, based on performance.

So, how about a basic salary
structure for all players, tiered to
some extent to reflect years of ser-
vice? The old seniority bit, so com-
mon in labor contracts in the real
world. But above that, performance
bonuses. Piayers must produce, both
offensively and defensively, to make
truly big bucks.

There would be fewer .230 hit-
ters and 5.8 ERA pitchers making a
million a year and more: the
Gretzkys and Bures would continue
to make top bucks in hockey. the
conscientious grinders would eam
good but not spectacular salaries and
the floaters would have to leam to
produce.

Will it ever happen? Will we
ever have full employment in this
country? Will peace break out all
over the world? Will the rational
debt ever be paid off? Will you ever
win the 649 jackpot? Will pigs fly?
Am 1a skeptic?

On that last one — you bet your
life.

the putter through the ball just
enough to make the ball fall into the
hole.

A drill to help is cailed, “three
for speed”. It provides both mental
and physical practice. Take three
balls and place them about three
feet from the hole with a putt that
has some break to it.

With the first ball, try to stroke it
with a speed that lets it drop just
over the front lip of the cup.

With the second ball, iry to
stroke it at a speed that lets it hit the
liner at the back of the cup.

Try to make the third ball hit the
back lip, bounce up, and drop into
the hole.

This drill teaches your mind and
body to sense the length and speed
of your stroke and how that effects
the speed of the rolling ball —
which is the key to playing a rolling
break correctly,

Also, establish how hard to
stroke the putt from different dis-
tances by trying the same drill, only
instead of three feet, try five, then
10, then 15, and so on.

When practicing just before you
play, start out with short putts and
then get a fecl for the speed of the
putting surface.

Dean Kuntz is an Assistant Golf
Professional at Seymour Creek Golf
Centre.

Test drive a

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Greg will give you the goods on the latest
vehicles to hit the showrooms, from high
performance sports cars to family sedans.
Spend a few minutes kicking the tires on a
‘94 Camero convertible with Greg this Friday.

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