The fine
art of fly
fishing

explored

CASTING about for
some wintertime
fishing fun?

The West Vancouver
recreation department is
offering fly tying and fly cast-
ing workshops.

This Sunday on Bowen
Island, Mharie Sinclaire leads
a fly-tving workshop _ for
novices. And while the affable
Sinclaire isn’t promising
you'll be an expert after the
day-long program, she does
promise a good time will be
had by ail.

Once you’ve mastered the
fine art of fly tying, the next
step is to learn to cast the
darn thing. On Sunday, Feb.
15 and Sunday, Feb. 22,
Sinclaire will lead a two-day
fly-casting workshop at the
West Vancouver Community
Centre. Participants must
provide their own rod, rect
and line, and can preorder
them from Sinclaire.

For more info and to reg-
ister for either workshop call
West Vancouver Parks and
Recreation at 925-7270 or
987-7529.

The Outdoor Pursuits Centre
(OPC) is hosting a backcoun-
try ski day-trip to Red
Heather Meadows in Whistler
on Saturday, Feb. 8.

The day-long outdoor
adventure will be fed by an
experienced guide, and par-
ticipants will be sent informa-
tion about proper equipment,
route planning and satery.

Cost is $35 for OPC
members and $42 tor non-
members.

For more information
about the trip and the OPC
call 987-7529 (local 9666).

Good news for provincial
park campers this summer;
there will be no increase in
overnight campground rates
this year.

“Camping is a favorite
pastime tor thousands of fam-
ilies in British Columbia, and
our goal is to mintain an
affordable and accessible
vacation experience for ay
many people people as possi
ble” B.C. Enveronment,
Lands and Parks Minister
Cathy MeGregor states ina
press release. “B.C. provin
cial parks are unrivaled for
their camping eaperiences,
and they consistently provide
park users with excellent value
for money ”

Wednesday, January 21, 1998 — North Shore News - 13

dining arts business

ORTH SHORE | IFE

repi

SThe true measure of success is not
what vou have, but what you are pre-
pared to do without”

IT’S really remarkable how
many products and gadgets
are out there claiming to help
us get faster and stronger
with less, or in some cases
very little, effort.

We flourish in a society where
many people will gladly pay for
something — anything — that just
might help in achieving physical
competence withour them actually
having to do most of the work.

Ina culture where 40% of the
adult population are by medical deti-
nition obese, it is indecd just that
whoever designed our bodies made
sure we would have to take personal
responsibility tor both its demise and
amazing potential tor wellness and
physical health.

The purpose of this article is to
review a few cthough by ae means
all) of the more popular products in
the markeiplice and offer some per-
tinent informigen on the pros and
cons as thes relate to practical every
day use.

Heart rate monitors

Pros: Uselud for athletes in train
ing, usually to allow them to “slow
down” and operate at their most

Batter up!

NORTH Shore Fun & Fitness operators Lloyd Marlor (left) and Frank Mostad fired up a new batting machine Sunday afternoon at the
North Vancouver recreation facility. The public fitness centre is open seven days a week and is located at 1172 West 14th Street.

Fancy fitness gadgets can't

efficient heart rate. Also practical for
interval training while preparing for
competition. Anyone beginning an
exercise program where there are
medical indications requiring close
monitoring of heart
rate can benetit from
their use.

Cons: Expensive.
From $200 to $500.
Unnecessary for most
fitness/reercational
athletes. Talk to vour
physical trainer (or
local recreation cen-
ter pofessisnal) iad
ask about perceived
exertion lecel nionitoring — it’s free!
These machines can be quite com-

plex for some individuals, particularly

those (ike me) who still tind pro-
gramming a VCR quite the chal-
lenge.

Electronii: musci stimuiators
Pros: Probably won't hurt vou.
basy way to eo nowhere fast. Canin

fact be usetul tor muscle rehabilita-
tion in post injury recovery — see
vour favorite physiotherapist instead.

Cons: No increase in miusele

strength will be achieved bevond
what would be achieved through
voluntary niusele contraction. No
meaningful or measurable increase in
oxygen supply to the areas isolated
and offers no sports specitic training
value. Essentially a waste of vour

ld hard wi

hard carned bucks. (Donate it to
your favorite charity instead).

Abdominal crunch machines °

Pros: Supports the neck during
exercise. Isolates very
specific abdominal
areas. Relatively inex-
pensive.

Cons: Supports neck,
thereby ignoring the
fact we need to devel-
op and strengthen
that same area.
fsolates very speciti-
cally, but we should
be training to exercise
the whole lower trunk area for maxi-
mum benetit. Learn how to perform
basic crunches without equipment
for your own pasitive results.

Sport watches

Pros: Can always tell what time it
is in Katmandu. Useful for interval
and repeat sivle training in pre-race
preparation. Boil pertectly timed
exe. Soirdy and usually water resis:
cant, The compass (on deluxe mod-
els only!) can shaw you the way
home tf vou get lost after getting off
the bas.

Cons: Confuse the hell owt of
many people. Lots of information
oftered you neither need nor can
understand. Redircets sensory associ
ation away trom your own body to a
mechanical device — all joking aside,

NEWS photo Cindy Goodman

rk

this is a “key” area in physical and
athletic development.

Obviously some of the points
mentioned above are more serious
than others but the issue is, why do
we need to over complicate an area
of our lives when we are trying to
relax and eliminate stress.

To some manufacturers [ may be
as popular as a maggot on a Sunday
roast, but let me suggest you de-
emphasize the need for so-called
high tech support. Learn to rely
more on your own sense of mental
toughness.

Most, if not all athletes have
achieved their real success from hard
work, a sense of purpose and the
knowledge that they, nor an external
force, have allowed them to reach
their own levels of excellence.

So, whether you're a recreation-
al/fitness athlete or are training ata
competitive level, give vourself that
same opportunity, Use the toys, but
remember the journey is the real
expericnee.

A thought: “Whe harder vou have
to work in achieving a goal the more
satisting the reward!”

Shane Collins isa physical trainer
and athletic coach as well as an
accomplished ultra endurance runner
and maration svimmer. The West
Vancouver resident is the president of
Pacific Bodyworks and can be reached
at (604) 921-0726,