Fitness guru, Author and former Collingwood FC Conditioning Coach Mark Mckeon says the Australian fitness boom is a myth.
Fitness boom! What fitness boom? The average Australian is fat and lazy. They are the facts, and worse than that, we are passing on the disease to our children in epidemic proportions.
The 2005 ABS National Health Survey reported that 62% of men and 45% of women were overweight or obese, but only 32% of men and 37% of women thought they were overweight. These figures demonstrate that we’re nowhere near as fit or in shape as we think we are, not to mention the now proven link between excessive waist girths and increased cancer risk.
We have long known that regular exercise minimizes muscle mass and bone density losses, boosts cardiovascular health and helps us deal with psychological pressures and problems. The problem is hardly any of us actually exercises.
On a recent family trip to Florida, we passed a ‘Dunkin’ Donuts’ outlet every half mile on every main road. When we reached Disneyworld we witnessed multitudes of obese but able bodied people, voluntarily hiring wheelchairs so that they wouldn’t have to physically walk around to see the attractions. Disgusting? Well, as a nation, we’re right up there with the Americans in the race to officially be the fattest nation in the OECD. Another world cup for Australia! The only exercise most of us get is when we unwrap our doughnut packaging. Why walk around the block when you’re already there?
Sure we have the super fit and ‘every day active’ elite but we also have a massive fitness underclass who are costing the health system billions and getting no where near as much out of life as they could be. Adult onset or ‘type 2′ Diabetes is out of control and we are passing this on to our children just as surely as if we were consciously piercing their skin with an infected syringe.
The so called fitness boom has seen increases in participation rates since 2001 in walking (37%), running (14%), cycling (15%) and gym workouts (51%). Unfortunately, for most people, it’s temporary. These figures do not take into account consistency or duration. Too many people go to the gym for a month or two then lose motivation and drop out. As a nation, our fitness training is as stop go as Sydney traffic. The fitness boom is a myth.
Figures from the Federal Government’s most recent Participation in Exercise, Recreation and Sport survey also reveal that participation in sport icons like football, netball, tennis and golf have suffered more than 10% participation declines. Australian Sports Commission research reveals that participation rates in sport and exercise peak in the 15-24 age group, then declines steadily before bottoming out in the 40-54 demographic.
As a nation, we need to reinvigorate our passion for sport – but not to watch, to play. Hail Melbourne as a sporting Mecca because of the crowds that turn out for all major events? Not me, I’d rather see less people watching the elite and more out in the streets having fun. Also, you don’t see much publicity about the reduced seating capacity at the redeveloped MCG, all because we need wider seats to accommodate our ever expanding butts!
If you are part of the fitness underclass, you could be more active.
Once you get started, participation in sport tends to be regular and ongoing because of the enjoyment factor. The best way to keep in shape and stay active is to have fun. Don’t find excuses. Take the medical, join the club, get the lessons, get involved and set the example for your kids.
Don’t just drop them off at training, do some training yourself. If you smoke, they will smoke, if you sit on the couch all day, don’t bug them about all the time they spend on Play Station. If you get out and do things, they will too.
If you are going to play something once a week, suddenly your training will have more purpose. Do something aerobic like fast walking, swimming, cycling or running at least twice per week for 40 minutes. That will get you started. If you decide to get serious, regain your strength with 3 x 30 minute strength sessions a week, using machines, dumbbells or your own body weight. We tend to lose a kilogram of lean muscle mass and swap it for a couple of kilos of fat every year or if we don’t train, but we don’t lose any strength when we do keep training. To complete the picture, keep stretching to ensure you maintain full range of motion in your muscles and joints. 15 minutes every morning before breakfast will make a definite difference to your life.
When we play, we stay!
Tennis, badminton and golf are fantastic options because they involve moderate aerobic activity, lots of rotation to keep you supple and they don’t involve excessive, repetitive weight bearing that can lead to overuse injuries. Cycling is fantastic for cardiovascular health, but the best sport is the one that gives you pleasure because that’s the one you’ll still be playing this time next year.
You can delay the ageing process and you can improve the wellbeing of future generations of Australians, simply by setting an example. If not for you, do it for your children.
Start today.
