We’re walking our way to good health

12:40pm Wednesday 22nd May 2013 in News

By Tarik Al Rasheed

HEALTHY: People walking to work. Picture by John Anyon. BUY PHOTO: worcesternews.co.uk/pictures/sales. 2113318201

MORE people walk to work in Worcester than anywhere else in the West Midlands, new research has revealed.

More than 15 per cent of workers in the city are putting their best feet forward and enjoying a stroll to the office, rather than driving, cycling, or using public transport, compared to the regional average of just 9.9 per cent and the national rate of 10.7 per cent.

Research carried out by the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy (CSP) shows that 7,397 of the 50,101 (15.8 per cent) workers in Worcester travel on foot.

Hereford is the next highest performer in the West Midlands, at 14.6 per cent, but the Malvern Hills district is down at 18th in the regional list, with just 3,074 out of a total of 34,361 workers (8.9 per cent) commuting on foot.

Helena Johnson, chairman of the CSP, said the benefits of walking to work were numerous. “Walking is free and good for your health so it’s understandable that more people are doing it to get to work,” she said.

“Clearly some people need to use alternative modes of transport, but even then there are easy ways to build exercise into that journey – park further away from the office or get off the bus a stop early, for instance.”

Nationally, more than 2.8 million people now walk to work everyday, an increase of nine per cent over the last decade. The City of London, the Isles of Scilly and Norwich are the top three places for people commuting on foot. East Dorset, Bexley and South Staffordshire – where the figure is just 5.7 per cent – are the places with the smallest proportion of people walking to work.

Mrs Johnson said: “Britain is facing an obesity crisis that is fuelled by inactivity. “It is essential for the health of the nation that people find time to exercise and hopefully these statistics are an encouraging sign.”

Comments(4)

i-cycle

says…

12:53pm Wed 22 May 13

This is excellent news.

Active travel (walking and cycling) can have major health benefits and particularly in helping tackle the ‘obesity’ time bomb that Worcestershire faces.

I do hope the County Council with its new Public Health responsibilities and budgets will take a good hard look at how it can encourage even more Worcester residents to travel to work on foot or by bike.
i-cycle

Westhamoldguy

says…

1:08pm Wed 22 May 13

It’s not for health reasons…….the buses are too **** expensive!
Westhamoldguy

i-cycle

says…

1:33pm Wed 22 May 13

I’ve just had a look at the 2011 census for Worcester.

This showed 10.8% walked and 2.9% cycled to work. Surprisingly only 3.1% caught the bus.

With so many people complaining about traffic congestion in the City wouldn’t it be great if we could entice more not to ‘automatically’ jump in the car for those shorter journeys.

The same applies for the school run. In surveys 80% plus of children say they would prefer to walk or cycle to school, but parents are worried about the dangerous roads they’d have to use.

65% of car journeys are less than 5 miles.

I’m not anti-car, a rampant communist or environmentalist as some on this website have tried to sterotype me as. Indeed I use the car myself for longer journeys or the main weekly shop, but if we could make our streets safer for walking and cycling everyone benefits.

Those that walk/cycle save pounds and £s, get fitter, lose weight and are less of a strain on our overloaded NHS.

For those that want to drive there’s less congestion on the roads and more parking space when you get there.

Air and noise pollution decreases so we all have more pleasant and healthier areas to live in.

With more pedestrians and cyclists on the streets crime and anti-social behaviour reduces.

I do hope the new administrations at the City and County Councils will take a serious look at the considerable benefits of making it easier and safer for people to leave the car at home for some of those shorter journeys.
i-cycle

i-cycle

says…

1:49pm Wed 22 May 13

[quote][p][bold]Westhamoldguy[/bold] wrote:
It’s not for health reasons…….the buses are too **** expensive![/p][/quote]What better incentive to walk/cycle than saving money.

Even better if it makes you healthier at the same time.

It also means those that do don’t get in as much debt and may have more disposable income to spend locally thereby helping to boost the local economy and sustain or create more jobs.

I’m always amazed at how many people pay for gym memberships they never use when they could so easily save themselves a packet by building walking and cycling into their daily lifestyle.

There’s also strong evidence that those who walk and particularly cycle to work take on average one day less sick leave and are more productive when at work. Add to this the fact they don’t need an expensive parking space when they get to work and I’m surprised more employers don’t do more to encourage/incentivis
e their employees to leave their cars at home.

With our reliance on oil/petrol imports it also helps with our national balance of payments so the Government can balance the books quicker and reduce the need to cut our services and/or reduce our taxes.
i-cycle

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Article source: http://www.worcesternews.co.uk/news/10433291.We___re_walking_our_way_to_good_health/

MUSCATINE, Iowa — Muscatine artist Andrew Anderson is accustomed to being in the spotlight for his unique artwork, including the giant Kraken balloon creature that wrapped itself around Muscatine buildngs in 2011 and a huge Mark Twain sculpture that appeared in Muscatine parades in 2010.

Now, Anderson is encouraging the public to paint the town blue.

As the Engagement Lead for the Muscatine Blue Zones initiative, Anderson will encourage Muscatine residents to become more aware of the many ways they can improve their health and quality of life. 

Blue Zones are areas in the world where people live longer, healthier lives. Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad endorsed bringing the elements that contribute to good health and longevity to Iowa through The Blue Zones project, a part of Branstad’s Healthiest State Initiative. In 2013, Muscatine was declared one of Iowa’s Blue Zones communities and now shares in a $25 million grant by Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield and Healthways, a medical solutions firm.

Anderson said he’s enjoying watching momentum build as he and other members of the Blue Zones team work together to make their town a stronger, healthier and more joyful place to live.

— Cynthia Beaudette of the Muscatine Journal

Personal

Name: Andrew Anderson

Age: 35

City of residence: Muscatine

Family members: “My parents are Mark and Kari Anderson and I’m the oldest of five brothers and two sisters.”

Education: Bachelor of arts in management from the University of Iowa

Profession: Events and communications

Volunteer work: “I’m excited about being a new member of the Muscatine Convention and Visitors Bureau Board. I also do a lot of volunteering with my church, Church of the Living Water.”

QA

How did you come to work for the Blue Zones Project?

I was invited to be a part of the early publicity efforts while Muscatine was competing to become a Blue Zones Project demonstration city. I didn’t know what the project was about but I went to the website and decided this was one of the most ambitious initiatives I had ever heard of! When Muscatine became a demonstration site, I applied for and was hired as Engagement Lead.

What does your position as Engagement Lead entail?

I manage the work of helping individual residents of Muscatine learn about the Blue Zones Project – what the benefits to people are and how they can participate. I work with about 40 people who are organizing activities like walking groups, cooking classes, and events for the Blue Zones Project.

What do you enjoy most about your work?

Getting to work with the roughly 40 people I mentioned above is turning out to be one of my favorite parts of this role. They are some motivated people with a lot of experience and good ideas.

What is the most challenging part of your work?

Not getting to be hands-on with much of the engagement work. This initiative is on a pretty aggressive timeline and most of the work is done by volunteers. Do you want to help? If you want to volunteer, get in touch with me. We have a good volunteer orientation program.

What do you like most about living in Muscatine?

I love how much easier it is to make a difference here than in some larger cities. For example, in Chicago, how likely is it that most people would be able to meet the mayor or other key leaders? People are very supportive here. I have found great mentors and people to learn from in Muscatine. I also believe there is a lot of undeveloped potential in our city. That combination makes Muscatine a great place.

If you could change anything about your community, what would it be?

More outdoor dining! I love the patio behind Guadalajara Restaurant downtown and I can’t wait until more places like that pop up.

Name someone who has been an inspiration to you.

Richard Branson. He is an adventurer, businessman and innovator. I am inspired by how he is both a visionary and a “doer.”

What is something about yourself that people may be surprised to know?

I hardly ever use a tent when I go camping.

Where do you see yourself in five years?

Leading a small creative team that helps businesses and organizations with their publicity. And I would be pleased to be living in Muscatine!

 

Article source: http://muscatinejournal.com/news/local/education/from-promoting-krakens-to-promoting-good-health/article_d1fa0372-9cdb-5390-bc2e-1ef98843a4fc.html

When Ivan Zwick was asked why he took up competitive weightlifting in his early 40s, the 73-year-old Marion resident had a surprisingly straightforward response.

“Shoe salesmen don’t get a lot of exercise,” he said.

Zwick once owned and operated a small chain of shoe stores in Illinois and Indiana and traveled frequently. As a result, Zwick said he did not live the healthiest of lifestyles.

Things couldn’t be more different today. Zwick now works in finance, keeps to a regular workout schedule, going three times a week for two hours at a time, eats healthy and travels the globe to compete in weightlifting and bench press competitions.

In April, Zwick traveled to the Czech Republic to compete in the 13th World Masters Men’s Bench Press Championship hosted in Prague. Within the 70 and older class, he bench pressed 248 pounds and took home the gold medal.

In addition to the thrill of competing and winning, Zwick spoke of how rewarding and moving the experience was for him. “When I got up there to receive the medal and the national anthem started playing, I just had a lump in my throat and a darn good feeling,” he said.

Zwick also holds national bench press records and has broken them numerous times. In 2001, at the age of 61, he benched 281 pounds in Cleveland and broke that record the following year with bench presses of 286 and 292 pounds.

In 2003, Zwick again broke another of his records by bench pressing 297 pounds at a national competition in Newark, N.J.

Next up for Zwick are the 2013 USAPL Bench Press Nationals on Aug. 17 and 18 in Atlanta. Beyond this competition, however, his eyes are set on two other goals. “I want to be the first over 70 to bench 300 pounds and I want the world record for 70 and over bench pressing,” Zwick said.

If he does well at the competition in Atlanta, he may get a chance to accomplish those goals on the world team at an event in England later this year. Zwick has also traveled to Germany, Denmark, New Zealand, Belgium and Luxembourg to compete. His wife of 32 years, Wanda, travels with him to all of his competitions and serves as a constant source of motivation.

Asked if he planned to scale back the number of competitions he enters or his workout schedule any time soon, Zwick made it clear he was not considering either. “I’ll keep competing and training as long as I feel good, and I’ll tell you, I feel great.”

Article source: http://thesouthern.com/sports/marion-man-bench-presses-for-good-health-at/article_3618f548-c1d2-11e2-a381-001a4bcf887a.html

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Dear Dr. Roach: Could you help explain the preponderance of testosterone-enhancing drugs that I see advertised lately for “low male libido?” Do they contain anabolic steroids, and if so, shouldn’t they be prescribed under the strictest medical supervision and for reasons other than “low male libido?” — L.R.

Answer: It depends on which type of advertisement you’re referencing. There are two.

The first is the actual prescribed testosterone, which used to be given only as an injection but now can be prescribed as a gel that is absorbed through the skin.

Testosterone is an anabolic steroid (“anabolic” means that it promotes growth), and as you suggest, it has the risk of side effects, especially when abused and taken in high doses. One major theoretical risk has been of prostate cancer, so “strict medical supervision” — with which I heartily agree — should include evaluation for prostate cancer, despite preliminary results that point toward there not being much risk. Other potential risks include an increase in red blood cells, occasionally high enough to cause a stroke. That’s why it’s considered a controlled substance by the Food and Drug Administration.

But what you may be thinking of are the many advertisements for nonprescription supplements that are touted to increase the body’s own supply of testosterone. I’ve reviewed several of these and have found scant evidence that they increase testosterone, improve libido, help build muscle or strength, or have any other benefits compared with a placebo.

I think that prescribing testosterone for decreased libido is reasonable. Sexual health is important, and properly used, testosterone is effective for many people (but not everybody) and has few risks. However, as always, I feel strongly that everyone should know both the risks and benefits of taking a particular medication before starting it. Some men will be willing to take the risk; others won’t and shouldn’t.

Dear Dr. Roach: I had an abnormal blood sugar reading of 111, where the normal range is 65-99. My primary care doctor has been monitoring it and doesn’t feel it to be of concern. What can I do to bring the number down? I take folic acid daily with other vitamin and mineral supplements. I’ve had cinnamon recommended by friends who have had success. Is this something you’d suggest I try? — J.M.

Answer: We in North America are in an epidemic of diabetes, and many people with diabetes aren’t yet aware of it. As doctors do more screening, we find people with abnormal blood sugar but who aren’t diabetic.

First of all, 111 is a very abnormal blood sugar level if you had been fasting, but it’s a normal blood sugar level two hours after eating. Both fasting and nonfasting levels can be used when looking for diabetes, but the ranges of normal are different. The normal range you gave was for fasting.

Second, the two most important factors that decide whether a person with a predisposition for diabetes will actually get it are diet and exercise, and these are where I would most recommend making changes. The big problem with dietary choices is sugar — simple sugars especially, but even complex sugars like starches predispose one to diabetes if taken in excess. Natural sugars, such as what’s found in whole fruit, are much less of a problem than fruit juices, sodas or sweetened processed foods.

Exercise is a powerful way to reduce blood sugar and diabetes risk. It doesn’t have to be extreme exercise — even a half-hour walk per day can begin to reduce blood sugar, especially when taken after eating.

Cinnamon does have the ability to lower blood sugar in people with type II diabetes. As little as 1/4 teaspoon twice daily reduced blood sugar about 20 percent. However, I still recommend healthy exercise and low sugar for almost everybody.

Dr. Roach regrets that he is unable to answer individual letters, but will incorporate them in the column whenever possible. Readers may email questions to ToYourGoodHealth@med.cornell.edu or write to P.O. Box 536475, Orlando, FL 32853-6475.

Article source: http://www.vnews.com/lifetimes/6391204-95/to-your-good-health-testosterone-has-legitimate-uses-but-use-caution

Here’s how Elana Drell-Szyfer recently spent two weeks: She flew to Israel and stayed a week. She returned home to New York for less than a week. She flew to Minneapolis for a day. Then she dashed off to Venice.

Such is life on the road, of which Drell-Szyfer, 43, is a pro. Drell-Szyfer logs more than 70,000 miles a year as CEO of Ahava North America, which produces skin care products from the Dead Sea.

As a veteran business traveler, she’s developed plenty of strategies for staying physically and mentally healthy amid the potential hazards of airline cuisine, long hours at work and on planes, no gyms at some hotels — and the temptations of the hotel minibar.

EATING IN THE AIR

Because many of her flights last several hours, Drell-Szyfer often can’t avoid airline food.

Before any flight, she maps out her meals to try to minimize the effect of the high-sodium, high-caloric food often served on planes, although airlines have begun offering healthier choices. She also drinks plenty of water.

“There’s lots of room for eating things that make you feel sedentary and fill you with water and are filled with calories,” she says.

If she’s taking an overnight flight overseas, on which dinner and breakfast is served, she’ll skip the airline dinner and eat a healthy one she packs. The next morning, she’ll eat the fruit and yogurt that is typically included in the meal.

The food she carries includes tuna fish in a bag or a salad with a protein. She also carries flax seed, peanut butter packages, almond butter and some graham crackers for snacks.

Flying back from Europe, which brings her home in the evening, she’ll eat the airline dinner. But she says she’ll only eat the salad and protein, and she’ll avoid the dessert.

She says she doesn’t think she’s missing out on any culinary experience by skipping some of the meals, even if flying business class. When she flies coach, she says, she avoids the snack boxes that are often for sale. “I never found it to be simultaneously healthy or appetizing,” she says.

EATING ON THE GROUND

Drell-Szyfer has been traveling frequently for work for years, thanks to her time at Estée Lauder, L’Oreal, and Lancome, among other cosmetics companies.

It can be exhausting, and she says she often sees people seeking out unhealthy things to make them feel better.

“The thing that people crave when they’re very tired is comfort,” she says. “Generally, the two things they reach for, one is food, and it’s comfort foods, and the other is caffeine.”

She has worked with a nutritionist on and off to help her make healthy choices when traveling. She makes sure to eat plenty of fish and vegetables. If there’s a buffet at the hotel restaurant, she’ll grab some sandwich bags and fill them with raw vegetables. She always takes the free apples many hotels have out for guests. She limits alcohol for the first two days.

When she eats at a restaurant, she says she tries to plan what she’ll order. She’ll have a first course of a salad or a vegetable. For her second course, she’ll have fish or chicken.

She admits, though, that sometimes when she’s having a business dinner in another country, it’s difficult to maintain a strict food regimen.

“Honestly,” she says, “you have to forgive yourself when there are times it doesn’t work.”

Recently, she says, she went to a dinner at a Georgian restaurant in Israel. Most menu items were stews or wrapped in Phyllo dough.

“You’re part of a group eating. It’s a social activity,” she says. “You don’t want to feel uncomfortable, and you don’t want others to feel uncomfortable. Sometimes, you have to throw caution to the wind.”

Her one guilty pleasure, she says, is the hotel minibar. The chocolate selection is a temptation.

“That’s a really hard fight between you and the minibar,” she says. Before she checks in, she says, she makes a contract with herself not to eat the minibar items.

She spends Sunday to Thursday in Israel, where Ahava has its headquarters. She says she usually is able to keep her minibar contract until Wednesday night, when she’s overtired and overworked after a full work week.

“Wednesday night is my biggest issue,” she says. “Sometimes I win. Sometimes I lose to a bag of MMs or a Snickers bar. You have to learn to forgive yourself.”

She forgives herself for indulging by working out.

GETTING EXERCISE

Hotels around the world are inconsistent with their gym offerings, Drell-Szyfer says. Hotels in Asia and the U.S. tend to have very good fitness facilities. Hotels in Europe, not so much.

Either way, she says, she finds she’s more motivated to work out when traveling because she doesn’t have to spend free time getting her three kids off to school or helping them with their homework.

Her workday often begins at 9 a.m. If there’s a gym, she asks that the gym open early so she can get a morning workout. At the least, she says, the gyms will have treadmills, elliptical machines and free weights.

But she doesn’t always hit the gym because she wants to vary her workouts.

She travels with a jump rope, which she can use outside. She also exercises in her room to DVDs guiding her through a method that combines yoga, ballet and pilates. “I move some of the furniture and do my best,” she says.

Even if she only has 10 or 20 minutes to work out, she says, she’ll take advantage of the time.

If all else fails, she takes a stroll.

She was in Paris at the end of January. It was cold, and the sun didn’t come out until late in the morning. Still, she forced herself out for a brisk walk.

“That’s my rule of thumb,” she says. “Just do something.”

Top tips:

1) Fight jet lag and get into the time zone that you travel to immediately. Don’t take a nap.

2) Drink tons of water. It helps wake you up, and it’s healthier than caffeine.

3) Don’t be seduced by business-class food on airlines. Bring your own meals and snacks.

4) Walk whenever you can.

5) Be creative with your workouts in case you end up at a hotel without a gym. Pack a jump rope, workout DVDs, or stretchy bands for exercises you can do in your room or outside.

Article source: http://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/2013/05/20/for-this-road-warrior-discipline-feeds-good-health/2343971/

DUBAI: ‘The Declaration of Dubai on Public Health in the Arab World’ inked during the 1st Arab World Conference on Public Health, aims to raise capacity and networking between countries on public health issues.

‘The Declaration of Dubai on Public Health in the Arab World’ is in line with the belief that public health is a key component of the health system, it should receive priority and that a robust public health system minimises the risk of communicable and non-communicable diseases and improves productivity of the population.

According to Engineer Essa Al Maidoor, director-general of the Dubai Health Authority, the declaration was endorsed by over 400 delegates and participants from 35 Arab and non-Arab countries. “The more countries spend wisely on public health, the less likely will be the occurrence of preventable illnesses and impaired health,” said Mansoor during the conference.

The declaration was formulated by key public health experts from the Dubai Health Authority, Executive board of Health Ministers’ Council for Co-operation Council States and Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, to name a few.

Dr Muhammad Wasif Alam, director of Public Health and Safety Department of DHA, stated, “The next step is the adoption of the action points within the declaration. It is hoped that it will be implemented in all 22 countries of the Arab World, including all the GCC states through ministries of Health and related government bodies and we are presently working in this direction.”

Salient features

* Encourage the establishment of a national body/committee for public health in all Arab countries that consequently leads to the establishment of an Arab Public Health Association in future.

* Encourage Public Health education and training, leading to higher degrees in public health and building their capacity and translating knowledge of public health into action.

* Work towards establishing governmental mechanisms for dialogues on public health issues and building constructive partnership with related bodies.

* Give due attention to social determinants of health and their importance in public health.

* Ensure equitable access to effective health systems, including public health services.

* Enhance productive communication and collaboration with health professionals from other fields and specialities.

*  Empower people and the community to take responsibility of their own health and be partners to move the public health agenda forward.

* Encourage and sustain the national public health leadership development programmes in the Arab nations.

* Develop specific public health policies, prioritise and implement them.

Article source: http://gulftoday.ae/portal/cede35b6-43c2-4911-9d9b-accf97738c25.aspx

Topics: 

chiropractic,

rockhampton,

young mum

WHILE other mums headed to the playground with their young kids on Monday, Renee Wikman and her six-month-old son took a trip to the chiropractor.

Renee’s son Braith has colic and has improved in leaps and bounds since getting chiropractic treatments.

Renee herself is one out of 10,000 Rockhampton residents who suffer from back pain every year.

Renee has been getting treatments for more than a year now and has never felt better.

“We’ve seen a big improvement with him – and my posture has even improved as well,” Renee said.

The Chiropractors’ Association of Australia is hoping more residents will take care of their posture in light of Spinal Health Week, which started Monday.

According to the association, one in 11 Rockhampton residents can be expected to have back problems this year.

And Rockhampton chiropractor Nick Daniels knows just how important it is to make sure your spine and posture are correct.

“Postural fitness means optimal spinal alignment. It gives you greater strength and endurance, better coordination and balance,” Mr Daniels said.

The chiropractor of 13 years experience said making sure you had a healthy spine would help to reduce muscle fatigue and improve postural endurance.

Five Chiropractic Tips

• Stand when you’re on the phone for extended periods.
• During meetings take regular stretch breaks.
• Stretch and stand if you’re working at a computer all day.
• Check and adjust your position regularly.
• Drink 1-2 litres of water a day (water hydrates spinal discs).

Article source: http://www.themorningbulletin.com.au/news/put-your-back-into-good-health/1877070/

Topics: 

chiropractic,

rockhampton,

young mum

WHILE other mums headed to the playground with their young kids on Monday, Renee Wikman and her six-month-old son took a trip to the chiropractor.

Renee’s son Braith has colic and has improved in leaps and bounds since getting chiropractic treatments.

Renee herself is one out of 10,000 Rockhampton residents who suffer from back pain every year.

Renee has been getting treatments for more than a year now and has never felt better.

“We’ve seen a big improvement with him – and my posture has even improved as well,” Renee said.

The Chiropractors’ Association of Australia is hoping more residents will take care of their posture in light of Spinal Health Week, which started Monday.

According to the association, one in 11 Rockhampton residents can be expected to have back problems this year.

And Rockhampton chiropractor Nick Daniels knows just how important it is to make sure your spine and posture are correct.

“Postural fitness means optimal spinal alignment. It gives you greater strength and endurance, better coordination and balance,” Mr Daniels said.

The chiropractor of 13 years experience said making sure you had a healthy spine would help to reduce muscle fatigue and improve postural endurance.

Five Chiropractic Tips

• Stand when you’re on the phone for extended periods.
• During meetings take regular stretch breaks.
• Stretch and stand if you’re working at a computer all day.
• Check and adjust your position regularly.
• Drink 1-2 litres of water a day (water hydrates spinal discs).

Article source: http://www.themorningbulletin.com.au/news/put-your-back-into-good-health/1877070/

When Ivan Zwick was asked why he took up competitive weightlifting in his early 40s, the 73-year-old Marion resident had a surprisingly straightforward response.

“Shoe salesmen don’t get a lot of exercise,” he said.

Zwick once owned and operated a small chain of shoe stores in Illinois and Indiana and traveled frequently. As a result, Zwick said he did not live the healthiest of lifestyles.

Things couldn’t be more different today. Zwick now works in finance, keeps to a regular workout schedule, going three times a week for two hours at a time, eats healthy and travels the globe to compete in weightlifting and bench press competitions.

In April, Zwick traveled to the Czech Republic to compete in the 13th World Masters Men’s Bench Press Championship hosted in Prague. Within the 70 and older class, he bench pressed 248 pounds and took home the gold medal.

In addition to the thrill of competing and winning, Zwick spoke of how rewarding and moving the experience was for him. “When I got up there to receive the medal and the national anthem started playing, I just had a lump in my throat and a darn good feeling,” he said.

Zwick also holds national bench press records and has broken them numerous times. In 2001, at the age of 61, he benched 281 pounds in Cleveland and broke that record the following year with bench presses of 286 and 292 pounds.

In 2003, Zwick again broke another of his records by bench pressing 297 pounds at a national competition in Newark, N.J.

Next up for Zwick are the 2013 USAPL Bench Press Nationals on Aug. 17 and 18 in Atlanta. Beyond this competition, however, his eyes are set on two other goals. “I want to be the first over 70 to bench 300 pounds and I want the world record for 70 and over bench pressing,” Zwick said.

If he does well at the competition in Atlanta, he may get a chance to accomplish those goals on the world team at an event in England later this year. Zwick has also traveled to Germany, Denmark, New Zealand, Belgium and Luxembourg to compete. His wife of 32 years, Wanda, travels with him to all of his competitions and serves as a constant source of motivation.

Asked if he planned to scale back the number of competitions he enters or his workout schedule any time soon, Zwick made it clear he was not considering either. “I’ll keep competing and training as long as I feel good, and I’ll tell you, I feel great.”

Article source: http://thesouthern.com/sports/marion-man-bench-presses-for-good-health-at/article_3618f548-c1d2-11e2-a381-001a4bcf887a.html

When Ivan Zwick was asked why he took up competitive weightlifting in his early 40s, the 73-year-old Marion resident had a surprisingly straightforward response.

“Shoe salesmen don’t get a lot of exercise,” he said.

Zwick once owned and operated a small chain of shoe stores in Illinois and Indiana and traveled frequently. As a result, Zwick said he did not live the healthiest of lifestyles.

Things couldn’t be more different today. Zwick now works in finance, keeps to a regular workout schedule, going three times a week for two hours at a time, eats healthy and travels the globe to compete in weightlifting and bench press competitions.

In April, Zwick traveled to the Czech Republic to compete in the 13th World Masters Men’s Bench Press Championship hosted in Prague. Within the 70 and older class, he bench pressed 248 pounds and took home the gold medal.

In addition to the thrill of competing and winning, Zwick spoke of how rewarding and moving the experience was for him. “When I got up there to receive the medal and the national anthem started playing, I just had a lump in my throat and a darn good feeling,” he said.

Zwick also holds national bench press records and has broken them numerous times. In 2001, at the age of 61, he benched 281 pounds in Cleveland and broke that record the following year with bench presses of 286 and 292 pounds.

In 2003, Zwick again broke another of his records by bench pressing 297 pounds at a national competition in Newark, N.J.

Next up for Zwick are the 2013 USAPL Bench Press Nationals on Aug. 17 and 18 in Atlanta. Beyond this competition, however, his eyes are set on two other goals. “I want to be the first over 70 to bench 300 pounds and I want the world record for 70 and over bench pressing,” Zwick said.

If he does well at the competition in Atlanta, he may get a chance to accomplish those goals on the world team at an event in England later this year. Zwick has also traveled to Germany, Denmark, New Zealand, Belgium and Luxembourg to compete. His wife of 32 years, Wanda, travels with him to all of his competitions and serves as a constant source of motivation.

Asked if he planned to scale back the number of competitions he enters or his workout schedule any time soon, Zwick made it clear he was not considering either. “I’ll keep competing and training as long as I feel good, and I’ll tell you, I feel great.”

Article source: http://thesouthern.com/sports/marion-man-bench-presses-for-good-health-at/article_3618f548-c1d2-11e2-a381-001a4bcf887a.html