THE SHAPE OF THE UNION

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Spain also points out that most people who do exercise on a regular basis are in the middle—income sector and are well educated.

"We need to put more effort and more resources into educating the public—through schools, churches, civic groups, and other social organizations."

Row,Row,Row

Once you decide to become a vigorous exerciser, which aerobic workout is best? According to a new study from Ohio University in Athens, if the choice is between a rowing machine or an exercise bike, you'll get the best cardiovascular exercise on the rowing machine.

Fredrick C. Hagerman, director of the university's Work Physiology Lab, and graduate student Sheila Marks studied 170 men and women aged 20 to 74 as they biked and rowed. When they rowed, they not only burned more calories but also used more large muscle groups. That means they required more oxygen to fuel their workouts, so they breathed more deeply, which in turn promoted better cardiovascular fitness.

And Speaking of Biking

Harin Padma-Nathan, assistant professor of urology at the USC School of Medicine, who specializes in sexual disorders, finds many of his young male patients have something in common: They ride a bike at least 100 miles a week.

Biker's impotence is caused when the legs repeatedly thrust down on the pedals, banging the groin on the seat and damaging critical arteries and nerves. A hard, narrow seat, long distances, a lean body, and an aggres sive riding style can worsen damage.

The first warnings are numbness in the seat-of the-pants area and difficulty in having an erection for a day or two. Unfortunately, says Padma-Nathan, many riders react to the sexual stress by biking more. To male bikers who want to avoid trouble, he recommends that you first invest in a padded bike seat. If you don't want a large seat, try a U-shaped one. Second, rise off the seat occasionally, especially when sprinting. Third, make sure your bike frame fits you well. Position the seat so that you don't have to shift your body on the downstroke. And, fourth, keep in mind that damage may not be apparent for years. See your doctor early if problems develop, since bike-related impotence doesn't always reverse itself, and treatment may not be available for advanced cases.

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