What Fair Lawn Residents Do For Exercise   By Linda Rosen, Certified Medical Exercise Specialist      As of this writing we have not had the Borough Council elections, but Jeanne Baratta, a candidate, quipped “is laundry considered an exercise?” when I asked her, “What do you currently do for exercise?” Actually Jeanne, if you have to go up and down steps to keep changing from the washer to the dryer, I guess you could say that laundry is exercise. However, that does depend on how many times you have to climb the steps and how many you have.  Jeanne says swimming is her main form of exercise, which is a much better way to stay fit. Plus, it is so much more enjoyable than laundry. “I have always loved swimming and believe it to be the best exercise as it has no impact and my entire body gets a workout,” Jeanne says. She’s right.  And, what better time to think about swimming to get in shape than now? Memorial Pool is open for the summer.  Jeanne also uses a Pilates machine and says, “I enjoy the slower pace of this type of workout and the elongating effect it seems to have on my body.” Her 15- and 18-year old children also do Pilates and her husband uses the treadmill. Jeanne finds the treadmill frustrating because, “after a couple of miles, I am still in my family room.” Outside of swimming, Jeanne says she enjoys bicycle riding the most because “we do them as a family.” She is aware that exercising gives her more energy and says, “the weight loss aspect is a major plus. I find that when I am not exercising I am tired and looking for a nap around 3 p.m.”     Howard Hyde is also running for Borough Council and spoke to me via email about his exercising. In high school and college he was quite athletic and afterwards kept it up playing in men’s soccer and softball leagues with some pickup basketball games tossed in as well. Then came the career and family, which means less time for play. Now Howard keeps active by coaching soccer and softball and running with his daughter on the high school track, preparing her for a few kids races in Bergen County. I wasn’t sure how coaching keeps someone physically fit. Are coaches really that active?  “Quite often the coaches are also the referees, ball boys and crowd control,” Howard says. “You need to run up and down the field during the games, chase errant balls, reset plays, etc. Especially in soccer and especially with young kids you need to participate in the drills with them. There is a lot of running involved with both the coaches and the kids.  Keeping them moving is the main goal and as long as you are moving they move, too.”   OK, sounds like you have to be in good shape to be a coach.  Dick Engelhardt, a.k.a. the “Voice of the Cutters”, is the announcer for the Fair Lawn High School football games at Sasso Field and for the award winning F.L.H.S. Marching Band at both home and away games. He answered my interview questions, also via e-mail, somewhat tongue in cheek. He certainly made me chuckle. “I’m not much for exercising,” Dick says. You’ll see that as you read the interview questions and answers below. Linda: What do you currently do for exercise? How long have you been doing it?  Dick: Whatever it is, I’ve been doing it all my life! Linda: Do you enjoy exercising? Dick: I’m sure I would enjoy it if I did it. Doesn’t everyone? Linda: Do you view tennis, golf, skiing, or whatever activity that you do as exercise? Dick: In lieu of actually exercising, I try to keep quite active. I walk briskly when I walk and I actually run up the steps to the announcer’s booth at Sasso Field when I announce the Fair Lawn High football games. I swear I do. The crowd is my witness.  Linda: Why are you exercising?  Dick: If I exercised it would be to keep trim and live a longer, better quality life. Linda: If you are not exercising, why not? Dick: Good question.  If I come across a suitable answer sometime, I’ll let you know. Linda: Do you believe that exercise will help you improve the quality of your life? Dick: It would. Wish I could say it will. But that would mean I do it, wouldn’t it? Linda: What is your age range 20-35,35-50,50-65,65-75, 75 +?  Dick: Believe it or not (I can hardly), my twin brother is 66! Former Assemblyman Matt Ahearn has some very interesting exercise equipment which he told me about in the e-mail interview. Read on and maybe you will use some of his methods for your own workout. Currently Matt, who is between 35-50, says he does “standard US Army PT warm ups and runs, just not as often as I should or used to.” In addition, he backpacks in the spring since he once was a boy scout. For exercise equipment Matt uses household items such as broom handles, rope and buckets of water instead of dumbbells. Very clever.   To answer to the question, “Do you enjoy exercising?” Matt said, “Only after it is over, getting started is the hard part.” I think that is true for many people, but get started anyway. Like Matt can attest, you will enjoy the feeling when you’re finished. He told me that he is staying in shape in case he gets recalled to active duty in the Armed Forces. Finally, in answering my question, “Do you believe that exercise will help you improve the quality of your life?” Matt says, “No, just the duration of my life perhaps, but exercising your brain sure does improve quality of life.” When you exercise, your brain is getting quite a workout as well. See Linda Rosen's Previous Columns What.Fair Lawn Residents Do For Exercise  (Spring 2005) Between 12% and 15% of Fair Lawn's Kids Are Obese  (Winter 2005) Warren Point's Program to Get Kids in Shape  (Winter 2005) Common Sense (Fall 2004) Questions and Answers on Fitness  (Summer 2004) Atkins in Fair Lawn  (Spring 2004) Walkability and Obesity (Winter 2004) Get Out and Walk  (Fall 2003) Get In The Water  (Summer 2003) Yard Work Can Really Hurt Your Back (April 2003) Exercise Equipment  (February 2003) Great Places To Walk  (December 2002) On The Tennis Court - Part 2 (October 2002) On The Tennis Court - Part 1 (August 2002) Core Exercises (June 2002) Keep Your Belly In  (April 2002) Improving Your Posture  (February 2002)