A Spin in the Park
In Ancient Greece, an elderly soul named Cephalus supposedly said that the pleasures of old age resulted from bodily deterioration: no longer distracted by the heavy appetites and physical energy of youth, he could live a life of thoughtfulness and peace. Though this rationalization is all well and good for the ancients, the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD)’s recently installed Elderly Fitness Corners in Hong Kong’s parks, playgrounds, and sitting-out areas suggest today’s Cephaluses may be healthy in both mind and body.

Established in response to the rising elderly population in Hong Kong, the fitness corners contain various metal structures resembling minimalist versions of the exercise and weight-lifting machines commonly found at gyms. However, intense cardiac workouts and straining muscle distension are not the goals of these brightly painted, manually operated outdoor structures. With names like Tai Chi Wheels – a series of four waist-high metal wheels that can be turned with one’s arms to facilitate upper-body movement – and Health Walker – a strider-shaped structure that mimics a skiing motion in one’s legs – the fitness machines involve very little resistance and muscle strain. Rather, they encourage stretching, movement, and coordination – low-energy activities that still benefit health.

By relegating the low-impact corners especially to the elderly and using primary colours reminiscent of a children’s playground to decorate the machinery, the LCSD appears to walk a questionable line, suggesting stereotypes of old people retrogressing into childishness and weakness with age. Nonetheless, exercise corners are continually increasing, with 53 of the 145 erected within the past two years. (The first was installed in 2002.)

It also seems that people are in fact enjoying the stations, and taking advantage of an exercise outlet that does not hero-worship muscle mass in men or covet the super-slimming effects of intense cardio sessions for women. Mr Chan, a 70-something-year-old man exercising on the Health Walker at Kowloon Tsai, has been visiting the fitness corner an hour each day for almost two years. “They are good facilities and easy to use,” he says, listing the newness, lack of mosquitoes, and fresh-air environment as reasons for his visits.

“It has become my daily habit, I go there every day,” said Mrs Yip, a woman in her mid-50s swinging her legs on a neighbouring Health Walker. “The government has spent a lot of money here, and of course I will use the facilities. If the people don’t use the facilities it’s kind of a waste,” she says.

A few parks with the exercise stations include Victoria Park, Kowloon Tsai Park, Ma On Shan Park, King’s Park, Sha Tin Park, Cheung Chau Park, and Yuet Wah Street Playground. Other types of fitness machines include the Rider, Pull-Down Machine, Twister and Stepper, and Bicycle Stepper.

For more information regarding where to find Elderly Fitness Corners, contact the HK Leisure and Cultural Services Department at 2414 2555.

Olympic Preview

With Olympic fever adding to the summer heat, Asia’s World City’s football fans might appreciate the upcoming ING Cup as an outlet for their excitement. The Hong Kong-based competition consists of four matches between the Olympic teams of the Netherlands, Cameroon (who won gold at Sydney’s 2000 Olympics), USA, and Ivory Coast. The games will be held at HK Stadium, with two matches on July 30 and two on August 2.

Star names to look out for include the Ivory Coast’s Salomon Kalou, Holland’s Ryan Babel and Royston Drenthe, Cameroon’s Alexandre Song, and the USA’s Freddy Adu. Each team comprises a majority of under-23 players, with at most three senior players. The ING Cup is hosted by the HK Football Association and organized by KAM Sports International and World Sport Group.

What: ING Cup
Who: Olympic football teams of the Netherlands, Cameroon, USA, and Ivory Coast
When: July 30/August 2
Where: HK Stadium
Enquiries: Visit www.hkfa.com or tel 2712 9122 for more information; ticket prices available July 2.