CLASS ACTION: A WORKING WOMAN’S GUIDE TO WORKING OUT

A YEAR AGO, AROUND MY THIRTI-eth birthday, I made two unsettling discoveries: My thighs had started curdling, and I had finally lost interest in jogging. It was an unfortunate combination of events. If anything, I needed to be exercising more, not less. Obviously it was time to start paying attention to those nasty little problem areas of the thirties that become the disaster areas of the forties if left unattended.

But somehow I wasn’t ready. At 30 I knew that most of me -maybe not my thighs, 6ut most of me – was getting better if older. It was time to celebrate, not berate. So celebrate I did -for an entire year. The only exercise I got was walking during a trip to France. But then I ate even more.

Now, however, I’m 31 and repentant. This summer I became convinced it was now or never for my overripe shape. The obvious answer was an exercise class, but which one?

I sampled five: Toni Beck’s “Fashion Your Figure,” Jenny Ferguson, B.J. Nor-ris, Louise Williams, and Terri Coit’s “The Workout.” All were located in the Park Cities area except The Workout, which is in Preston Forest Village.

To be honest, I wasn’t altogether pleased with the prospect of signing up with any of them. It wasn’t the actual physical activity I dreaded, it was the sociology of the thing. I find it odd that women organize themselves into the modern-day equivalent of sewing bees to exercise. Why not just lift weights and suffer in silence?

I’m sure part of my standoffishness was due to self-consciousness. After all, fitness has been an American obsession for 10 years now, and I figured most women in exercise classes had long since firmed up their bodies and were now exercising simply to keep them that way. Alas, in every class I attended I found this to be all too true. Women my age and older were trim and toned and, worse, some classes were filled with nubile young things exercising only to compensate for the excess of calories they freely allowed themselves. Enviously, I imagined the SMU coeds in Jenny Ferguson’s evening classes heading across Travis Street to Mariano’s Cabrito Café after class for frozen margaritas and unlimited quantities of tostadas.

I was further intimidated when I discovered it is no longer permissible to look bad even while exercising. Leotards now come in a variety of flattering colors and daring cuts. I remember the particular pique I felt at The Workout, doing leg lifts behind a svelte blonde in iridescent silver wearing an unnecessary sweatband color-keyed to her long, fuchsia nails. I’m only glad she couldn’t see me puffing away behind her in the basic black outfit I bought for folk dance class back in college.

In all my embarrassment, it was heart-, ening to discover that no one seemed to be watching. With a few exceptions, exercise class these days is serious business, at least while class is in progress. Social time comes afterward, when everyone stands around drinking little Dixie cups of fruit juice to replenish spent glucose. One can always manage to slip away, Dixie cup in hand, and avoid the small talk.

After a few classes I began losing myself in stomach contractions and pelvic tilts. I felt my body responding-to some classes more than others – and in a few days, after the soreness wore off, I began to sense an improvement. There is hope for my thighs, and even a possibility I may someday regain control of the muscles in my stomach. But as I also found out, exercise class is a personal matter, and the chances you’ll stay with a program improve if you choose your class carefully. Here’s what I found at the Big Five.

FASHION YOUR FIGURE. 9524 Shoreview, 341-4647. Eight-week sessions: $50 per session (one class per week), $80 (two per week), $95 (three per week), and $112 (four per week). There is no exercise leader in town more exciting than Toni Beck, dance department chairman at SMU, exercise director at The Greenhouse, and author of a 1965 book on exercise (after which her one-hour classes are named). A tiny, energy-charged woman in her fifties, Beck is an inspiration. Her enthusiasm generates a high level of effort from her students, many of whom are close to her age. They are faithful students, and their bodies show it. Beck uses a lot of dance movements in her classes so her students feel graceful doing them. She works her students hard-to the point of exhilaration-stopping just short of exhaustion.

Class begins with relaxation and breathing exercises, graduating to more demanding movements without music. Next, Beck puts on a record – recently she’s used a lot of Ronnie Milsap – and takes the class to a peak of activity. Then she slows it down ending with more relaxation and breathing exercises. Beck’s movements don’t vary much from class to class, but they’re always used in different combinations so class never seems routine. Both Beck and her assistant, MaryBeth Harrison, who teaches about half the classes, watch their students closely to be sure body positions are correct. Incorrect body position, even an inch off, can render a movement useless. A warning: Beck and Harrison are both tummy freaks. If you don’t pull in your stomach to the vanishing point, they’ll hound you until you do. All in good fun, of course.

JENNY FERGUSON. Highland Park Athletic Club, 4616 Travis, 522-5300. Ongoing classes with pre-registration before the first of the month. Single classes $4.50, others $3.50. This is probably the largest exercise class in town. Ferguson and her eight assistants offer 38 classes each week, and their students number around 500. Classes meet in a large carpeted and mirrored room on the second floor of the Highland Park Athletic Club. (Membership in the club is not required for Ferguson’s classes.)

These classes may be the hardest, most excruciating exercise workouts in town, perfect for the avid or the self-punishing. They emphasize leg movements that tighten the backside and stomach. In some cases the repetitions are too fast; those whose legs are longer and/or bigger have a hard time keeping up. Ferguson says her classes are designed to be difficult, to tax the heart and lungs as well as the muscles. Apparently the approach works; even Saturday morning classes are consistently packed.

Ferguson makes up all the exercise routines used in the classes. She regularly rotates the routines in and out of class so they are never the same twice. She uses a lot of jazz and disco at moderate volume. The hard work she requires is rewarded with a lagniappe available at no other exercise class: free access to the Athletic Club’s locker facilities for women, including a steam room, whirlpool, and showers. This fall Ferguson is opening a new location in North Dallas at the intersection of Hillcrest and Arapaho.

B.J. NORRIS. 3020 Monticello, 522-3350. $35 a month (two lessons per week), $45 a month (three lessons per week), $55 a month (four lessons per week), and $65 a month (five lessons per week). A former student of Toni Beck and Louise Williams, B.J. Norris taught classes in her home for years before moving into a studio. Classes meet in a large cinder-block room with shag carpeting and no mirror. The only decorative touches are the profusion of plants in the front window and the chaise lounge nearby. Norris’ are by far the most social classes in town. Sondheim and the Beatles play on a tape deck in the background; thin chit-chat runs nonstop over the music. Norris goes on enthusiastically about the latest movie at the Park Cities II or the half-of-half sale at Lou Lattimore, and her students respond in kind. Most are dress-for-success types who attend class after a hard day at the office. They’re obviously fond of Norris, who at 45 or more has an admirable body for any age.

The positions Norris requires for her exercises are awkward, which may account for the lack of a mirror. But it’s harder to see your mistakes without a mirror, which makes them harder to correct. Norris gives her exercises cutesy-pooh names like “inner thinner,” “rear scrunch,” and “tennis-ball pickups.” The routine is the same at each class.

LOUISE WILLIAMS. 6722 Snider Plaza, 363-5851. Morning classes, six-week sessions (two classes per week), $40. Evening classes, 12-week sessions (two classes per week), $75. Louise Williams is the doyenne of women’s exercise in Dallas. In Highland Park, where her studio has been located since 1947, she is a legend. Her classes have long been deemed a symbol of status, which makes their real ambience quite a surprise. In the first place, Williams is not an aloof aristocrat, as you might expect, but a garrulous grandmother type, spunky and full of humor. Her Snider Plaza studio could politely be called spartan (it’s dark and leaky, among other things). Her students, albeit that they come from Dallas’ highest income brackets, are energetic and high-spirited.

Over the years Williams has improved the appearance of hundreds of students, but her primary concern is health. Unlike any other exercise teacher in town, Williams concentrates on body alignment – how to sit, walk, stand, and exercise. Doctors send their patients with ailing backs to Williams, who prescribes corrective movements. The most common problem she encounters is lower back strain, and she gives all her students a dose of movements designed to strengthen the back.

At this writing it appears that Williams will soon move to new quarters. After she leaves Snider Plaza, she may take a short hiatus, but she says she will resurface somewhere in the Highland Park area.

THE WORKOUT. 270 Preston Forest Village, 368-2034. Single classes $4.50, others $3.50. Working girls in their early twenties flock to Terri Coit’s West Coast-style classes, which move at a fast pace to loud disco music. The studio is a large mirrored room with a hardwood floor.

Classes require a lot of bending at the waist, bringing the back parallel to the floor or lower. These movements aren’t particularly strenuous, but they are easy to do swaybacked, which can cause strain. For the young, however, this is less of a problem. Next to Jenny Ferguson’s, these are possibly the most taxing classes, designed to produce an aerobic effect as well as to tone and firm the muscles. Coit herself is youthful and spirited, as are her assistants, but the atmosphere in these classes is no-nonsense hard work, true to the classes’ name. A 90-minute advanced class is offered on Saturday mornings.

In addition to the Big Five, there are literally scores of other exercise classes to choose from, including:

Lakewood Arts Center, 6108 Oram at Skillman, 821-4480. Michal Tanguay opened this dance-exercise studio last October. She says all her instructors have MFAs in dance from SMU, including Jean Ray and Amy Grant, who lead the center’s exercise classes. The one-hour sessions are structured similar to a dancer’s warm-up – emphasizing stretching and flexing – and are accompanied by recorded music. Classes are limited to 15 members and are offered mornings and evenings. The fees vary according to the number of classes taken, the best buy being unlimited classes (as many as four to six a week) for $45 per month.

Aerobic Dancing by Jacki Sorensen, 725 S. Central Expressway, Suite B2, Richardson, 238-9806. One-hour classes twice a week, 12 weeks for $54. Los Angeles-based Jacki Sorensen operates about 80 classes in the Dallas area. They meet in churches, schools, and recreation centers.

Dallas County Community College District, 701 Elm Street, 746-2135. All seven campuses offer exercise classes through their community service divisions. Varieties include aerobic dance, dancercise, “Shape Up and Slim Down,” and disco-cize. Fees vary.

Park and Recreation Department, City of Dallas, 670-4100. Most of the city’s recreation centers offer exercise classes, including jazzercize and aerobic dance. Fees vary, but are low; some classes are free.

First Unitarian Church, 4015 Normandy at Preston Road. Two classes are taught here. One is an evening class called “Fun and Fitness,” taught by Alice Ann Baker. For information, call 823-1612. The other, called “Shape up and Slim Down,” is taught by Alii Pierce, who uses dance-based movements for body conditioning. Eight-week sessions are $50 (one class per week) and $80 (two classes per week). For information, phone 241-7285.

School of Continuing Education, Southern Methodist University, 692-2339. The fall schedule offers two exercise classes. One, taught by Alii Pierce, meets Wednesdays from 7:30 to 9 p.m. and costs $150 for eight weeks. The other is aerobic dancing taught by Marty Quillin, which meets Tuesdays from 6 to 7 p.m. and costs $40 for eight weeks.

– YMCA, 901 Ross Avenue, 741-4856. Women’s classes are no longer taught downtown, but every branch offers them. Varieties include slimnastics, water exercises, and a class called “Fitness Fantasia.” Fees vary.

-YWCA, 4621 Ross Avenue, 827-5600. The central Y and all branches offer a variety of classes for women, including slimnastics, aerobic dance, and a Saturday class called Body Fit. Fees vary.

Of course, we realize that not everyone is able to join a structured exercise class- even people who truly feel the need to exercise can’t always Find the time to squeeze in that extra couple of hours. It is for those of you who really want some sort of exercise, but who aren’t quite sure what kind or why that we have included the following excerpt from the soon-to-be released book, How to Eat Like a Thin Person: The Dieter’s Handbook of Dos and Don’ts, by Lorraine Dusky and J.J. Leedy, M.D.



ALTHOUGH IT USED TO BE thought that exercise played only a small part in weight reduction, in the last few years we’ve learned that one of the major differences between obese and thin people is the amount they exercise. Often the two groups of people will not differ in the amount of calories they consume, but in the amount they burn off during the day.

This difference is especially noticeable in children; one survey found that overweight girls and boys may actually consume several hundred fewer calories per day than their leaner peers. But the overweight group spends only a third as much time each day in physical activities as the normal weight group.

The same is true among adults. Swimmers and joggers (no, we don’t mean professional athletes, just normal folk who swim and jog) actually consume about 600 calories a day more than do sedentary types of the same age and height; yet sedentary men and women weigh between 20 and 30 per cent more.

And it appears that the reason we gain weight as we get older is primarily related to the fact that while we may not be eating more, nearly all of us are less active and consistently burn fewer calories during the course of the day. The word “consistently” is significant because it is this continuous decline of calories needed that makes the pounds creep up month after month, year after year. We tend to slow down when we get married and become more sedentary as we get older.

If we decrease our energy expenditure by only 100 calories a day -let’s say we omit a half hour of easy bicycle riding – and do not accordingly decrease food intake, we are likely to gain somewhere in the vicinity of seven pounds a year. The number would be somewhat higher were it not for the fact that it takes calories to maintain extra poundage, even when it is just sitting there. This also explains why heavy people burn more calories during exercise than thin individuals.

It is generally believed that we consume fewer calories than our grandparents did, yet more of us today fight the battle of the bulge. And once again, the main difference appears to be our sedentary lifestyle. It’s brushing with an electric toothbrush, shining shoes with a gadget you switch on, grinding coffee beans in an electric grinder, opening a can of tuna with an electric can opener, washing and drying clothes in “automatic” machines, cutting the turkey with an electric knife. It’s riding the bus to work rather than walking and then complaining because the bus stop is two blocks away. It’s riding the elevator to the third floor. It’s driving the car around the corner rather than walking. With all these labor-saving gadgets around, we have to make the extra effort to see that they don’t become our own worst enemies. Just as we read to cultivate our minds, so should we walk the extra mile for our bodies.

What all this means is that exercise and activity-regular and frequent -can play a major part in not gaining weight, lowering weight, and keeping it off. We tend to think of diets as having a beginning and an end, and usually we make no particular changes in our lifestyle other than eating less for the duration. But for a lifetime of being slim, vigorous exercise and regular activity must be incorporated into our daily routine.

Now that we’ve given you that little sermon, we’ve got plenty of up-to-the-minute scientific data that should convince you to exercise. Read it whenever you just don’t feel like exercising. Did you know:

– that exercise not only burns up calories during the workout, but it also perks up your metabolism so that you continue to burn more calories for the next few hours?

that although dieting peels off the pounds, it can’t firm and reshape your body?

that the more overweight you are the more calories you will burn during any activity? It takes energy (calories) to move a mountain.

that disco dancing can burn up as much as 450 calories an hour?

that a 15-minute walk every day will burn off two pounds a year?

that you should exercise as much as you can outdoors without eyeglasses, contacts, or sunglasses so that unadul-turated sunlight can reach your eyes? Full-spectrum light, whether the sun is shining or not, appears to tune our body clocks and keep us healthier.

What else does exercise do? Plenty. It:

helps control cholesterol. Several recent studies show that active people have higher levels of a blood protein known as HDL, which carries cholesterol away instead of letting it clog up arteries.

reduces anxiety and stress. Vigorous workouts for at least 30 minutes three times a week dramatically alleviate depression. Jogging seems to have the greatest effect, possibly because after about 15 minutes of exertion, the brain releases morphine-like compounds called endor-phis, which produce a “high” in the brain’s pleasure centers. Some doctors now routinely prescribe exercise when treating depression.

The sports that have the greatest effect on mood are those that work up a good sweat and increase heart rate for at least 15 minutes at a time. Swimming, bicycle riding, jogging, and walking at a fast pace are suggested. Tennis isn’t bad, but it’s not as good as those listed above.

And it’s worth noting that even individuals who don’t think they’re depressed start feeling better once they get regular exercise.

relieves premenstrual blahs. An excess of water-along with the salt it retains – may be the reason for the blues in the days preceding a menstrual period. Sweating during a workout gets rid of some excess water and salt.

keeps varicose veins in check. Continuous, rhythmic, and repetitive exercise keeps the blood in the veins flowing rather than stagnant. When the blood is easily flowing in time with the heart, the veins will stay as small and flat as possible. Check with a doctor before a vigorous workout to be sure there are no blood clots already trapped in varicose veins.

improves complexion. That healthy glow is caused by increased circulation, dilation of surface blood vessels, and a lessening of nervous tension.

cures insomnia. When muscles are tired, you’ll have no trouble falling asleep. reduces the risk of osteoporesis, or the loss of bone strength that usually comes with age, especially in women. The bones’ ability to absorb calcium, which women need for strength, is enhanced by frequent workouts.

controls the side effects of diabetes. Diabetics often have blood that can be called “sticky,” and is likely to clot; regular exercise reduces this risk and makes the individual more sensitive to insulin, possibly allowing the dosage to be lowered in time. Obviously, don’t do this by yourself – get a medical opinion.

-promotes a sense of well-being, enhances ego, dissipates anger, resolves frustration, and relieves boredom. When you are feeling dragged down at the end of a day, what you may need is actually a good workout rather than a nap or a cup of coffee.

Notice on some days at the beginning of a workout you just don’t seem to have the energy that you had yesterday? Your body may need a day’s rest to recuperate and rebuild, which can only happen when it has adequate rest. When you are up to 20 to 30 minutes per workout, you might give yourself a day of rest every third day to avoid chronic fatigue.

Regular, vigorous exercise should be a part of everyone’s routine. Period. Not only is this when the calorie burnoff is at its peak, but to reap the benefits that we’ve outlined, you need aerobic exercise, a form of movement that will enhance the ability of your heart to pump oxygen to your limbs. For most fit individuals, this means raising the heart rate over 120 beats per minute for at least 15 minutes three or four times a week. You can check this by feeling your pulse on the side of your wrist closer to your thumb (use fingers other than the thumb) or in your neck just to the side of your Adam’s apple. Keep track for 10 seconds and multiply by six.

The key to success is to choose a form of activity you enjoy. Sounds obvious, but many people force themselves into an exercise program they can’t stand, just because it’s trendy. Exercise, like your favorite color, is strictly a matter of personal preference. You may actually like the rhythmic measured routine of calisthenics, or it may seem no fun at all. Some of you will be bored if you can’t exercise outdoors; others will appreciate the feeling of gliding along in warm water in an indoor pool when it’s 10 degrees outside.

We suggest two types of exercise because most sports develop only one set of muscles, and with a combination program, you’ll be more likely to have all-over fitness. It’s not overly muscular legs that you want, but an overall trimness. Some athletics, however, will work against each other, so it’s best to find a complementary combination; swimming and jogging are excellent, but weight lifting and swimming aren’t. Working with weights tightens the muscles, while swimming relaxes them.

Remember, an overdose of vigorous exercise on a body that’s not used to it can be dangerous. In general, anyone over 30 who has been sitting around for years should have a medical checkup before embarking on an exercise program. And regardless of age or previous activity, you should also check with your doctor if you have a chronic illness, such as diabetes, heart disease, or arthriti

One more word of caution: Start slowly. Though you may be bursting with enthusiasm, if you wake up sore tomorrow, you are unlikely to repeat the process and your plans may soon be forgotten. Also, your heart may not be able to handle too much too soon. A simple way to insure that you are staying within your limits is to say a sentence out loud every few minutes. If you can’t talk above a whisper without gasping for breath, stop immediately.

And we’ve all heard at least one of the following fitness fables:

Sugar just before exercising raises the energy level. By the time that extra energy is realized, the tennis game is probably over and you’ve done nothing but send your body into the yo-yo effect of raising your blood sugar before it plummets. In some individuals, sugar just before a workout can do more harm than good. The only time you need to replace sugar is after an hour and a half of a hard and steady workout, such as a long tennis match or a cross-country race.

Take salt tablets to ward off fatigue. Unless you are really sweating profusely, salt tablets will make things worse. They can cause nausea and vomiting. If you know you will be sweating heavily during a regular workout, you might add a little extra salt to your diet, but most Americans get much more salt in their diets than they need anyway.

You need extra protein for extra strength. Actually, excess protein is harder on the system -making the liver work harder, increasing the need for water – than a well-balanced meal of carbohydrates and protein. Several studies show that high carbohydrate diets before exercising (or the night before a race) will increase performance and stamina.

-Don’t drink while exercising. Just the opposite. Drink as soon as you are thirsty. When cells are dehydrated, your muscles lose strength and your heart is under extra strain.

Don’t eat spicy or gas-producing foods before exercising. Nonsense. So-called “forbidden foods” have no effect whatsoever on performance.

Take a cold shower after exercising. The truth is, for winding down after sports, nothing beats a tepid shower. Lukewarm water dilates the blood vessels, cools the body, and relaxes the muscles. A cold shower could cause a constriction of the blood vessels in the heart as well as in your skin. If you insist on having a cold shower, start with tepid water and finish with cold.