FITNESS SPORT No 1 year 2007

„Am I a fitness softy?” This is exactly what an increasing number of people have been asking themselves since STRENFLEX was launched 5 years ago

EDITORIAL

The opposites are “extreme”: Smoker or non-smoker, too fat or too thin, fit or unfit (since 2002) or fitness softies! In our modern society of lazy, fat, idle and (sooner or later) ill people for whom the others, including myself, will eventually have to foot the bill, I sometimes can not help but making my point clear in an equally “extreme” way! Remember the saying from the bible? “You shall love your neighbour as your self”. Then what’s so bad about trying to encourage people to do something bene ficial for themselves, for their body and for their health? Nothing! Granted, I do sometimes go a bit overboard verbally – but that’s only because nobody will listen to nice, well meant advice anymore. Even politicians are now increasingly advocating the use of tougher educatio nal methods, including at schools. Many things have gone wrong and it is hard not to notice the indifference and lack of concern exhibited by some parents – many youths roam the streets, bored, often looking for a fight, with no respect for people and their property. Looking for some sort of “support” they easily get tied to dubious gangs. And all this is hap pening just because their parents neglect their duty of care towards their children. Fat parents = fat children, lazy parents = lazy children, athletic and fit parents = athletic and fit children. We – you and I – are the role models for our children and our society. Softies exist everywhere, but people who own or manage a gym and instructors in our fitness industry must be fit. In a few sentences, Eric-Pi Zürcher high lights the importance of Strenflex in his column featured in Fitness Tribune issue no. 107:

“... Let’s talk about Strenflex. We all know that fitness cannot simply be achieved through a couple of sim ple exercises. However, the Strenflex exercises and test are extremely valu able in helping to gain valid findings about our own ACTION in respect of personal fitness. From 2008, only those people may contribute articles to Fitness Tribune who have gained a fitness badge. But what does this really mean? You don’t have to be a Nobel laureate to realise that some thing in the fitness industry is wrong if a Strenflex test becomes mandatory. There is a credibility crisis. I agree with Jean-Pierre – there are too many repre sentatives from our industry who turn pale when they actually have to show their true colours. Unable to com plete press-ups or chin-ups? Incredi ble. Competence in fitness can only be demonstrated by action. For me, the Strenflex badges are children of the crisis and this makes them all the more important. The industry is mar ked largely by a lack of authenticity. And it’s not that I’m a strength athlete – people who know me know that I’m of a rather slim build.”

Jean-Pierre L. Schupp Born in 1954 – has trained for over 36 years in weights and martial arts. Gradu ate in economics. Fitness expert. One time Karate and kickboxing champion (5th Dan at 26 years of age). Was gym owner, exercise machine designer. Propri etor of various trading companies. Married with three children, he is an avowed Christian. Staunch non-smoker, and vegetarian since 1998. Successful businessman, journalist and member of the Trade Press Association since 1992. Since 1988 editor and publisher of the widest circulation specialist magazine in German-speaking Europe, “FITNESS TRI BUNE”. In 2002 his publishing house, Top Ten Media, founded in 1979, launched in addition the new lifestyle magazine “Strenflex FITNESS Sport”. In his publications he often critizised the fact that the fitness industry did not offer a sport open to a wide public that would support the important idea of a preventive approach to a fit and active body at any age. In FT issue 72, he publicly launched his idea for a new popular sport: STREN FLEX. He transferred all rights to the STRENFLEX Sport Organisation and has since worked for this sport in an honorary capacity. Inventor and active role model for the sport, he participates actively in competitions in his STRENFLEX age cate gory and hopes that many gym owners, instructors and studio members and that all those interested in sport follow his exa mple. In 2004 and 2006 he became Swiss STRENFLEX Champion, World Cup win ner and World Champion in his age group and weight category of 100kg+. Holder of the int. recognised STRENFLEX Silver fitness sport badge.

Eric-Pi Zürcher – Personal Trainer

Let’s hope then that those who recognise the purpose of our prevention industry will prove that they are not just experts in theory but also become a role model for our industry in practice, most of all for their gym members and for their families.

Jean-Pierre L. Schupp

STRENFLEX fitness sport