Show Here s a simple prescription for good health which doesn't involve exercises or workouts at the gym many centered around the pool keep the Richards clan happy and fit Family activities the noise passers-b- y signal for tumult From is being perpetrated might think that mayhem and all we end up in we’re roughhousing Actually a howling mass of twisted arms and legs Surprisingly though roughhousing is more than fun It’s great exercise using nearly every muscle in your body Another family project with the twofold objective of fun and fitness is bicycling The whole family gets outdoors to places the family car will never take them In some cities cycling can be dangerous but even if the bikes have to be tied onto the back of the car and transposed to a safe area the dividends in fun alone make it worthwhile And you’d be surprised how much a weekly bicycling party can do for your health conditioner is the best Probably It exercises every muscle in the body Most family weekly families have access to a beach or a pool during the summer months but many don’t take full advantage of this blessing It can be a lot of fun to play water polo or tag as a family unit — much more fun than sitting in a beach chair half asleep Swimming races with the children (with the proper handicap depending on relative ability) are another fine way to have both fun and exercise Perhaps a relay race against the family next door can be planned for the end of the season (a good reason for everyone to train) Horseback riding is another activity in the Some “fun” category that helps all-arou- nd body-conditioni- By BOB RICHARDS Former Olympic Champion Pole-Vau- lt I appeared on the “Jack Paar Show” not long ago the conversation turned to rephysical fitness and comic Johnny Carson I can’t do one of them” The marked: “Push-ups- ? audience quaked with laughter as he went into a When monologue about how completely he was I confess I laughed as heartily as anyone else but actually too many Americans disparage physical fitness They assume that it means the bulging muscles shown in body-buil- d ing ads But that’s not it at all Physical fitness can afTect your whole perspective on life A man who feels “in the pink” physically can do more work and adjust to situations better than his neighbor who is physiologically It has been my experience sluggish and run-dothat a sickly person is a person evstruggling socially economically and in almost ery other way I lecture throughout the country on fitness After one of my talks in a large city a portly man in his “out-of-shap- 20-min- ute wn out-of-sha- pe e” late 30s approached me and said somewhat truculently: “It must be nice to get into the kind of condition that you suggest I wish I had the time Personally after 10 hours at the office I’m bushed And if I did traipse off to a gym my kids would hardly ever see me” As a glum afterthought he added: “Besides it’s no fun getting into shape” Without realizing it he had summarized the “arguments” against fitness Most of us hold relatively sedentary jobs and attaining physical fitness in our leisure time can be hard work — and time taken from our families if we make it so I’ve discovered however that physical fitness can be a family project — for Mom Dad and the kids — and what’s more it can be great family fun I don’t suggest that families should become SFctmAly COVER: Larry Stevens and Bob Murray pri- vate gym clubs But by planning family activities which everyone enjoys and which are healthful too we can all attain physical fitness — and as a bonus a closer-kn- it family There are countless activities that meet these requirements At my house for instance a rainy day is the tKTotMlrtjr took our exclusive cover photo of Mamie Eisenhower and report they’ve never seen her looking better Why? Margaret de Mille answers in “My Friend Mamie ” on p 8 LEONARD S DAVIDOW WAITER C DREYFUS PATRICK E O'ROURKE Premdint and Publisher Saturday rent horses for the whole family and go for a brisk ride Once you’ve mastered the knack of riding properly you’ll be developing most of your muscles Hiking hunting fishing camping— all potential family activities— are positive steps toward physical fitness I don’t mean automobile trips to some carefully supervised park with running water and all the conveniences of home I mean off where you have to rough it a bit sports are good Any of the conditioners too Volleyball is one of the best and the whole family can play— the neighbors too if your family isn’t large enough In Lavcrne Calif my home towrn doctors preachers and lawyers tried volleyball and to their astonishment they got such a kick out of it that they’re now getting up at 6 am to get in a rousing game before starting their workday Many games considered too “childish” for adults will pleasantly surprise There’s no loss of dignity in riding a bicycle with your children or playing a game of touch football with them These are not things to snicker at but rather to applaud Any athlete will tell you that getting into perfect physical shape for competition is a gruelling business but attaining good physical health can be fun if you use your imagination group-participati- © I960 FAMILY WEEKLY MAGAZINE INC on June 26 1960 Board of Editors Vice Premdi nt Advertising Director Send oil advertising communications to Family Weekly 153 N Michigan Ave Chicago 1 III Address all communications about editorial features to Family Weekly 60 E 56th St New York 22 N Y ng ERNEST V HEYN Editor-in-ChiBEN KARTMAN Ext entire Editor ROBERT FITZGIBBON Managing Editor MARGARET BELL Fiat arc Editor PHILLIP DYKSTRA Art Director MELANIE DE PROFT Food Editor ef Bob Driscoll Irma Heldman John Hochmcinn Harold London Jack Ryan Peer Oppenheimer 153 N Michigan Ave Chicago 1 III All rights reserved Jerry Klein Hollywood |