A Guide for Physical Fitness
E M G Edirisinghe
 One
time Junior Mr. Ceylon (1959) and Mr. Ceylon (1962) P. Soma Palan shares
his personal and academic experience in physical culture with the
readers who wish to gain from his achievements and wish to realise
physical fitness in order to effectively meet the multiple challenges
one faces in life.
The work he has authored is all-embracing in this area.
Written with a view to promote a culture among men to be conscious of
their fitness which will keep them fit to undertake any responsibility
that requires energetical physical fitness. He envisions to bring
everyone within a discipline where they will be physically and mentally
stable and healthy in order to face any situation in everyday life.
Soma Palan with a tremendous practical experience in physical culture
behind him however, does not restrict himself to explain only physical
and anatomical appearance of man.
He impresses upon the essentially inevitable development of the
spiritual aspect of man, if any one wishes to realize a comfortable
social and healthy life.
So his work thus covers all prospects which leads one to a pleasant
mundane existence free from mental and physical deficiencies.
He begins with an introduction to the anatomy of the body with
emphasis that knowledge of the body and its functional working is
necessary to avoid the root cause of illness and sickness. Irreparable
body needs protection of a delicate balance it maintains.
He points out that even activities in day to day life (eg. walking)
should be done with conscious concentration. There he touches on the
Buddhist concept of Sathipatthana
(doing things consciously).
Maintaining oneself fit and healthy is a way of life which requires
no extra effort and the effect thereof is a healthy body.
His advice is that in all what we do in our daily life, we must
follow the middle-path (majjima patipada). Anything excessive will cause
a negative effect; that is his advice to those who wish to maintain a
healthy body.
Impressing the need for exercises for physical fitness, he recommends
that maintenance of a balance between mental and physical exercises is
very essential.
Apart from insisting on the use of breathing exercises which means
inhaling, retaining and exhaling (anapanasathy), he lists ten physical
exercises which are described in detail with clear illustrations to
facilitate its practice even by a beginner.
When it comes to massaging the body the practice of which is
imperative for a healthy body, the writer suggests that even in the
absence of a professional masseur, self-massaging could be equally
effective. He cites nine points in the body which should be given a
regular massage.
| Author
|
A graduate of
the University of Ceylon, Peradeniya.
Now Retired; Served the Apparel Industry, as General Manager.
In sports, awarded St. Peter’s College, Public Schools’ and
University Colours for Athletics in the Shot Putt Event.
Has been in Physical Culture and Weight Training over 10 years
and won the “Junior Mr. Ceylon” Title in 1957 and “Mr. Ceylon”
Title in 1962
Represented Ceylon at “Mr. Asia” Physique Contest in 1960 and
won the “Mr. Asia” Tall Man Class title at Lahore, Pakistan, An
avowed votary of Physical Fitness and good health. |
Soma Palan’s emphasis on food and rest too, is extensive. The process
of recharging, rebuilding and re-energizing of the body takes place only
in the measure of intake of nutritional food and during the period of
resting the body, says he.
Basically vegetables, green leaves, milk and fruits take pride of
place in his list of wholesome food rich in nutrients.
When it comes to diet, he says that heavily meat-weighted diet is not
desirable whereas vegetable-weighted food is more beneficial to the
body. Vegetables, fruits and green leaves should be taken
indiscriminately, he suggests.
Once Moraji Desai said “Let food be your medicine and medicine be
your food”.
The author is emphatic that for a healthy long life art of living is
as important as physical fitness.
If Karmic law does not intervene, one can live a long life by effort
and good living.
Drinking alcohol and smoking he says undoubtedly shortens one’s life-
span. He reiterates the importance of self-discipline for long healthy
life.
Thus Soma Palan in this rare practical and comprehensive contribution
for a healthy life, gives equal importance to physical as well as mental
health.
Finally, he says that contentment gives harmony and tranquility to
life. He reiterates that healthy mind is in a healthy body, and outlines
how to reach this state with least effort. Genuine dedication to and
commitment to both spiritual and physical development is the key to a
healthy long life. |
