Another Extreme Sport Takes Off

More than 300,000 Americans jumped out of planes for the first time this year as recreational skydivers (including president George Bush, who several years ago had his first civilian jump at the young age of 73). The 32,000-member US Parachute Association says 20 percent of skydivers are women. Despite its reputation as an "extreme" sport, skydiving also is enjoyed by seniors and people with disabilities, according to the USPA. Divers must focus on flexibility training and stretching: The gravity and G-forces pulling on you put a lot of strain on the muscular structure.

When landing, you need to pull down on the parachute toggles, which equals about 25 pounds of resistance, from high over the head, straight down till the arms are fully extended to the side. Follow these exercises to stay in shape for this sport--

• Start with pull-ups, the best exercise you can do. You can do them anywhere there's a bar to hang from.



• Good old push-ups, to work that upper body.



• Free-weight exercises that strengthen the triceps and latissimus dorsi muscles also would benefit you.



• Never keep working out till your arms are so sore you can't move them. You want those muscles to work when you need them, especially in this sport!

Stephanie Oakes is a fitness correspondent for Discovery Health Channel, a contributing editor for USA Weekend Magazine and the LA Times, and appears on NBC's 'Today in New York'. She can be reached at soakes@beststuff.com.