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ATHLETICS and AEROBICS: The Web Search

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AEROBICS

Turnstep
www.turnstep.com

It's not much to look at, but with over 6,000 aerobics routines - submitted by people from 60 countries worldwide - this site is an online testament to the popularity of this fitness fad.
If you're an instructor or student in need of inspiration, you're sure to find it here. All the routines are illustrated by informative diagrams and cover a variety of aerobic disciplines. And if you don't know your step from your boxercise, you'll find the glossary and FAQ invaluable.

Fitness Link
www.fitnesslink.com

The Americans are masters of motivation, so it comes as no surprise that the tone of this site is so upbeat, exhorting you to get fitter, faster. Fitness fanatics will appreciate the authoritative, straightforward advice, on everything from toning your abs to devising new aerobics routines.
There's plenty here for those who are allergic to the gym too, with beginners guides and interactive question and answer sessions with experts.

Get Big!
www.getbig.com

No, this site is not an exhortation to eat more fast food but a comprehensive delve into the world of bodybuilding.
It gains its muscle from the regularly updated news section, which contains the latest results from competitions around the world. There's also a huge selection of articles and training guides on offer, catering for the puny and the professional alike. Strangely, the site is a little short on pictures, but the variety and depth of content makes up for it.

Get Motivated
www.get-motivated.com

You know what you are in for by coming here - in your face get up outta that lazy bed and do something. Just squeeze in 10 minutes to do that office workout, set up a fitness community to chat to other people about more fitness ideas, sign up for an e-workout while you are surfing the site, consider what other sports can improve your fitness, cook fitness food. Phew - I am tired already. But, that is just about all you get without coughing up at least £66 to join the site, which is run by personal training company Get Motivated. What they offer is a Web database of information, contact details for personal trainers and health professionals and loads of kit to buy. It's cheaper than joining a gym I guess.

Health Club Directory
www.health-club.net

Once you've taken the decision to get more exercise, this site aims to take the hassle out of finding a local gym that suits you. Covering the entire UK, and with listings for over 5,000 gyms and health clubs, it's an authoritative directory that is genuinely useful. Alongside each gym's contact details, you'll find information on the sports and activities it specialises in and a link to its own website.

Peak Performance Online
www.pponline.co.uk

It might be a little technical for some but this online version of a respected sports science journal certainly knows its stuff. Aside from an informative, if slightly dry, chat forum and a regular column, most of the site is given over to The Knowledge. This is an exhaustive online encyclopedia covering every aspect of sporting performance, science and psychology. If you've got a question about a nagging injury or how best to train for a specific event, there's no better place to come.

Act Fit
www.actfit.com

This graphically-rich site contains a variety of useful resources, to help you get the most from your trip to the gym. Enter the virtual gym, and you'll benefit from a selection of well thought out fitness programmes, many of them accompanied by streaming video clips to show you exactly what to do.
You can also download the Active Planner software, which will help you to devise a fitness programme that suits you. In fact the only thing Act Fit can't do is make sure you stick to it!

Active for Life
www.active.org.uk

This excellent site first guides you through an attractively animated questionnaire, to determine the level of exercise you currently do. Then, depending on your age, job, background and so on it will recommend various ways of improving your fitness. The interactive nature of the site really grabs the interest, as does the sharp presentation. Last, but not least, the advice offered is both sensible and achieveable, with some suggestions you might not have thought of.

ATHLETICS

Details Written up In Computer Active's Excellant Webguide

International Olympic Committee
www.olympic.org

Split into three parts, this site from the IOC is a triumph of both design and content. Despite the minor annoyance of having both English and French translations on the same page, there are a number of unique features that make this site well worth a visit.
The undoubted highlight is the online museum, which lets you trace the history of the modern games and send an artistic egreeting when you're done.
There's also the latest Olympic news and information on the doping techniques that catch the cheats.

Nuff Respect
www.nuff-respect.co.uk

Nuff Respect is a loose collective of athletes, led by Linford Christie, who all share the same agents. Also including the likes of Tony Jarrett and John Regis among their number, as well as a number of rising stars, this site is dedicated to them.
In addition to sections on the featured athletes, there's more general athletics news, especially around the time of major championships.
With its vibrant design and writing style, this site should particularly appeal to younger fans.

Runners World
www.runnersworld.com

This may be a US site, but it contains masses of information that is pertinent to anyone who enjoys running, whether it's the odd jog or a serious pursuit.
The main strength of the site, which is affiliated to an American magazine, is in its detailed training programmes and health and nutritional advice. If you haven't got your own expert trainer, it's often hard to know just how far to push yourself, and this site can really help.

UK Athletics
www.ukathletics.org

UK Athletics, the governing body of the sport in this country, is headed by David Moorcroft, who welcomes you to this site.
As well as explaining their role in promoting track and field at all levels, you'll find biographies of all the major British athletes, including pictures and performance histories.
The list of upcoming events will tell you where to see them in action, while the results and rankings section will enable you to track their progress online.

2000 Olympics
www.olympics.org

Sydney is due to host the first Olympics of the new millennium and will welcome thousands of athletes to the city. This great official site will whet your appetite for the excitement ahead by previewing the events and venues.
There's also an incredible library of over 10,000 biographies on all the athletes that will be taking part. A history of the games takes you all the way back to their origins in Ancient Greece, while the colourful kids section introduces the mascots that will be everywhere by next summer.

Athletics Online
www.athletics-online.co.uk

Essentially a British-based news and results service, this site deserves a mention because of its meticulous attention to detail and the breadth of its coverage.
From the glitzy Grand Prix meetings to a humble road race in Bradford, this site will bring you the results as soon as the athletes have crossed the finish line.
The message board and chat group are also useful features, particularly for serious athletes who want advice or help.

British Athletics
www.british-athletics.co.uk

This site is a little lacking pictorially but contains reams of useful information, particularly for those interested in the ground level of the sport.
If you're a track and field enthusiast then it's likely that you'll find the results of your latest meeting here.
The site is consciously text-based for easy access to the reams of information contained within. Another useful feature is the diary of upcoming events, which is useful for athletes, trainers and spectators alike.

International Amateur Athletics Federation
www.iaaf.org

The governing body of the sport as a whole, the IAAF has put together this excellent site that has something for everyone.
Athletes of all levels will benefit from the expert training tips, while fans can take advantage of a host of features, including a solid news section.
By far the best of these is the multimedia section, which includes a huge selection of audio, video and pictorial content that is both entertaining and extremely interesting.