Index

2007-08-25

Vladimir Putin flexes his muscles

Russian President Vladimir Putin went on vacation in the Siberian mountains. He created a lot of commotion when he took off his shirt for the cameras while fishing in the Yenisey River on Monday, Aug. 13, 2007. The bare-chested photographs were received with criticism and admiration after they were posted on the presidential web site. Politicians were awed and speculated that Putin is trying to gain popularity to stay in power beyond the legal limits of his second term. Female admirers sent complimentary and congratulatory messages.

This is not the first time that a national leader tries to show off for the cameras to gain popularity. On July 16, 1966, 73 year-old Mao Zedong swam in the Yangtze River to show his fitness. Things turned out badly for Jimmy Carter in 1979, when he had to be carried away after he collapsed while participating in a jogging marathon. George W. Bush had to stop running and had to have knee surgery after the cartilage of his knees was damaged from many years of high-impact exercise.

Exercise can help you to stay fit, but only if it is done regularly and in moderation. The best way of maintaining a good figure is through diet. You have to eat nutritious food. You cannot have a good body if you eat junk food.

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