As eyes turn toward China to watch the Olympics, regular people with their daily (but not-so-regular) exercise routines are raising eyebrows. Walking backwards? I heard it was good for your hamstrings and tried it once or twice, but it was tough to get farther than 20 feet. Tai chi? Sure. I've heard of it and seen it practiced in the park from time to time. Bear crawl? Ummm... Whips? Usually those a re reserved for non-sporting events. The New York Times recently shined a spotlight on Temple of Heaven Park in China where exercise goes far beyond the treadmill and enters the realm of the downright weird. But ask anyone in the park and they'll tell you whatever their exercise of choice: it's more than weird... it's effective.
