AAlbuquerque Journal Albuquerque, New Mexico Wednesday, June 28, 1972 - Page 4
Physical Training for Chess
Many persons smirked when they read about Bobby Fischer's physical fitness program as he prepared for the world championship chess match against Boris Spassky of the Soviet Union.
Fischer's daily regimen includes morning calisthenics in front of his television set, followed by swimming, tennis and bowling. (Close-lipped Spassky won't disclose his own training program, although it is known he likes to play tennis.)
All this for a game in which the opponents mostly sit, wait, cerebrate and occasionally move a pawn, bishop or queen?
Science has proved, however, that Fischer isn't merely a health nut.
A bio-kinetic experiment was conducted at Temple University to determine how much energy is actually expended by a chess player in a tournament game. Pulse, heartbeat and other physiological measurements were taken on 12 volunteers during play.
The surprising result: Chess is as physically taxing as a strenuous session of boxing or football.
Bobby seems to have the last laugh.
