Season's tickets

>> The Mirror's special post-winter fitness section is blooming with 30 spring-loaded suggestions for getting in shape, from kendo and kayaking to hiking, biking and spelunking

by ALEXIS DIAMOND

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Full tilt footie!


Ah, spring in Montreal. You're either shivering in parks trying to soak up a stray ray of sun or huddling on a terrasse inhaling the hot fumes of a cafe au lait. Warmer weather will soon be upon us, so shake off the cobwebs, get your butt in gear and check out these fabulous, inexpensive activities.

Skill sharpeners

Kendo The art of Japanese fencing will whip your mind, spirit and body into shape, plus the costumes are really cool. Check out "The Way of the Sword" at Kendo Isshin, 6415 des Ecores (corner Beaubien); 721-8845.

Fencing If you prefer the European model of swordplay, you'll develop grace, stamina and a great parry-thrust--which could come in handy in any situation. Head to Centre des Olympiques Ste-Marie, 1500-A d'Orleans, 872-4753.

Archery Handling sharp objects appeal to you? Try Robin Hood's favourite sport. Archery lessons are offered at the Centre du Plateau, 2275

St-Joseph E.; 872-6830. $30 for 12 weeks. Practice: St-Patrick School, 3711 de Bullion;

872-4367.

Make a racquet

Ping-pong Also known as table tennis, this leisurely sport can actually be quite gruelling. At competitive levels, the serve is at once a thing of beauty and bewildering finesse. Centre Jean-Claude-Malepart, 2633 Ontario E.; 521-6884. $10/13 weeks.

Badminton Another racquet sport that seems harmless but can get vicious. You can get a great workout running around after the birdie, and nothing feels as good as a SMASH--slamming that thing down just under your opponent's nose. Centre St-Denis, 5115 Rivard; 872-3441. $35/12 weeks.

Tennis The city's outdoor courts in neighbourhood parks are open from May to September and lessons are provided at many of them. You'll have a chance to check out the facilities on May 6 (10a.m.-1p.m.) during the free open house at all tennis courts in the city. Jarry Park has a Tennis Centre, with 11 outdoor and eight indoor courts. For courts nearest you call 87-ACCES, #651.

If you would like some instruction, a partner or are interested in playing in a tournament, consider joining Tennis Montreal. You'll get five hours free on any Montreal court, plus 15-30 per cent rebate on activities; 270-2724.

Relax, it's just...

Tai-Chi If you'd prefer to slow things down instead of speed things up, you might enjoy this gentle martial art. It's all in the breath. Centre Social Centre-Sud, 1710 Beaudry; 596-7092.

Pilates An exercise that gently reconfigures your posture by reinforcing neglected muscles--and your flexibility increases too. Popular with dancers, the benefits are reaped with little strain on the body. Pilates Centre of Montreal, 5065 Queen Mary; 735-9506 to register or 738-9097 for info.

Skate or die

Rollerskating Remember how much you wanted to be Olivia Newton John in Xanadu? Rollerskating is still alive and well in the East End, so light up your Friday nights at Tres-Saint-Nom-de-Jesus Centre, 4215 Adam; 872-6660. Admission only $1.50.

Skateboarding There's no place like the Taz for indoor skateboarding and in-line skating. The bad news is, the Taz is closing. The good news is, the dreaded event is not happening until September. Tazmahal Roulodome & Skate Park, 1650 Berri; 284-0051.

Get wet

Scuba diving Exploring the mysteries of the deep will distract you from the pains of exercise at Piscine du Vieux-Montreal, 255 Ontario E., 982-3457. If you are already a certified diver and want to meet with other like-minded individuals, Aquadyne Scuba Club of Montreal meets every Tuesday at 8p.m. at the Downtown Y, 1441 Drummond, 849-5331.

Swimming The Olympic Stadium has, you guessed it, an Olympic-sized pool. You'll have to wait until summer to try diving or to get in the pool at all, but registration for summer courses (including swimming and scuba diving) is June 12-13. Call 252-8687 for info.

City pools open after June 23, as does Montreal's only beach: Plage des Iles on Ile Notre-Dame; 872-ILES. In the meantime, the Parc Y (5550 Parc) offers a free swim for residents of Montreal. Call 277-9102 for times.

Take a hike

In town Close to home, try out guided tours by Eco-quartier. On May 11, learn what medicinal plants are growing in the alleys of the Plateau. On May 25, take a tour of the Plateau's green spaces. Call 521-2956, #326 for info on other summer tours.

Further afield The Trans Canada Trail will span the entire country from sea to shining sea. The route through our fair city will include the Cure Labelle and Petit Train du Nord, north of Laval; Canal du Chambly, La Cantonniere and Montee Regiade to the south; the Estriade to the south-east; and the Lachine Canal. A TCT pavillion is already standing at the corner of de la Commune and Prince streets. $40 dollars helps create a metre of the trail and your name will forever be immortalized in the pavillion. Not a bad way to motivate yourself to get moving. Call (450) 774-0597 for Quebec trail information or 1-800-465-3636 for the TCT Federation. Online: www.tctrail.ca The Quebec Hiking Federation also has info on hiking sites and trails: 252-3157.

Flotsam and jetsam

Kayaking My personal dream sport, kayaking lets you glide on the surface of the water, completely at one with the element. There is the possibility of flipping over with you harnessed inside, but that's what lessons and Eskimo rolls are for. Start with poolside classes by trained professionals before you move out into the world of white water and sea kayaking. Pool courses are offered at McGill, John Abbott, Marianopolis and Vanier colleges. H2O Adventures, 4398 St-Laurent; 842-1306 or 1-877-WE-KAYAK.

Sailing Take advantage of Montreal's natural setting with sailing lessons and leave your troubles behind as you glide into the sunset. We live on an island, after all. Centre Alphonse-Desjardins, 6755 36e Ave. (Rosemont); 872-6598. $165 for 22 weeks.

Rafting Another way to explore our scenic riverbanks is to raft down the St. Lawrence. For less strenuous activity, you can also Hydro-Jet. Starting in May at Les Descentes sur le Saint-Laurent, 1001 Square-Dorchester; 767-2230.

Throwbacks

Boomerang An idea that smacks you in the head! To prevent further harm, get thee to Parc Maisonneuve when the weather's nice. Check out the beginners' workshops on weekend afternoons in May, $25/hour. Club de Boomerang de Montreal, 4545 Pierre-de-Coubertin; call 597-1333 for dates and times.

Kiting Come fly your kites the first Sunday of every month at Seaway Park in St-Lambert (just west of the Jacques-Cartier bridge). It's a friendly gathering where members of the Quebec Flying Federation usually show up to offer kite tips and other information. Call 252-3032.

Dance in your pants

Baladi The ancient art of belly dancing, as it is commonly known, improves your posture, flexibility and, one might presume, your sex life. Session starts April 27 at 551 Mont-Royal E.; 522-8569.

World beat A new class on the Plateau offers the fundamentals of African dance with influences from yoga, Tai Chi and flamenco. You may have seen the instructor, Reena Almoneda-Chang, performing at many of the local African and world beat events. $100 for 10 classes or $13 per drop-in session. Thursdays 6:30-8p.m. at 3981 St-Laurent, suite 615 (Marie Chouinard studio); 576-5628.

Line dancing Line up, grab your partners and do-si-do to the rousing sounds of Shania and Garth at the Bolo Club Country Dance, starting Fridays as of May 1. Pay-per-line-dancing session or get yerself a year-long membership. 960 Amherst; 849-4777.

Peaks and valleys

Rock climbing Now that winter's over, bet you feel like climbing the walls. Learn how at the Centre d'escalage. Three-hour beginner courses run weekly or bi-weekly. Once you've mastered the basics, you can climb to your heart's content at your convenience. 2350 Dixon; 899-5000.

Spelunking Explore a rock formation dating back 10,000 to 20,000 years, right in our own backyard! Guided visit includes a slide show and exploration of the St-Leonard Cave Site, 5200 Lavoisier; 252-3323.

Hot wheels

Cycling paths Though many Montrealers enjoy proving their mettle cycling through traffic, cycling paths are available for recreational purposes. On weekends the Lachine Canal can be more clogged than the Mercier bridge at rush hour. You can always bike down to the South Shore via the Parc des Iles, and then take the Route Verte through the scenic Monteregie. The 3500-kilometre province-wide cycling path will only be completed in 2005, but why wait 'til then?

You can also explore the city with Velomundo bike tours. Velomundo "espresso" takes you around the Plateau (three hours, $13) while Velomundo "allonge" (four hours, $16.50) also takes you to Chinatown, Old Montreal, the Old Port and Parc des Iles. You come back on the ferry! Call 524-8767 #33 for info.

Biker business One landmark on the Montreal horizon is the Maison des cyclistes, also home of Velo Quebec. Cafe, info-centre and gathering place, the Maison also hosts bike maintenance workshops, lectures on extended bike tours in North America and abroad, as well as shorter trips in Quebec and Ontario. 1251 Rachel E.; 521-8356.

Concordia's Right to Move offers bike maintenance courses. They also rebuild bikes that you can buy for bargain-basement prices. Call 924-1047.

Holes in one

Mini-putt Relive your childhood with miniature golf. I am not sure what "super exotic minigolf" means, but it sure sounds entrancing. Try the 36 holes at 6150 Henri-Bourrassa E.; 328-0007.

Golf You can also golf in town at "Le Village" at the Olympic village, starting May 1. Call 872-GOLF for reservations. Sports Montreal, Inc. runs the neighbouring practice green, lessons and equipment rentals. Call 872-1889 for info.

Flying high

Sky-diving Get a bird's-eye-view of the city with Parachutisme Nouvel Air, only 30 minutes from Montreal. Facilities open next month, but if you contact them before May 1, you can get off-season rates per person or group. You also have a video or photo option so that you will have a memento of your leap into the unknown. 200 Lebeau in Farnham; (450) 293-8118 or online at www.total.net/~nouvelair

Trapeze The circus has come to the Parc Y. Yes, you too can learn the high art of the trapeze at 5550 Parc. Information and registration: (450) 623-3271. $100/10 weeks. Session runs to June 18 (10a.m.-12p.m.), but drop-ins are welcome. Just call first to reserve your trapeze.

Animal instincts

Horseback riding Montreal is situated in horse-rider's heaven, surrounded on most sides by stable-country. One of the stables offers a unique experience: at the Home of the Unicorn, not only can you enjoy horseback riding but you can relax with meditation, sauna, massage and other alternative health techniques. Only 25 minutes from Montreal, the riding school is accredited with the Federation Equestre du Quebec, and offers courses for all ages and all levels. Le Clos de la Licorne is at 930 route 219, Hemmingford; 247-0341 or 1-877-LICORNE. Find it online at www.generation.net/~unicorn/index.htm

Birding As we all know, birds love our fair city. Check out the more refined varieties with other birdwatchers and get to know our green spaces more intimately. Contact the local ornithological association at 252-3190.

Feeding frenzy

Markets The first and last word in fitness is nutrition. Buy healthy and inexpensive veggies at the city markets: Jean-Talon Market (7075 Casgrain); Atwater Market (138 Atwater); Maisonneuve Market (4445 Ontario E.) and St-Jacques Market (1125 Ontario E.).

Cooking lessons If you are getting tired of KD and plain rice on alternate nights, look into Masala's vegetarian and non-vegetarian Indian cooking courses. Starting this month, $155 gets you five classes, including meals. And it's low-fat! 373 Place d'Youville in Old Montreal; 287-7455. H