Fitness for Real Life

Jason S. Greenspan Headline Books, Inc. Terra Alta, WV

Fitness for Real Life

by Jason S. Greenspan Š2015 Jason S. Greenspan Mandy Haskin, Model Sharon Forman-Greenspan, Model Christian Johnston, Photographer All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any other form or for any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording or any information storage system, without written permission from Headline Books, Inc. To order additional copies of this book or for book publishing information, or to contact the author: Headline Books, Inc. P. O. Box 52 Terra Alta, WV 26764 www.headlinebooks.com Tel: 800-570-5951 Email: mybook@headlinebooks.com ISBN: 9781882658152 Library of Congress Control Number: 2014950727

P R I N T E D I N T H E U N I T E D S TAT E S O F A M E R I C A

Acknowledgments I want to thank my parents, Barbara and Jerry Greenspan, and my brother Alex for always being there and listening to me when I needed them.

Thank you to my wife Sharon for keeping me organized, putting up with me during the tough times, always believing in me and most important for giving birth to our beautiful baby girl, Samantha.

Thanks to Sherrin Hersch, my editor and more important, my friend. This book wouldn’t have been possible without your support over the years. You’re a gem!

To my late Grandfather Sol and Grandmother Sylvia there is not a day that goes by that I don’t think about you! I know you would have been proud!

Table of Contents Introduction ....................................................................................... 5 Real Life Programming ..................................................................... 9 Training Variables ............................................................................. 15 The Sleep Key .................................................................................. 19 The Nutrition Key ............................................................................. 23 The Posture/Balance Key ................................................................. 31 Exercises .................................................................................... 35 The Flexibility/Mobility Key .......................................................... 39 Stretches ..................................................................................... 41 Exercises .................................................................................... 51 The Stability Key ............................................................................. 64 Exercises .................................................................................... 68 Workouts ................................................................................... 108 The Muscle Building/Strength Key ............................................... 112 Exercises .................................................................................. 114 Workouts .................................................................................. 145 The Power Key ............................................................................... 149 Exercises ................................................................................... 151 Workouts .................................................................................. 164 The Cardiovascular Key ................................................................. 167 Exercises .................................................................................. 173 Workouts ................................................................................... 179 The Wisdom of Four Workouts ....................................................... 183 Q & A .............................................................................................. 184 References ...................................................................................... 191 Author Bio ...................................................................................... 192

Introduction Congratulations! You have taken the first step in obtaining the knowledge that will allow you to see training results no matter who you are or what your goal might be.

This book is written in layman’s terms that are easy to understand. It’s filled with sound information based on facts – not fads – and tons of cutting edge information – not gimmicks – that I’ve used with my clients who are just like you: the young guy or gal who wants to have sex appeal; the busy middleaged mom or dad who wants to lose weight; all different types of athletes and seniors (I use the word ‘seniors’ with caution because some of my 70- or even 80-year-old men and women clients can do 20 regular pushups and supported dumbbell rows with 25 lbs!).

To begin with, you should know that I consider fitness programming to be a science. Yes, there’s a science in designing your fitness program. There’s a science in planning what exercises match your goals and your level of fitness in order to maximize your results, maintain motivation and avoid injury.

(There’s no science in a ‘winging it’ approach of ‘a little of this or more of that’; this mentality is just a set-up for failure).

The book’s chapters will help you design an efficient fitness program with proper exercises geared to your needs and goals: for example, do you want a time-efficient set, or exercise modifications that adjust for knees or shoulders that are just not feeling right? What’s more, it will answer many of your questions, like why am I doing this particular exercise? How is this program going to help me accomplish my goals? Do I want to build stability, strength or power? Do I want a program that will help me lose weight? My book is the next best thing to me actually being in the gym right next to you!

Many of us exercise to look better, and this book will help you do that, but as you approach your thirties I want to help you change your mindset to, how 5

is my workout program going to help me in real life, does my program give me the most bang for my buck, is my workout a balanced one?

Think about some of the movements that we do in real life: We walk, jog and sprint, push and pull, we sit then stand (squat), we lunge, rotate, perform activities that require balance – no machine training in this book – and sometimes are called on to perform tasks at faster speeds to avoid injury.

This book will also help to coax you out of your comfort zone. Let’s face it, if you want to see results, you do need to step out of your comfort zone.

This doesn’t mean turning blue when lifting weights or being out of breath all the time when doing cardiovascular exercise. It just means that you need to increase your intensity and change your exercises to wake up your muscles – in other words, to challenge yourself. To quote two top strength and conditioning coaches, Charles Staley who says “Follow the 180 principle” and Mike Boyle who says “Look at what everyone else is doing and do the opposite”. I love these statements because all you have to do is go to your local gym and you will see what they’re talking about: terrible form, poor exercise programming and a lot of wasted time.

Some examples: The other day I was at the gym, and as soon as I walked in, I saw a young woman slaving away on the inner/outer thigh machine; I’d much rather have seen her work the same muscles in a standing position without the aid of the machine. I then noticed a guy doing stiff-legged dead lifts with a gazillion pounds, his back hunched over like Quasimodo, can you say Doctor Please! In the corner of the room, I observed a middle-aged man who was about 50 pounds overweight do four sets of bicep curls. He definitely could have used his time more wisely getting rid of his gut. Last, but not least, was the typical fitness enthusiast clicking (annoying) the dumbbells at the top of the movement when performing chest presses (unnecessary). I really would be scared to see that fitness program! So to quote again, “look at what everyone else is doing and do the opposite” usually has a lot of validity in today’s fitness arena.

Most fitness programs focus on muscle building/strength and cardiovascular endurance. These are two of our eight keys to fitness, but you’d be doing yourself an injustice to focus on only these two aspects of training. There is much more to fitness, especially as we age. Do you get enough sleep? Are you eating right to maximize your time in the gym? Getting enough sleep and eating right are two more keys to achieving a high level of fitness. In this book, I’m going to show you how to incorporate these four and the other four keys in a step-by-step progression.

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Perhaps by now you’re wondering what are these key elements that I keep talking about? Well, the eight keys to fitness are as follows:  Sleep  Nutrition/weight control  Posture/balance  Flexibility/Mobility  Stability  Muscle Building/Strength  Power, and  Cardiovascular training.

These eight keys contain all the necessary fitness tools to keep you feeling and looking young and, most important, to improve your quality of life. This book will teach you to: • use the eight keys in a sound progression and understand what exercises and programs are most efficient to keeping your body fit; • learn how you can speed up your metabolism through strength training, cardiovascular exercise and proper nutrition; • learn how to cut your workout time in half with great results; and • learn how to modify each exercise and work within your comfort zone, if you have an orthopedic problem.

So get ready to embark on a new and rewarding approach that reflects the 21 century way of fitness training. Let’s enjoy this journey together! st

Jason S. Greenspan

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Notes:

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Real Life Programming Warm Ups

Did you know that there are three types of warm ups?

There’s the general warm up. The general warm up increases your overall body temperature, which reduces the likelihood of injury during your workout.

It consists of 5 to 10 minutes of an activity that isn’t necessarily specific to the chosen exercise. An example of a general warm up might be running on the treadmill, or riding the bike or going on the elliptical before doing a set of squats. This is a common scenario for the average fitness enthusiast and might not be the best way to prepare for a specific strength exercise, but if your plan is to run on the treadmill for 30 minutes, it makes sense to start with a general warm up on the treadmill. In this case, you would jog at a slow pace before increasing your speed. If you plan to ride the bike for 30 minutes, you would pedal slowly and use light resistance before increasing your intensity. You see, now the general warm up becomes more like a specific warm up.

Then, there’s the specific warm up, which makes most sense when you’re lifting heavy weights. The specific warm up mimics the activity you’re planning to do. Let’s say it’s Thursday, you were just going to lift weights, and squats were your first exercise. To warm up, you would do a set of squats using a light weight rather than walking on the treadmill for 5 minutes.

If you’re going to do a warm-up set, I suggest that you lift half the amount of weight and perform half of the number of repetitions that you plan to use during your working set. For example, if your working set consists of 10 repetitions and 100 lbs, you would do 5 reps and use 50 lbs as a warm up. I wouldn’t overdo the warm up, meaning I wouldn’t do more than one set.

If you’re lifting light weights it’s not necessary to do a warm up set, but it won’t hurt if you do.

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Finally, there’s the dynamic warm up. Athletes and the average fitness enthusiasts are using the dynamic warm up more and more these days. Because the dynamic warm up can resemble some of the movements done during the actual workout, e.g., walking lunges in different directions or doing medicine ball rotations, it might be considered a semi-specific warm up (Lou Shuler, The New Rules of Lifting). For the fitness enthusiast, this kind of dynamic warm up might feel like the workout itself and will take some time to get accustomed to.

The dynamic warm up helps to stimulate the central nervous system, stretching and contracting muscles, preparing the athlete for competition or fitness enthusiasts before their strength workout. Before trying a dynamic warm up though, make sure you that you have an adequate amount of core stability/balance.

The bottom line is to experiment with all three, any one is better than not warming up at all, but mostly stick to the type of warm up that is most specific to your activity.

Exercises

Are your exercises helping you make the most of your time in the gym?

Just as with warm ups there are different types exercises: isolation, compound, and combination.

Isolation exercises are movements that occur at only one joint. An example of an isolation exercise is a leg extension where the stress is solely to the quadriceps. (That said, it is very hard – if not impossible – to completely isolate a muscle). Try performing a bicep curl or lateral raise in a standing position or on a stability ball. Your core is activated to help you remain upright and balanced. So technically it’s not a true isolation exercise, but for argument’s sake and for programming purposes, I still wouldn’t categorize a lateral raise or bicep curl as a compound exercise. I think you get my point!

Isolation exercises are helpful if you suffer from an injury and have to target a specific muscle, or if you have a major strength discrepancy. These exercises are usually not complex and don’t require as much attention to detail as a compound exercise.

Made popular by bodybuilders, isolation exercises gradually became a staple in health clubs throughout the country and have contributed to the excessive amount of time that people are spending in the gym. What’s more, injuries can happen when your body becomes accustomed to using just one muscle. In sports, or in real-life activities we’re always using more than one muscle, so if your focus is on isolating muscles you create weak links that will eventually lead to injury when your body is called upon to perform a given a task.

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When you’re in the gym next, take notice of all the isolation exercises people are doing. They generally do two or three exercises for their shoulders, then move on to two or three exercises for the triceps, and then do the same for the biceps. But unless you are a bodybuilder, it really isn’t necessary to spend so much time doing isolation exercises or for that matter in training your arms.

Whenever you train your back and chest with compound movements, aren’t your arms working as well?

Now, I’m not saying that you should never do isolation movements or train your arms; we do include some arm exercises/isolation (although they are used in conjunction with another movement or when balancing) exercises in this book. I’m just saying that for practical reasons it doesn’t make sense to overload your arms with a thousand and one sets or exercises.

Compound exercises are the staple of time efficiency and make up the majority of our workouts. They involve the action of two joints and work many muscles at once. An example of a compound exercise is a squat (the knee and hip joints are involved and many muscles are activated), or a shoulder press which focuses on the shoulder muscles as well as the triceps, versus a lateral raise which tends to focus on the medial or side portion of the shoulder. By working many muscles at once, you shorten your workout.

Compound movements are not only valuable for time efficiency, but for several other goals as well. One goal may be weight loss. In using compound movements many muscles are working at once, and the more muscles are moved the more calories are burned.

What about after exercise? If your workout is challenging (the last couple of repetitions should be tough) your metabolism stays elevated, and you will continue to burn calories even after the exercise session is over. (This is called EPOC, short for Excess Post Oxygen Consumption). What about everyday life? We never use just one muscle to get up from a chair or when we lift groceries. What about sports like tennis and baseball? All sports and everyday tasks require the use of many muscles.

Two other goals may be strength or muscle building. Compound movements allow you to lift more weight because many muscles are working together.

Ultimately the more weight you’re able to lift, the more muscle you’ll build and the stronger you’ll become. You can see now why I’d like you to base your program on compound exercises.

Combination exercises are even more time efficient than compound movements because they combine two or three exercises. An example would be performing a squat and a shoulder press simultaneously, or a dead lift then a row, or even a step-up to a bicep curl to an overhead press. Wow, three exercises together! Now that’s really getting a lot of bang for your buck!

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Just as we include many compound exercises in our workout section, we also give you the option of doing several combination workouts using the Bosu ball and Stability ball. These exercises are especially beneficial for the goals of weight loss, stability and function. Combination exercises are here to stay and are ideal for those fitness enthusiasts who complain that lack of time is what stops them from exercising. Get ready to work out with those combos!

Should I use the machines in my gym? Yes and no, but mostly no! Most people use machines for the wrong reasons. The Number One reason, in my opinion, is that they are easy, and in life or in the gym anything that is easy doesn’t produce great results.

Machines are best suited for someone who might have severe balance problems, or someone with an existing injury who needs to focus on one specific muscle, or who needs the support, or the beginner who is not comfortable in the gym and might need the extra reassurance from a machine. So machines do come in handy for some populations for a given amount of time. It’s certainly better than not doing anything.

But if you want big-time results and want to be prepared for real life, don’t make the machines a staple in your fitness program. Here are some reasons why:  Machines tend to isolate muscles and eliminate the need for us to use our stabilizing muscles, which then don’t get worked. Everyday life requires balance and coordination, and just about everything we do in life calls on several muscles at once to complete a given task.  When you’re doing an exercise on a machine you can actually close your eyes or even read a magazine. I have seen this all too often, and I can guarantee you that if you’re able to read while doing a set, then you’re not working hard enough to make an improvement in your overall fitness level. The machine tends to control the weight as it assists you with the movement, which can diminish strength gains.  In addition you’re sitting on most of these machines. Who wants to be sitting when many of us sit all day long? What’s more, the longer we sit the more prone we are to all sorts of muscular pain. Real life requires us to stand, not sit, to perform our daily activities.  Machines tend to lock you into a set path without allowing your body to move in its natural range of motion, which can cause undue stress to your joints.

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Training Programs: Be practical!

All it takes is a visit to your local gym, and you will see people engaged in many different types of training programs, most of which don’t match the goal of the fitness enthusiast. The best programs are those that are specific to your goal and your lifestyle. That’s why the programs that we use in this book focus on our eight keys to fitness and incorporate the most practical and timeefficient ways to exercise.

One of these programs – a Circuit Training program – has been around for decades, but always has been thought of either as an endurance program, or as geared mostly for beginners. It consists of a series of exercises that an individual performs one after the next with minimal, or no, break. An example would be performing a lunge to a bent-over row, then to a bench press, etc.

But by manipulating the training variables, such as weight and rest periods, circuit training can be used by the most advanced trainee to accomplish any goal. Some circuit training variations follow: • A peripheral system alternates between an upper and lower body exercise. An example would be performing a squat followed by a bench press. This system allows the upper body to rest as you work your lower body. As in traditional circuit training, peripheral training can be used by all levels of fitness. By manipulating the training variables, such as those described above for circuit training, this system can be used to accomplish any goal.

• A combination/interval program is a form of circuit training where an individual would perform two or three exercises together, alternating with a cardiovascular interval. An example of this would be performing a squat to an overhead press, followed by jumping rope or doing jumping jacks. Because of the balance and coordination involved, we suggest practicing with no weights first.

• A Superset system involves alternating two exercises without a break.

This is usually done with opposing body parts. An example of this system is when an individual performs a set of chest presses followed by a set of rows. You could also alternate a strength exercise with a power exercise.

An example of this would be would be to perform a set of traditional squats followed by a set of jump squats.

• The Wisdom of Four uses four exercises that work the entire body.

An example of this would be performing a squat, followed by a row, followed by a lunge, followed by a chest press.

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Notes:

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Training Variables Sets, Repetitions, Rest Periods, Exercise Speed, Load, Frequency and Recovery Sets get a lot of attention in the fitness world, but in my opinion they are the most overrated training variable and contribute to a lot of wasted time.

Let’s start off with defining the word set. A set is merely a series of repetitions. How many sets should I do is a question that is asked quite frequently yet remains one the most controversial topics in the fitness industry.

Fitness professionals may give different answers, but most will prescribe three sets for their clients.

Three is certainly not a magic number. I’m not saying that performing three sets is ineffective, but it is certainly not practical in today’s busy world.

Research has shown that there is little difference in strength or muscle gains between 1 and 2 sets or between 2 and 3 sets. What’s more, unlike repetitions, sets are not directly involved in accomplishing your intended goal. So my question is, why spend more time in the gym when you could get great results by performing fewer sets?

Intensity is the most important factor (other than genetics) that determines your response to strength training. The degree of intensity is a lot more effective than the number of sets. That’s why I would prefer that you do 1 or 2 sets of an exercise with a high level of intensity instead of 3 sets with a low level of intensity. Besides, what usually happens when clients are asked to perform 3 sets is that their level of intensity drops with each set – unproductive work, to say the least.

So, as long as you keep in mind that quality is more important than quantity you will make your workouts short and effective.

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Repetitions are one of the most important variables in program design because they influence the entire training affect and should be geared to your specific goal. For example, if your goal is to build muscle, strength and endurance, you should lift a moderate weight for 8 to 12 repetitions (reps). If your focus is just endurance you would choose a lighter weight and perform 12 to 15 reps. If your focus is just to build maximum strength, you should choose a weight with which you could complete 1 to 5 reps.

Although repetitions should be based on your training goal, I would advise that once you progress past the beginner level, you work within all different rep ranges. This can be incorporated throughout the week. For example, if you’re training three days a week, on Monday you might train with the most reps; Wednesday might be a medium-rep day; and Friday might be dedicated to fewer reps. This will help you to continue to make improvements and lower your risk of injury.

You could also try something called timed sets, which we include in some of our workouts. Timed sets allow you to forget about all the counting and focus on the clock. If you think about it, a rep is just a measure of time anyway.

So for your next workout instead of counting, do as many reps as you can for 30 to 60 seconds. This will help you to build muscle and relieve some of the boredom of counting.

Rest Periods are the time spent between an exercise and a set. It is important to mention this considering that the majority of fitness enthusiasts will do an exercise and rest for a prescribed amount of time before going on to the next set of the same exercise. That’s the traditional way most of them approach their fitness programs.

Most people follow the general guidelines for rest periods as follows: To increase muscle, they typically rest for 60 seconds. If their goal is to increase muscular endurance, their rest period would be 30 seconds or less, and for the goal of pure strength, they would rest up to 3 minutes before completing the next set. Although valid, this is not a very time-efficient or practical way of exercising in today’s time-crunched world.

In our real-life fitness workouts there is no need to take such long rest periods because we alternate upper and lower body movements, perform circuits and use supersets.

Exercise Speed, the amount of time it takes to complete a repetition, can make a big difference in accomplishing your goal. The typical fitness enthusiast will rush through the set, performing each rep at very fast pace. For the general population this is a big mistake.

When you first begin a strength-training program you want to lift with control, and that is achieved by using slower speeds. This will help you learn proper form and eliminate any momentum that keeps more tension on the 16

muscle. Gains in strength will best be accomplished by following a tempo of 2-1-3: take 2 seconds (secs) to lift the weight, 1 sec to pause at the top of the movement, and 3 secs to lower the weight. The pause at the top of the movement acts as a break and helps eliminate any unwanted momentum. The time taken to lower the weight might be the most important part of the tempo; it is shown by research to be where we make most of our strength gains.

That being said, there is a place for incorporating faster lifting speeds, but only once you’ve built a base level of stability and strength and have a good understanding of how to perform each exercise with proper form. If you want to increase power and prepare your body for real life this is the time to lift at faster speeds. We usually don’t perform our daily activities at a slow pace, do we? We sure don’t! Do you stand from a sitting position slowly? No, you don’t! As long as you have adequate strength in your thigh and butt muscles, you stand up quickly.

The typical tempo for increasing power would be 1-0-1 or really as fast as you can with control. So it is a good idea to train at different speeds, but only after you’ve have built a solid foundation of stability and strength. I go into this topic in our Power Key, so I won’t take much time on it in this chapter, but I will say that moving a weight at faster speeds (under control of course) is very functional to real life.

Load is the most important training variable because it sets the tone for all the other variables, especially repetitions. The heavier the load, the fewer the repetitions; the lighter the load the more repetitions. For example, if your goal is to increase muscle, choose a load or weight that will enable you to do at least eight repetitions, but no more than twelve.

Most people tend to choose a weight that is either too light or too heavy. If your weight is too light, your intensity will be sacrificed and you can end up wasting a lot of time and energy. A weight that is too heavy not only can inhibit you from accomplishing the minimum number of recommended repetitions for your goal, but more important it can increase your risk for injury.

To continue to get stronger and build muscle, increase the load when it is no longer a challenge. When should I increase the weight? and by how much?, you ask. I tend to be a bit conservative, so my suggestion is that you increase your weight by 2.5 pounds.

I also recommend following “The 2 for 2 Rule” to help you decide when to increase the weight. This rule says that you’re ready to take on a more challenging load when you can complete two or more repetitions beyond the repetition goal, for two consecutive sessions. This is a safe guideline, which can be used by a beginner as well as by someone who is advanced.

Although increasing the load is most important, another valuable form of progression would be to vary the sets or exercises you perform. For example, 17

if you train with two sets for a month, switch to one set the following month, or if you were doing a squat last month, do a lunge this month. The bottom line: To continue to make progress, don’t just go through the motions; increase your weight when you’re no longer challenged, and vary your program every four weeks. By following these basic principles, you will maximize your results, time, and energy in the gym.

How many days a week – frequency – should you work out? The answer is two to three times a week! You might ask, but what about all those people I see in the gym training four or five days a week? Well, those people are probably working different body parts each day: they might be working their upper body on Monday, their lower body on Tuesday, and repeating this scenario on Thursday and Friday. Such a routine usually would require them to spend four or five days a week in the gym. Even worse another still-popular program is splitting up body parts and working chest/shoulders one followed by back/biceps another and maybe say, legs/shoulders on the third day.

But, who wants to spend four or five days a week in the gym, and why do people engage in programs like these? Hmmm, let me answer with a question of my own: Can it be that magazines or the bodybuilding community have been influencing them? Most of us regular people are not in stage competition, so there really is no need to be splitting up our body parts and spending all that time in the gym. Fitness enthusiasts who follow these old-fashioned training principles generally have a higher incidence of burn out and injury rates.

Most fitness professionals agree that recovery is the time when the good stuff happens. I cannot stress enough how important recovery is to getting results.

When you allow your body to recover between exercise sessions your muscles grow! I know you’re probably thinking muscles grow in the gym?

Well, they don’t, really. The process for growth is initiated in the gym. When you’re lifting weights and there is a significant challenge to your muscles, that’s the time that you break down the muscle tissue. When you let your muscles rest between workouts the muscle tissue repairs itself and becomes larger and stronger.

If your muscles aren’t rested adequately, you can stall this process. How long should I rest between workouts, you ask. That depends upon your fitness level and intensity. If you are a beginner or an older adult or if your intensity is very high you might need 72 hours between workouts. If you’re more advanced or if your intensity on a particular day wasn’t very high, you might need only 24 to 48 hours between workouts.

So next time you’re in the gym, think about these important training variables that make up a sound fitness program and you’ll reap big rewards, not only in the way you look and feel, but also in saving so much time doing it.

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The Sleep Key “I’ll sleep when I’m dead!” How many times have you heard this line come from a friend’s mouth? Apparently, sleep is not much of a priority in today’s busy world, and many people try to get by with 4, 5 and tops 6 hours of sleep a night. So, let me tell you, friend, sleep deprivation is nothing to brag about. For starters, lack of sleep can cause or exacerbate anxiety, depression and irritability; it can weaken your immune system and make you susceptible to infection.

Can you begin to see why a chapter on sleep belongs in a fitness book? ( I assume you’re reading this book because you want to stay fit and youthful).

Well, did you know that adequate sleep is just as important to your health as proper nutrition and exercise? In fact, sleep might be the best workout partner you’ll ever have. No other partner does such a good job helping you to recover from exercise and the daily grind of life.

Thankfully, the benefits of sleep are now receiving a lot more attention, even from large corporations who have begun to recognize how sleep can help their employees and, in turn, them. After all, well-rested workers will have the energy to be efficient, alert and clear thinking enough to make good decisions.

In fact, some companies have set up rooms where employees can take 10or 30-minute naps during the day. Nap Centers are popping up throughout the country, especially in the big cities. Would you have ever imagined your boss allowing or even insisting that you take a 10-minute nap?

Although the workouts I’ve put together in this book are time efficient, you’re still going to need energy to perform them efficiently. For you to be able to do that, and while it is true that everyone’s body is regulated differently, it is safe to say that most of us do need at least eight hours of sleep in order to be alert and productive. So, let’s look at some benefits of sleep and how we can get more – not less – of it!

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Your skin benefits:

Sleep is the time when your body rests, replenishes and regenerates.

Damage to the skin is repaired during sleep. A proper amount of sleep helps the body get rid of free radicals, which are responsible for early aging. Good things – for example, the replacement of aging and dead cells within the body – happen when you sleep.

Your muscle tissue increases:

Sleeping 8 or 9 hours can help to release hormones such as HGH (Human Growth Hormone) and testosterone and other growth-promoting hormones.

These hormones help build muscle and burn fat. So the longer you sleep, the better the chance of burning fat and increasing muscle.

Your weight benefits:

Did you know that lack of sleep contributes to weight gain? Most research suggests that lack of sleep increases the release of cortisol, a catabolic stress hormone that encourages weight gain and the breakdown of muscle tissue.

Lack of sleep also increases blood sugar levels that interfere with the body’s ability to metabolize carbohydrates. This can lead to higher insulin levels and in turn, fat storage.

Your heart health benefits:

Sleep can help lower blood pressure by lowering stress levels and inflammation in your body. High levels of inflammation are linked to heart attacks and strokes.

Your overall health benefits:

Lack of sleep shows on your skin, on your waistline, inside your body.

Stress shows on your face, in hair texture, in your posture, in your lethargy, in your loss of concentration. When you cheat yourself of adequate sleep you reduce your ability to handle stress and oh boy, can stress age you! So get a good night’s sleep.

Here are some tips for a good night’s sleep: • Make your room ideal for sleeping by making sure the room temperature and humidity levels are conducive for sleeping.

• Choose a comfortable mattress and pillow.

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• Go to bed and wake up the same time everyday. A set schedule will help your body’s sleep/wake cycle and will help you fall asleep faster.

• Turn off all computers, televisions or anything else that exposes you to light.

• Don’t eat before you go to bed. Staying away from food after the sun goes down can help reverse hormone resistance to cortisol and insulin, which will help you burn more fat.

• Try not to drink a lot before you go to bed. Having to make several trips to the bathroom disturbs a good night’s sleep.

• Avoid caffeine and alcohol 8 hours before bedtime. Caffeine is a stimulant that can keep you awake.

• Exercise regularly. Regular exercise can help you fall asleep quickly, but be careful not to exercise right before bedtime as this might keep you awake.

• Take a daytime nap, but limit it to about 30 minutes. Naps in the middle of the day are rejuvenating, but long naps might rob you of sleep at night. (Nighttime workers are exceptions, of course).

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Notes:

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The Nutrition Key Nutrition/Weight Control

We’ll introduce each separate Key by pointing out its connection to all of the other keys. But it must be noted that the Nutrition Key is what sets the tone for all of our other keys because without proper eating habits our overall energy level suffers, and let’s face it, all the rest of our Keys are affected.

It’s absolutely amazing how much information is out there on nutrition.

Every time you turn on the television set there is another advertisement about which diet is best. If you’re at a social event someone will be talking about the diet they’re on and how great it is. You just can’t get away from it!

So why, if so much information is at our fingertips, are there more nutritional problems than ever? The list of reasons is too long for me to go into in this Key. But I will say that most of us want quick fixes, whether it’s to lose weight, gain weight, increase our strength or to have more energy. We are always searching for the magic formula. Sorry to say that there is no magic formula or quick fix worth telling you about, and usually anything that is too good to be true will come back to haunt you in the long run.

Instead of recommending the diet of the year and adding to all the confusion, I’m going to give you 1) tips to help you perform better and live a healthy life, 2) my answers to frequently asked questions and 3) some valuable information about fiber, fats, proteins, carbs – and eating guidelines.

Tip #1: Eat more often throughout the day!

Most people skip meals – a recipe for disaster on all levels. If you want to lose or control your weight, maintain muscle and energy levels and enjoy better health, then eat more often throughout the day. Yes, that’s what I said.

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Eating frequently will rev up your metabolism and help to burn more calories throughout the day. By following this regimen you will maintain stable blood sugar levels, which help you avoid cravings and maintain energy levels.

Think about eating three small-to-medium size meals and two snacks every three to four hours. Include a healthy protein at each meal (grilled chicken, turkey or a piece of salmon). A snack could consist of a piece of fruit, low fat yogurt, an apple with peanut butter, or a health shake.

Should I eat before a workout? My recommendation is that you have a snack (a healthy shake of fruit or bananas, peanut butter and protein with soy milk) about 30 minutes before your workout. You would have the energy you need for your workout without upsetting your stomach. The key here is something light.

When is the best time to eat after my workout? Typically you have a two-hour window, although the sooner the better. When you work out you use carbohydrates for energy and these need to be replaced. If you wait too long to eat after a workout there’s a risk of your body using muscle tissue for energy.

That’s the last thing that you want; one of the benefits of strength training is to increase muscle mass, not lose it! What’s more you also need protein to help rebuild the muscle tissue that is broken down during your workout.

What kind of foods should I eat after my workout? Eat healthy carbohydrates such as whole grains, fruits and vegetables, and for protein choose high quality protein (grilled chicken, turkey) and fish (salmon or mackerel). If you don’t have time for solid food, drink a shake made with fruits (bananas, strawberries, or blueberries), protein (low fat yogurt, skim or soy milk) and peanut butter. Treating yourself to a liquid snack may be beneficial; research has shown that the body absorbs nutrients in liquid form faster than solid food. So if you are on the run and can’t refuel with solid food, then a shake might be your best bet.

Tip #2: Water is your best friend!

We can survive only a few days without water. On average we should consume about three quarts of water per day (eight 8-oz glasses). If weight loss is your goal, think about drinking an additional 8 ounces of water for every 25 pounds above your ideal weight. This helps suppress appetite.

If you exercise for more than an hour, a sports drink with carbohydrates and electrolytes is recommended. If your activity lasts less than an hour, water is always your best choice. An efficient way to see if you’re well hydrated is by the color of your urine. Dark yellow is a good indicator that you’re 24

dehydrated. A pale yellow suggests you’re hydrated properly. Don’t use thirst as an indicator because if you’re thirsty chances are that you’re already dehydrated. Dehydration can have an effect on your performance in sports and overall energy levels throughout the day. It can also increase heart rate and your core body temperature.

Try to drink 16 oz of fluid two hours before exercising and drink 20 to 40 oz of fluid for every hour of exercise. If this sounds overwhelming, remember that water is also important in keeping your connective tissues and joints lubricated, helping you maintain your flexibility as you age.

Tip #3: Sugar is your enemy!

Sugar is one of the main factors in an obesity problem. It can be found in cakes, cookies, ice cream, juices, soda and certain cereals. Too much of it can cause diabetes, weight gain, heart disease – and these are just a few complications. Remember to avoid those carbohydrates that have no nutritional value and that are converted into sugar quickly (white potatoes, pasta, white rice, white bread). You don’t really have to be concerned with the sugars in fruits and vegetables.

Tip #4: Basic weight loss tips

• Avoid empty calories like cakes and cookies.

• Choose whole grains, fruit and vegetables over white rice, white bread, pasta or for that matter any food that doesn’t have color.

• The more color on your plate the better!

• Make substitutions (sweet potato instead of French fries or baked potato). Choose brown rice instead of white rice.

• Drink a lot of water.

• Eat every three to four hours to increase your metabolism and fight cravings.

• At each meal, make sure you always have a balance of a carbohydrate, protein and a good fat.

• Eat smaller portions.

Vitamin supplements: Do we really need them? One multivitamin in the morning should be enough, especially for those people who might have a hard time getting enough nutrients throughout the day. Many people use vitamins as an insurance policy and have tons of different vitamins on their shelves.

There are two types of vitamins: water-soluble and fat-soluble. There’s a concern when you consume too much of the fat-soluble A, D, E and K. These vitamins are stored in the body, mainly in the liver, and toxic levels have been 25

found in people who take megadoses of these nutrients. Your best bet is to get those vitamins from fruits and green vegetables that are high in vitamin A. Milk, fish and eggs are high in vitamin D. Foods that are high in Vitamin E are multigrain cereals and green vegetables, and foods that are high in vitamin K are fruit, dairy products, and once again green vegetables. Bottom line: one multivitamin with your breakfast is fine, but don’t use vitamins as substitutes for food.

Water-soluble vitamins are vital for the many functions your body needs to stay healthy, including energy production, and immune system function. Your body doesn’t store most of the water-soluble vitamins for very long, so they’ll need to be replenished daily. An example of a water-soluble vitamin is vitamin C, which is found in most fruits and vegetables. Vitamin C is important for a healthy immune system. Riboflavin is another one and is found in most meats, eggs, green leafy vegetables, breads, cereals and milk. Riboflavin helps with overall body growth and energy.

What’s all the hype about eating foods that are organic? Organic foods are sold just about everywhere these days. They are also a bit more expensive than non-organic foods. The question is: Is buying organic products worth the expense? In my opinion the answer would be yes. Organic foods are grown without pesticides, and organic meat is free of antibiotics and growth hormones. In addition, organic fruits and vegetables have been shown to contain more antioxidants than non-organic. Foods high in antioxidants help to preserve muscle tissue and the skin associated with the aging process, and they help strengthen your immune system.

Fiber, Fats, Protein, and Carbs

Fiber plays an important role in weight loss/control. It lowers the incidence of heart disease and certain types of cancers. Other benefits include: • Preventing constipation and establishing regular bowel movement.

• Reducing the risk of heart disease by lowering cholesterol.

• Providing bulk in diet, increasing the satiety value in foods.

• Aiding the prevention of bacterial infections of the appendix.

Some examples of foods that are high in fiber are:

• Fruits such as raspberries, blueberries, cherries and bananas.

• Veggies like spinach, broccoli, Brussels sprouts and green peas. Chick peas and lentils are also good source of fiber.

• Nuts such as almonds, cashews and pistachios.

• Whole grains such as rye, oats, brown rice, and barley.

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You might think eating whole wheat bread is a good substitute for white bread, but think again. Whole wheat contains a substance called gluten, which is a mixture of two proteins found in wheat and several other grains. Gluten causes disruption to your digestive system and could cause bloating. Wheat is usually found in most pastas and baked goods, such as cakes and cookies.

So stick with rye, oats, brown rice and barley. You will be amazed how much better you will feel.

Fats

Good fats are essential to optimal health. Bad fats can lead you down the path of heartache, and I mean that literally!

Let’s start off with the good fats (unsaturated fats). Unsaturated fats can be poly-unsaturated and mono-unsaturated. Polyunsaturated fats come from sesame seed, corn, cottonseed and soybean oils. This type of fat has been shown to lower your bad cholesterol (LDL). However if you consume too much of this fat, research has shown that it also can lower your good cholesterol (HDL).

You’re probably more familiar with mono-unsaturated fat found in olive oil, avocados, nuts and canola oil.

Omega 3 fatty acids are another fat that is critical to good health. These are found in fish like salmon, tuna, herring and mackerel, in seeds like flax seed, in nuts such as walnuts, almonds, pistachios and pecans, and in vegetables like spinach and broccoli. Omega 3 fatty acids are thought to protect us from heart disease, certain types of cancers, and diabetes. They also help to improve brain function.

Bad fats (saturated fats) are responsible for clogging arteries and increasing cholesterol levels. Limit them from your diet and use them only as an occasional treat. Saturated fats are found in animal products, especially in red meats like hamburgers, steak, lamb or any poultry with the skin attached.

They are also found in ice cream, cakes, cookies, butter and whole milk.

Protein

Protein is used to build and repair muscle tissue, to help build strong bones and assists in keeping your immune system strong. Protein can come from fish, meat, poultry, and dairy products.

As with any nutrient, the trick is to eat the healthiest proteins. While red meats are high in vitamins and minerals, they can also be high in saturated fats. I’m not saying never to eat red meat, just limit your consumption. Choose grilled chicken, lean pork chops and turkey. Fish high in protein and omega 3 fatty acids (the good fats) are salmon, mackerel and tuna. Smart dairy choices would be yogurt, skim milk, egg whites, and low fat cottage cheese.

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Carbohydrates

All carbs are not created equal: The Glycemic Index The rate at which ingested carbohydrates raise our blood sugar and its accompanying effect on insulin release is referred to as the Glycemic Index.

Certain carbohydrates raise blood sugar faster than others. If you want long-lasting energy choose a carbohydrate that is low glycemic. Foods that are low glyclemic are recommended because they are high in fiber and help to sustain energy levels.

For quick energy pick a carbohydrate that is high glycemic. But remember, foods that are high glycemic cause your blood sugar to rise, encouraging the release of insulin, which ultimately causes you to crash.

This is a cycle that you want to avoid.

Stable blood sugar levels help control cravings, control body fat and maintain your energy levels.

Here’s what we hope is a helpful list of high and low glycemic foods.

• • • • • • • • • •

High Glycemic foods:

Bagels or any white bread Potatoes (especially white) Corn White rice Doughnuts, cakes and cookies Chips Cornflakes Pretzels Watermelon French fries

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Low Glycemic foods:

Broccoli Cabbage Mushrooms Onions Tomatoes Rye Asparagus Chick peas Lentils Skinless chicken or turkey Tuna or salmon Yogurt and low fat ice cream Avocado Peanuts Apples Cherries

Carbs have definitely gotten a bad rap throughout the years, although carbohydrates themselves are not what’s making us fat. In fact they provide your body with energy, and it would be a mistake to avoid them. The problem is that most people eat the wrong carbs and eat too much of them.

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Eating Guidelines

What is a proper portion size? A single portion for carbohydrates is typically the size of your fist, and for protein a single portion is about the size of your palm. Portion size depends on one’s body size, goals and activity level. Below are some examples of a single portion: Breakfast 2 eggs or 4 egg whites ½ cup oatmeal 1 cup yogurt Lunch 3 ounces chicken, turkey or tuna 1 cup spinach 1 slice whole grain bread Dinner 3 ounces meat or fish 1/3 cup of brown rice ½ cup cooked broccoli Here are two examples of healthy dinners that are balanced and well proportioned: • 5 ounces of chicken ( sautéed with 1 teaspoon of olive oil). 1 cup of brown rice, and 1 cup of broccoli • 5 ounces of salmon (sautéed with 1 teaspoon of olive oil). 1 cup of quinoa, and 1 cup of sautéed bell peppers and onions.

Is breakfast the most important meal of the day? You bet it is! The longest time that you typically go without having a meal is between dinner and breakfast, so when you arise your body is in a fasting state. Spare your body from using muscle tissue for energy. Eat breakfast! (An added bonus is that you will control cravings throughout the day and maintain energy levels as well.)

What foods will help increase my metabolism? Any food that requires more energy from your body will ultimately increase your metabolism, because your body uses calories for energy. Certain foods take longer to digest than others. Protein is one form of food that can take a long time to digest. It might take 24 hours for your body to digest one protein-rich meal. In comparison,

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simple carbohydrates and starches might take only a few hours. Foods high in fiber also take a long time for your body to digest. That’s why fruits and vegetables, particularly raw ones, can help boost your metabolism.

Will late-night eating make me gain weight? You will gain weight only if you consume more calories than you burn. It doesn’t really matter when you eat your calories, as long as you’re eating what your body needs to maintain or lose weight. Having said that, late-night eating doesn’t take into account the way you might feel, or your energy levels. It may cause indigestion and make it harder to sleep. If you have not eaten enough during the day, you may overeat at night. Try breaking this cycle by following our tip of eating small meals every three to four hours.

Tip # 5: Body composition tells you more than the scale does.

Body composition is the ratio of lean muscle tissue and body fat. When we exercise we increase our lean muscle tissue. According to the scale you have gained weight, but the scale doesn’t tell you where the weight is coming from.

The weight gain could be in the form of muscle, which is a positive. That is why it’s a good idea to have your body composition analyzed. There are many ways to test your body composition, but the most practical way is by using an instrument called a Skin-fold Caliper. The next time you’re in your local gym ask a trainer to take your body composition. Just be aware there is generally a 3% margin for error depending upon the skill of the tester.

Below are the body fat percentage categories for different classifications.

Essential fat: Men: 2-5% Women: 10-13% Athletes Men: 6-13% Women: 14-20% Fitness Men: 14-17% Women: 21-24%

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Average Men: 18-24% Women: 25-31% Below average Men: 25% or higher Women: 32% and higher.

The Posture/Balance Key Posture

When you were a kid, how many times did you hear your mother say, “Stand up straight”? It was simple advice and certainly annoying, but it was valuable because over time your body can conform to these slumping positions. Mother was right: bad posture leads to trouble.

If you want to look young, avoid aches and pains, have better balance and perhaps even add an inch to your height, then posture is the key that can really define your appearance.

The next time you’re with friends ask them to assess your posture while you’re standing. Is there a slight rounding of your shoulders, are your shoulders elevated toward your ears, is your head protruding a bit? Hm-m-m-m-m. If so, let’s change this posture pronto and retrain the body as follows: Drop your shoulders down and back, Make sure your ears are in line with your shoulders, your hips are in line with your knees, and your knees are in line with your ankles.

This is good standing posture!

Your ability to maintain the above alignment will keep stress not only off your lower back, but off just about every part of your body as well. Good posture also places you in the most stable position for lifting weights, or for that matter for lifting any object outside the gym.

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen people in the gym lifting weights with poor posture. I’m sure you’ve seen that, too. So, allow me to go off on 31

a brief tangent here about poor lifting posture, because I feel the need to give you some basic tips when you exercise.

Before going into the actual movement, you need to set your posture.

First, check your stance. Your feet should be shoulder or hip-width apart.

This position gives you the most stability. Then check the core, keeping your abdominals tight as if you were ready to be punched in the stomach – but make sure to breathe. This will help protect your back. Finally, lift your chest up and push your shoulders down and back. Now you’ve protected just about everything from your low back to your neck and you can work on the intended muscles of the particular exercise. (Glad I got that out of my system).

By now I think you know the importance of maintaining good posture.

Did you also know that other than taking drugs and having unprotected sex, sitting for extended periods of time is the worst thing you can do to your body? Yes, it’s that serious! Sitting for a long period of time puts undue stress on the muscles from your neck down to your low back. I get the shakes just thinking about it!

The process of sitting too long, let’s say at the computer, looks like this: You begin with pretty good posture. Then after the first half hour or so your head starts protruding a bit and your shoulders become slightly rounded. Come the second hour, forget it! Your upper back and shoulders are completely rounded and your head has moved so far forward you’re practically eating the computer screen. Finally you stand up and say, “Oh-h my aching back!”

When you are at the office and have no choice other than to sit – get ready, I’m going to say it again – think about lifting your chest up and pulling your shoulders down and back. Exaggerate your posture. Sit like a marine and then relax. Now you should be in perfect position to get to work.

If possible, stand up every 15 to 20 minutes, and do some light stretches before returning to your desk. A simple strategy that I recommend is to keep a glass of water (not soda) on your desk and sip it as you work. This way you’ll be forced to stand up periodically to go to the bathroom.

If your job requires standing for a long period time, same thing, try to sit for a bit and then stand.

Muscular imbalances can also cause poor posture. Have you ever noticed that most people in the gym love to work on their chest muscles (the “mirror muscles”)? A good indicator that they’ve gone crazy working their chest muscles (pecs) is when they begin to develop a gorilla-like posture, their palms facing backward when they stand or walk.

I’m hoping I’ve caught you in time, but if this is your posture, you will need to spend at least an equal, if not more, time working on your mid-back muscles (rhomboids and mid-trapezius) as you do on your chest. Make the mid-back muscles a priority in case you’ve gone overboard on your mirror muscles.

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Upper back exercises will help to balance the strength between the chest and mid-back and to encourage good posture.

As I have mentioned in the Stability Chapter, core strength and even control of your weight can influence your posture. For example, if you are pregnant or just carrying extra weight in your mid-section, you might develop an exaggerated arch in your back. We should all have an arch in our back, but too much of it, like anything else in fitness or life, can be a bad thing. So to ensure good posture, stretch, keep your weight under control, strengthen your core and don’t neglect your mid back muscles. Below is a sample of some exercises that will help encourage good posture. Chin-ups/pull-ups • All versions of rowing exercises • Rotator cuff exercises/rear deltoid • All forms of core exercises

Balance

Can you stand on one leg for more than ten seconds? Do you find yourself swaying from side to side when you’re walking or running on the treadmill?

In the gym, do you find it tough to perform a one-legged squat or lunge? Are you a basketball player or tennis player with a history of falling on the court?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, you might need to work on your balance!

Although not as popular as the strength or cardiovascular endurance keys, training for balance has been getting more and more attention throughout health clubs across the country. Go to your local gym and I’ll bet you’ll see at least five people standing on one leg while performing a row or a shoulder press.

What’s that guy kneeling on that dome (stability ball) doing? He’s balancing and working on his core strength as well. Would you have ever imagined anyone training like this ten or fifteen year ago? I think its time has come.

So what is balance, what is its importance in working out and why are people practicing these circus acts now more than ever? Balance is the ability to maintain our equilibrium when we stand, walk or perform just about everything we do in life.

There are two types of balance. The first one is static balance. Static balance requires you to maintain a position without moving. A good example might be standing on one leg as you’re trying to put your socks on. The other is called dynamic balance. Dynamic balance comes into play when you have to maintain proper posture while moving. An example might be playing sports or something as simple as climbing the steps in your home. In other words, in order to function in life we need good balance!

Balance training came into fashion when functional training first made its way into gyms about ten years ago. Trainees find balance training fun to 33

practice because it incorporates a lot of fitness toys that help to break up the monotony of traditional strength training. Have you ever seen a guy or gal in the gym balancing (or trying to) on that egg-shaped dome known as the Bosu ball? What about that blue cushion known as the Airex pad? These training modalities help with balance and a lot more.

As with all of our other Keys, we need to work on our balance consistently or it will decline with age. But before you ask how we can improve it, let’s briefly discuss some of the factors that we can’t control that might be affecting our balance, such as:  Medication (check with your doctor to see if you’re on any medication that might affect your balance).  Positional vertigo. This inner ear condition produces dizziness, which can affect your balance.  Orthostatic hypotension- Abnormal low blood pressure that occurs when moving from a sitting to standing position.  Vision. o Vision can affect your ability to anticipate changes in normal surface conditions or avoid obstacles or climb stairs. o Loss of peripheral vision has been associated with an increase in falls.

So do check all of these out before you take on balance training.

I’d prefer to focus on components that we can control. Good balance can be achieved by improving some of our other Keys, which in turn will help with the rest our Keys. (We’ve mentioned before how they’re interrelated). Let’s start off with posture. Being able to maintain proper posture will help expend less energy to stand upright and help you maintain a stable position without putting undue stress on your joints. Then there’s weight control. Maintaining a healthy weight will help with posture and in turn with balance. Strength around your ankles and thighs and core also helps with balance. When these areas are strong you will be less prone to fatiguing during activity and your body will be able to maintain a stable position for a longer period of time. Muscle power also plays a role in balance and might even be the most important because power helps us to recover and respond quickly to an unexpected loss of balance.

So to recap, balance can be improved by, well, working on your balance and by focusing on some of our other Keys, such as stability, posture, weight control, strength, and power.

In the chapters to come, you will find exercises with progressions to help improve your balance. I suggest that you practice your balance exercises for five or ten minutes prior to any of the keys other than the intermediate and advanced stability workouts or on days that you’re not training.

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Balance Exercises To improve your balance/stability, work on these exercises for 10 minutes, 3 days a week. I recommend that you either do this before your strength/power workout, or on alternate days. Unless you’re focusing on the beginner stability workouts, it is not needed to practice this before a stability workout, as you’ll be working on your balance throughout the Stability Key.

Guidelines:

• Keep shoulders down and back on all balance exercises.

• To help maintain the posture, focus on a point directly in front of you.

• Make sure you keep the abdominals tight.

• When performing the one-legged stand, contract the buttocks muscle of the standing leg to help maintain balance.

• If you have trouble balancing, hold a wall for support. Reduce support from whole hand by holding with 2 fingers, then 1 finger, then let go.

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Toe-Heel Stance PROPER FORM: Place left foot directly in front of right foot; back toe touches front heel. Hold for 30 secs and reverse foot placement. *Follow the progressions below once posture can be held for allotted time.

PROGRESSION #1: Do exercise with arms folded across chest.

PROGRESSION #2: Close one eye, then both eyes.

PROGRESSION #3: Close both eyes. Once posture can be maintained for 30 secs, tilt head toward shoulder and hold for as long as you can without losing your posture. Or, keep both eyes open and toss a medicine ball to yourself as you maintain the toe-heel posture.

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Walking Toe-Heel PROPER FORM: Follow the above form and walk, lining up toe and heel.

Choose a designated number of steps and then switch feet.

PROGRESSION #1: Fold arms across chest and walk.

PROGRESSION #2: Walk with arms across chest; close one eye. Once posture can be maintained for 10 secs, close both eyes. Or keep eyes open and toss medicine ball to yourself as you walk.

Notes:

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One-Legged Stand PROPER FORM: Bend right leg and raise foot off floor. Hold for 30 secs.

Change legs and repeat.

PROGRESSION #1: Fold arms across chest while performing the above.

PROGRESSION #2: Repeat #1 while closing one eye. Once posture can be maintained for 10 secs, close both eyes.

PROGRESSION #3: Follow # 2 and tilt head toward left shoulder and hold, then switch.

PROGRESSION #4: Once you can maintain balance on the ground, try standing on one leg on the Airex pad and follow above progressions.

PROGRESSION #5: Try standing on the Bosu ball. When comfortable and able to maintain balance, stand on one leg. Then follow the above progressions.

Notes:

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The Flexibility/Mobility Key Along with balance training, flexibility is the most overlooked area of any fitness program, along with its counterpart, mobility. The more flexible you are, generally the better your mobility, so they do complement one another.

Because so many people see these words as interchangeable, I’ll take a little time here to describe the difference between them.

Mobility requires strength to move and is based on voluntary movement.

Swinging your legs or arms back and fourth or moving them in a circle is an example of mobility training. It’s what allows you to perform the basic activities of life – walking, running, climbing stairs, stepping over objects, or playing your favorite sport.

Flexibility is the ability to take a joint through its range of motion passively; it doesn’t require strength. An example might be a trainer assisting you in a stretch and then holding that specific position. Clear now?

Flexibility is important for many reasons. In addition to helping you to move efficiently, it also can help you avoid injuries. Imagine you’re playing golf. You tee off, and you rotate your hips a bit further than you’re accustomed to. Well, chances are that you’d be in a lot of pain at the end of the drive. But if your hips and back were flexible, there’d be no pain to talk about. Stretching the muscles surrounding your hips and hamstrings can also go a long way in preventing low back pain, a common complaint, especially as we age.

Do a flexibility check: Suppose you’re trying to squat and your knees move inward instead of pointing straight ahead. Chances are that your inner thighs (adductor muscles), the back of your thighs (hamstrings) and the outside of your thighs are tight. Ever have a hard time keeping your feet pointing straight ahead, not outward, when you squat? Chances are that your calf muscles (in fitness lingo, the gastrocnemius and soleus muscles) are tight. Are you shrugging your shoulders when performing a row or chest press? I see this all 39

the time! In terms of flexibility, the neck and the muscle that connects to your neck (upper trapezius) are too tight.

Tight muscles inhibit the way we do our exercises or for that matter the way we move. Stretch them!

Many of these same muscles – the low back, hamstrings, muscles of the hip, abdominals, obliques, chest, and the largest muscle in your upper body, the “lats” (latissimus dorsi) – are used for maintaining good posture. If you’re wondering if you’re going to have to stretch out just about every muscle to maintain healthy posture, you’re right! There are no short cuts in exercise or in real life, for that matter.

Let me suggest some flexibility techniques that will prepare you for exercise and help increase your range of motion. The two most popular ones are static and dynamic stretching, but, we mustn’t overlook a 21st-century technique called foam rolling.

Static stretching – widely used by trainers – is when you take a muscle to a point of mild tension and hold that position for 20-30 seconds. An example would be lying on your back and lifting your leg up in the air to stretch your hamstrings. Static stretching is best used at the end of your workout to stretch out contracted muscles. Although new research has shown static stretching doesn’t relieve soreness, its still important to help maintain or for that matter increase you range of motion.

Another fast-growing stretching technique is called dynamic stretching/ warm up. (We also mention this form of stretching in our Program Design chapter because it can also be used as a warm up). Dynamic stretching is considered more functional than static stretching because it simulates movements that you might do during your workout. Be sure you have a firm base of core stability and balance before you start these stretch warm-ups.

Dynamic stretching is time efficient because you’re stretching many muscles at once and it is related to mobility training. An example might be doing a side lunge with no weight or lateral walks with a band attached to your ankle.

Studies have shown dynamic stretching to be most efficient at the beginning of a workout or before playing sports. I suggest that you incorporate both forms of stretching in your workout.

Foam Rolling is a newly popular form of recovery that is used in mainstream gyms throughout the country. You might have seen this round piece of foam in the corner of your gym. Foam rolling is similar to getting a massage, except now you massage yourself – a nice way to save some extra cash! The foam roller helps to get rid of knots and loosens muscles by increasing circulation to the affected area. Roll the foam roller on the targeted muscle until you find a tender spot. Hold on the affected area for about 30 seconds until discomfort is reduced. It can be used either before you start your workout or at the end as a cool down.

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It doesn’t take much of a time commitment to improve your flexibility. An investment of even 10 minutes reserved for stretching in your workout will go a long way to keeping the orthopedic doctor away.

Stretches

Static stretching is best used at the end of your session.

Make sure to exhale as you hold each stretch.

Standing Front of Thigh Stretch STARTING POSITION: Stand tall with feet shoulder-width apart. Chest is lifted and shoulders are down and back.

PROPER FORM: Bend right knee, grab ankle to bring heel toward buttocks. Hold for 20-30 seconds and repeat with the left leg. Alternate for a total of three repetitions per leg.

MODIFICATION: Hold on to the wall or a sturdy object to help with balance.

Try the side lying-stretch. Lie on right side with straight body. Bend left knee and grab ankle with right hand. Bring heel towards buttocks.

AVOID: Shrugging shoulders, arching back.

Notes:

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Hip Flexor Stretch STARTING POSITION: Kneel on right knee with a pad or cushion supporting. Place left foot in front of you. Left knee will be bent. Keep chest up and shoulders down and back.

PROPER FORM: Lean forward from the hip toward front leg. Hold for 2030 seconds until the stretch in the right thigh is felt. Repeat for a total of three repetitions per leg.

MODIFICATION: Stand with right leg in front of the left. Lift heel of leg and bend both knees slightly. Push back hip forward.

AVOID: Rounding back, • front knee buckling in or going beyond the toes.

Notes:

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Back of Thigh Stretch STARTING POSITION: Lie on back with shoulder down and back. Place both legs flat on the floor.

PROPER FORM: Place a towel or rope around the center of your right foot.

Raise right leg until you feel tension in the back of your thigh or until the opposite thigh lifts from the floor. Hint: If the opposing thigh raises, you’ve brought your leg up too high.

MODIFICATION: Keep the opposing knee bent as you lift leg. OR, Sit off the edge of a chair or bench with chest lifted, extend both legs, bring toes up toward shins. Lean forward from the hip until tension is felt in the back of the thighs.

AVOID: Lifting hips, or • the opposing leg off the floor, or • shrugging shoulders, or • arching back when performing the modification.

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Back of Thigh/ Buttock Stretch STARTING POSITION: Lie on back with shoulders down and back. Bend knees and place feet shoulder-width apart.

PROPER FORM: Place right ankle on thigh above left knee. Position both hands under left knee and pull leg toward the chest. Hold for 20-30 seconds and repeat with other leg. Alternate for a total of three repetitions per side.

MODIFICATION: If you don’t feel comfortable lying on your back, sit off the edge of a chair. Cross right ankle on thigh above the left knee.

Keep chest up and lean forward towards right knee gently pushing right leg toward floor.

AVOID: Lifting hips or arching back while you perform the lying-onback stretch.

• Rounding back, or • pushing too hard on thigh while performing the modification.

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Outside of the Hip/ Buttock (Knee to Opposite Shoulder) STARTING POSITION: Lie on back with shoulders down and back. Both legs are extended on the floor.

PROPER FORM: Bend right knee, position left hand below knee. Bring right knee toward left shoulder. Hold stretch for 20-30 seconds and repeat with other leg for a total of three repetitions.

MODIFICATION: Same as above modification for Back of Thigh Stretch.

AVOID: Back lifting off the floor as knee comes toward the shoulder.

Notes:

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Low Back Stretch STARTING POSITION: Lie on back with knees bent and feet shoulderwidth apart. Keep shoulders down and back and head flat on the floor.

PROPER FORM: Place hand underneath knees, and draw both knees toward chest. Hold for 20-30 seconds, and repeat for a total of three repetitions.

MODIFICATION: Sit off the edge of a chair with feet shoulder-width apart and knees bent. Lean over at the waist and slowly slide hands down the thighs. Hold for 20-30 seconds. Slowly return to an upright position and repeat for a total of three repetitions.

AVOID: Shrugging shoulders or lifting back from floor. Don’t come up too fast when performing the modification.

Notes:

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Upper Back/Shoulders STARTING POSITION: Kneel on floor with knees under hips. Arms are straight out in front of you.

PROPER FORM: With your head in between arms, sit back and bring buttocks towards your heels. Hold for 20-30 seconds and repeat for a total of three repetitions.

MODIFICATION: Stand and hold onto sturdy object. Place feet shoulder-width apart. Keeping legs straight, drop hips back as your head is positioned between your arms.

AVOID: Rounding back or shrugging shoulders.

Notes:

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Calf Stretch STARTING POSITION: Stand facing a wall with right foot in front of left foot.

PROPER FORM: Lean forward from the hip, keeping chest up. Bend right knee while keeping left leg straight and heel down. Hold stretch for 20-30 seconds and repeat for a total of three repetitions per foot.

MODIFICATION: Sit off the edge of a chair or on the floor. Extend both legs and wrap a towel or rope around the top of your foot and pull your toes toward you.

AVOID: Rounding back, back heel lifting off the floor.

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Chest/Shoulder Stretch STARTING POSITION: Stand with feet shoulder-width apart. Shoulders are back and down and chest is lifted.

PROPER FORM: Clasp hands behind your back, extend arms and gently pull your hands upward. Hold for 20-30 seconds and repeat for three repetitions.

MODIFICATION: Don’t pull arms up as high.

AVOID: Rounding back, shrugging shoulders.

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Neck Stretches STARTING POSITION: Sit off the edge of a chair with shoulders down and back and chest lifted. Keep head in neutral position looking straight in front of you.

PROPER FORM: Hold the left side of your head with right hand. Gently tilt head toward right shoulder. Return to a neutral position and repeat by placing your left hand on the right side of your head. Gently pull toward left shoulder.

After repeating three repetitions on each side, slowly tilt head backwards until you feel a stretch in the front of your neck. Return to neutral. Place either hand on the back of your head and gently push head down. Hold each for 20-30 seconds, and repeat for a total of three repetitions in all directions.

MODIFICATION: Don’t push as hard.

AVOID: Pushing too hard on head, shrugging shoulders or rounding back.

Notes:

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Dynamic Warm-Up Exercises

Foam roll FIRST, then incorporate the dynamic warm-up if you have good core strength and balance.

1. Squat to stand

Starting Position: Stand with feet slightly wider than shoulder width apart and toes pointed staright ahead or turned out slightly.

Proper form: Keeping legs straight, bend over and reach for your toes. Push hips back, bend knees, lift chest, and push shoulders back. You should be in the catcher’s position with your shoulders back and chest lifted. Keeping your arms as straight as you can, lift arms above head AND then stand.

2. Walking Lunge with rotation

Starting Position: Stand tall with feet shoulder width apart, shoulders back and chest lifted. Extend arms in front of you.

Proper Form: Step forward with your left leg and lower to 90 degrees or your comfort zone. Simultaneously, rotate to the left. Pause, push yourself back to the starting position and rotate back to the center.

Repeat with right leg.

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3. Wall Slides

Starting Position: Stand with your back against a wall. Place head , hands upper back and buttock against the wall.

Proper Form: Start with arms at 90 degrees. Slowly slide arms up the wall. Keeping shoulders down, raise arms to your comfort zone. As you slide arms up the wall, try to maintain contact with arms, forearms, mid back and buttock against the wall.

Perform one set of eight repetitions for each exercise. These warm-ups should be done before your workout.

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Side Lunge MUSCLES WORKED/stretched: inner/outer thighs STARTING POSITION: Stand with feet shoulder-width apart with abdominals tight, chest lifted and shoulders back and down.

PROPER FORM: Take a step to the side with left foot until top of thigh is parallel to the floor. Keep right leg straight. Push back from left heel to the starting position. Alternate legs for the allotted number of repetitions.

MODIFICATION: Bend knee slightly or within comfort zone.

AVOID: Knee extending past the toes, • knee buckling inward, • rounding back, or • looking down.

Notes:

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Inverted Hamstring MUSCLES WORKED/stretched: Back of thighs STARTING POSITION: Stand with feet shoulder-width apart. Abdominals are tight, shoulders are back and down.

PROPER FORM: Lift left leg while balancing on right. Extend both arms out to the side and bend over at the hip as left leg is extended behind you and as you squeeze your left butt muscles. Form a straight line from head to ankle.

Take a step back as you alternate legs for the allotted number of repetitions.

MODIFICATION: Hold on to a wall for balance.

AVOID: Rounding back, shrugging shoulders

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Walking Knee Hug MUSCLES WORKED/stretched: Back of thigh, buttocks, the front of the hip of the back leg STARTING POSITION: Stand with feet shoulder-width apart. Keep abdominals tight and shoulders back and down.

PROPER FORM: Bend down and grab below left leg to pull knee towards chest. Keep the butt muscles of standing leg tight. Stand tall. Take a step forward, and repeat with right leg for the allotted number of repetitions.

MODIFICATION: Don’t walk forward.

AVOID: Rounding back or shrugging shoulders.

Notes:

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Prisoner Squat MUSCLES WORKED: Front and back of thighs, calves and buttocks STARTING POSITION: Stand with feet shoulder-width apart and hands behind head. Move hips backward into squat position until top of thighs are parallel to the ground.

PROPER FORM: Extend hips, knees and ankles to standing position. You should be on your toes in the upright position.

MODIFICATION: Decrease range of motion.

AVOID: rounding back, • knees buckling inward, or • turning feet outward.

Notes:

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Inchworm MUSCLES WORKED/stretched: Back of thighs, calves, and buttocks STARTING POSITION: Stand with feet just inside shoulder-width apart.

Legs should be straight. Bend over until hands are in front of toes.

PROPER FORM: Keeping legs straight, walk hands out until body is as straight as possible. Walk feet back up to hands until feet and hands are flat on the floor. In the end position, form a straight line from shoulder to ankles. Use short steps to walk back up to hands.

MODIFICATION: Bend knees slightly.

AVOID: Using quads or hips to walk back up to hands. Don’t round lower back.

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Foam Rolling Exercises Iliotibial band (outside of thigh)

Starting Position: Lie on your right side and place your right hip on the roller. Place your hands on the floor for support Proper Form: Cross your left foot over your right and place your left foot flat on the floor. Roll slowly forward and backward so the roller is just above the knee.

Notes:

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Calf STARTING POSITION: Place foam roller under mid calf.

PROPER FORM: Roll calf area to find the most tender spot. Then hold on tender spot for 30 seconds until discomfort is reduced.

Notes:

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Quadriceps (front of thigh) STARTING POSITION: Lie on top of foam roller with top of thighs positioned over it.

PROPER FORM: Roll over the top of the thighs until foam roller is just below the knee. Continue rolling until tender spot is found. Then hold for 30 seconds until discomfort is reduced.

Notes:

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Hamstrings (back of thigh) STARTING POSITION: Sit on floor with hands behind you, legs straight and crossed. Place foam roll on leg just above knee.

PROPER FORM: Roll body so roller moves from behind the knee to just under your buttocks. Continue rolling until tender spot is found. Then hold for 30 seconds until discomfort is reduced.

Notes:

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Buttocks (Gluteus Maximus) STARTING POSITION: Sit on floor with both legs extended and arms extended behind you. Place roller under buttocks.

PROPER FORM: Bend knees as you roll from your buttocks to your low back. Continue until tender spot is found. Hold for 30 seconds until discomfort is reduced.

Notes:

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Back STARTING POSITION: Lie on back and place roller under upper back.

Keep head in line with spine. Cross arms and bend knees.

PROPER FORM: Slightly straighten knees and roll from your upper back to low back. Continue rolling until tender spot is found. Hold for 30 seconds until discomfort is reduced.

Notes:

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The Stability Key Stability is defined as the ability of the body to maintain postural equilibrium and to support joints during movement. Stability helps you maintain correct posture during all movement. By this definition alone it makes sense to build a base of stability before you train for any other goal. Stability is your foundation. A house without a strong foundation begins to fall apart after a long while, right? This holds true for your body.

Training for stability will help you to perform all movements in a safe manner and let your arms and legs work more efficiently. A nice looking body is great, but without stability your risk of injury increases, and then you won’t get the opportunity to show off all the hard work you’ve put in at the gym. I think you get the point, so I’ll move along.

When we think about stability we generally refer to the core, hips and shoulders – or what Mark Verstegen author of Core Performance calls “pillar strength”. Building pillar strength will help to improve your posture it will also help you with your chores in everyday life and allow you to be less prone to injury as you enjoy your favorite sports. So let’s start with the importance of hip stability.

Hip Stability is very important because the hips stabilize your pelvis. Most injuries are caused when the surrounding muscles of your hips are so tight or lacking in stability, it puts stress on other areas of the body, such as the low back, ankles, knees or even feet.

A good example is when we perform a squat. I can’t tell you how often fitness enthusiasts use their quadriceps to initiate the movement rather than the muscles of the hips. When this happens the knees slide forward, the gluteus muscles [glutes] don’t get involved and stress is put on the knees and the back.

The ideal would be to initiate the squat by moving your hips backward and

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by pushing your posterior [butt] back and down. Keep the pressure off your knees! Get those hip and butt muscles involved!

Take the runner, for example. I see too many running injuries from lack of hip stability. Runners have to be able to balance on one leg and move from the hips. If the hips lack stability, the force created by the constant pounding of the feet in running gets stored in the body. This in turn can lead to many of the overuse injuries that we’re all familiar with, such as patella tendonitis and shin splints. So, by creating stability around your hips you will be less prone to injury when you run or perform any other activity or movement.

I mustn’t forget to stress how important the gluteus (butt) muscles are. The butt muscles are often valued for attracting the opposite sex, but they actually play a more important role than the law of attraction. They stabilize your hips/ pelvis! We should think about using these muscles every opportunity we get.

Seriously! We need to wake up our glutes! Think of squeezing them every time you come up from a squat. While walking or waiting at the bus stop, squeeze those glutes! You will thank me as you move more efficiently.

Exercises that target the glutes are squats, lunges, step-ups, dead-lifts, hip extensions, hip abductions or running or walking on an incline. All of these exercises will be demonstrated and used in our workouts in upcoming chapters.

Shoulder Stability I think most people can relate to this because at one time or other all of us have complained about having some sort of shoulder pain. Anyone who participates in sports or who lifts weights understands the importance of shoulder stability, but it is even more important in everyday life.

People whose jobs require repetitive overhead movements or their arms to be held overhead for long periods of time need adequate shoulder stability and flexibility. If your shoulder doesn’t have proper stabilization strength, then it’s open to injury, specifically to a rotator cuff injury.

Along with the upper back muscles, the rotator cuff muscles are responsible for stabilizing the shoulder. The rotator cuff muscles are made up of four muscles (aka, the supraspinatus, infraspinatus, teres minor and subscapularis. You can remember them as the sits muscles. Doing regular upper back exercises especially those that target the rhomboids and middle trapezius can also help to help maintain good posture and ultimately protect your shoulders from injury.

Rotator cuff exercises are more important than any other upper body exercise you perform in the gym. Think about it; just about every upper body exercise includes the shoulder. If you don’t focus on making the rotator cuff muscles a priority you might eventually have to stop working out all together and the only thing you can look forward to is the hefty bill from your surgeon.

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Take my father. Now, he’s a good guy with the old-school mentality of play to stay in shape. Thinking along those lines, he was playing tennis five times a week without proper stabilization strength around his shoulder or for that matter anywhere else. One day he called and said, “My shoulder hurts.

I wonder if it’s my rotator cuff”. Given his philosophy, I wasn’t shocked by his phone call. I had told him a thousand times, “Pop, in order for you to play tennis injury free you need to spend some time in the gym working on your stabilization strength”. To make a long story short, he is now working with a physical therapist on his stabilization strength, not only for his shoulder, but also throughout his entire body. Hopefully his new philosophy will be to train so you can continue to play and not the opposite!

Performing rows, chin/pull ups and various rotator-cuff-specific exercises, as well as being aware of your posture should do the trick in protecting your shoulders from injury.

Core stability Talking about “foundation” – well, building core stability is the foundation of all foundations! The core is the beginning point for all movement. The term core is very popular in today’s fitness world. If you ask most people what the core is, the answer you’d get is the abs and lower back. The core actually covers a lot more ground than just your abdominals and lower back. The hips and butt muscles can also be considered part of your core.

The vital link between shoulder and hip stability, your core is the powerhouse of your entire body. No matter what you’re doing - pushing or pulling, carrying groceries, picking up your kids or playing any sport - your core is involved.

The old way of core training was to do a couple of crunches, strive for that six-pack (which by the way very few men are able to achieve and less for women) and call it a day. Thankfully, we have advanced in our research and now realize that core training is a lot more than just training the abs with crunches. Today we look at core training from a functional standpoint. In real life we don’t ever lie down on the floor and crunch, do we? But do we stand up and twist (rotate our trunk) throughout the day? You bet we do! What about in sports? Observe a pitcher, tennis player or golfer. Can you imagine Roger Federer hitting his powerful forehand without having a strong core. This is one of the reasons he is able to create so much power. I can assure you that he has worked hard on building strong stabilizing strength.

Proper core stabilization training isn’t important just to help us perform everyday activities or sports, but it will also help you maintain good posture – yeah I know there’s that word again, posture! Core strength will also prevent injuries to the lower back, which about 80% of us will suffer from at some time in our lives.

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We have two systems: our core stabilization system and our core movement system. The core movement muscles are the rectus abdominus, external oblique, hip adductors and abductor muscles. This is where most people start because generally those muscles are typically the strongest. But, performing the traditional exercises that require movement (e.g., performing a crunch before doing a plank) without having developed the deep stabilization muscles, can actually cause your body to compensate, move inefficiently during movement and ultimately put stress on the low back and in result in injury. That is why it is a good idea to start off with core stabilization exercises that work the transverse abdominis, internal obliques and multifidus before moving to traditional exercises that require you to move different body parts.

These particular muscles are really responsible for protecting your low back, not you’re crunching muscles. It also makes sense when working other areas of your body to build overall core stability first before progressing to heavier weights.

Here’s a vivid real-life example of what happens when you don’t have proper core strength when performing a standing shoulder press or squat. Your body will compensate by arching backward or going into what we fitness nerds call spinal extension. Putting a lot of stress on your low back is not good! What about the guy who can bench press over 200 lbs, but can’t do more than 10 push-ups? It’s a good bet he’s lacking core strength. Just about every exercise you do in the gym, or at least the ones that you should be doing, require you to have core strength. The only exercises that don’t require you to have much core strength are done sitting on a machine, which I don’t recommend be part of your regular fitness program anyway.

Building core strength can be accomplished in many ways, and you’ll see people doing many interesting things to improve their core strength when you go in to your local gym. Any time you put your body in a position where you have to balance, your core is involved. I’m sure you have seen people doing chest presses on a stability ball or doing a shoulder press on one of those wobble boards or cushions, or even performing a bicep curl standing on one leg. Believe it or not, your core is also involved any time you’re standing to perform an exercise. Yes, all you have to do is stand when you do an exercise, like performing a row standing rather than sitting. You have to balance when you’re standing, right? And if you want to activate the core even further, you might try raising one leg as you’re rowing. Are you steady yet? Then let’s move on to the stability exercises.

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Stability Exercises Overhead Squat (Assessment) MUSCLES WORKED: legs, buttocks, core Do this exercise before attempting the squat on the Airex pad.

Note: This exercise is included in the Beginner stability workout as it is a great core exercise.

STARTING POSITION: Stand on floor with feet shoulder-width apart, abdominals tight, shoulders back and down. Place arms overhead, over shoulders, palms facing each other.

PROPER FORM: Maintaining arm position, drop hips back as if sitting in a chair, and bend knees. Go down until thighs are at least parallel to floor, while maintaining form.

MODIFICATION: If you feel discomfort in your knees, limit range of motion to comfort zone.

• AVOID: moving arms forward as you squat (*) • Knees extending beyond toes, • Knees buckling inward (***), • Looking down • Low back excessively arching.

• Ankles collapsing inwards • Excessive forward lean of the trunk.

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ASSESSMENT (*) If arms move forward, your chest muscles (lats) need to be stretched. SEE Static Stretching Section. Mid-back and rotator cuff muscles need to be strengthened. To strengthen them, perform band external rotation and any type of rowing movement. (**) IF YOU LEAN FORWARD EXCESSIVELY Refer to Static Stretching Chapter and focus on stretching hip flexors, calf and glute muscles. To strengthen your glutes, low back and abs, perform front planks/ side planks, side lying abduction and bird dogs. (***) IF KNEES COLLASPE INWARDS Again refer to Static Stretching Section and stretch inner thighs, back of thigh (hamstring) and calf muscles. Focus on strengthening glutes by performing lateral walks, side-lying abduction, bridging, and all versions of lunges and deadlifts.

Notes:

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Airex Dumbbell Pad Squat MUSCLES WORKED: legs, buttocks, core STARTING POSITION: Stand on Airex pad with feet shoulder-width apart, abdominals tight, shoulders down and back.

PROPER FORM: Drop hips back as if sitting in a chair, then bend knees until the top of thighs are parallel to the ground.

MODIFICATION: If you feel discomfort in your knees, limit range of motion to comfort zone.

AVOID: • Back rounding, • knees extending beyond toes, • knees buckling inwards, • looking down.

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Bosu Dumbbell Squat MUSCLES WORKED: Legs, buttocks, core STARTING POSITION: Stand on Bosu ball with feet shoulder-width apart, with abdominals tight and shoulders down and back.

PROPER FORM: Focus on a specific spot in front of you to help with balance. Drop hips back as if sitting back in a chair and then bend knees until top of thighs are parallel to the ground. Extend knees to starting position.

MODIFICATION: If you experience knee discomfort, bend knees slightly, or to your comfort zone. Perform exercise with body weight only. If you’re having problems balancing, regress to Airex pad Squat.

AVOID: • Back rounding, • knees extending past toes, • knees buckling inward, • heels or toes lifting, • looking down.

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One-Legged Dumbbell Dead Lift MUSCLES WORKED: back of thighs, buttocks, core STARTING POSITION: Stand with feet shoulder-width apart. Hold dumbbells with palm facing thighs. Tighten abdominals, keep shoulders down and back. Look straight ahead.

PROPER FORM: Keep dumbbells close to thighs, bend over at the hip and extend leg behind you. Lower dumbbells to mid-shin, or to your comfort zone.

Body should form a straight line from head to extended heel.

MODIFICATION: Perform exercise with body weight instead of using dumbbell. If you experience low back discomfort, lower body only to where dumbbell is level with knee, or skip exercise.

AVOID: • Rounding back, • looking up, • knee of standing leg buckling inward, • knee of standing leg bending and extending during exercise, • holding dumbbells too far from body.

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Bosu Dumbbell Ball Step-Up with HIP Flexion MUSCLES WORKED: legs, buttocks, core, hip flexor/quadriceps STARTING POSITION: Stand in front of Bosu ball with feet shoulder-width apart, holding dumbbells by your side. Keep abdominals tight, and shoulders down and back.

PROPER FORM: Look straight ahead and step onto the Bosu ball with left foot; then bend right knee and raise leg until thigh is parallel to the floor. Hold balance for one (1) second and repeat with right leg.

MODIFICATION: Do not raise leg if you’re having trouble maintaining balance. Do the same exercise on Airex pad.

AVOID: • Arching back when lifting opposite leg, • looking down, • knees buckling inward.

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Dumbbell Alternating Lunge to Balance MUSCLES WORKED: legs, core STARTING POSITION: Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, toes pointing straight ahead. Keep abdominals tight and shoulders back and down.

PROPER FORM: Take a step forward with right foot. Bend both knees until front thigh is parallel to the ground and back knee bends to form a 90º angle.

Push back through front heel and lift leg up for one (1) second as you balance on the back leg.

MODIFICATION: Use only body weight, eliminate the balance challenge, bend knee only slightly, or to comfort zone.

AVOID: • Front knee extending past toes, • knee buckling inward, • back knee touching the ground, • looking down or arching back.

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Stationary Lunge, Back Leg Elevated on Stability Ball MUSCLES WORKED: legs, core STARTING POSITION: Stand with left foot forward, right foot behind on Stability Ball. Keep abdominals tight and shoulders back and down.

PROPER FORM: Bend front leg until thigh is parallel to the ground and back knee bends to form a 90º angle. Push back through front heel and extend leg to starting position.

AVOID: • Front knee extending past toes, • knee buckling inward, • looking down or arching back.

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Band Chest Press (Progression On One Leg) MUSCLES WORKED: Chest, shoulders, triceps STARTING POSITION: Attach band to sturdy object, such as a door knob.

Turn back to that object. Band should be at chest level. Position band under arms with palms facing down, Bend both elbows to form a 90º angle. Step forward about a foot and put right leg in front of left leg (right leg slightly bent). Keep abdominals tight, chest lifted and shoulders back and down.

PROPER FORM: Push handles forward and slightly toward one another until elbows are almost straight. Bend elbows to return to the stating position.

MODIFICATION: Focus on pushing with one arm at a time. Step back to be closer to the fixed object. Choose a lighter band. If you experience shoulder discomfort, turn palms toward one another as you push band forward.

AVOID: • Rounding or shrugging shoulders, • moving torso as you push forward, • letting band go back beyond a 90º angle or torso.

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Bench Push Up (with hands on stability ball) MUSCLES WORKED: Chest, shoulders, core STARTING POSITION: Place hands a bit wider than shoulder-width on a bench. Take a few steps away from the bench and elevate heels. Feet should be shoulder-width apart. Make sure to form a straight line from neck to ankles.

Keep abdominals tight and push shoulder blades down and back.

PROPER FORM: Bend elbows and lower chest to about an inch from touching the bench. Extend elbows and push body away from bench to the starting position. To increase the challenge: place hands on a stability ball and extend legs so heels are elevated. Bend elbows and lower chest toward ball.

MODIFICATION: Perform exercise off a counter or a surface higher than a low bench. The lower the bench the more you will feel it in your core.

AVOID: • Shrugging shoulders, • leading with the head, • hips dropping or sagging.

Notes:

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T Push Ups MUSCLES WORKED: Chest, shoulders, core STARTING POSITION: Place hands on floor slightly wider than shoulderwidth apart. Extend legs so heels are elevated. Your body should form a straight line from head to toe. Keep abdominals tight, shoulders back and down.

PROPER FORM: Bend elbows and lower chest to about an inch from touching the floor. Push yourself back up and turn body to the left so that left arm is above the right. Your body will resemble a T. Feet should be stacked on top of one another. Turn body and lower left hand to the floor to the starting position. This is Rep. #1. Continue by lowering into the push-up and turn to the right to form the T. (Rep #2).

MODIFICATION: Instead of the feet together, place one foot in front of the other. Perform exercise off bench.

AVOID: • Shrugging shoulders, • leading with the head, • hips dropping or sagging during the push-up, or when forming the T position.

Notes:

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Band Row (Progression On One Leg) MUSCLES WORKED: upper back, arms, core STARTING POSITION: Place band around a fixed object. Take a few steps away from object. Band should be waist level. Stand facing object with feet shoulder-width apart. Bend knees slightly, keep abdominals tight. Lift chest up, and stand tall, shoulders back and down, arms fully extended.

PROPER FORM: Initiate movement by squeezing shoulder blades together.

Keeping elbows close to sides, pull handles back so elbows are even or just past your torso. Pause for a second and return to starting position. To increase the challenge: bend left knee and raise foot slightly off the ground. Follow the instructions above.

MODIFICATION: Stand closer to the fixed object to create less resistance.

Choose a lighter band.

AVOID: • Shrugging shoulders, • arching back as you pull band, • allowing elbows to leave your sides.

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Airex Band Row MUSCLES WORKED: Upper back, arms, core, thighs/ankles STARTING POSITION: Place band around a fixed object and stand a few steps away from object. Band should be positioned at waist level. Stand on pad with feet shoulder-width apart. Bend knees slightly, lift chest up and stand tall. Keep abdominals tight and shoulders back and down.

PROPER FORM: Stand with feet shoulder-width apart on Airex pad and follow instructions for the Band Row. MODIFICATION: Move closer to fixed object, choose a lighter band or remove pad if you’re having a hard time maintaining posture.

AVOID: • Moving hips and shoulders on pad.

Notes:

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Band Shoulder Press MUSCLES WORKED: shoulders, arms, core STARTING POSITION: Place band around a fixed object. Stand facing away from object. Take a few steps away and hold band from behind your body.

Position arms to form a 90º angle, palms facing away. Bend knees slightly, keep abdominals tight, shoulders back and down.

PROPER FORM: Extend elbows and bring handles up so they almost touch.

Bend elbows and lower arms to starting position.

MODIFICATION: Stand closer to object, choose a lighter band. If you experience shoulder discomfort, turn palms so they’re facing one another.

AVOID: • Shrugging shoulders, • arching back during movement, • handles touching at the top of the movement.

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L’s or (Goal Posts) Starting Position: Stand tall with feet shoulder width apart, shoulders are back and down.

Palms facing downwards with elbow level with shoulder.

Proper form: Pivot from elbow so palms are facing up and the front of your hands are facing forward

Notes:

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Stability Ball Dumbbell Shoulder Press (On One Leg and on Bosu Ball) MUSCLES WORKED: Shoulders, triceps, core STARTING POSITION: Sit on stability ball with feet flat on the floor and shoulder-width apart. Keep abdominals tight, chest lifted, and shoulders back and down. Position arms so they form a 90º angle. Palms should face away from body.

PROPER FORM: Extend elbows and raise dumbbells in an arching motion so dumbbells are slightly in front of head. Elbows will be almost straight in the end position. To increase the challenge: Stand on one leg or stand on a Bosu ball and follow the above instructions.

MODIFICATION: If you experience shoulder discomfort, turn dumbbells so palms are facing one another. Use lighter weights.

AVOID: • Shrugging shoulders, • arching back, • lifting dumbbells directly overhead, • dumbbells touching at the top of the movement.

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Stability Ball Bicep Curl (One Leg on Bosu Ball) MUSCLES WORKED: biceps, core STARTING POSITION: Sit on stability ball with feet flat on floor, shoulderwidth apart. Keep abdominals tight, chest lifted, shoulders back and down.

Extend arms at sides with elbows positioned directly under the shoulders.

Palms are up.

PROPER FORM: Bend elbows and raise dumbbells toward shoulders.

Straighten elbows back to starting position. To increase the challenge: Stand on leg or on a Bosu ball and follow the above instructions.

MODIFICATION: Use lighter weight if you’re having difficulty maintaining your posture.

AVOID: • Shrugging shoulders, • elbows wandering away from sides, • arching back when raising the weight.

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Bench Dips (Modified Version and Version with Feet on Stability Ball) MUSCLES WORKED: Shoulders, triceps and core, especially with feet on stability ball.

STARTING POSITION: Sit on bench or chair. Place hands close to thighs, palms facing down, Feet are shoulder-width apart and flat on the floor. Knees are bent. Keep abdominals tight, shoulders back and down, lift chest. Move hips away from bench about one inch. Elbows should be close to body and pointing straight back.

PROPER FORM: Bend elbows and lower body to form a 90º angle.

Straighten elbows to starting position. To increase the challenge: Follow the above instructions, extend legs and place feet on stability ball so that the ball is behind calves or shins.

MODIFICATION: If you experience shoulder discomfort, limit your range of motion to comfort zone.

AVOID: • Shrugging shoulders, • elbows wandering from sides, • hips too far from bench or ball, • arching back or leaning forward during movement.

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Band/External Rotation (Side-Lying Version and Standing Version) MUSCLES WORKED: rotator cuff STARTING POSITION: Attach band to sturdy object. Face object and hold band with left hand. Hold the other end of the band with right hand. Bend left elbow across body to form a 90º angle. Position palm and forearm above the navel. There should be a small space between elbow and hip.

PROPER FORM: Keeping elbow close to side, rotate forearm to 90º or in line with shoulder. OTHER OPTIONS: (Side lying) Lie on side on a bench or floor. Hips should be stacked, head in line with spine, and follow the above instructions. OR stand holding dumbbells, palms facing down, arms bent to form a 90º angle, pivot from elbow to raise dumbbells so palms are facing upward.

MODIFICATION: To decrease the resistance, move closer to the fixed object. Use a lighter band.

AVOID: • Bending the wrist while performing the movement, • elbow pressed against side, • moving band beyond the shoulder.

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Side-Lying (Abduction) MUSCLES WORKED: lateral aspect of the hip/buttocks STARTING POSITION: Lie on floor with hips stacked, legs straight and head in line with spine. Support head with one hand. The other hand should be in front of the chest. Keep abdominals tight and shoulders back and down.

PROPER FORM: Keeping legs straight, raise top leg to shoulder height. Lower leg to starting position.

MODIFICATION: Reduce weight or use the weight of your leg for resistance.

AVOID: • Swinging leg, • lifting above shoulder height, • moving hips forward or backward during the movement.

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Side-Lying (Adduction) MUSCLES WORKED: inner thighs STARTING POSITION: Lie on right side with left leg bent and right leg straight. Support head with right hand. Left hand is in front of chest for support.

PROPER FORM: Keep toes facing forward and foot flexed, raise right leg until parallel to the floor.

MODIFICATION: Reduce weight or use the weight of the leg for resistance.

AVOID: • Lifting leg too high, • arching back, • moving hips forward or backward while performing the movement.

Notes:

88

Ball Squeezes MUSCLES WORKED: inner thighs STARTING POSITION: Lie on back with feet shoulder-width apart and knees bent. Keep abdominals tight, shoulders back and down. Place either a 55cm stability ball or medicine ball in between thighs.

PROPER FORM: Squeeze ball. Hold for 2 seconds, then release.

MODIFICATION: Sit on bench or chair. Keep abdominals tight, shoulders back and down. Lift chest. See directions above.

AVOID: • Shrugging shoulders, • arching back.

Notes:

89

Bridge (Progression with Feet on Ball and With One Leg Elevated) MUSCLES WORKED: back of thighs, buttocks, low back/abdominals STARTING POSITION: Lie on back with feet shoulder-width apart and knees bent at 90ยบ. Feet are flat on the floor. Arms are at sides, palms facing down.

PROPER FORM: Initiate the movement by squeezing butt muscles, then lift hips to form a straight line from knees, hips to shoulders. Hold for two seconds and lower hips without touching the floor. To increase the challenge: Place feet on stability ball so that it is behind calves. Legs should be extended while on ball. To further increase the challenge: Place only one leg on the ball.

Follow the above instructions.

MODIFICATION: Let hips touch the floor on the return.

AVOID: โ ข Lifting the hips too high.

Notes:

90

MODIFIED SIDE PLANK MUSCLES WORKED: Core, hamstrings, buttocks STARTING POSITION: Lie face down on forearms. Place elbows under shoulders and push shoulders down and back. Bend knee slightly. There should be a straight line from head to feet.

PROPER FORM: Tighten abdominal and butt muscles. Lift hips while remaining on knees. To increase the challenge: STEP #1 Extend knees and lift hips off the floor. STEP #2 Place forearms on a stability ball. STEP #3 Extend legs and rise up on toes, feet shoulder-width apart. STEP #4 Lift right leg off floor until thigh is parallel to the ground. There should be a straight line from head to toes. Maintain position for the allotted time. To increase challenge: raise hips off the floor so knee are off the ground.

MODIFICATION: Place forearms on wall or bench.

AVOID: • Hips sagging, • torso moving from side to side, • lifting head.

Notes:

91

Side Plank (Modified Version and Progression with Elbow on Bosu Ball with Abduction) MUSCLES WORKED: hips, shoulders, abdominals, and muscles to the side of the waist.

STARTING POSITION: Lie on side with right elbow under shoulder, left hand on hip, hips stacked. Bend both knees.

PROPER FORM: Tighten abdominal and butt muscles. Lift right hip while remaining on knees. There should be a straight line between shoulders and knees. To increase the challenge: Lie on side, place forearm on Bosu ball, elbow under shoulder. Stack hips and extend knees. Lift hips to form a straight line from shoulder to ankle. Lift top leg. Hold position for the allotted time.

MODIFICATION: Perform exercise on wall or bench.

AVOID: • Hips sagging, • moving torso from side to side, • lifting head.

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Bird Dog MUSCLES WORKED: Abdominals, low back, back of thighs, buttocks STARTING POSITION: Get onto an all fours, hands under shoulders, knees under hips, head in line with spine.

PROPER FORM: Tighten abdominals, extend one leg and the opposite arm so they are parallel to ground. Hold position for the allotted time. Maintain neutral alignment of the neck and spine MODIFICATION: Raise leg or arm, one at a time.

AVOID: • Lifting shoulder and leg too high, • spine twisting side to side.

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The Lean-Back MUSCLES WORKED: Core STARTING POSITION: Sit on floor with toes pointing upward, knees slightly bent and hands on thighs, shoulders back and down. Head should be in a neutral position.

PROPER FORM: Tighten abdominals and lean back slightly for the allotted time.

MODIFICATION: Bend knees to 90º. Don’t lean back too far.

AVOID: • Shrugging shoulders, • looking down.

Notes:

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Stability Ball Tricep Push Up MUSCLES WORKED: back of arms, chest, shoulders, core STARTING POSITION: Get into push-up position with hands on sides of the ball. Tighten abdominals, keep shoulders back and down. Keep head in line with spine.

PROPER FORM: Keeping elbows along your sides, lower chest to an inch from touching the ball. Form a straight line from ear to ankle.

MODIFICATION: Place ball on wall and perform exercise.

AVOID: • Hips from sagging, • elbows wandering from sides, • shrugging shoulders.

Notes:

95

Airex Dumbbell Bicep Curl (On One Leg on Floor Version and Standing on Bosu Ball and Progression One Leg on Bosu) MUSCLES WORKED: front of arms, core STARTING POSITION: Stand on Airex pad with feet shoulder-width apart and knees slightly bent. Tighten abdominals, keep shoulders back and down.

PROPER FORM: With arms at sides, position elbows directly under shoulders. Bend elbows and bring dumbbell toward shoulders. To increase the challenge:Stand on the floor and lift one leg, or stand on Bosu ball and then on one leg on Bosu ball.

MODIFICATION: Perform exercise on floor with both ground.

AVOID: • Shrugging shoulders, • elbows wandering from sides, • arching back or moving torso.

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feet on the

Deadbug MUSCLES WORKED: core STARTING POSITION: Lie on back with feet shoulder-width apart and knees bent. Extend arms directly over chest with palms facing one another.

Raise legs to 90º.

PROPER FORM: Tighten abdominals. Simultaneously extend left leg and lower right arm to the floor.

MODIFICATION: Lower arm or leg, one at a time.

AVOID: • Not tightening abdominals, • arching, • twisting back from side to side while performing the movement.

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Stability Ball Crunch MUSCLES WORKED: Core STARTING POSITION: Lie on back with lower back supported by ball.

Walk feet out and bend knees to 90º. Feet should be shoulder-width apart with toes pointing straight ahead. Hands should support the sides of the head. Chin is up and elbows are out to the sides.

PROPER FORM: Tighten abdominals and lift shoulder blades off ball. Hold for a 2-second count and repeat.

MODIFICATION: Move feet out wider to create a more stable base.

Eliminate the ball.

AVOID: • Tucking chin, • lifting shoulders too high.

Notes:

98

Lateral Tube Walking MUSCLES WORKED: buttocks, side of thighs STARTING POSITION: Place band around ankle. Stand tall with chest lifted and shoulders down and back. Feet should be shoulder-width apart, toes pointing straight ahead.

PROPER FORM: Tighten abdominals, place hands on hips, and take a step to the side with right foot; left foot will follow. Step out for the prescribed amount of steps and then repeat with the left foot.

MODIFICATION: Use a lighter band or walk only a few steps.

AVOID: • Rounding back, • knees buckling inward • feet facing out.

• upper body tilting side to side while moving.

• NOTE: Letting the feet come together will take tension off the muscle.

Notes:

99

Stability Ball Hamstring Curl with Bridge MUSCLES WORKED: core, back of thighs.

STARTING POSITION: Lie on back with heels on top of the ball and legs straight. Place hands by sides with palms facing down. Lift hips to form a straight line between shoulders and feet.

PROPER FORM: Tighten abdominal and butt muscles. Bend knees to bring ball towards you. Knees should be directly above ankles. Extend knees to starting position.

MODIFICATION: Let hips drop before beginning a new repetition.

AVOID: • Shrugging shoulders, • moving torso from side to side while performing movement.

Notes:

100

Bosu Ball Kneel MUSCLES WORKED: Core STARTING POSITION: Kneel on Bosu ball with knees shoulder-width apart. Lift toes and heels from floor. Shoulders are back and down with chest lifted.

PROPER FORM: Tighten abdominals. Keep torso as steady as possible.

Hold for the allotted time.

MODIFICATION: Kneel on Airex pad.

AVOID: • Arching back, • torso moving from side to side.

Notes:

101

Stability Ball Opposite Arm Opposite Leg MUSCLES WORKED: Core, back of thighs, buttocks, shoulders STARTING POSITION: Lie face down over the ball, navel at the center of the ball. Keep abdominals tight, shoulders back and down, and head in line with spine.

PROPER FORM: Raise right leg toward the ceiling while extending left arm out in front of you until both arm and leg are parallel to the ground. Hold for two seconds and repeat or alternate with opposite arm and leg.

MODIFICATION: Perform movement on floor or start by raising your leg or arm, one at a time.

AVOID: • Raising leg and arm above parallel, • lifting head, • moving torso from side to side.

Notes:

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The Hundreds MUSCLES WORKED: core STARTING POSITION: Lie on back with feet shoulder-width apart and knees bent at 90º. Tuck chin slightly to chest. Place hands along side of body with palms facing down. Keep back in neutral alignment.

PROPER FORM: Lift head and shoulders off the floor and raise legs straight in the air. Back should be flat on floor. Inhale and move arms up and down for five breaths, then exhale for five breaths until you reach ten. Arms should move in unison with your breaths. Continue to one hundred breaths or to where you feel comfortable.

MODIFICATION: If you experience neck discomfort, keep head and shoulders down. Keep feet on floor or raise legs to 90º to lessen the intensity of the movement.

AVOID: • Arching back, • twisting torso from side to side, • shrugging shoulders.

Notes:

103

Stability Ball Reverse Back Extension MUSCLES WORKED: back of thighs, low back, buttocks STARTING POSITION: Lie face down with navel on the ball, hands on the ground, feet on the ground, legs straight, and toes pointing up towards shins.

Keep head in line with spine, abdominals tight, shoulders down and back.

PROPER FORM: Keep upper body still, squeeze butt muscles and lift legs until they are parallel to ground. Hold for a two-second count and lower legs to floor. Repeat for the allotted repetitions.

MODIFICATION: Lift only one leg while the other remains on the floor.

Perform on floor without ball.

AVOID: • Shrugging shoulders, • lifting head, • bending knees.

Notes:

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Stability Ball Back Extensions MUSCLES WORKED: Low back STARTING POSITION: Lie face down with navel and lower chest over the ball. Legs are straight. Place fingertips by the side of the head. Tuck chin, keeping head in line with spine.

PROPER FORM: Lift chest off ball bringing shoulders up until body forms a straight line between head, neck, shoulders and back. Hold for a two-second count, return to starting position and repeat. To increase the challenge: Squeeze shoulders together and extend arms out to a 45º angle.

MODIFICATION: Bend knees while performing the movement or keep legs anchored against a wall for support.

AVOID: • Lifting back too high, • raising head.

Notes:

105

Plank/Dumbbell Row MUSCLES WORKED: Core, upper back, front of arms and back of shoulders.

STARTING POSITION: Place two dumbbells on the floor about shoulderwidth apart. Get into push-up/plank position holding dumbbells so palms face one another. Tighten abdominals, keep shoulders down and back, head in line with spine. Form a straight line from shoulders to ankles.

PROPER FORM: Maintaining plank position, squeeze shoulder blades and lift dumbbell until elbow is level or just past the torso. Hold for a two-second count and return to the starting position.

MODIFICATION: Perform row on knees.

AVOID: • Twisting torso while performing movement, • shrugging shoulders, • lifting head.

Notes:

106

One-legged Medicine Ball Reverse Chop MUSCLES WORKED: Legs, core/shoulders STARTING POSITION: Stand on one leg. Extend arms and hold medicine ball with both hands. Hold ball by the outside of left knee. Sit back slightly and bend knee to squat position.

PROPER FORM: Extend knees as you pivot off the ball of left foot. Move head with torso as you rotate hips and shoulders until the ball is over right shoulder. Reverse motion to starting position.

MODIFICATION: Use lighter ball, or without ball. Begin with quarter squat.

AVOID: Rotating torso too quickly, • rounding back as you squat, • using arms to rotate torso.

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Stability Workouts The goal for these workouts is to improve stability and muscular endurance, not strength!

• Choose a weight with which you can complete 15 repetitions. If at anytime you are having trouble maintaining balance or proper posture STOP and choose an easier exercise or workout.

• You will progress by performing a more challenging stability/balance workout, NOT by increasing your weights.

• If you have been following a strength training program for a couple of months, but not accustomed to exercising on an unstable surface, start with the intermediate workouts and work on the balance key. If you’re familiar and have experience with some of the below exercises, you may choose the intermediate or advanced workouts. (*) Practice Overhead Squat on a stable surface (feet on ground) until you’re comfortable, before moving to the Airex Pad Squat.

Beginner 1 Exercise Reps Sets Rest  Ys 15 1 15 sec  Ts 15 1 15 sec  Band External Rotation 15 1 15 sec  Body Weight Airex Pad Squat (*) 15 1 15 sec  Band Standing Chest Press 15 1 15 sec  Band Standing Row 15 2 15sec  Band Standing Shoulder Press 15 1 15 sec  Stability Ball Bicep Curl 15 1 15 sec  Bench Dips (knees bent) 15 1 15 sec  Side Lying (abduction) 15 1 15 sec  Side Lying (adduction) 15 1 15 sec  Bridge 10-15 1 15 sec  Bent Knee Plank 10 sec. hold 1 15 sec  Bent Knee Side Plank 10 sec. hold 1 15 sec  Bird Dog 10-15 1 15 sec  Lean Back 10 sec. hold 1 15sec

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Beginner 2 Exercise Reps Sets Rest  Ys 15 1 15 sec  Ts 15 1 15 sec  Band External Rotation 15 1 15 sec  Body Wt. Stability Ball 1-Legged Squat 15 1 15 sec  Bench Pushup until fatigued  Airex Pad Band Row 15 1 15 sec  Stability Ball Dumbbell 15 1 15 sec

Shoulder Press  Stability Ball Tricep Pushup until fatigued  Airex Pad Dumbbell Bicep Curls 15 1 15 sec  Modified Plank 10 sec. hold 1 15 sec  Modified Side Plank 10 sec. hold 1 15 sec  Bird Dog 15 1 15 sec  Lean Back 10 sec. hold 1 15 sec  Dead Bug 15 1 15 sec  Side Lying (abduction) 15 1 15 sec  Side Lying (adduction) 15 1 15 sec Intermediate 1 If time allows, take a 1-2 minute break and repeat the circuit.

Exercise Reps Sets Rest  Ys 15 1 15 sec  Ts 15 1 15 sec  Side Lying External Rotation 15 1 15 sec  Step Up to Balance 15 1 15sec  Stability Ball Dumbbell Chest Press 15 1 15 sec  Bosu Ball Squat 15 1 15sec  1-Legged Band Row 15 2 15 sec  Stability Ball Hamstring Curl 15 1 15 sec

with Bridge  1-Legged Dumbbell Shoulder Press 15 1 15 sec  Tricep Pushup until fatigued  1-Legged Dumbbell Bicep Curl 15 1 15 sec  Dead Bug 15 1 15 sec  Stability Ball Crunch 15 1 15 sec  Plank 10 sec. hold 1 15 sec  Side Plank 10 sec. hold 1 15sec  Lateral Tube Walking 15 1 15 sec 109

Exercise Reps Sets Rest  Bridge (feet on Stability Ball) 15 1 15 sec  Bird Dog 15 1 15 sec Intermediate 2 If time allows, take a 1-2 minute break and repeat the circuit.

Exercise Reps Sets Rest  Ys 15 1 15 sec  Ts 15 1 15 sec  Standing external rotation w/dumbbells 15 1 15 sec  Walking Lunge to Balance 15 1 15 sec  1-Legged Band Chest Press 15 1 15 sec  1-Legged Squat 15 1 15 sec  1-Legged Band Row 15 2 15 sec  1-Legged Dead Lift 15 1 15 sec  Bosu Ball Dumbbell Shoulder Press 15 1 15 sec  Bosu Ball Dumbbell Bicep Curl 15 1 15 sec  Bench Dips (straight legs) 15 1 15 sec  Plank 10 sec. hold 1 15 sec  Bosu Ball Kneel 10 sec. hold 1 15 sec  Side Plank 10 sec. hold 1 15 sec  Stability Ball Opposite Arm/Leg 15 1 15 sec  Lateral Tube Walking 15 steps 1 15 sec  The Hundreds 15 1 15 sec  Stability Ball Reverse Back Extensions 15 1 15 sec Advanced If time allows, take 1-2 minute break and repeat the circuit.

Exercise Reps Sets Rest  Ys 15 1 15 sec  Ts 15 1 15 sec  Standing External Rotation 15 1  Bosu ball 1-Legged Squat 15 1  Plank/Dumbbell Row 15 2  Stationary Lunge (back foot 15 1 15 sec

elevated on Bosu ball)  Push Up (hands on Stability Ball) until fatigued 1  Bosu Ball Step Up with knee flexion 15 1  Bosu Ball 1-Legged Dumbbell 15 1

Shoulder Press  Dips on Stability ball 15 1 110

Exercise Reps Sets Rest  Bosu ball 1-Legged Dumbbell 15 1

Bicep Curl  1-Legged Bridge 15 1  Plank (elbows on Stability Ball/ 20 sec. hold 1

with hip extension  Side Plank (elbows on 20 sec. hold 1

Bosu Ball)/hip abduction  One-Legged Medicine Ball Chop 10-15 1

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The Muscle Building/ Strength Key If you’re experiencing discomfort when you exercise – specifically cardiovascular exercise ­– the treadmill or bike might not be at fault. Most people have it wrong when they put the blame on running or biking for their knee or back pain when it’s their muscular system that’s not conditioned. You need strength around the supporting muscles to help ward off injury whether you’re performing cardiovascular exercise or a bench press or squat.

Strength is the ability to produce force and is the most natural medicine that we have! In most cases the larger the muscle the stronger we are. So how do we get strong and increase the size of our muscles? Research shows that men and women of all ages who participate in a regular strength-training program can increase their muscle and strength.

Strength, the granddaddy of all of our Keys, is where we start to challenge ourselves. Whether you’re hefting 8 lbs or 500 lbs, the last couple of reps must be challenging. At the end of a set ask yourself, was that easy? Were the last couple of repetitions a challenge? When the answer is ‘easy’ you know it’s time to increase the weight. Other than genetics, the major factors in increasing muscle and strength are 1) giving your body a challenge that it’s not accustomed to (the overload principle) and 2) training consistently.

Did you ever hear the saying “insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result”? Well, this statement certainly can be applied to the fitness area. So get off the training treadmill of old ideas, make sure to follow the overload principle and do what most fitness enthusiasts don’t do – increase the weight when the exercise is no longer a challenge.

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The majority of us are exercising, yet most fitness enthusiasts seem to be going about it the wrong way. Perhaps it’s because there is so much information out there these days that people don’t know who or what to listen to. Very likely it’s because their workout schedule is not consistent: One week they go to the gym three times, the next week two times and the following week one day or they skip the gym all together! This scenario is a set up for disaster and eventually will lead to dropping out altogether.

Keep in mind that if we don’t strength-train on a regular basis we all lose about half a pound of muscle per year after the age of thirty and about 12-14% of strength per decade after the age of fifty. This decline can be stopped or at least prolonged if you maintain a regular training schedule.

I suggest you keep a log of all your training sessions. This will help you see your progress or can be an eye opener for you to make some changes in your program. Another good idea to maintain consistency is to train with a friend. This way you’ll have someone to hold you accountable and to push you to complete those last couple of repetitions.

Here’s what strong muscles can do for you: strong thighs help stabilize your knees, core strength protects your back, and they both contribute to your balance, not to mention the obvious, which is to help your overall movement and, in turn, your quality of life. Strong mid-back muscles show in your good posture.

As for weight control, did you know that muscle is an active tissue? An increase in strength, which usually means an increase in muscle tissue, could increase your resting metabolism and help you burn more calories 24/7.

You mustn’t think it’s inevitable to acquire a potbelly, a lot of loose skin, and a nurse to help you survive old age. I’m just kidding (well, a little bit).

Seriously, change the picture, undo bad habits, and start challenging yourself with regularity.

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Muscle Building/ Strength Exercises Dumbbell Squat MUSCLES WORKED: Legs/Buttock STARTING POSITION: Stand with feet shoulder width apart, toes pointing straight ahead or slightly outward. Hold dumbbells in front of you so palms face one another. Looking straight, keep abdominals tight, lift chest up, make sure shoulders are down and back.

PROPER FORM: Push hip back as if sitting in a chair and then bend knees until upper thighs are parallel to the ground. Stand up and exhale, pushing through heels and squeezing your butt muscles until your knees are just short of being straight.

MODIFICATION: If you experience low back discomfort, • perform squat with back against a wall or a stability ball. If you experience knee pain, • bend knees slightly to work within comfort zone.

AVOID: • Moving knees beyond toes, • knees buckling inward, • back rounding.

Notes:

114

Plié Squat MUSCLES WORKED: Legs/Buttock STARTING POSITION: Stand with feet wider than shoulder width apart, toes pointing slightly outward. Hold dumbbell in front of thighs. Looking straight, keep abdominals tight, lift chest up, shoulders are down and back.

PROPER FORM: Keep back straight, and bend knees until upper thighs are parallel to the ground.

MODIFICATION: If you experience low back discomfort, • perform Plié Squat with back against wall, or on stability ball.

• If you experience knee pain, bend knees slightly and work within your comfort zone.

AVOID: • Moving knees beyond the toes, • knees buckling inward, • back rounding.

115

Alternating Lunge MUSCLES WORKED: Legs/Buttock STARTING POSITION: Stand with feet shoulder width apart, toes pointing straight ahead. Hold dumbbells in front of you so palms are facing one another.

Looking straight, keep abdominals tight, chest up, shoulders are down and back.

PROPER FORM: Take a long step forward (about two feet) with your right foot and bend knees so the top of your right thigh is parallel to the ground and your back knee is just short of touching the ground. Push back through your front heel to starting position.

MODIFICATION: Do the stationery lunge! If you experience back discomfort, • perform lunge with back against wall or stability ball.

• Elevate your back heel against wall and lower your body straight down as front knee bends. If you experience knee pain, • bend knees slightly and work within your comfort zone.

AVOID: • Moving knees beyond the toes, • knees buckling in or away from the toes, • back knee touching the ground, back rounding.

Notes:

116

Side Lunge STARTING POSITION: Stand with feet shoulder width apart, toes pointing straight ahead. Hold dumbbells in front of your body so palms are facing one another. Looking straight, keep abdominals tight, chest up, shoulders are down and back.

PROPER FORM: Step out to the side with toe slightly outward, bend right knee as left leg remains straight. Push back from your right heel to starting position. Complete the required number of repetitions or, for a time efficient set, you can alternate legs.

MODIFICATION: • Take a smaller step out to the side. If you experience knee discomfort, • bend knees slightly and work within your comfort zone.

AVOID: • Twisting or rounding back, • knee going over toes, • knee buckling in or away from toes.

Notes:

117

Lateral Step-Ups MUSCLES WORKED: legs, butt STARTING POSITION: Stand sideways facing a step with feet shoulder width apart. Place one or two risers under step, based on your experience.

Hold dumbbells at your sides with palms facing one another. Abdominals are tight, chest is lifted, shoulders are down and back.

PROPER FORM: Step up on step with right foot as left foot taps the edge of the step. Step back down with right foot to starting position. Finish reps and repeat with other leg.

MODIFICATION: • Lower the step height if you experience knee or back discomfort.

AVOID: • Rounding or twisting back, • knee buckling in or away from toe, • moving knee beyond the toe.

Notes:

118

Stiff-Legged Dead Lift MUSCLES WORKED: Hamstrings, Glutes, Low back STARTING POSITION: Feet shoulder-width apart, toes pointing straight ahead. Bend knees slightly. Hold dumbbells close body with palms facing thighs. Keep abdominals tight. Shoulders are down and back looking straight ahead.

PROPER FORM: Bend forward from the hip while pushing buttock to the rear. Lower dumbbells to mid-shin or within your comfort zone. Push up through heels to starting position.

MODIFICATION: If you experience low back discomfort, • limit range of motion to knee level • or skip exercise.

AVOID: • rounding back, • bending or straightening knees throughout the movement, • allowing dumbbells to stray from body.

Notes:

119

Flat Dumbbell Chest Press MUSCLES WORKED: Chest, shoulders, triceps STARTING POSITION: Lie on back with dumbbells above your chest and your feet flat on the floor. Keep abdominals tight; shoulders are down and back; and hips are in contact with bench.

PROPER FORM: Keeping shoulder blades together, lower dumbbells so your elbow and shoulder form one line. Lift dumbbells in arching motion until your elbows are almost straight to starting position.

MODIFICATION: If you experience shoulder discomfort, • instead of palms facing away from each other, • turn palms so they are facing one another, and • press until elbows are almost straight.

AVOID: • raising head, shoulders, hips, or • arching back throughout the movement.

• letting the dumbbells touch at the top of the movement.

Notes:

120

Push-Ups MUSCLES WORKED: Chest, Shoulders/Triceps STARTING POSITION: Place hands and feet a little wider than shoulderwidth apart. Form a straight line from your head to feet. Keep abdominals tight. Shoulders are down and back.

PROPER FORM: Lower chest to floor as elbows bend until your chest is about an inch or two from touching the floor. Extend elbows and push back to the starting position.

MODIFICATION: • Perform on knees or preferably with hands on a bench.

• Try doing exercise on knuckles in the event of wrist discomfort.

AVOID: • Hips from dropping, or • low back arching.

• Looking up or leading with head, • shrugging shoulders

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Dumbbell Bent-Over Row MUSCLES WORKED: Upper back, back of shoulders, arms, and core.

STARTING POSITION: Hold dumbbells toward the outside of thighs with palms facing one another. Bend knees slightly and bend forward from the hip until your back is just above parallel to the ground. Abdominals are tight, shoulders are down and back. Head should be in line with spine.

PROPER FORM: Pinch shoulder blades together, keeping elbows close to sides; lift dumbbells until elbows are just even or just above the level of your back.

MODIFICATION: If you experience low back discomfort, • try the one-armed row with knee on bench.

AVOID: • shrugging shoulders as you lift dumbbells, • rounding back, • changing position of back from starting position, • locking knees, or • looking up anytime during the movement.

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One-Armed Rows MUSCLES WORKED: Upper back, back of shoulder/biceps STARTING POSITION: Place right knee on bench or chair and right hand under right shoulder. Head is in line with spine, abdominals are tight. Back is parallel to ground or slightly above. Left leg is slightly bent on floor. Hold dumbbell with left hand slightly forward from shoulder.

PROPER FORM: Keeping left elbow close to sides, initiate movement by squeezing shoulder blades; then bend elbow until dumbbell is even or slightly above your back. Extend elbow to starting position.

MODIFICATION: • lower weight, and • work within a comfortable range of motion.

AVOID: • shrugging shoulders, • rounding back, • changing position of back throughout the movement, • elbow wandering from side.

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Standing Dumbbell Shoulder Press MUSCLES WORKED: Shoulders/triceps/abdominals

Key(s): Strength/Stability STARTING POSITION: Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent. Abdominals are tight, shoulders are down and back. Raise dumbbells so elbow and shoulder form a right angle. Dumbbells should be toward outside of shoulders.

PROPER FORM: Raise dumbbells up and slightly forward (not directly overhead). You should be able to see the dumbbells when in the extended position until elbows are just short of locked out. Lower dumbbells to starting position.

MODIFICATION: If you experience shoulder discomfort, • turn palms toward each other, • do exercise in seated position for low back support.

AVOID: • shrugging shoulders, • arching back when lifting, • clicking dumbbells at top of the movement, • raising dumbbells straight overhead.

Notes:

124

Dumbbell Bicep Curl MUSCLES WORKED: Biceps STARTING POSITION: Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, bend knees slightly; abdominals are tight. Shoulders are down and back. Arms are extended, facing the side of thighs with palms up.

PROPER FORM: Keep elbows in toward your sides and under shoulders.

Raise dumbbell toward shoulders.

MODIFICATION: If you experience low back pain, • perform movement in a seated position, or • place back up against a wall for support.

AVOID: • Raising shoulder during the movement, • swinging upper body, • elbows wandering from sides.

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Bench Dips MUSCLES WORKED: Chest, shoulders, triceps STARTING POSITION: Sit on bench or chair. Place hands just outside thighs and walk hips about an inch away from bench. While on heels, extend legs. Abdominals are tight, shoulder are back and down. Elbows should be close to sides and pointing straight back to the rear.

PROPER FORM: Bend elbows and lower until elbow and shoulder form one line. Extend elbows until just short of lock out.

MODIFICATION: • Bend knees, to decrease the difficulty of movement.

• If you experience shoulder discomfort, limit range of motion to comfort level.

AVOID: • shrugging shoulders, • hips too far from bench, • elbows wandering away from sides, • dipping down too far, • skip exercise.

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Tricep Push-Up MUSCLES WORKED: Triceps, chest, shoulders STARTING POSITION: Place hands shoulder width on floor. Extend legs and position feet shoulder width apart. Form a straight line from head to feet.

Abdominals are tight, shoulders are back and down. Arms are straight.

PROPER FORM: Lower chest to floor by bending elbows until chest is an inch or two from the ground or your comfort zone.

MODIFICATION: • push up off wall, • kneeling on ground, or • preferably hands on bench.

AVOID: • hips dropping or sagging, • shrugging shoulders, • elbows wandering from sides, • looking up or leading with the head.

Notes:

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Reverse Crunch MUSCLES WORKED: Core STARTING POSITION: Lie on back, raise legs to form a 90º angle. Head and shoulders are down, with tight abdominals. Hands are along side of body with palms down.

PROPER FORM: Raise hips and buttocks as you bring knees toward chest.

MODIFICATION: • Use hands to help lift hips.

AVOID: • using momentum to raise hips, • low back coming off floor, • shoulders and head lifting from floor

Notes:

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Bicycles MUSCLES WORKED: Core STARTING POSITION: Lie on back with hands supporting the side of your head. Raise legs to 90º angle. Keep abdominals tight.

PROPER FORM: Lead movement with shoulders as you bring opposite elbow and knee toward one another while other leg extends.

AVOID: • Clasping hands behind head, • pulling on head, • twisting head from side to side, • elbows touching knee.

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Supermans MUSCLES WORKED: low back, back of thighs and butt.

STARTING POSITION: Lie face down with arms and legs extended. Head in line with spine and chin tucked.

PROPER FORM: Simultaneously raise upper and lower body off floor until both arms and legs are parallel to ground. Hold for 2 seconds and return to the starting position.

MODIFICATION: • Don’t lift as high, • alternate lifting opposite arm and leg.

AVOID: • Raising head during the movement, • lifting arms and legs too high, • bending knees during movement.

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Back Extensions MUSCLES WORKED: Low back STARTING POSITION: Lie face down on mat. Place hands behind head close to ears with elbows pointing to sides. Keep head in line with spine and chin tucked.

PROPER FORM: Keep butt muscles tight and raise upper body off floor to a 45º angle or to comfort zone. Hold position for 2 seconds and return to starting position.

MODIFICATION: • Place hands along side of body with palms facing down.

AVOID: • Lifting head or bending knees during the movement, • lifting body too high.

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Ys MUSCLES WORKED: shoulders, rotator cuff, upper back and core in standing position.

STARTING POSITION: This exercise is to be done with a light weight.

Stand with feet shoulder-width apart. Bend knees slightly and bend over at the hip until back is flat or just above parallel to the ground. Head should be in line with spine.

PROPER FORM: Push shoulders down and back. With thumbs up, raise arms out at an angle to form the letter Y. MODIFICATION: • Perform exercise with no weight.

• Stand straight instead of bent over, or • lie face down on an incline bench.

AVOID: • Standing with straight legs, • lifting the head or rounding the back, • bending elbows or shrugging shoulders during movement.

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Ts MUSCLES WORKED: Shoulders, rotator cuff, upper back and core when standing.

Key(s): Strength and Stability STARTING POSITION: This exercise is to be done with a light weight.

Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, bend knees slightly and bend over at the hip until back is flat or just above parallel to floor. Head should be in line with spine.

PROPER FORM: Push shoulder down and back. With thumbs up, raise arms out to sides to form the letter T. MODIFICATION: • Perform exercise with no weight.

• Stand straight instead of bent over, or • lie face down on an incline bench.

AVOID: • Standing with straight legs, • lifting head or rounding back, • bending elbows or shrugging shoulders during movement.

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Crunch with Alternating Knee STARTING POSITION: Lie on back with knees bent and hands supporting head. Elbows are pointing out to sides and chin is up. Keep Abdominals tight.

PROPER FORM: Raise shoulders off the floor about an inch and simultaneously lift right knee toward chest. Hold for one second and repeat with left knee. Continue alternating knees.

AVOID: • Looking down, or • pulling on head, • elbows facing forward.

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Dumbbell Bent-Over Row/Dead Lift MUSCLES WORKED: Upper and lower back, arms, back of thighs, butt and core.

STARTING POSITION: Stand with palms facing thighs; feet are shoulderwidth apart and knees slightly bent. Abdominals are tight. Shoulders are back and down.

PROPER FORM: Bend from the hip until back is flat or just above parallel to the ground. Squeeze blades together, bend elbows and raise dumbbells toward your sides. Hold for 1 second. Straighten elbows and then raise body to starting position. NOTE: That is 1 rep!

MODIFICATION: • Shorten range of motion so dumbbells are level with knees.

• Use a lighter weight.

AVOID: • Rounding back, • lifting head, • shrugging shoulders, • bending and straightening knees while lifting.

• letting the dumbbells to stray from body as you bend over.

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Push-Up to Knee Tuck MUSCLES WORKED: Chest, shoulders, arms, core and back of thighs.

Key(s): (Strength and Stability STARTING POSITION: Place hands a bit wider than Shoulder-width apart and elevate feet on top of the stability ball until shins are resting comfortably on ball. Your body should form a straight line from head to feet. Abdominals are tight. Shoulders are back and down.

PROPER FORM: Bend elbows and lower in to push-up position until chest is an inch or 2 from touching the floor. As you come up from the push-up, bend knees and bring ball toward your chest.

MODIFICATION: • Limit range of motion on the push-up.

• Perform either the push-up or knee tuck independent of one another.

AVOID: • Looking up or leading with head, • dropping hips or arching back while performing push-ups.

Notes:

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Lunge to One-Arm Shoulder Press STARTING POSITION: Hold dumbbell in right hand at a 90º angle.

Shoulders are down and back with abdominals tight. Take a step forward with your right foot so your left foot is lined up behind your right heel.

Left heel should be elevated.

PROPER FORM: Lower body straight down and bend both knees until your right thigh is parallel to the ground and your left knee is an inch from touching the floor. Simultaneously lift dumbbell overhead as you extend knees. Bring dumbbell to starting position and repeat.

MODIFICATION: If you experience knee discomfort • hold on to sturdy object for balance, • limit range of motion to comfort zone.

• Simulate without weight until you are familiar with the movement.

AVOID: • Rounding low back, • front knee extending past toes, • front knee bucking inward, • shrugging shoulders, • upper body moving forward during movement.

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Squat/Dumbbell Press MUSCLES WORKED: Legs, butt, shoulders, and core STARTING POSITION: Stand with feet shoulder-width apart while holding dumbbells at 90º. Abdominals tight, shoulders are back and down.

PROPER FORM: Drop hips back and then bend knees into squat position until thighs are parallel to the ground. Simultaneously extend knees and press dumbbells overhead. Lower dumbbells back to 90ºdegrees, then repeat exercise.

MODIFICATION: If you experience knee discomfort, • limit range of motion • Rotate palms so they are facing each other.

AVOID: • Bouncing at the bottom of the squat, • rounding back, • knees extending past toes or buckling inward, • shrugging shoulders as you lift dumbbells.

Notes:

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Squat to Overhead Tricep Extension MUSCLES WORKED: legs, butt, triceps/back of arms and core.

STARTING POSITION: Stand with feet shoulder-width apart. Raise dumbbell overhead. Abdominals are tight, shoulders are back and down.

PROPER FORM: Drop hips back, then bend knees until thighs are parallel to the ground, while bending elbows to form 90º angle. Simultaneously straighten knees and elbows to return to starting position.

MODIFICATION: If you experience knee discomfort • limit range of motion AVOID: • bouncing at the bottom of the squat, • rounding back, • knees extending beyond toes, • knees buckling inward.

Notes:

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Alternating Lunge/Bicep Curl MUSCLES WORKED: Legs, butt biceps, core STARTING POSITION: Stand with feet shoulder-width apart. Hold dumbbells so hands are facing the outside of thighs. Elbows should be directly under the shoulders. Abdominals are tight, shoulders are down and back. Take a long step forward, and bend both knees while simultaneously lifting dumbbells toward your shoulders.

PROPER FORM: Take a long step forward with your right leg and bend both knees to 90º while simultaneously lifting dumbbells toward your shoulders. Push back from the front heel, extend elbows to starting position. Repeat with left leg.

MODIFICATION: If you experience knee discomfort, • limit range of motion • do not alternate legs • try a stationery lunge with curl.

AVOID: • Back rounding, • elbows moving away from side, • knee extending past toes, • knees buckling inward, • back knee touching the floor.

Notes:

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Bicep Curl to Step-Up MUSCLES WORKED: Legs, butt, core, biceps STARTING POSITION: Stand with feet shoulder-width. Hold dumbbells toward the outside of thighs. Abdominals are tight, shoulders are back and down.

PROPER FORM: Step up on a step or bench with your left foot, then right foot as you simultaneously bring dumbbells up toward shoulder.

(The step height is based on your experience: the higher the step the more challenging the exercise.) Step off bench with right foot, then the left, at the same time lowering dumbbells to starting position. Repeat with right leg.

MODIFICATION: • Lower the step height AVOID: • rounding back, • shrugging shoulders, • elbows moving away from sides, • allowing knees to extend past toes, • knees buckling inward.

Notes:

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Hand Step-Ups MUSCLES WORKED: Core STARTING POSITION: Place hands shoulder-width apart on a low exercise step. Extend legs so knees are straight. Keep head in line with spine, shoulders back and down, and tighten abdominals. Form a straight line between shoulders and ankles.

PROPER FORM: Keeping one hand on the step, lower the other hand to floor and then place hand back on the step for Rep # 1. Repeat with other hand.

To increase the challenge: Increase the height of the step. This can be done by putting a riser under the step.

MODIFICATION: Reduce the height of the step.

AVOID: • Twisting the torso while performing the movement, • looking up, • shrugging the shoulders.

Notes:

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Lateral Plank Crawl MUSCLES WORKED: Core STARTING POSITION: Place hands shoulder-width apart on bench or exercise step. Extend knees so legs are straight. Keep head in line with spine, abdominals tight, shoulders back and down.

PROPER FORM: Move one hand about an inch to the side and return to the starting position. Repeat with other hand.

MODIFICATION: Do not move hand out too far from the starting position.

AVOID: • Twisting torso while performing the movement, • looking up, • shrugging shoulders

Notes:

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Medicine Ball Reverse Chop MUSCLES WORKED: Legs, core/shoulders STARTING POSITION: Stand with both legs apart. Extend arms and hold medicine ball with both hands. Hold ball by the outside of left knee. Sit back slightly and bend knees to squat position.

PROPER FORM: Extend knees as you pivot off the ball of left foot. Move head with torso as you rotate hips and shoulders until the ball is over right shoulder. Reverse motion to starting position.

MODIFICATION: Use lighter ball, or without ball. Begin with quarter squat.

AVOID: Rotating torso too quickly, • rounding back as you squat, • using arms to rotate torso.

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Muscle Building/ Strength Workouts • Pick a weight that you can lift for 8-12 repetitions with good form.

• Perform each exercise as a superset, alternating between an upper and lower body exercise.

• Rest for 1 minute and then repeat superset for a second set.

• Perform 1 set of Y/T’S before starting your workout.

Example: Dumbbell Squat to Dumbbell Chest Press Rest for 1minute then repeat.

Rest for 1 minute before moving on to the next superset.

Exercise Reps Sets  Superset:Dumbbell Squat/ Dumbbell 8-12 2

Chest Press (on flat bench)  Superset:Alternating Lunge/ 8-12 2

Bent-over Row 2  Superset:Stiff-legged Dead Lift/ 8-12 2

Standing Dumbbell Shoulder Press  Superset:Dumbbell Bicep Curl/ 8-12 1 Bench Dips  Side-Lying External Rotation 8-12 2  Reverse Crunch 10-15 2  Bicycles 10-15 2  Crunch w/Leg raise 10-15 2  Supermans 10-15 2  Back Extensions Off Bench 10-15 2  Abdominal step up 10-15 2  Lateral crawl 10-15 2  Medicine ball reverse chop 10-15 2

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Strength/Time Set Exercises Except for the first two exercises, which are not timed, do as many reps as you can of each superset for 45 seconds.

Example: Perform Side Lunge and One-arm Dumbbell Rows for 45 seconds.

Rest for a minute and then repeat.

Rest for another minute before moving on to the next superset.

Exercise Time Sets  Y’s 8-12 reps 2  T’s 8-12 reps 2  Side Lunge/ One-arm Dumbbell rows 45 secs 2  Plié Squat/ Push Ups 45 secs 2  Lateral Step Up/ Standing Alternating 45 sec 2

Dumbbell Shoulder Press  Tricep Push Up/ Hammer Curl 45 sec 1

w. Dumbbells 45 sec  Supermans 30 secs 2  Crunch with Alternating Knee 30 secs 2  Dynamic Side Plank 30 secs 2  Plank with Foot Elevated 30 secs 2  Back Extension off Bench 30 secs 2

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Strength/Endurance Circuit Combos/Intervals • Pick a weight that allows you to complete at least 8 repetitions but not more than 12.

• Rest 15 seconds between exercises.

• Once you complete a circuit, rest for one minute and repeat the circuit for a 2nd set.

Exercise Reps Sets  Side Lying External Rotation 8-12 1  Y’s 8-12 1  T’s 8-12 1  Bent Over Row to Dead Lift 8-12 1  Mountain Climbers 30 secs 1  Push Up to Hamstring Curl 8-12 1  Burpees 30 secs 1  Lunge to 1-Arm Shoulder Press 8-12 1  Jumping Jacks 30 secs 1  Squat to Overhead Triceps Extension 8-12 1  Jump Rope 30 secs 1  Bicep Curl to Step Up 8-12 1

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Strength/Stability Supersets • Pick a weight that you can lift for 8-12 repetitions with good form.

• Perform each exercise as a superset alternating between a strength and a stability exercise. If needed, take 15 seconds between exercises.

• Rest for a minute, then repeat superset for a second set.

• In order to maintain proper form, reduce your weight for the stability leg, chest and shoulder exercise. The back stability will be performed with the band.

• Do a set of Y/T’S for 8-12reps before beginning the workout.

Exercise Reps Sets  Superset: Dumbbell Squat/One legged squat 8-12 2  Superset: Bent over Row/ One legged band Row 8-12 2  Superset: Flat Dumbbell Chest Press/

Stability Ball Dumbbell Chest Press 8-12 2  Superset: Dumbbell Shoulder Press/ Seated Stability ball shoulder press 8-12 2  Superset: Hand walks/Front Planks 30 sec  Superset: Back Extensions/ Bird Dog hold for 7seconds per side 8-12 2

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The Power Key Before we can develop this valuable Fitness Key called Power, we need strength. Strength is the ability of a muscle to produce force, and power is the ability to create that same force but at a faster rate, any time life requires it.

You can’t create a force quickly if you don’t have enough strength to produce it. So power is really a combination of the two. Makes sense, doesn’t it?

Traditional strength programs just don’t put enough emphasis on power training or lifting weights at increased speeds out of fear of injury. But the opposite might well be true. If real life requires us to move and do things quickly, and our body isn’t accustomed to moving at a fast pace, well, then, yes, that’s when injuries can occur.

Just about every sport or real life movement requires power. Have you ever had to get up from a chair really fast or jump out of the way of something to avoid a potential accident? Do we get out of a chair in slow motion? Almost never, right? We usually stand up quickly unless we don’t have the strength.

Want to maximize calories burned during a workout to encourage weight loss? Performing compound and combination exercises at a fast pace in a circuit fashion will certainly increase your heart rate big time leading to more calories burned during and after the workout.

What about an athlete? Have you ever seen a lineman move slowly to avoid a tackle? Not unless he wants to get knocked down! The basketball player is constantly jumping to block passes or even to shoot. What about good recreational tennis players or golfers? Notice how fast their racquet or club accelerates through their contact zone! Tennis players swing quickly to hit the ball hard or in the golfer’s case, to hit the ball a good distance because they are able to generate a lot of power. Make power training a priority, and you will see a big improvement in just about any sport you play.

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In addition to enhancing sports performance, power also affects certain occupations or real life situations, such as the policeman who may have to hop over obstacles to catch an assailant, or someone who may have to sprint to catch the bus before it pulls away. Okay, I know the majority of you can relate to this example: How about having the ability to react and provide adequate force to avoid a fall, like slipping on a puddle and being able to recover. You need power to accomplish such tasks.

Yet the average fitness enthusiast isn’t really incorporating this very important part of fitness into their workouts. I occasionally see people in the gym working on power, but it’s usually done with improper form or they haven’t built enough overall strength or stability to avoid injury.

Examples of training for power can be as simple as performing a typical exercise at a faster speed, such as getting up from a chair quickly (squat) or performing lunges at a faster pace, leaving the ground while doing a push up, throwing a ball overhead quickly, or jumping on and off a platform. Power training is not just for athletes. Everyone needs to train for power. Don’t be afraid of fast speeds; just make sure you have completed the Stability and Strength Keys before you try this exciting and valuable form of training.

Power not worked on fades with age! Yes, power, more so than lack of strength, can determine whether you spend your retirement years in the “Sunshine State” playing tennis or in a nursing home. So make sure power training is part of your fitness program. The payoff will be a fit, more powerful you.

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Power Exercises Strongly suggested: All lower body exercises should be performed on a soft surface.

Jump Squats Muscles worked: Legs, core, heart STARTING POSITION: Stand with feet shoulder-width apart. Abdominals are tight; shoulders are down and back. Place hands at the sides of the head.

PROPER FORM: Drop hips back and then bend knees until thighs are parallel to the ground. Jump up quickly and land with knees bent, with good posture.

MODIFICATION: Do quarter squats (don’t go down to parallel) or skip this exercise if you have history of knee problems.

AVOID: • Rounding back, • shrugging shoulders, • looking down, • knees buckling inward, • knees extending past toes upon landing.

Notes:

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Jump lunge Muscles worked: Legs, core, heart, buttocks STARTING POSITION: Take a long step forward with right leg. The heel of left leg is elevated. Keep abdominals tight, chest up, and shoulders back and down. Hips are under shoulders.

PROPER FORM: From the lunge position, drop hips straight down until right thigh is parallel to the ground and back knee almost touches the ground.

Hold position for a second and jump up using hips and legs so left foot is in front and right knee is almost touching the ground. Alternate legs at a fast pace.

MODIFICATION: Perform movement at a slower pace. Bend knee slightly if you experience knee discomfort, OR eliminate the jump.

AVOID: • Knee extending past toes, • rounding back, • knees buckling inward upon landing.

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Box Jump-Down Muscles worked: Legs, core, heart, buttocks Key(s): stabilization/power STARTING POSITION: Stand on box or platform with feet shoulder-width apart. Keep abdominals tight, chest up and shoulders back and down. Adjust the height of the step according to your fitness level.

PROPER FORM: Using arms, jump off box with knees pointing straight ahead. Knees should be over toes, not beyond. Try to land quietly and hold position for two seconds. Repeat for the allotted number of repetitions.

MODIFICATION: Decrease the height of the step. Skip exercise if you experience knee discomfort.

AVOID: • Knees buckling inward, • rounding back upon landing.

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Box Jump-Up Muscles worked: Legs, core, heart, buttocks Also Stability Key STARTING POSITION: Stand in front of a box or platform with feet shoulder-width apart. Tighten abdominals, lift chest up and keep shoulders down and back. Adjust height of box according to your fitness level.

PROPER FORM: Using arms, jump up and land on the box. Keep knees and toes pointing straight ahead. Hold for two seconds, step down and repeat for the allotted number of repetitions. To increase challenge, do not pause at the top of the box, and jump down instead of stepping down.

MODIFICATION: Lower height of box or platform. Skip exercise if you experience knee discomfort.

AVOID: • Knees buckling inward, • rounding back upon landing.

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Bosu/Lateral Jump Squats Muscles worked: Legs, core, heart, buttocks Also Stability Key STARTING POSITION: Stand to the side of a Bosu ball with feet shoulderwidth apart. Keep abdominals tight, lift chest up, shoulders back and down.

PROPER FORM: Using arms, jump up and land with knees following toes.

Try to hold position for two seconds upon landing. Step off Bosu ball and repeat for the allotted number of repetitions. To increase challenge, jump off Bosu ball instead of stepping off.

MODIFICATION: Jump on a stable platform or use the Airex cushion for more stability.

AVOID: • Knees buckling inward, • back rounding upon landing.

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Bench Plyo Push-Ups Muscles worked: Legs, core, heart, chest, shoulders, arms STARTING POSITION: Place hands shoulder-width apart on a bench and assume push-up position. Form a straight line from head to feet. Tighten abdominals, shoulders are down.

PROPER FORM: Bend elbows and lower chest towards bench. Extend elbows and push chest away from the bench. To increase the challenge, perform push-up on floor.

MODIFICATION: Place hands shoulder-width apart on wall and take a few steps back. Move chest towards wall, then push away until hands leave the wall.

AVOID: • Shrugging shoulders, • arching back.

Notes:

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Standing Band Chest Presses For Speed Muscles worked: Core, chest, shoulders, arms STARTING POSITION: Follow instructions for Band Chest Press (see Stability Exercises).

PROPER FORM: Perform movement as fast as you can, maintaining proper form.

MODIFICATION: Use a lighter band.

AVOID: See AVOID in Band Chest Press (Stability Exercises)

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Squat Press and Toss Muscles worked: Legs, core, shoulders, arms STARTING POSITION: Hold a medicine ball at chest height. Stand with feet shoulder-width apart. Keep abdominals tight, chest lifted and shoulders back and down.

PROPER FORM: Drop hips back into a squat until thighs are parallel to the ground. As you straighten knees, extend elbows and toss ball overhead. Repeat for the allotted number of repetitions. To increase the challenge, as you come up from the squat, jump up, tossing the ball overhead simultaneously.

MODIFICATION: Bend knees slightly if you experience knee discomfort.

AVOID: • Knees extending past toes, • knees buckling inward, • rounding back, or • shrugging shoulders.

Notes:

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Medicine Ball Side Tosses (Off Wall or With Partner) Muscles worked: Core, shoulders STARTING POSITION: Stand with body turned 90ยบ away from wall or partner. Place feet shoulder-width apart with knees slightly bent. Keeping elbows slightly bent, hold ball by the side of right hip. Choose the weight of the ball based on your fitness level.

PROPER FORM: Pivot off the ball of the right foot. Rotate hips and shoulders and toss the ball.

MODIFICATION: Use a lighter ball.

AVOID: Shrugging shoulders.

Notes:

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Band Rows For Speed Muscles worked: Core, back, shoulders, arms STARTING POSITION: See instructions for Band Rows (Stability Exercises) ] PROPER FORM: Perform movement as fast as you can, maintaining proper form.

MODIFICATION: Choose a lighter band.

AVOID: See AVOID in Band Rows (Stability Exercises)

Notes:

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Squat/Dumbbell Row (Emphasizing Speed) Muscles worked: Legs, core, back, shoulders, arms STARTING POSITION: Stand with feet shoulder-width apart. Bend forward at the hip until back is parallel or just above parallel to the ground. Knees should be slightly bent. Keep abdominals tight, shoulders down and back.

PROPER FORM: See instructions for Squat /Dumbbell Row (Strength Exercises). Perform movement as fast as possible, maintaining proper form.

MODIFICATION: Choose a lighter weight. Bend knees slightly and perform a quarter squat.

AVOID: See AVOID Squat/Dumbbell Row (Strength Exercises).

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Medicine Ball Slams Muscles worked: Legs, core, back, shoulders STARTING POSITION: Extend arms and raise medicine ball over head.

Stand with feet shoulder-width apart. Keep abdominals tight, chest lifted and shoulders down and back. Elbows are slightly bent.

PROPER FORM: Slam the ball to the ground as hard as you can. Squat to grab medicine ball. Repeat for the allotted number of repetitions. Movement should be performed quickly, without much time between tosses.

MODIFICATION: Use a lighter medicine ball. Take a break between throws.

AVOID: • Shrugging shoulders, • rounding back.

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Medicine Ball Overhead Throws Muscles worked: Core, shoulders STARTING POSITION: Stand facing a wall or a partner, feet shoulderwidth apart, knees slightly bent, abdominals are tight. Raise medicine ball overhead so palms face one another.

PROPER FORM: Keep arms straight, bend knees slightly, Lean back at the waist slightly. Lean forward simultaneously releasing ball. The weight of the ball will be based on your fitness level.

MODIFICATION: Choose a lighter ball.

AVOID: Shrugging shoulders or rounding back throughout movement.

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Power Workouts

(*) Power workouts are considered to be advanced and should be done only after you have acquired a solid foundation of stability and strength.

Workouts 1 and 2

1. Take a 30 second break or longer, until you feel like you have recovered before moving on to the next exercise. Take a 2- minute break after the first circuit and repeat.

2. Repeat before moving on to core work.

Exercise Reps Sets  Side-lying External Rotation 12 1  Y’s 12 1  T’s 12 1  Jump Squats 10 1  Bench Pylo Push-ups 10 1  Power Lunges 10 1  Alternating Band Row 10 1  Box Jump Down 10 1  Squat Press & Toss (Dynamic) 10 1  Medicine ball Side Tosses 10 1 (off wall or partner) END CIRCUIT  Side-lying Abduction 15 1  Side-lying Adduction 15 1  Front Plank w/Hip Extension 30 sec. hold 1  Bicycles 15 1  Stability Ball Bridge 15 1  Supermans 15 1

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Workout 2

(*) When performing the alternating chest press, the squat/dumbbell row, and the alternating shoulder press, emphasis should be on the speed of the movement.

Exercise Reps Sets  Dumbbell External Rotation 12 1  Y’s 12 1  T’s 12 1  Bosu ball Lateral Jump Squats 10 1  (*)Band Alternating Chest Press 10 1  Box Jump-up 10 1  (*)Squat/Dumbbell Row Combo 10 1  (*)Band Alternating Shoulder Presses 10 1  Medicine Ball Slams 12 1  Lateral Tube Walking 12 steps 1  Ball Squeezes 15 1  One-legged Bridge 15 1  Dynamic Side Plank 12 1  Reverse Crunch 15 1  Stability Ball Back Extensions 15 1

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Workout 3 Strength/Power Supersets Perform Strength Exercises first, Followed immediately by Power Exercises without break.

Rest one minute.

Repeat Superset for a total of 2 sets.

Exercise Reps Sets  Side-Lying External Rotation 12 1  Ys 12 1  Ts 12 1  Superset: Dumbell Squat/ Jump Squat 10 12 2  Superset: Dumbell Chest Press/ 12 2 Plyo Push Up 10  Superset: Alternating Lunge/ Power Lunge 10 12 2  Superset: Bent Over Row/ Pullover Toss 10 12 2  Superset: Dumbbell Shoulder Press/ 12 2

Medicine Ball Overhead Toss 10  Reverse Crunch 15 2  Front Plank 60 sec. hold 2  Side Plank 60 sec. hold 2  Bird Dog 15 2  Reverse Back Extension 15 2

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The Cardiovascular Key Okay. Here it is, the one Key that just about everyone can relate to.

It’s popular, we know the word, but do we actually know the meaning of cardiovascular training?

Cardio refers to the heart and lungs. Cardiovascular exercise, then, is any activity that will elevate your heart rate. Walking on a treadmill, working out on the elliptical or bike are the traditional forms of cardiovascular exercise that we see everyone doing in gyms throughout the country. But playing tennis or basketball, doing a set of jumping jacks, mountain climbers, squat thrusts or burpees all have a cardiovascular component.

Believe or not, circuit weight training where you move from one exercise to the next with minimal rest can be considered cardiovascular exercise – as long as you get your heart rate up. Do you want a strength workout and a cardio workout simultaneously? Try performing a set of squats, followed by a set of burpees, and then go right into a pushup without taking much of a break.

You will strengthen your body and your heart will be pumping!

What is the importance of cardiovascular (cardio) training and its relevance to feeling fit and youthful? Cardio training: • Promotes heart health; • Reduces stress; • Aids in weight loss; • Lowers blood pressure; • Lowers cholesterol; • Improves brain function; and • Decreases risk of depression.

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The Cardio Key also helps us with our Muscle Building/Strength, Power, Balance, and Nutrition/Weight Control Keys. Anytime you are called upon to generate a movement quickly or a short burst of speed as in a sprint or running up and down a staircase, your power will improve. Any cardiovascular exercise where you’re standing, especially when not holding on to handrails, will help promote better balance and core strength. Cardiovascular exercise is related to our Nutrition/Weight Control Key because when you’re performing those exercises you are burning calories, and you tend to be more disciplined in following healthy eating habits. If your heart is strong, every task in life will be easier.

I think confusion sets in when people talk about cardiovascular training and aerobics – a word you hear quite often in the gym – interchangeably.

You see, aerobic training can be considered cardiovascular, but cardiovascular training might not always be aerobic. Sally might say to Jim, “ I’m off to do aerobics.” Meanwhile she’s huffing and puffing within the first minute of taking that spinning or boxing class, She’s actually doing anaerobic training!

I know it’s a bit confusing, so to the point. Aerobic training means with oxygen. Any activity that is low-to-moderate in intensity where you can carry on a comfortable conversation and the activity lasts for over three minutes would be considered aerobic, and therefore you’re using your aerobic energy system. You know what I’m talking about because you probably saw it today at your health club. Next time you’re in the gym, take a closer look at the guy or gal next to you on the elliptical or bike. Chances are pretty high that you’ll notice that he or she is comfortably strolling along watching television or maybe even reading a book. This is an example of aerobic training and is, unfortunately, the most popular type of cardiovascular training.

Now let’s talk about what most people never do in the gym, but do in real life - anaerobic training! The word, anaerobic, means without oxygen. You might be saying to yourself, hey, without oxygen I’d be dead! And you’d be right! But I don’t mean that you’re not breathing at all, I just mean that you’re not going to be able to talk comfortably to your neighbor on the other treadmill or even read your magazine. Any high intensity exercise where you become breathless quickly is considered anaerobic exercise. The intensity will be at a higher level than you’re accustomed to, and you’ll be breathing heavily and really need to concentrate. That’s anaerobic exercise. Don’t worry, though; once you lower the intensity you’ll recover and will be back to doing aerobics (with oxygen) in no time. Otherwise you’d have to push that Stop button and call 911 (just kidding!).

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Most people in the gym exercise aerobically because it’s easy, but real life has us using both systems throughout the day. In fact, you probably did some form of anaerobic training today. Let’s say you just got out of a taxi (I live in New York City so this is the best analogy I can come up with), and you’re strolling along thinking about the movie you just saw when you suddenly realize that you left your wallet in the taxi. You might mutter a couple of curse words, and then run as fast as you can to track down the cab. By now you’re totally out of breath, feeling as if your heart is going to come out of your chest, and can barely speak to the driver. Well, guess what, folks; you were using your anaerobic energy system.

Performing high intensity exercise that requires you to use your anaerobic energy system can help increase your overall endurance, maximize calories burned in a short period of time, and increase your metabolism so that you continue to burn calories for several hours after you finish your workout.

Has that got your attention? I repeat: participating in high intensity anaerobic exercise will elevate your metabolism so you will continue to burn calories after you finish your workout. You see the body must use an increased amount of oxygen to replenish energy supplies to return it to a resting state, in turn burning more calories after the workout, and as mentioned in our Real-life Programming Chapter, once again produce (EPOC) or Excess Post Exercise Oxygen Consumption.

There are a couple of ways to monitor your intensity. One way is by the Talk Test. The Talk Test states that if you can carry on a conversation comfortably when exercising, you are in your comfort zone, and are exercising aerobically.

If you are out of breath, well then you’re exercising anaerobically and are using your anaerobic system for energy.

Another is the RPE (Rate Perceived Exertion) Scale. RPE is my personal favorite because it takes into consideration not just your breathing rate, but your musculoskeletal discomfort. This test uses a scale of 1-10. The higher number correlates to higher intensity. For example, a rating of 2 would be considered quite easy, a rating of 5 would be considered somewhat hard and a rating of 8 or 9 would be very hard.

The last one is called the Karvonen Method. This method measures your intensity by your heart rate. The formula is: 220 (the maximum times your heart beats when you’re born) minus your age minus your resting heart rate (upon awakening in the morning, take your pulse rate for 30 seconds and multiply that number by 2).

Multiply this number by your intensity (which is between 60% and 90%, depending on your fitness

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level). So if you are in good shape you’d choose 8085%. If you are first beginning an exercise program you might start off with 60-75%. This only an estimation and could always be adjusted if you feel that it either too intense or if you’re not challenged enough.

Add that number to your resting heart rate and you have your target heart rate.

Bear in mind that your heart rate might be altered if you drink caffeine or are on certain types of medication, specifically blood pressure medication. If you don’t want to go through the calculations, I suggest you use the other two recommended ways to measure your intensity.

The current recommendation is to exercise 3 to 5 days a week for 20-60 minutes, but to improve your cardiovascular system (heart and lungs) you have to challenge yourself in a way that you’re not accustomed to. The first step would be to increase your intensity (speed) when you are no longer challenged – a great first step. You are still working aerobically (with oxygen) but just a bit harder than last week. This is how you improve your overall endurance.

Most people never increase their intensity, but they do increase their time (sometimes, that is). Have you seen people exercising at a slow-to-moderate pace for an hour? I bet you have. Why? because it’s easier to increase time than intensity, and you still get to watch TV and read a magazine. Sure, time, frequency and intensity are related, but unless you’re an endurance athlete, why would you want to stay on a treadmill or elliptical for an hour and go to the gym five days a week when you don’t have to. As long as your intensity is high and you’re challenging yourself, you don’t. Don’t get me wrong; if you enjoy going to the gym five days a week, then by all means go for it. I’m just saying for practical purposes it might not always be possible to go to the gym that often, and by focusing on intensity you’ll reap all the benefits of cardiovascular exercise and still be able to have a social life.

Another reason why people don’t increase their intensity is an ancient exercise myth regarding the fat burning zone. You see this program on every treadmill (the famous fat burning zone)! The myth states that you’ll burn fat if you work at a low intensity, so people interpret this to be the best way to lose weight. Although you are using fat for energy, the most important factor is the total number of calories burned at the conclusion of the session, not what source of fuel you’re using.

Interval training – when you alternate short periods of intense exercise with recovery at a slower pace – is a great path to improved health, fitness and weight loss.

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There are many different types of interval training and many different ways to incorporate it into your fitness program.

Let’s start off with aerobic intervals, which are best suited for someone who might be at a lower fitness level. An example would be to run or jog for about 2 or 3 minutes at a pace that might be a little faster than what you’re accustomed to, but without huffing and puffing (you still have oxygen). You would then recover at a pace that you’re comfortable with.

Anaerobic intervals are best suited for someone at a higher fitness level.

These intervals consist of brief, but intense, exercise lasting anywhere from 10 seconds to 60 seconds before you run out of oxygen. Don’t dive right into this form of interval training. Make sure you’ve already built a base level of endurance from which you are be able to exercise for 30 minutes continuously and have also experienced aerobic interval training.

Interval training can be timed or you can adjust your intensity by the way you feel. An example of the timed method would be to sprint for 30 seconds and rest for a minute. The adjusted method (Fartlek Training) based on the way you feel is where you might choose to gradually increase your intensity and then when you’re tired, lower the pace and recover.

Research has shown that people who exercise at higher intensities are more likely to reap the rewards of improved health. I’m not saying that you should be out of breath every time you exercise, but just make sure that you gradually increase your intensity once your pace is no longer a challenge. In real life, we are constantly using a combination of both our aerobic and anaerobic systems, so it makes most sense to incorporate low, medium and high intensity into our cardiovascular training.

My recommendation is not to do interval training on consecutive days because high intensity exercise can be stressful to your cardiovascular and musculoskeletal systems. So it’s important to give yourself a chance to recover between sessions. A good way of recovering could be a light day of low intensity cardio work, then take a day off or get a massage or take a yoga class.

To sum up, interval training is beneficial because it allows you to burn more calories in a shorter period of time, which benefits the goal of fat loss, helps to increase your overall endurance and, if intense enough, will increase your metabolism. Build a base level of conditioning before you participate in anaerobic (high intensity) interval training or for that matter any high intensity exercise, and do check with your doctor if you suffer from high blood pressure or have an orthopedic problem.

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The criteria for increased health differ from the criteria for increased fitness levels. It is recommended that you’re active for 30 minutes a day. This could be gardening, washing your car, mowing the lawn or walking up stairs or just about anything that will increase your heart rate. So, you might be thinking, all I have to do is wash my car for 30 minutes a day and I will improve my health! Not so fast. These activities will benefit those who have not been active or those with a low fitness level the most. I’d prefer that you participate in activities that are of moderate intensity such as brisk walking, doubles tennis, or even better, more vigorous activities like jogging/running or playing start-and-stop sports like singles tennis, basketball and soccer. These activities will have a more positive effect on improving your health and fitness level. Nevertheless, the above recommendation to be active for 30 minutes a day is valuable in that it encourages people to do something, and something is always better than nothing!

Now that you’re armed with information, you have an opportunity to improve your health and your overall cardiovascular endurance. Get off the couch, put the magazine down and increase your intensity when you’re no longer challenged.

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Cardiovascular Exercises Mountain Climbers Muscles Worked: heart, legs, core STARTING POSITION: Get into push-up position, hands a bit wider than shoulder-width apart. Legs straight, heels up. Tighten abdominals, keep shoulders back and down and head in line with spine. Bring right knee under chest.

PROPER FORM: Extend right leg straight back as the left leg is simultaneously drawn toward chest (like climbing a mountain). Continue alternating legs at a moderate pace for the allotted time.

MODIFICATION: • Perform movement with hands on bench, or • slow the pace of the exercise, or • perform for half of the allotted amount of time.

AVOID • Shrugging shoulders, • lifting hips/butt, • moving torso from side to side.

Notes:

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Burpees Muscles Worked: heart, legs, core STARTING POSITION: Stand with hands by sides and feet shoulder-width apart; keep abdominals tight, shoulders back and down, lift chest.

PROPER FORM: Squat and place palms in front of feet. Extend both legs into push-up position, forming a straight line from head to toe. Bend knees to squat position and stand to starting position. Perform exercise for the allotted time at a moderate pace. To increase the challenge: Do a push-up before standing at the starting position and add a jump as you stand.

MODIFICATION: Slow the pace of the movement. Perform movement for half of the allotted time.

AVOID: • Dropping hips as you extend legs, • looking up, or • shrugging shoulders.

Notes:

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Jump Rope Muscles worked: heart, legs, shoulders, core STARTING POSITION: Stand tall with shoulders down and back. Tighten abdominals. Hold rope in each hand with the rope behind feet.

PROPER FORM: Keeping hands at waist level, rotate wrists to move the rope under both feet. Jump from the balls of the feet, maintaining good posture as you jump. To increase the challenge: Jump on one foot or from side to side. Perform movement for the allotted amount of time.

MODIFICATION: Simulate the movement without a rope. Perform movement for only half of the allotted time.

AVOID: • Jumping on toes, • shrugging shoulders, • rounding back.

Notes:

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Jumping Jacks Muscles Worked: heart, legs, shoulders, core STARTING POSITION: Stand with feet hip-width apart, hands by sides.

Tighten abdominals, keeping shoulders back and down.

PROPER FORM: Simultaneously jump and bring feet about two feet apart and raise arms overhead. Bring feet together and arms back to your sides. [one repetition]. Gradually increase the speed and perform movement for the allotted amount of time.

MODIFICATION: Go slower or place hands on hips and jump without raising arms overhead. Perform for only half of the allotted amount of time. Recommendation: Perform this movement on soft surfaces. Skip if you experience knee discomfort.

AVOID: • Lifting arms only half way, • shrugging shoulders, • looking down, or • rounding back.

Notes:

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Shadow Boxing Muscles Worked: arms, shoulders, core, legs STARTING POSITION: Stand with one foot behind the other, knees slightly bent. Bring fists towards face at chin level, with elbows close to sides. Keep abdominals tight and shoulders back and down.

PROPER FORM: Extend left arm in a jabbing motion with knuckles facing upward and then step back with your left foot. Go back to starting position and repeat with right hand and right foot. Start slowly and gradually increase the pace of the movement. To increase the challenge: Perform a squat and duck before stepping back.

MODIFICATION: Punch more slowly. Don’t step back. Perform for half of the allotted amount of time.

AVOID: Rounding back or shrugging shoulders.

Notes:

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Jump Squat Muscles Worked: legs, core, heart STARTING POSITION: Stand with feet shoulder-width apart. Keep abdominals tight and shoulders back and down. Place hands at sides of head.

PROPER FORM: Sit back and then bend knees until thighs are parallel to the floor. Extend knees fully and jump up. Land with knees bent in squat position and repeat. Gradually increase speed of the jumps. Suggestion: Perform this movement on a cushioned floor, grass or other soft surface. Perform exercise for the allotted amount of time.

MODIFICATION: Slow movement down or perform for only half the allotted time. Do quarter squats. Don’t go to parallel if there’s a history of knee problems.

AVOID: • Rounding back, • shrugging shoulders, • looking down.

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Cardiovascular Workouts Do each exercise for 1 minute (min). Take a 1-min break after each exercise before continuing to next exercise. After one circuit is completed, take a 1-min break before repeating circuit. Repeat 2-3 times.

Exercise Time  Burpees 1 min  Mountain Climbers 1 min  Jump Rope 1 min  Jump/Squat 1 min  Jumping Jacks 1 min  Shadow Boxing 1 min Sample interval workouts can be done on any piece of equipment including treadmill, elliptical trainer, or bicycle Beginner Aerobic Intervals Warm-up: 5minutes Work Interval Bike, walking/treadmill elliptical Recovery Interval Intermediate Aerobic Intervals Warm-up: 5minutes

Intensity

Time

RPE 4-5 3min RPE 2-3 3min * Repeat 3 times for a total of 18 minutes.

Intensity

Time

Work Interval Treadmill, bike, elliptical RPE 5-6 3min Recovery Interval RPE 3-4 2min *Repeat 5 times for a total of 25 minutes.

Advanced Anaerobic Intervals Warm-up: 5minutes

Intensity

Time

Work Interval Treadmill, bike, elliptical RPE 8-9 1min Recovery Interval RPE 5-6 2min *Repeat 5 times for a total of 15 minutes.

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Key Points:

• Intensity of intervals can be increased or decreased by adjusting the work/recovery ratio to include a longer work period and shorter recovery, or • To decrease the intensity, take a longer time to recover and less time on the work period.

• Adjust the number of times you complete your intervals. Instead of repeating 5 times, repeat 7 or 8 times, or • To lower the intensity cut back on the number of times you repeat the intervals.

• During the aerobic intervals the RPE should mean that you’re working at a higher intensity than you normally would for 30 minutes, but you will be able to carry a conversation • During the anaerobic intervals the RPE should mean that you’re working at a high intensity and will find it hard or impossible to carry a conversation.

Cardio Strength Workout Pick a weight you can lift for 8-12 repetitions. Move from exercise to exercise with no break. Rest for 30 seconds at the end of the circuit. Take a longer break if needed. Depending on your fitness level, you can pick three of the five exercises below, or you can continue the circuit for 10, 15 or 20 minutes.

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

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Squats Burpees Push ups or power push ups Bent over row Stability ball crunches

Timed Interval Cardio Strength Workout Do each exercise for 30 seconds and rest for 30 seconds before moving to the next exercise. Depending upon your fitness level, you can increase the work period and decrease the rest (i.e. 40 seconds and 20 seconds rest) choose only three exercises or continue circuit for either 10, 15 or 20 minutes.

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Squat jumps Bent over rows Push ups Squat to shoulder press Reverse crunch

Boot Camp Workout

(Emphasis is on cardiovascular, stability, strength, and power.)

Complete one set of the first three exercises 10 times. Perform each exercise for 30 seconds, take 15 sec or less to rest in between exercises. Rest two minutes before completing a second circuit. Finish 2 circuits before moving on to core workout.

Exercise  Dumbbell External Rotation  Ys  Ts  Plank/Row  Burpees/with Jumps  T Push-ups  Mountain Climbers  Squat/Dumbbell Press  Jump Rope  Stability Ball Dips  Boxing  Alternating Lunge/Bicep Curl  Jump Squats  Lateral Tube Walking 12 steps  Reverse Crunch  Supermans 181

Notes:

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The Wisdom of Four Workouts This workout is best suited for when you’re pressed for time. Four timed exercises allow you to work the entire body.

1.

2.

3.

4.

Do each exercise for as many reps as you can for 45 secs.

Take 15 secs or less between exercises.

Repeat the circuit 2-3 times.

Take a 30-sec break after completing each circuit.

Exercise Sets Rest  Dumbbell Squat 1 15 secs  Dumbbell Chest Press 1 15 secs  Stiff legged Deadlift 1 15 secs  Bent over Row 1 15 secs

Travel Workout

(No equipment? Use Water Bottles*) 1. Do each exercise for as many reps of as you can for 45 secs.

2. Rest 15 secs or less between each exercise.

3. Repeat the circuit 2 -3 times.

Exercise Sets Rest  Water Bottle Standing External Rotation 1 15 secs  Water Bottle Plié Squat 1 15 secs  Water Bottle Chest Press 1 15 secs  Water Bottle Lunge 1 15 secs  Water Bottle One-Arm Row 1 15 secs  Water Bottle Dead Lift 1 15 secs  Bridge 1 15 secs  Plank 1 15 secs  Side Plank 1 15 secs  Supermans 1 15 secs Do core workout after you complete the circuit. *Go to Amazon.com and enter The Amazing Water Bottle Workout 183

Answers to Most Frequently Asked Questions Q: Can you really build strength doing a stability exercise?

A: Generally, any exercise where you are progressively increasing the weight will help build strength. That being said, stability training on an unstable surface requires you to lift a lighter weight than you normally would on a stable surface, which isn’t ideal for strength goals. The role of a stability exercise is to focus on muscular endurance, increased core activation/posture and improve overall joint stability. The light weights in the Stability Key will prepare you for the challenging weight used in the Strength Key. Q: Why are the stability workouts labeled beginner, intermediate and advanced and the muscle/building strength and power workouts aren’t?

A: Stability exercises require balance. The less stable an exercise the more challenging, which demands an increased amount of core strength.

Performing exercises that require you to balance and control the position of your body is quite different from traditional exercise. So if you have been lifting weights for a while, but are not accustomed to working out on an unstable surface you should pick the intermediate stability workouts. If you have experience with stability exercises you would choose either the intermediate or advanced workouts. (If you’re brand new to working out in general you would always begin with the beginner stability workouts.).

Once you get to the Muscle Building/Strength and Power Keys you should have built a base of core strength and body awareness. Although we don’t specify a particular level in the Muscle Building/Strength and Power workouts, I would recommend that you are comfortable performing one exercise at a time before you attempt workouts that involve combination exercises.

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Q: How long should I continue to work on each Key? A: You should focus on each Key for about 4 to 6 weeks before moving on.

Once you’ve completed the workout that is most appropriate for your fitness level in the Stability Key, you can work on the Muscle Building/ Strength and then the Power Keys. Although if you’re a beginner complete the intermediate stability workout before moving on to the next key (most exercises in beginner stability don’t require much balance). Once you’ve finished all the Keys, focus on the Key that best matches your goal, although I do suggest once you’ve cycled through all the keys that you alternate between the Keys, e.g., choose a stability workout on a Monday, strength on Wednesday and a power on a Friday. Utilizing all of the Keys will ensure that your body is proficient in all areas of conditioning, help you recover from the previous Key and prepare you for the rigors of real life.

Q: What tempo should I follow when performing the stability, muscle building/strength and power workouts?

A: Lift at a pace of 2-1-3 for the stability and strength workouts. This means that you take 2 seconds to lift the weight - pause for 1 second at the top of the movement - and take 3 seconds to lower the weight. The power exercises/workouts require a tempo of basically lifting and jumping quickly. Remember, the goal of the power workout is to perform the movement as fast as you can, with control.

Q: Why do some exercises relate to more than one Key? A: A variety of exercises requires stability and strength. An example of this is the push-up, which is part of both workouts. The push-up requires core stability and strength to maintain proper body alignment and upper-body strength for you to push yourself up from the floor.

Q: What should I do if I’m not able to maintain my balance in the stability workouts?

A: If you find that you’re not able to maintain proper posture, regress to an easier exercise or workout that doesn’t require as much balance. An example might be performing the band row with both feet on the floor instead of on one leg. Keep working on your core Strength/Balance Key and you’ll see with time that your balance will improve.

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Q: Can I do the power workouts if I have an injury or if I’m a “Senior”?

A: Some power exercises that require you to jump might be rough on your joints. That being said, it depends upon the injury and what your experience is performing power exercises. BOTTOM LINE: ALWAYS CONSULT YOUR DOCTOR BEFORE PARTICIPATING IN ANY EXERCISE PROGRAM OR WORKOUT.

Q: Why are the rotator cuff exercises done first in most of the workouts?

A: The rotator cuff is the muscle most often injured because it is used in most upper-body exercises, so for this reason alone we give the rotator cuff special attention and treat it as a priority. It also helps warm up around the shoulder, preparing the muscles for work.

Q: Should I always work my core last?

A: We put the core exercises at the end of our workouts because most of the exercises that you do require core strength. The idea is to not fatigue the muscles prior to the workout. However, if your core is a weak area (and for most people it is), there is nothing wrong with treating the core muscles as a priority and working them first. The core is not only the abdominals and low back, but the hips and butt muscles as well. Just make sure you always include core work in your fitness program. Whether your train your core at the beginning or at the end is up to you.

Q: When should I incorporate the Cardiovascular Key? A: This mostly depends upon your goals and your schedule. You can incorporate the Cardio Key either on a separate day from the other Keys, before or after your workout, or in some cases during your workout. The Boot Camp, cardio strength training and the combination/interval workouts are examples of a hybrid of cardio and muscle building/strength work. These workouts are perfect if you don’t have time to dedicate a separate day for cardiovascular training.

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Q: How can I make the cardio interval workouts more challenging or less difficult?

A: You can make them more challenging by increasing the time spent on the work interval and decreasing the rest period. You can also increase the number of intervals you perform. To make it less challenging, do just the opposite: increase the rest period and decrease the work interval. When performing the non-traditional intervals (e.g., Burpees or Jumping Jacks) you can do the same and adjust the work and rest intervals to suit your needs, or you can just perform the movement more slowly.

Q: When should I warm up?

A: Depending upon how much time you have and what your goals are, you should always warm up before the workout by doing either a general, specific or dynamic warm-up. A general warm-up should last between 5 to 10 minutes. A specific warm-up could be a set of 6 repetitions with half of the intended weight. A dynamic warm-up could consist of one set of 3 or 4 different exercises.

Q: When should I perform the Flexibility Key? A: The best time to stretch is after your workout when you would do static stretching.

Q: When I should include the balance exercises in my workouts?

A: If you’re working on the Stability Key, perform the balance exercises on a separate day. If you’re performing the Muscle Building/Strength or Power Keys practice the balance exercises before your workout, or practice the balance exercises three times a week for 10 minutes on your days off from working out.

Q: Can these workouts help me to lose weight?

A: Absolutely! If you’re following a sound nutritional plan and working on the Cardiovascular Key the workouts will certainly help with weight loss.

All workouts are set up in a circuit format or super sets, which incorporate exercises that work many muscles at once and have you moving from one exercise to the next without much of a break. This is an ideal way to maximize calories burned and to increase your metabolism.

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Q: Do I have to use a water bottle when doing the travel workout?

A: No, we use the water bottles as an option if you don’t have access to a gym or dumbbells.

Q: Should I do an extra set for the back exercises in the workouts?

A: Yes, if you have rounded shoulder posture or have been spending too much time working the front of your body, chances are you have an imbalance in strength between your back and chest muscles. Strong upper back muscles will help with rounded shoulder posture, as well as help to stabilize and protect your shoulders from injury. Don’t complete an extra set for your back if you have been following a balanced program that includes equal amount of sets for your chest and back.

Q: How much weight should I use for the stability, muscle building/ strength and power workouts?

A: When performing the stability workouts, pick a weight that you can lift easily 15 times. Remember, the goal in the stability workouts is to focus on muscular endurance. When doing the muscle building/ strength workouts, choose a weight that allows you to complete at least 8 repetitions. Once you complete the goal, e.g., 12 reps, increase the weight by about 5% or 2.5 lbs. For the power exercises choose a weight (whether a band or dumbbell) that allows you to do the allotted number of repetitions. The goal for the power workouts is to pick a weight that allows you lift the weight as fast as possible while maintaining control. Generally the weight will be moderate (10-15 reps) to enable you to lift the weight quickly.

However, once you achieve the goal repetitions, increase the weight as long as it allows you to do the movement at a fast pace.

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Q: Why is there mention of maximal strength in the programming section, but there isn’t a specific workout included in the book?

A: The Muscle Building/Strength Key will help you build more than enough strength to excel in real life. But if you want to build maximal strength make sure you have mastered the Stability Key and Muscle Building/ Strength Key. I would recommend performing the squat and dead lift as your main leg exercises and the bent over row, dumbbell chest press or barbell bench press (not included the book) and dumbbell shoulder press.

Pick a weight that allows you to perform no more than five repetitions; perform three sets of each exercise and rest three minutes between sets. As you can see this is not very practical in terms of time, but training like this does have its place and can be used to help you in the Power Key. Q: What if I experience chronic low back pain or other orthopedic concerns?

A: The first thing is to get clearance from your doctor before you begin this or any other exercise program. All exercises include modifications to relieve stress on particular muscles and joints.

Q: What size stability ball should I be using for the stability exercises?

A: That depends upon your height. If you’re 5 feet tall or shorter, use a 45 cm ball. If you are below 5 feet 6 inches, use a 55cm ball. For those 5 feet 7 inches or taller, use a 65 cm ball.

Q: I’ve had past injuries to my back, shoulders and hips. What exercises can I do to prevent these injuries from recurring?

A: It is a good idea to train the muscle groups that are most vulnerable to injury, such as your hips, shoulders and low back. Mark Verstegen, author of Core Performance, calls this “prehab training”. Exercises like Y’s, T’s and external rotation are great exercises to help protect the shoulder from injury. Core strengthening exercises like the bridge, planks, dead bugs, hip adduction, abduction and bird dogs can go a long way in preventing many common injuries. In the Fitness for Real Life Exercise chapter, we will show how to do these preventative exercises.

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Q: What is Overtraining?

A: Overtraining is when we do too much too soon without giving the body enough recovery time from workouts. Symptoms of overtraining are loss of desire to participate in your sport or workout, loss of appetite, increased resting heart rate and disturbed sleeping patterns. Give yourself at least 24 to 48 hours to recover. This is a good time for a massage or to take a gentle Yoga class to reduce your soreness and increase your flexibility.

Q: What are the advantages of using exercise bands, medicine balls, dumbbells and your own body weight for resistance?

A: All of the above forms of resistance can be done anywhere – in the gym, at home or while traveling – so it’s very practical and doesn’t allow much room for excuses not to exercise. Exercise bands, medicine balls, dumbbells and using your own bodyweight also allow your body to move in a natural range of motion, which is an ideal way to focus on stability, strength and power training.

Q: What is proper breathing when exercising?

A: Exhale as you lift the weight, and inhale as you lower the weight.

Q: Should I be sore after a workout, and how long should it last?

A: Soreness is a normal part of any exercise routine. Typically when you do a workout or exercise that is new or if the intensity of the workout is harder than the previous one, your body responds by breaking down muscle tissue and the result is sore muscles. This is a good thing, but...A guideline to follow is if you’re sore for more than 72 hours and you can barely walk, chances are you pushed yourself too hard and this is NOT a good thing.

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References Boyle, Mike in the Mike Boyle.com article, “Back To The Past,” reference to “The 180 Principle” of Charles Staley cited in Fitness for Real Life Introduction Shuler, Lou & Cosgrove, Alwyn, New Rules of Lifting, 2006, cited in part 1, chapter 2, Semi-Specific Warm Ups Verstegen, Mark, Core Performance,“Pillar Strength” cited in Part 3, Chapter 9, Core Stabilization NASM Textbook (Third Edition), 2008, Core Stabilization/Movement System cited in Part 3, Chapter 9 NASM Textbook (Third Edition), 2008, op. cit., Foam Rolling cited in Part 3 Chapter 9 Dos Remedios, Robert, Cardio Strength Training, 2009, cited in Cardio Strength Training Workouts, Part 4, Chapter 12 Cosgrove, Alwyn, The Professional Fitness Coach Program Design Bible, 2005, “All aerobic training is cardiovascular training. Not all cardiovascular training is aerobic,” cited in Cardiovascular Key, part 4, Chapter 12

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About the Author Jason S. Greenspan is President and Founder of Practical Fitness & Wellness, Inc., a fitness management company located in New York City and Silver Stars Fitness, a fitness studio that specializes in working with the baby boomer client. He is author of The Amazing Water Bottle Workout: No Gym, No Weights, No Problem!, he has been featured in GNC’s magazine “Well Bella”, the Washington Post, New York Post, Penthouse Magazine, Examiner.com, Crains Magazine, Shape.com, Men’s Fitness, Well+Good NYC.com and was a guest on the Frankie Boyer health & fitness talk radio show, NY1 and CBS. Jason earned a BS degree in Exercise Science and holds certifications from the American Council on Exercise, National Academy of Sports Medicine as a Personal Trainer, Corrective Specialist, Performance Enhancement Specialist, Youth and Senior fitness specialist and the National Strength and Conditioning Association. He is also certified as a tennis professional by the United States Professional Tennis Association.

During his over 20 years experience as a fitness professional, Jason has worked with athletes, seniors, the weekend warrior, the post-rehab client, and everyone in between. His clients have praised him for his utmost dedication in providing them with the most up-to-date research in fitness programming.

Jason’s belief in an integrated approach towards fitness has enabled him to help hundreds of clients reach their specific goals.

Jason lives with his wife and daughter in New York City. He invites you to visit his website at www.silverstarsfit.com.

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