The most frequently asked questions of any personal trainer concern getting in shape without sweating, working, or exercising. The media (and every purveyor of $19.95 junk) has convinced the public that work is not necessary to build a perfect body and excellent health. This is wrong; it is bad information. If a person desires to increase their level of health, it is absolutely necessary to actively partake of certain regimens. One of these regimens is regular exercise.

There are many roads that people can take in the exercise arena to tone their muscles and to increase overall health. Like any road, however, if it is not traveled, will get you nowhere; getting started is the key. One can join a gym, he or she can take lessons from a personal trainer, he or she can work at home, and there are many exercise routines that can be used to guide a person that are available on DVD’s or the Internet. All of them, however, require real exercise and dedication to a routine to achieve positive results. There are so many different types of exercise routines, progressive weight training, yoga, martial arts, calisthenics, professional dancing, fencing, to mention only a few, that everyone can find some form of exercise that they enjoy and that they can stay with all of their life. Finding a method of exercise is easy; most folks, however, have trouble actually leaving their easy chair to start moving their muscles.

Motivation is the key to all exercising. Give yourself a solid reason to begin muscle training that you cannot ignore. Something like: it is summer and you want to look good at the beach in your new bathing suit. Increasing and maintaining good health is one of the best motivators; get healthy as a good example for the children; good health and exercise make you feel better. There are hundreds of great motivators. Find one or more that works for you personally.

This article will present one more possibility to tone one’s muscles. I call it Fitness in a Phone Booth because it can be done with a minimum of equipment and in a minimum of space. Most people would prefer to exercise at home or at the office because it is more convenient than having to drive to a fitness facility. If one could exercise effectively in their cubicle at work, or in the limited space aboard a boat, for example, more people who are serious about their health would exercise. Before engaging in any exercise or fitness program, always consult with your doctor to be sure that you can exercise without any problems. This program utilizes three separate, but interrelated, phases. They are (1) knowledge of your muscles, (2) basic stretches, and (3) a series of simple exercises.

The Knowledge:

Phase One – Know your muscles. We want to tone the major muscle groups so it is a good idea to be able to identify them. Basically, we should know the Chest, Shoulders, Arms (biceps and triceps), Back (upper and lower), Abdominals, Calves, and Legs (quadriceps and hamstrings). We will not be concerned about the smaller muscle groups right now because they will get worked along with the larger muscles. We are looking to tone up muscles and to stay healthy; we are not looking to enter the Mr. Universe contest – maybe later on. Knowing the major muscle groups means that we should be able to locate them and to concentrate on them when doing the stretches and exercises. Most people will have no trouble locating these muscles. In fact, if you remember anything from your high school gym classes, you are already familiar with the major body parts. If you need a refresher, any fitness magazine will have a simple diagram that you can use. Total time necessary for Phase One: a few minutes.

The Stretches:

Phase Two – Learn to stretch the major muscle groups. Never stretch a cold muscle. Before starting to stretch, walk in place moderately for about three to four minutes. This will allow your blood to circulate and your muscles will become slightly warm. This is the time you can stretch without injury. If you were ever really cold you know how stiff your muscles can get; you don’t want to move at all and your muscles can get cramped. If you move you actually feel pain. This condition is not good; you must warm up by moving slowly for a few minutes. When you feel warm, you can stretch effectively. Here is another area where concentration on the muscle group is necessary. If we are to stretch the chest muscles, for example, then we want to feel the muscle stretching as we do the movement.

Remember to relax the muscle that is to be stretched because if you tighten the muscle, you cannot be elongating it. Each muscle stretch should be about twenty seconds in time and, after coming out of the stretch, an additional movement for another twenty seconds is highly recommended. You will find that with each successive stretch you can elongate the muscle a little further. This is one way to ascertain that you are stretching correctly.

It is most important to stretch out the musculature before exercising; it will greatly increase your chances of remaining uninjured, not only during the exercise phase, but also for the rest of your day’s activities. All stretching is done slowly, no jerky movements. Do not “bounce” while stretching; this tightens the muscle, just the opposite of what we are trying to accomplish. The more you stretch (over time) the better and more efficient you will become at it. Of all the activities that comprise physical movement, stretching (done well) is the most important. Do not skip this phase.

The easiest way to think of stretching is that you are moving the muscle in the opposite direction from when you are contracting it. That is, if I curl a small weight from my knee to my chest to build the biceps muscle, then I will elongate (stretch) the biceps by straightening my arm to full extension. The best way to learn how to stretch a muscle is to realize that when you stretch it is opposite to the direction of flexing a given muscle. For example, if I want to stretch my bicep (front of upper arm) I will straighten my arm to its full extension. This action is opposite to the curling of my arm to flex the bicep. All muscles work the same way, that is, they contract (shorten) to accomplish the work intended. Stretching, therefore, is the opposite movement to contraction. Total time for Phase Two: up to fifteen minutes.

The Exercises:

Phase Three – Exercise each muscle group. One set of ten repetitions of each exercise is minimum. Two sets are better than one; three sets are better than two, is the general rule. When beginning, one set of each movement is all that is needed. As you progress each day your body will tell you when it can perform additional repetitions. Never exceed your personal limits; when you feel strained or tired, stop for a rest. Be sure to drink plenty of water before, during, and after exercise so that you don’t become dehydrated.

For the chest, shoulders, triceps, gluteus maximus, and spinal erectors we will perform eight count push-ups with alternating leg raises. This movement is actually a squat-thrust with two modified pushups in the middle.

How to do the eight-count push-up:

We will start by standing erect. Next, squat down so that your hands touch the floor near your feet (count 1). Support your body with your hands while you quickly shoot your legs to the rear (count 2). You are now in a “push-up position”. Do the first push-up. While you lower your upper body to the ground (count 3), raise the right leg and hold it up until you push up with your arms (count 4). At this point you are back in the “push-up position”. Do the second push-up. As you lower yourself to the ground, raise your left leg and hold it up (count 5) until you push up with your arms (count 6). You have now completed two modified push-ups. (Note: while doing the push-up, keep your leg absolutely straight. You are working the gluteus muscles.) Quickly return your legs to a position near your hands so that you mimic (count 2) posture (count 7). At this point stand up to the original starting position (count 8). You have now completed one eight-count push-up. Do this exercise slowly to build muscle; do it more quickly to increase cardiovascular strength and stamina.

For the upper back, triceps, biceps, and deltoids we will use the spring stretching equipment. (This apparatus is easily found in any sports supply store. The device is inexpensive and small enough to carry anywhere.) The springs are used in four different directions for the different muscle groups. (1) For the back: Hold the springs at arms length in front of you at shoulder height. Pull the springs apart as you move your arms away from each other and toward the sides of your body. Be sure to keep your arms straight at all times. Stop when your arms are stretched completely to your sides. This is one repetition. (2) For the triceps (back of upper arm): While holding the springs at chest level, touch each arm to its shoulder (the springs are now relaxed). Push the arms out to your sides while the springs stretch to the maximum. This is one repetition. (3) For the biceps (front of upper arm): Step on one handle of the springs to hold it down on the ground while you grip the other end of the springs with an underhand grip. Stand up straight and curl your arm up to your shoulder. This will result in the springs being stretched out. This is one repetition. Be sure to let the springs relax slowly and deliberately. Never let the springs out of your careful control. (4) For the deltoids (shoulder muscles): Let your arms hang straight down below your waist while holding the springs across your body. Raise the arms sideways until your hands are level with your shoulders. The springs should be stretched across your chest. This is one repetition.

Depending upon which model of springs you have, you will be able to adjust the tension so that you can do at least ten repetitions in a set. If you can only do eight, that’s okay, but if you have trouble doing six, then the tension is too high and you will need to adjust it lower so you can increase the number of repetitions.

For the quadriceps, hamstrings, and cardiovascular system we will do squats. (Not deep knee bends). Remember to keep your heels on the floor whenever doing the squat and keep your knees above your feet. That is, be sure that your knees do not protrude further than your toes when squatting. If your heels rise up then your knees will go too far forward, you will lose your balance, and you will strain the muscles, tendons, and ligaments that surround the knee joint. Perfect execution of each movement is extremely important, especially in the squat.

For the calf muscles (gastrocnemius and soleus muscles) we can do simple calf raises. When at the top of the movement, try to flex the muscles as tightly as you can. Until you get very proficient, it is best to hold on to a stationary, solid structure to maintain your balance.

Making New Year’s resolutions usually includes “getting in shape”. And when one seeks to improve their health they think that they have to go to some sort of a gym and to work out with weights. They aren’t wrong. Weight lifting is a time tested, efficient way of gaining muscle and losing some fat.

When we lift weights we improve many things in our bodies. Gaining muscle tone is, obviously, the most well known of the benefits. Less well known are benefits such as lowering blood pressure, increasing HDL cholesterol, promotion of restful sleep, increasing flexibility, reduction of stress, and greater strength. Pumping iron is not just for “muscle heads”. We do, however, want to lift weights properly. If we have improper technique then we can injure the body and have a bad experience. Many people who are not experienced in weight lifting think that huge weights have to be hoisted to the ceiling. They feel that “more is better”. They are wrong. To stimulate a muscle to grow we need to abide by three simple rules: (1) stimulate the muscle with a proper workload, (2) give the body the proper nutrients (food) to build muscle, and (3) afford proper rest (and sleep) so that the muscle can rebuild itself. Without these three essential steps, your body cannot become healthier.

Proper stimulation of muscle tissue involves making the muscle work against a little more resistance each time you work out. This is called progressive weight training. Yes, this is how Arnold did it. And don’t be fooled by most of the models on TV (who have wonderful bodies) when they tell you that the latest fad (usually some trivial piece of plastic) has produced the magnificent muscles that you are looking at. They had to build those muscles by pumping iron.

How to do it…

Basically, you need to find out how strong your muscle is when you start to exercise. Maybe your biceps muscle can properly curl twenty pounds. This is very light but you must start where you are – not where someone else is in his or her level of training. So you start by lifting twenty pounds. Your goal is now twenty-five pounds. You keep working towards your goal weight until you can properly curl twenty-five pounds. Then your goal becomes thirty pounds, and so on. Each increment may take one (or two) weeks to accomplish. They say Rome wasn’t built in a day, and your muscles won’t be either. We must be careful not to overtax the muscle too soon. Some people try to go too fast by lifting more than their muscles can accommodate. The result is over-training, a condition that leads to the muscle not achieving its full potential. Both strength and hypertrophy are forfeit. Slow and patient, with proper technique, and a sensible plan, are the magic steps to goal attainment.

When a muscle is forced to lift a little more than it can lift, the muscle fibers “tear down”; they become damaged. The body then repairs the damage if it has the right building blocks and if there is enough time for rest and sleep. An example: Let’s say that a house has been destroyed by a tornado; it is ruined. We want to build it up again so we gather the building materials. But, we want to build the house stronger this time so we purchase more wood and fastenings that are heftier and solid. Then we start the building process. Of course, it takes time to rebuild the house. It could take several months, or years, depending upon how big and extra strong we want to make it. It is the same with building a body. When the muscle is overwhelmed by lifting a weight that it cannot lift well, it becomes torn down; it needs repair. We gather the building materials, in this case we need slightly more protein and lots more carbohydrates, and then we need time for the body to utilize these building materials. It may take months, or years, depending upon how big and strong we want the muscle to grow in size. Yes, Arnold took many years to build his body to perfection. It is important to mention that the famous bodybuilders use massive amounts of supplements in their training routines. This procedure is not recommended for the person who desires better health and longevity. Supplements are ephemeral; they are for specific goal attainments that should only be of interest to top athletes. For the average person, like you and me, proper nutrition is the right approach. Supplements are contraindicated. Also, protein, which has been touted as the magic ingredient in building our bodies, is not needed in huge amounts. Once again, the correct amount for your body size is the right amount for muscle repair and growth.

Eating For Your Workouts.

Remember that the amount of food that you need depends upon your body size. When Arnold was building his body he ate a tremendous amount of food, took massive amounts of supplements, and lived a life that few of us could imagine. But what if you are small boned and five feet tall? If you ate like Arnold did, then you would gain fat, not muscle. Remember that if you overeat, your body can only use a certain amount of that food, all the rest it will convert to fat. What we need to do is to determine how much food you need to sustain yourself and then eat only that amount. This will stabilize your weight and fat levels. If you work out several times a week with heavy weights and cardiovascular activities, then you need more carbohydrates because these give you the energy to go through the workouts, they supply the energy to lift the weights. You could increase your protein intake a little if your muscles refuse to grow normally. For the body builder, you should take in about one gram of protein for each kilogram of body weight. Another way of deciding how much protein to eat is to match the size of your palm (including thickness) with the total amount of protein you will intake per day. The smaller person will, therefore, be consuming less protein than the larger person, but each of the people will be consuming the right amount of protein for his or her size body. Also, remember to consume only quality protein, like lean beef, poultry, or deep-water fish. If you try to get your protein from greasy hamburgers, you will take in too much low-quality protein and too much fat.

Your carbohydrate intake should be vegetables with a low glycemic index. (Glycemic index refers to a food’s ability to turn into sugar during digestion. Sugar is bad for building a healthy body.) That is, you want complex carbohydrates, like whole-wheat pasta, brown rice, or potatoes. Forget the bread and pastries. (Note: you may want to pick up a copy of the book, SugarBusters. It has a good list of foods and their glycemic indices.)

Time For A Nap?

Now that you have an idea of the building blocks for the body, now you must give the body the time it needs to repair and build the muscles. Everyone is different when it comes to the amount of sleep that they need. But everyone ought to aim for six-to-eight hours of sleep per night. Naps are great at any time of day. If you feel the need of a short nap, by all means, take it. Our body has many needs for sleep and rest and not all of them are apparent to the average person.

We must be sure to not overwork a muscle before it is repaired. For this reason, proper weight lifting technique requires that a muscle not be worked more than once a week. If you are lifting heavy weight, really tearing down the muscle on a Monday, for example, then let that muscle rest until next Monday before working it hard again.

Pumping heavy weights to increase health is easy if you abide by the basics. First, lift only a little more than your muscle can lift properly, always increase the weight slightly over a period of weeks. This is called progressive weight training. Second, be sure that your dietary provides the right amounts of protein (not too much) and plenty of complex carbohydrates so that your body can have the material to build up the muscle and the energy to workout. Third, provide enough rest and sleep to allow the body to repair itself and to grow stronger.

By now the entire population of the Earth knows that everyone should exercise for good health. We have gyms and fitness centers on every street, fitness organizations (National Strength and Conditioning Association, American College of Sports Medicine, to name only two) that promote and promulgate exercise, copious publications (books and magazines), and various television programs to keep the idea of exercise on our minds and in our faces 24/7/365. It would be reasonable to assume that everyone would be exercising. Wrong.

The one ingredient that we do not possess is motivation. Without a strong stimulus, it seems that no one is going to exercise. As a people, it appears that we are not afraid of anything. When a person gets instruction from her doctor that exercise will improve her life, somehow the message does not register. When an obese, diabetic man is told to lose weight or die, most times he will choose to die. Why do we do these things? There seems to be a problem with people understanding that they must exercise as part of an overall health plan. What is it that causes people to turn away from that which will help them?

In The Beginning

When man first started to walk upright (or maybe before) he had to eat to stay alive. In order to do that he had to wrestle his food to the ground, kill it, and devour it. There was motivation. Either kill some animal, which may also be trying to kill you, or you yourself may be killed. There was real exercise involved, not the pseudo-exercise that we do today. A person had to run, wrestle, and drag his food to his lair. I wasn’t there at the time, but I’ll bet that there was no whining about how heavy the animal was to lift. The human would have felt good to have something to eat; he would also feel good from the exercise. He ate real food (not packaged, over-processed crap that rarely has any real food in the ingredients) from which he received real nutrients to build and repair his body. He performed real exercise to stimulate his muscles to grow, and he felt satisfied in his psycho-emotional self for the successful hunt. And he probably didn’t worry too much about what the neighbors would say. From these viewpoints, the caveman’s life sounds fairly satisfying – given that he was the “Eater, not the Eaten”.

Nowadays It Is Different

The days of the caveman are gone. Today we still must eat to stay alive, but there is no motivation to do so. We have made survival a thing of the past. These days no one need hunt, or learn to grow food; there is always someone else (usually a large company) to kill the animals and grow the crops. Most people don’t know that a steak comes from a cow, or that a chicken filet used to run around in a barnyard. Eggs are something that comes from McDonald’s and that the best place to get fish is at the supermarket. Food and shelter are taken for granted; there is no need to build muscles and to learn to run fast to catch and kill your food. Today the ignorant masses line up at the Walmart waiting for the doors to open so that they can trample each other in the quest to acquire the latest (and useless) toy. We do not have any real purpose in life anymore. Most folks exist; they do not live. There are no real motivations to encourage people to learn about themselves or their fellow beings. In point of fact, when any real issue is presented (anything worthy of thought) most people mentally shut down and adopt a “pasted-on smile” while they nod agreeably. They usually have no idea of what is being said; they resemble placid cows just waiting to be told what to do. The problem is so severe that unless people are told to do something, they will remain dormant. However, when people are told to do something that will benefit them, like to exercise, they will balk at the idea and they will find numerous (and bogus) excuses to reject it. In contrast, when people are presented with useless, even harmful, activities, like plastic toys and games that keep them infantilized, there is instant interest. It appears that the population has been damaged beyond repair. We are eager to adopt harmful activities, to sit in front of the television all day, to look to be comfortable in every way possible, to remain sedentary, and to eat non-nutritious items. It is no wonder that stress in its various forms can so easily destroy such people.

What Can We Do?

At this point there is nothing that can be done to make people realize that they are wasting their lives by doing pointless things. Of course, the possibility of everyone reverting back to the days of the cavemen is not practical. Add to this that we have ruined the animal populations (like the Buffalo) that used to provide the opportunity for survival hunting. If all people came to their senses overnight, the resources would not exist to give meaning to the countless people that now exist. We have painted ourselves into a corner. We have dumbed down the population to the point that they are incapable of finding any meaning in life. Why should we exercise? Are we going hunting? It doesn’t take big muscles to carry groceries, or to drive a car, or to whip out a credit card. Today’s people, seeking the things that they need to survive, naturally look to getting another credit card, to finding some institution who will give them something for nothing, or to whine and beg the government for things that they erroneously think that they are entitled. Finding motivation to exercise seems like something for another time.

A Desire To Live

What we need in ourselves is a sense of pride, an appreciation for the life that has been bestowed upon us. We need to take a look in the mirror and realize that this life that we enjoy (or are capable of enjoying) requires real work. We need to understand that work and exercise and effort are not punishments, but gifts of life. We need accomplishments so that we can feel successful and so we will gain self-confidence. Feeling good comes from thinking and doing good things for yourself. No one else can do it for you. When a person realizes that they are an entity unto themselves; that their happiness emanates from within, then that person will seek out what they need to improve. One of those things is to exercise.