Common practice is to focus squarely on the specifically targeted muscle of an exercise:

"I'm training my lats, think about my lats."

Common practice is to focus on the specific movement being trained:

"I'm doing a row, focus on the rowing motion."

Make this a vital part of your common practice:

Focus on the muscles/regions NOT specifically being trained. . . those providing the foundation which makes each movement possible.

In other words, during the aforementioned row, dedicate awareness to such things as. . .

• your feet. . .  and how they're articulating with the ground
• your trunk/hips. . . and how they're engaged to provide stability
• your grip. . . and how it's quality determines your ability to stabilize the shoulder

This practice - viewing an exercise from the other side of the fence - will not only contribute to increased body awareness, enhanced muscle balance and enhanced lifting ability, it'll help you appreciate the fact that there's no such thing as a "muscle working in isolation" when it comes to lifting.

Despite volumes of information written on the topics of health, nutrition and fitness, it seems that an increasing number of individuals is confused about "what to do to get healthy."

My suggestion to those who fit into the confused (fed up?) category?

Keep it simple.

Forget the media.  The books.  The research.  Slow down, breathe deeply, and quiet your mind.  Let your intuition provide the answer that resonates most with you.

Don't know what exercises to do?

Keep it simple.

Ignore the endless list of exercise variations and stick to the basic movement patterns:

• Horizontal Push (push up, bench press)
• Horizontal Pull (rows)
• Vertical Push (overhead pressing)
• Vertical Pull (pull-ups, pull-downs)
• Quad Dominant (squat, split squat)
• Hip Dominant (dead lift)

Don't know what equipment to use?

Keep it simple. 

Ignore the never ending display of toys/tools laid out in front of you.  Use dumbbells and barbells; your bodyweight vs. gravity; a low hanging bar; a simple cable machine -- anything that will provide enough challenge to stimulate the changes you seek.

Don't know what to eat?

Keep it simple.

Regularly consume the foods our ancestors did before the advent of agriculture. . . and manufactured food.  Meat, leaves, nuts, berries and water are a great place to start.

Having trouble managing your stress?

Keep it simple.

Breathe.  Turn off the freakin' phone.  Sit in a quiet room.  Get out of the house/city and get back to nature, to silence, to stillness. . . to life at its most pristine form.

Keep it simple.  Keep it simple.  Keep it simple. . . and increase your odds of wading through the confusion of "information overload" and discovering amazing clarity of purpose.

Consider these individuals:

• Corporate executive, 45; Goals: to "get jacked," burn body fat and "look good"
• Business owner, 53, menopausal ex-smoker; Goals: lose 60+ pounds of body fat and reduce stress
• Student, 18, D-1 hockey player;  Goals: increased strength, stamina and body awareness
• Retiree, 85, with cardiac concerns (Dr. recommended/approved training); Goals:  increase strength, stamina and "alleviate lower back pain so I can get into bed each night"
• Stay-at-home mom, 39, new to training with severe time constraints; Goals:  burn post-partum belly fat, increase strength "without getting too muscular"

Male.  Female.  Old.  Young.  Healthy.  Battling illness.  Unique goals.  Different motivating factors.  A variety of obstacles to overcome.

All successful at achieving their goals because their foundation of knowledge was solid.  All successful without getting their asses kicked.

Why do I state it like that?

Because in our world of reality television, we get shows like "The Biggest Loser" and "Workout," shows that, for the sake of TV ratings and drama, perpetuate the idea that, in order to achieve fitness you've got to damn near kill yourself.  You've got to get barked at.  You've got to puke.  You've gotta take yourself to the point of crying mercy or "tapping out" ala a UFC bout.

That's great for drama's sake, I guess, but it does nothing to destroy the myths that exist about what it truly takes to become fit and healthy.

Let me be clear.  I'm not implying that a client doesn't have to work hard to gain muscle, to enhance sport performance or to create an internal environment that promotes fat loss.

Each client described above worked hard.  They sweat.  They struggled.  They were challenged to their limits.  They had to do the work that was necessary to produce specific results.

But their training focused just as much on breathing, managing stress and consuming quality nutrition.  They recognized that the foundation for life-long change rested primarily on their lifestyle outside the gym. . . and that their training success would be a reflection of that lifestyle.

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It doesn't matter who you are or what obstacles you've got to overcome, you will succeed as long as you understand that the foundation of your long-term results rests predominantly on the 23 hours+ that you live outside the gym each day.  Your training is the stimulus that merely helps you to reach your objectives efficiently.

The foundation?
   1. Quality nutrition
   2. Stress management
   3. Sleep
   4. Smart training specific to your goals.

If you pursue fitness with this foundation in mind, you'll find that the sensationalized idea of ass-kicking-as-the-way-to-get-fit (as it's illustrated on national TV) is optional, but certainly not necessary.

What is it going to be -- reasons or results? -- Art Turock

If I just work when the spirit moves me, the spirit will ignore me.  -- Carolyn Forche

I hated every minute of the training, but I said, "Don't quit.  Suffer now and live the rest of your life as a champion." -- Muhammad Ali
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The inspiring video below (discovered at BacoreFitness.com) brings to mind a couple of points:

1)  If Jamie Gillentine, a man with a broken neck, has the desire and the ability to train himself back to full functionality, is there anything on Earth that should stop you from improving your health and performance?

2)  Note the power of training movements, not muscles.  The foundation of Jamie's regimen was built on strengthening the primal movement patterns, which regenerated his core awareness and strength as well as the coordination between his upper and lower extremities.  Remember, the body is always working on a global scale -- nothing works in isolation -- whether you're performing a biceps curl or a deadlift.  Training movements (and appreciating how the body works in a coordinated effort to perform any exercise) will go a long way toward optimizing your results. . . whether you're a weekend warrior, an elite athlete, or a severely injured rehab patient.

Christopher's Commentary:

One has to wonder how insane our society has become when something like this is proudly trumpeted in the news.  It's bad enough that we're searching for another "solution in pill form."  It's even more ridiculous that it's being announced, not as a potential aid for individuals dealing with Muscular Dystrophy or Lou Gehrig's Disease, but as a shortcut to getting the benefits of exercise without moving a limb.

A few questions here:

1.  WHAT?!?!?

2.  Are you kidding me?

3.  What good does getting the benefits of exercise do if the drug user still isn't going to actually get up off the couch?

4.  How is it that we've lost sight of the big picture that if we don't move, we're as good as dead?  Why would we want to encourage a MORE sedentary lifestyle?

Couch Mouse to Mr. Mighty by Pills Alone
By NICHOLAS WADE

(August 1, 2008) -- For all who have wondered if they could enjoy the benefits of exercise without the pain of exertion, the answer may one day be yes — just take a pill that tricks the muscles into thinking they have been working out furiously.

Researchers at the Salk Institute in San Diego reported that they had found two drugs that did wonders for the athletic endurance of couch potato mice. One drug, known as Aicar, increased the mice’s endurance on a treadmill by 44 percent after just four weeks of treatment.

A second drug, GW1516, supercharged the mice to a 75 percent increase in endurance but had to be combined with exercise to have any effect.

“It’s a little bit like a free lunch without the calories,” said Dr. Ronald M. Evans, leader of the Salk group.

The results, Dr. Evans said, seem reasonably likely to apply to people, who control muscle tone with the same underlying genes as do mice. If the drugs work and prove to be safe, they could be useful in a wide range of settings. (More. . .)

And the same applies to you. . .

_____________________________

Then only freedom deserving the name, is that of pursuing our own good in our own way, so long as we do not attempt to deprive others of theirs, or impede their efforts to obtain it.  Each is the proper guardian of his own health, whether bodily, or mental and spiritual.  Mankind are greater gainers by suffering each other to love as seems good to themselves, than by compelling each to live as seems good to the rest.

-- John Stuart Mill, On Liberty

Christopher's Commentary:

Based on the literature (much of which I wish I'd been exposed to long ago), there's never been conclusive evidence that exercise (whether it's moderate or high-intensity) is responsible for long-term weight loss.  Want proof?  Consider all the people you've known, heard of or read about that transformed their body -- and maintained that transformation -- through exercise alone.

Exercise (read: strength training and/or cardiovascular training) does not exist for the function of fat loss.

You want to develop body awareness, strength, power, endurance. . . overall performance capacity?  You find training to be enjoyable?  Exercise is a great choice to get the job done.

You want to burn body fat?  It comes down to genetics, stress management, quality sleep and quality nutrition.

A good exercise program can enhance the effects of a healthy lifestyle, but it is only one variable in the equation for fat loss and health.  Exercise because you love it.  Exercise to improve performance.  But don't rely on exercise for long-term fat loss because that's just not it's primary purpose.

The Myth of Moderate Exercise
By LAURA BLUE

(July 28, 2008) -- Obesity experts agree that daily exercise is essential for good health, but whether it can successfully lead to long-term weight loss is a question of much debate. What has become increasingly clear, however, is that the conventionally accepted advice — 30 minutes of moderate-intensity activity most days of the week — is probably insufficient to spur any real change in a person's body weight.  A study published July 28 in the Archives of Internal Medicine adds to the burgeoning scientific consensus: when it comes to exercise for weight loss, more is better. It suggests that obese people would have to exercise at least an hour at a time to see any significant difference in their weight.  (More. . .)

. . . seems to be that low carb is synonymous with no carb -- that carbs are completely axed from the daily menu when you follow this nutrition plan.

Simply put, this isn't the case.

In fact, instead of calling this diet low carb, maybe it should be referred to as "low starch" and/or "low sugar" to remove some of the confusion.

Low carb suggests that we regularly choose carbohydrate sources that are low in starch and sugar.  While this surely reduces our daily cumulative intake of starch and sugar, it doesn't necessarily equate to reduced consumption of foods considered to be "sources of carbohydrate."

How?  Because not all carbs are created equal.

Many of us think "carbs" and picture foods like bread, pasta, quinoa, baked potato, wheat flour and rice. . . foods that taste good, are full of energy and loaded with starch and sugar.

But carbs also consist of foods like spinach, lettuce, zucchini, broccoli, mushrooms, avocado, cantaloupe, raspberries, strawberries. . .foods full of vitamins and minerals, full of fiber and low in starch and sugar.

Low carb is about quantity - quantity of starch and sugar that we eat - but it's more about quality.  It's about choosing carbs that provide significant nutrient density without overlaoding us with sugar and provoking chronic secretion of insulin.  Look to eat quality carbohydrates (in terms of starch and sugar content) and there will be plenty of quantity to indulge in.

Whether this was written by George Carlin or not, I love the message.

Paradox of Our Time
By George Carlin?

The paradox of our time in history is that we have taller buildings but shorter tempers, wider freeways, but narrower viewpoints. We spend more, but have less, we buy more, but enjoy less. We have bigger houses and smaller families, more conveniences, but less time. We have more degrees but less sense, more knowledge, but less judgment, more experts, yet more problems, more medicine, but less wellness.

We drink too much, smoke too much, spend too recklessly, laugh too little, drive too fast, get too angry, stay up too late, get up too tired, read too little, watch TV too much, and pray too seldom. We have multiplied our possessions, but reduced our values. We talk too much, love too seldom, and hate too often.

We've learned how to make a living, but not a life. We've added years to life not life to years. We've been all the way to the moon and back, but have trouble crossing the street to meet a new neighbor. We conquered outer space but not inner space. We've done larger things, but not better things. We've cleaned up the air, but polluted the soul. We've conquered the atom, but not our prejudice.

We write more, but learn less. We plan more, but accomplish less.

We've learned to rush, but not to wait. We build more computers to hold more information, to produce more copies than ever, but we communicate less and less.

These are the times of fast foods and slow digestion, big men and small character, steep profits and shallow relationships.

These are the days of two incomes but more divorce, fancier houses, but broken homes. These are days of quick trips, disposable diapers, throwaway morality, one night stands, overweight bodies, and pills that do everything from cheer, to quiet, to kill. It is a time when there is much in the showroom window and nothing in the stockroom. . .
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May we all live fulfilling lives because we sidestep these trends. . .

Consider this scenario. . .

You dedicate 12 weeks to improving your nutrition habits, managing your stress and training hard . . . and the results are in:

• The hypertension and high cholesterol you had?  Gone.
• Your energy levels are consistently through the roof.
• You sleep better.
• You look refreshed, awake, younger.
• You can see a tangible improvement in your physique and the clothes that once tightly clung to you are falling off.
• Your friends and family can't take their eyes off you and are amazed at the transformation you've made.
• You never imagined that you could sustain a healthy lifestyle for 12 weeks, let alone achieve it. . .  and then have a desire to maintain it.
• You are living life to the fullest and filled with happiness.
• You LOVE the way you look.

Can you picture this?  Do you have this image burned into your mind?

Now, you step on the scale in front of you for the big weigh in.  You look down with anticipation and discover. . . that you weigh 2 pounds more than when you started.

Does that change anything?