Keep Moving Your Way to Physical Fitness

Not Wanting to Move Leads to not Being Able to Move

By Ralf Hennig, CPT, CCS, CCES

Think about this—most people don’t move without stopping for even 10 minutes a week! Only a small portion of the populations—24 percent—will get up and do vigorous activity three times a week or more.

Most of us don’t work in jobs that require much physical exertion, either. Compared to previous generations, not many people do farm work, chop down trees, or have demanding labor intensive jobs that require bodily effort. Instead, too many jobs nowadays require us to sit. We type on computers, send voicemails, talk on the phone, and drive around to see clients.

Keeping a household running doesn’t require much effort, either. Most of us have washers and dryers in our own homes, so we don’t have to carry heavy baskets of clothes back and forth to the Laundromat. We have dishwashers that clean our pots and pans to save us from even that minor exertion.

In short if you don’t want to move much you don’t have to do so. Why move when a machine will move for you? Why even leave the house to see a movie or eat a meal if you can order anything you want by phone or over the internet? Many people find it “freeing” to not have to do extra work.

Actually these conveniences aren’t freeing. They’re just the opposite. They rob you of your freedom. Being well means you’re free from sickness and injury. Having full use of your body means you’re free of limitations.

You must keep MOVING if you want to stay fit. You must be fit if you want to stay WELL.

This idea is the key to my philosophy as a fitness professional:

Movement is a basic principle that’s required if you want to enjoy wellness.

Suitable for couch potatoes and performance athletes alike, FOUR WAY BURN includes a general program for all users as well as personalized routines for those who want to lose weight, travel often, suffer from back problems, or who are looking to boost their performance while cycling, running, golfing, or playing tennis.

No more balancing schedules for cardio and strength training; and no more warming up and stretching afterward!

Because you get four main benefits from each workout, I decided to call the program the FOUR WAY BURN. Every single workout will improve your body in these four ways:

Benefit #1: Total mind and body conditioning. With FOUR WAY BURN you do complex movements that require careful mental focus to make sure you’re holding your body in good form and breathing properly. In addition you work all parts of your body equally. You use both sides of your body equally and your muscles and brain grow accustomed to this new challenge, which enables you to control your body better.

Benefit #2: Cardiovascular and pulmonary fitness. You’ll breathe regularly and deeply, in and out, in and out. Deep breathing will allow both your vital organs and your muscles to keep working. It will keep your mind sharp and focused on each task at hand.

Benefit #3: Lengthening and Strengthening and joint stability. With FOUR WAY BURN, you use a small weighted ball—only 4 lbs—and you constantly stretch out our body. You stand up tall and fully extend your arms and legs. In addition, your feet, knees, hips, shoulders, and elbows are surrounded by small muscles that keep the joint stabilized.  Another benefit to moving your joints through their full range of motion is decreased wear and tear.

Benefit #4: Increased calorie burn now and later.  FOUR WAY BURN brings all your muscles into the action: your arms, chest, back, abdomen, buttocks, and legs. All of your muscles will burn calories, making this program a much better choice for weight loss than many others.  This program increases your metabolism, which means you’ll burn calories at a higher level for several hours after each session.

Those are the big four improvements you’ll get from sticking with this program, but there are many other benefits, too.  A bicyclist will be stronger on climbs, a runner will have longer and more powerful strides, a tennis player will have fewer knee, lower back, and ankle problems, a golfer will hit consistently longer drives and be more precise on putts and for those of you who play other sports— you will jump, turn, squat, and sprint with more power and control.

Your body absolutely craves the kinds of movements that my program offers.  You’ll discover that fitness isn’t a chore. It’s the key to enjoying a fuller, happier life free from illness and injury.

Are you moving?

RALF HENNIG, CPT, CCS, CCES, gold-certified by the American Council on Exercise and designated a master trainer by IDEA, is a well-known medical exercise specialist and personal trainer whose famous clients include former president Bill Clinton and Senator Hillary Clinton. He is the founder of Dynamic Fitness in Bedford, New York. Purchase copy of the book and related materials at:  www.performanceball.com  & www.performancegearllc.com

Reprinted from: Four Way Burn © 2007 by Ralf Hennig. Permission granted by Rodale, Inc., Emmaus, PA 18098. Available wherever books are sold or directly from the publisher by calling (800) 848-4735.