Moderate exercise is necessary for good health

At a minimum, walk a mile or more several times a week (or daily) and move the arms and wrists around to loosen up the joints. If you can't walk or ride a stationary bicycle, use a rowing machine, swim, or join wheel chair races. My paddle-wheel stationary bike uses arms as well as legs, and the resistance by air goes exponentially with RPM. If you can do none of these things, you have my sympathy. I had a young colleague who suffered from polio in child-hood, so one leg was short and supported by a built-up shoe. One day, this person was absent from the office, because a lung had collapsed. He should at least have worked up his pulse rate and breathing on a rowing machine, several times per week.

Recent TV news said walking as little as 2½ hours per week can reduce rates of breast cancer, so 5 hours can't hurt females or males.

I find that a brisk half hour walk raises my pulse to about 115, then it drops back below 70 by the time I have finished my morning shower.

My normal neighborhood route measures 1.8 miles. When weather, darkness, shortness of free time, or mood keep me from outdoor walking, I do some or all of the following:

* At least 15 push-ups

* At least 15 chin-ups with legs raised

* At least 30 turns at skip-rope

* Arm, shoulder, and wrist stretches

* Rope stretching isometrics

* At least 5 minutes above mid-scale on my paddle-wheel bike

* Back exercises

These don't have to be done all in one session or on the same day. Arrange the order so that muscles can recover between sets. Do what feels comfortable. Despite bad memories for many veterans, Army Calisthenics can work off tension, build strength and endurance, and actually make one feel pretty good.

** Diet with FACTS, not MYTHS. **

Eight Pack Abs - Can You Get Them?

Most people have heard of the term six pack abs, and also of ripped, cut, and tight abs. There is also something referred to as washboard abs, or even firm and toned abs. But have you ever heard of eight pack abs? No? Well, most people haven't. Although many people are familiar with the expression "six pack abs", for the most part people aren't as familiar with eight pack abs.

So how do you achieve eight pack abs? The identical method that you would go about getting six pack abs, naturally.




The only distinction here is that you are now aware of the prospect of getting eight pack abs, and that you can work your way towards this objective. Without this information of course you might never be able to define that added abs pack, but now that you know, well, the rest as they say, is history, true?



But if you've never had a six pack, let alone contemplated having eight pack abs, how would you go about getting them? Yes, the same way as for a six pack, but what can you do to first start the process then to make sure that you keep the momentum going and get to your aim without becoming excessively side tracked.



Well, first of all, you should preferably take a good long hard look at your diet and cut out those foods and things which are not only bad for you, but which you know are certainly harmful to you! Starting here, is the best idea and you could do no better than to go out and get yourself a healthy eating book to help you out in your activities aimed at getting eight pack abs.
After checking your diet, you can then progress onto the next step of discovering the right fitness program for yourself. You can do this on your own, or you can consult with a personal fitness trainer or some such professional to help you out. This is probably more efficient than trying to go it alone and you will find that you are getting a superior overall fitness plan than if you were to do it without professional help.



Lastly, when everything else is organized and you know that you have everything in place, and that you are physically fit and able to carry through with your plans, you have only to begin on your course of exercise to get eight pack abs. It's as simple and as complex that.

Eight Pack Workout Why settle For six??

The Muscles that Deliver the Look our abs are actually one long sheet of muscle called the rectus abdominis. Running horizontally across that sheet of muscle are three tendons that hold the muscle in place over the intestines. Another tendon, called the linea alba, divides the rectus abdominis into two parts, creating four pairs of sections. This makes the abdomen an eight-pack--not a six-pack, as most people believe.

A Flat Midsection!
Most men challenge their midsections with moves that focus primarily on the upper portion of the rectus abdominis, leaving the lower portion overlooked and underdeveloped. My eight-pack plan gives equal attention to both segments.

More Speed!
The lower abdominals play a crucial role in hip flexion, which moves the knees up and forward. Training these abs helps you pump your knees higher for longer periods of time, which adds inches to your stride. You'll cover greater distances at faster speeds.

Better Skills!
When you swing or throw, you're channeling power up through your midsection and into your upper body. Weak abs can cause a break in this transfer of energy. Strong trunk stabilizers transfer the greatest amount of power every time.

Stamina & Balance!
Athletes with weak lower abdominals tend to sway at the waist as they run. This creates additional resistance and forces you to expend extra energy to correct your posture. Strong abs help you maintain the best position for efficiency and extra stamina.
Build Your Eight-Pack



The Workout
Shaping the rare eight-pack requires unique exercises. The smartest way to make your rectus abdominis grow is to perform a mixture of exercises that work your midsection through every possible direction, using as many forms of resistance as possible. These eight ab exercises incorporate a variety of equipment and partner-assisted moves you may not have tried before.

You'll start your 8-week program by choosing an exercise from each of the two sections. By the end of the program, you'll be doing all of them--in the order given--to bring out a level of muscular separation and growth you can't achieve using traditional, high-repetition ab exercises alone. (For the medicine-ball and pulley exercises, choose a weight that allows you to do the required number of repetitions with good form. Injuries are common among men who try to speed up results by using more weight than they're ready to handle.)
Weeks 1-2
Create your routine by . . . Picking one exercise from each section
Sets of each exercise: 2
Your total workout should be . . . 4 sets
Repetitions per set 8-12
Speed of each repetition: 2 seconds up, 2 seconds down
Rest between sets: 45-60 seconds
Do this workout . . . 3 times a week

Weeks 3-4
Create your routine by . . . Picking one exercise from each section
Sets of each exercise: 3
Your total workout should be . . . 6 sets
Repetitions per set 8-12
Speed of each repetition: 3 seconds up, 3 seconds down
Rest between sets: 30-45 seconds
Do this workout . . . 3-4 times a week

Weeks 5-6
Create your routine by . . . Picking two exercises from each section
Sets of each exercise: 2
Your total workout should be . . . 8 sets
Repetitions per set 8-15
Speed of each repetition: 4 seconds up, 4 seconds down
Rest between sets: 15-30 seconds
Do this workout . . . 4 times a week

Weeks 7-8
Sets of each exercise: 1
Create your routine by . . . Doing all the exercises in both sections in the order shown
Your total workout should be . . . 8 sets
Repetitions per set 8-15
Speed of each repetition: 4 seconds up, 4 seconds down
Rest between sets: None
Do this workout . . . 5 times a week