Marty Gallagher

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Strength & Fitness
With Marty Gallagher
Special to washingtonpost.com
Tuesday, Feb. 12, 2002; Noon EST

Are you trying to lose weight, build muscle, get stronger or excel in a given sport? Maybe you're just hoping to slow the aging process, which exercise and good health habits can surely help accomplish. But male or female, young or old -- where do you start and what do you do? And if you're already an experienced exerciser or athlete, how do you fight your way off a plateau or avoid going stale?

Over the past 20 years, Gallagher has written more than 200 articles for such magazines as "Muscle and Fitness," "Flex" and "Powerlifting USA." He has interviewed hundreds of the world's top athletes, quizzing them on the training tactics they used to succeed.

Gallagher, a World Powerlifting Champion and fitness expert, takes your questions about every fitness topic under the sun.

Editor's Note: Washingtonpost.com moderators retain editorial control over Live Online discussions and choose the most relevant questions for guests and hosts; guests and hosts can decline to answer questions.

Marty Gallagher: So many questions, so little time...

Please check out the massive question dump posted at the end of today's show. I answer a ton of them, quite a few in serious depth -- though I have to say that when faced with 15 pages of questions I tend to get to the point a little faster then I'd like. Still, I did respond to everyone and if this stuff is being put into play you people should be physically progressing. The ideas and tactics that I'm passing on to you folks have been tried and proven by elite athletes for decades. This isn't voo doo or tricks, this is science and 40-years of empirical, hands on experience.

Who has a serious question?

P.S. I've included a short article at the end of the question dump on a Russian Fitness System that requires no equipment.

Ashburn, Va.: "The majority of the strength training literature to date has NOT shown a conclusive difference between multiple set programs and single set programs relative to changes in lean body mass.

Varied set/rep training systems produce increases in muscle mass and strength. Single set training also produces increases in muscle mass and strength."

Marty, what do you make of the above comments? Single set to failure training? Is that plausible?

Marty Gallagher: Ah but let us examine what they mean by single set versus multiple set.

I suggest that you warmup with a set or two before you blast the muscle with an all-out poundage, regardless the rep range. If the writer is suggesting that I come into the gym and load a barbell to the maximum weight I intend to handle that day, say 600 in the deadlift for five reps, and without prior warmup go to failure I insist that that is dangerous, foolhardy and a one way ticket to the emergency room.

If the author (what's the source?) means one all out single set after warm up, then we agree. I suspect they mean that doing multiple sets with the maximum poundage (after warm up) has not proved benificial. I like to occasionally do more then one all out set in an exercise but generally stick to one -- after a nice two- to three-set warmup.

Washington, D.C.: If one's goal is general fitness and moderate strength (as opposed to competitive lifting or some such thing) is it necessary to keep increasing the amount of weight lifted? Or, does one reach a point at which the weight is "appropriate" and staying with the same weight will do the job? And, if so, how does one know what's the appropriate weight? Thank you.

Marty Gallagher: Never.

This is wrong thinking. We don't strive for mediocrity.

Weight training is designed to strengthen and build muscle. That happens when we trigger the miracle of hypertrophy, growth, and that only happens when we kiss up against our limit on that particular day. That limit can take the form of poundage or reps or time but in some way we must touch that limit. To come in and go through the motions, pick and use a submaximal training weight, will result in regression.

Mt. Kisco, N.Y.: Coach,

Thanks for advice on lying exercises in lieu of compressing the spine.

In answer to you question whether my disc problem was caused by "an event or a slowly unfolding process," I'm afraid it's the latter. Just years of abuse I guess.

Anyway, lying barbell curls are indeed a killer -- I ached for days!

By the way: my bench press is now up to 165lbx3 for five sets (up from 145lb -- remember that?).

Shall I just keep going? Aim for 170lb? Higher? Feels good in any case.

Thanks for advice again.

Pauly New Yawk

Marty Gallagher: Ah yes the dastardly steep incline dumbbell curl -- it's a killer, especially if you dead hang start each succesive rep.

Are you still progressing with triples? I never cease a particular rep sequence if it is succeeding. If you are looking for a nice change from 165x3, how about 135x6 for three sets? Can you do them deadstop style? Each rep is paused on the expanded chest for a beat before firing it upward.

New York, N.Y.: Hi Marty,

Just wanted to update you on my progress since we tweaked my routine the other week. I've upped my cardio to 45 minutes per session, and reduced my weights to the 30-minute circut. I've cut back my calories from about 2,000/day to 1,800/day and cut my "off" day to an "off" meal. The result: I've lost four pounds in two weeks. Thanks for the help! I feel great!

--Melissa

Marty Gallagher: Melissa -- you are a fitness goddess!

The good news is that I suspect the vast majority of those four pounds was 100 percent lard.

Hey -- let's conspire -- could you drop to 1,600 between now and next Tuesday? Then write in and tell me what happened. We don't want to go below 1600 but since your metabolism is rolling, this might result in another two- to four-pound loss.

Washington, D.C.: Could you describe, in detail, the proper technique for doing the high pull? Plus, exactly what muscle does it target?

I am sick of upright rows. They stink.

Thanks coach.

Marty Gallagher: Upright rows are a loser exercise that should be banned.

A high pull is just that; you pull high.

Start with the bar at your feet and with a double-overhand grip tug the weight upward. As it passes your belt you straighten and shrug your shoulders. Immediately return the bar to floor -- no holding the bar aloft. That is one rep. You can really handle some poundage so be careful. Think of it as a deadlift with a shrug at the top. Builds traps (the muscles next to the neck on top of the collarbone) like mountain ranges.

Re: Increasing amount lifted: You said that not pushing the edge of training level will result in regression. Does that mean you'll actually lose strength/tone/fitness?

Marty Gallagher: Well that depends how sub-maximal you go.

If you handle 50 percent or less of what that muscle is capable of -- in reps or poundage or whatever bench mark you choose -- it will not be enough weight to trigger hypertrophy or even maintain current strength levels. Yes, you will lose current condition if you work way under current capacity -- how could you not?

College Park, Md.: Hi Marty!

I'm new to working out again after a few years' hiatus. I need some suggestions for excercises to reduce or enhance other muscles around the saddlebag area. I'm a woman with small bones and the saddlebag/rear end area for me is fraught with extra ripples and dimples (ick!). Any suggestions for me?

Thanks!

Marty Gallagher: Great to have you in the mix.

Look, as you can tell be reading the other postings we take this stuff serious and we need you to be serious.

First: give me some details -- just telling me you want to get lean and buff is not enough for me to go on. Height, weight, age, degree of fitness, current exercise routine (or that you don't do any), details. What is you eating like? Good, bad, somewhere in between? Do you do any cardio? Give me some clues to work with.

Second: please put this stuff to work. I don't mind answering any question as long as the individual actually tries my suggestions.

Washington, D.C.: Follow-up to high-pull question:

When raising the bar from the floor, is this done with stiff legs or bend at knees?

Thanks again. I am gonna give the high pulls a try today.

Marty Gallagher: Okay -- not stiff legged! That's real dangerous.

Bend the knees, use a flat tight back. The arms are straight and the arms are like hooks -- don't bend the elbows at the end in order to pull the bar higher. It is a dynamic exercise that builds erectors, lats, teres, rhomboids and traps but do them precise and tight and not sloppy.

Deadstop: You've recommended pausing for a beat either at the top or the bottom of a rep. What does that achieve? Is adding a pause enough to jump out of a slump sometimes, or is that too insignificant of a change?

Marty Gallagher: The end of a rep stroke, where ascent becomes descent, is called a turnaround -- as is the bottom of a rep stroke where descent becomes ascent. You can have a "touch-and-go" turnaround or a deadstop turnaround. Deadstops break the concentric/eccentric chain and makes a rep much harder. This is a great tactic to shake up your training. Plus it adds an element of control and precision. Be aware that your poundage will plummet.

Alexandria, Va.: Marty, just wanted to say thanks for tweaking my routine over the past few months. I'm going up in poundage at a rate I haven't seen since college, and feeling great. You and your chat ROCK!

Marty Gallagher: No, you rock.

All I do is pass along tactics and techniques that champion athletes have used for years in order to spark quantifiable physical progress. No black magic or voodoo, just proven tactics that will work -- assuming you have the requisiti burning desire and true grit to put them in play.

Friendship Heights, Washington, D.C.: Coach Marty,

What is the cardio time reqired for effective fat loss?

I am currently at 30 minutes four times a week (with weight training, one hour three times week). There are about 15lbs of fat to be lost. Thanks.

Marty Gallagher: See here's the problem: people burn different amounts of calories depending upon bodyweight in relation to height and degree of fitness and condition.

Plus, the exercise session can be wiped out by bad dietary habits. If you burn 500-calories in a 30-minute cardio session and then eat a Big Mac and fries (600 calories) the whole thing is negated.

You need to balance lifting and cardio with diet.

Upright rows: Is that the exercise where you grab the bar, hands facing in toward your body, and, from a standing position, pull your hands straight up to your shoulders, elbows out? If so, I have been doing this exercise and find it to be very effective on my delts and lats. For what specific reasons do you discount this exercise?

Marty Gallagher: The problem with upright rows is the stress it puts on rotator cuffs.

In addition, there are far better delt and trap exercises; exercises that hit these muscles far more effectively.

Finally, there is no bio-mechcanical way an upright row can stimulate the lats. That is like saying I get a good bicep pump from doing seated calf raises. It's a physiological impossibility. Dorian Yates is convinced upright rows screwed up his cuffs.

Mt. Kisco, N.Y.: Coach --

INCLINE dumbbell curl? Damn! I thought you meant flat dumbbell curl! I will, er, adjust accordingly.

Re: Triples, yeah I think I am progressing, if slowly. I do bench press deadstop anyway (I need the breather!) so I can either try 170lbx3x5 or try your 135x6.

Thanks again.

Pauly New Yawk

Marty Gallagher: Hey -- hold the phone -- flat DB curls are great also!

Again, make sure you use the deadstop. My arms to too long to do flat bench curls without hitting the floor. Continue your flat bench curling -- when they cease to be effective (as every exercise does at some point) then incline that bench ever so slightly and hit the bi's from a whole new angle.

Chatham, N.J.: Hi Marty! You're doing a great job.

I'm a relatively fit 210 lb, 6' male. I lift three times a week and do cardio three to four times per week, but always in the form of full-court basketball. I love the game, I play hard, and I know I'm burning plenty of calories. But I'm wondering if I am missing out on some gains or some body parts by not mixing up my cardio at all. I would prefer to stay on the b-ball, but I was just wondering.

Thanks,
Bill

Marty Gallagher: No hell you've got the right idea! Play BB -- when you want to do more cardio -- play more BB!

I have gotten my cardio in the past from playing raquetball, judo grappling my blackbelt son, mountain climbing, etc., -- I much prefer to get my cardio in some high intensity activity to riding a bike or a stairmaster.

Calf raises: IS there a weigh to strength/support the arch of your foot while doing calf raises? I have tried both seated and standing and towards the end of the set, the pain in my arch becomes unbearable.

Marty Gallagher: I would definitely back off the calf raises all together.

Any kind of 'unbearable pain', regardless the exercise, is to avoided at all cost. Working through unbearable pain is a sure-fire way to pull, rip or tear a muscle at some juncture.

However, pain is different from a muscle "pump."

Washington, D.C.: I know you don't post links, but check this Web site out. It downloads fast and gives an animated picture of different exercises. I assume the high-pull exercise in here shows the correct technique?

http://www.exrx.net/Lists/PowerExercises.html

Marty Gallagher: I will do it.

New York, N.Y.: A couple of weeks ago you suggested pause bench press sets. How do these work? How much time do you pause for? Thanks.

Marty Gallagher: Scroll back up the questions and check out my answer about the "turnaround."

A pause on can be used on virtually every exercise and makes for a great way to shake off the training cobwebs.

Regardless the exercise, at the point where the exercise changes direction, purposefully stop the movement. Then recommense the movement. Stay tight and powerful as you pause -- then push or tug the weight to lockout.

Marty Gallagher: Hey guys -- I got to take my dog to the vet.

Please check out last weeks leftover questions and let's keep pushing out there. The warm weather is just around the corner and I want everyone making their friends, relatives and business pals saying, "Dang! What happened to you! Did you get a personal trainer or what?"

Also check out the short piece of equipment-less exercise at the end.

Remember: I take the complex questions off line so I can answer them in detail. Look for any of today's unanswered questions to be posted at the end of next week's clam bake.

Later....

2/5/02 Questions

Balzac Reader, Va.: Hey coach: I've heard that the body burns more calories during a cold-weather workout (outdoors, obviously) because a certain number of kcals have to be oxidized just to warm up the body. Is this true? All things being equal -- the distance walked, the inclines, the heart rate, etc. -- will I burn more calories during a power walk in frigid, blustery weather than I will during a 90-degree August afternoon? Thanks.

Marty Gallagher:Balzac was the Charlie Parker of literature. He was a wordsmith without parallel and his riffs and phrases were pure linguistic virtuosity. He was the baddest gunslinger on the literary scene.

I picked up Cousin Bette again. Most of the critics think this is his best book. Some would champion Pere Giorot (what a whiner that guy was) or his late life masterpiece, Cousin Pons. Bette is a bitch on wheels who burns down the world. I like his short stories (Christ in Flanders) and his earliest stuff, Chouns and Wild Asses Skin.

What's the question?

Yes indeed, angels dancing on the head of a pin.

Grades are a slam-dunk. It takes more effort the steeper the grade. Velocity is a definite burn factor variable as well. If you wore no additional clothes your theory might hold up. I wear a killer down jacket that is so effective I cannot wear it unless it is less then 30-degrees. Even though it might be 10-degrees with a 30-mph wind, I sweat as I power up a hill. On the other hand, in August, hitting the same hill in the heat seems ten times harder. I vote for August and will let you know. I have been keeping a daily log of duration and calories burned during the cardio session. This August we'll compile and compare the data. I burned 1,200 calories in 80-minutes last week, 10-degrees with snow on the ground.

Kingstowne, Va.: Coach, you've said in the past that "exercise is overrated as a calorie burner," that washboard abs are made in the kitchen, and that diet will get you 80-90 percent of the results you seek in definition. When people write in to ask you about how to get washboard abs, delineated pecs, and other defined attributes, you always say theirs is a diet problem, not a workout problem. So, with all due respect, must ask (as a devil's advocate, because I love exercising): What would happen if your average person just adopted a totally clean diet and didn't lift or do serious cardio. Say this person was 15-20 pounds overweight, eating an average diet of pizza, chips and beer, and goes to a diet of steam veggies, tuna and egg whites. Would they too transform their bodies? Would it be to a lesser degree? Just wondering. Thanks.

Marty Gallagher: If you want to quote me I suggest you get it right.

The first thing I always stress (and this exposes you as either a superficial reader or someone with an agenda) is that every serious fitness effort requires a three-pronged approach. The Tripod. Weights, cardio and diet, balanced and in proportion, measured, metered and calibrated to a specific goal (we always have a specific, short-term fitness goal) set against a time backdrop.

So with all due respect, go back and really read instead of skipping and skimming. Why would I ever suggest a person pursue one leg of the tripod at the expense of the other two? The idea is to ignite the synergy that occurs when all three elements are in place, play and proportion.

Washington, D.C.: Hi Marty,

It seems like you favor the high-intensity approach advocated by the likes of Arthur Jones and Mike Mentzer (who sadly passed away last year). Can you comment on the High Intensity Training philosophy?

Marty Gallagher: Actually I consider both Jones and the late Mentzer as bombastic fanatics who tried to convince us that square pegs could be smashed into round holes.

Mentzer insulted everyone who didn't agree with his half-baked philosophy and Art Jones was a Brother from another Planet. Both pedantically championed the idea that all you needed to achieve physical perfection was one set to failure, complete with forced reps and negatives.

Neither could ever adequately explain how a truly strong man can come into the gym, load 450-pounds on the bar and begin his single, all-out set of bench presses, going to failure, including forced reps and negatives - without serious risk of injury. A sensible strong man handles 135, 225, 315, 365 and 405 for reps before handling 455 for one set to failure. To walk in off the street, stone cold, and attempt to handle 300, 400, 500, 600, 700 or more, for reps, as the seriously strong can and do, without any warm ups is on an express train to the emergency room.

The square peg/round hole part stemmed from the unwillingness (or inability) to embrace the truth. Rather then simply admit, yes, safety and sanity dictate warm-ups, they denied they were necessary. The inconvenient fact of warm-up ruined the marketing purity of the pitch. "You only need to do one set to failure" is diluted by the reality of proper warm ups. If you do the proper thing you might need two to five light sets before tackling a heavy all-out top set. This takes time and didn't fit neatly into the round hole mantra. Gee, doing lots of precision warm ups before tackling an all-out, take-no-prisoner top set has been standard operating procedure in big time bodybuilding and powerlifting for decades. Mike and Art were inflexible and preached with derisive vitriol towards any and all that dared question their Divine Commandments.

Washington, D.C.: Shins -- any recommendation on exercises to help out these muscle areas?

Marty Gallagher: Calf raises of course, going way up on the toe and holding the locked-out top position for a full two seconds before lowering. Get a huge stretch in the bottom. Seated, standing, all types.

Standing on your heels on a block, allow the foot and toes to sink blow the vertical plane of the block. Now raise your toes as high as you can. Hold onto something to steady yourself. Do several sets of 20.

Denver, Colo.: Marty,

This is a long one. I'm a big fan of your chats and they always keep me honest. I'm trying to give you as much detail so you can give me your most informed opinion. I'm training for a couple bike races and my first Olympic-distance triathlon this summer after being a fairly active cyclist for four years and having dabbled in a couple of sprint-distance triathlons last year. For the next two to three months, I plan on working on strength gains and building a good aerobic base. After that will be strength conditioning (low weight and high reps) and varying cardio workouts with intensity drills, hills, etc. I'm 33-year-old female, 135 lbs, 5'5" about 22 percent BF. Obviously I need to shed at least 10 lbs of fat. My diet is getting more in control with protein in every meal (5 a day) and I try to eat within the 1,700-2,000 calories range per day. 2,000 if I've done more than 90 minutes of cardio. Anyway while I think I have the cardio and diet in place, I need help with my weight-lifting regimen. For the last few months, I had been lifting three times a week and working on each body part with the exercises I mention below, but at 15 reps as I wanted to ensure I had good form before upping the poundage. Now as I need to spend more time on cardio, I want to squeeze my weight-lifting sessions into two and will swim 30-60 minutes beforehand.

Marty Gallagher: Here's my proposed regimen:

1. Mondays: swim 30-60 minutes
Bench press
Dumbbell fly
Hammer curls
Bar curls

Only do one tri exercise per session -- alternate these two exercises one session to the next.

Weight assisted dips
Triceps pulldown (with bar on cable)

Ditto -- only one tri exercise per session. Toggle back and forth between these two exercises, session to session.

2. Tuesday: run 30-60 minutes

3. Wednesday: bike 30-60 minutes

4. Thursday: swim 30-60 minutes
Squats
Leg press

Squat one session, leg press the next -- not both.

Leg curls
Dead lifts
Lat pulls
Lat raises
Drop the laterals altogether

Military press

5. Friday: off

6. Saturday: long bike ride (two to three hours)

7. Sunday: long run (60+ minutes )

Somewhere, USA: I plan on doing three sets of each exercise at 8-12 reps. First set would be slightly lower weight than second and third sets so I can get primed for lifting to failure on third set.

Marty Gallagher: No, the first set needs to be a hell-of-a lot lower then the top set -- like 50 percent! Split the difference if you need an intermediate warm-up set.

What do you think?

I think it's time to quit talking and push the start button.

And once you've selected an exercise, does it matter if you do variations of that exercise? (like doing hack squats one week and standing squat next, angled leg press and horizontal leg press, etc.)

Just do what we outlined.

Should I spend less/more time on certain body parts?

Just do it the way we outlined it.

Thanks in advance!

You're welcome.

Germantown, Md.: Hey Marty,

I'm 6'2", 200 lbs., male, 35 years old, and lift weights three times a week. Friday is back and shoulder day. I love dead lifts, but If I do them more than every other week, my left elbow hurts like hell for a few days (current all out set is 295 lbs, eight reps). Any suggestions for an alternative lower back exercise to do on "off" weeks? I tried good-mornings, but they seem to shred my hammies without hitting my back too much. Was I doing them wrong?

Thanks!

Marty Gallagher: I assume you are using a "reverse grip" (one hand facing forward and one hand reversed) on your deadlifts? Try switching your grip. Alternately use a double overhand grip using lifting straps. Straps are fantastic and take grip out of the deadlift equation. Obtain a pair and learn how to use them.

Does your gym have one of those hyper extension machines that you hook you heels under lying face down and raise your torso up high as you can on each rep? Hold a 25-pound plate on your chest, deadhand downward before commencing a rep, let the plate stretch you downward. Two to three sets of 10-15 reps, killer erector and ham exercise.

Burke, Va.: I've been considering going to the track and running sprints to get over that "hump" and lose more body fat so that I look "ripped." Do you know what length sprints are the best to do for this type of goal? 40 yards, 50 yards, 60 yards, more? Any suggestions on what else I could do to get over this hump? I've been lifting and exercising cardio vigorously for 7-8 months and have improved a lot, but can't get rid of what's left of my tummy and love handles, and the rest of me is bigger, but not quite "cut." I'm 6'1" male 205 lbs.

Thanks.

Marty Gallagher: I'd do 40s, as many as I could with no more then 10-seconds between reps. When you get so gassed that you need more then 10-seconds, quit. Note how many you made then next session try and do more 10-second reps. Hold a stop watch in your hand and punch the button as you fire out of your sprinter start position. Press the button as you cross the finish line. Let's establish a baseline 40-yard dash time and try and better it.

Washington, D.C.: Hey Marty --

I've been told that running around a track in the same direction all the time is bad for either the inside or outside knees? Is that really true? I run about three miles four to six times a week. Do I need to worry about it (I do have bad knees and had an injury from step aerobics -- twisting it -- thus the move to running after recovery -- which is pretty straight ahead and doesn't require any wierd twisting positions). Thanks a lot!

Marty Gallagher: I never heard that one before but I guess it makes sense. What can I say -- I don't think you need to have a panic attack over it. Why not just run in the other direction once in a while -- what's the big deal?

Washington, D.C.: Hi Marty,

Do you think it is a viable strategy to focus on both weight loss and muscle gain at the same time? I would like to increase muscle mass in the shoulder and chest area but also eliminate fat in the midsection. I'm 6'2" with a 34" waist but have a little fat in the mid-section.

Thanks.

Marty Gallagher: No I do not. Gaining muscle mass while attempting to get cut requires a degree of exactitude that is beyond the reality of normal people with normal lives. Do you really want to weigh your food and do twice a day cardio in addition to a weight session? Better to go one way for four to eight weeks then head the other direction.

Tricep question: Isn't muscle isolation the reason for the 90 degree stop point doing the pushdowns? At least, that's what a trainer told me -- if I came up any further, "other" muscles were doing the work and I wasn't isolating and working the tricep.

Marty Gallagher: Not if the body remains rigid, locked and immobile while only the forearms move. Do not allow the elbows to be pulled forward when the weight is nearest the chin. Your PT is wrong on this one.

Chevy Chase, Md.: Hi Marty,

I'm a 35-year-old female and really need to liven up my workout routine. I've been doing mostly aerobic stuff (treadmill, rowing machine or exercise bike) for a long time. I'd like to start up with weights and have bought some 5-lb. free weights. What is the optimal amount per week of weight work and how often should I be doing aerobic workouts? I don't need to lose weight, but need to tone up. Even though I work out almost daily, I have very little muscle tone. What do you recommend?

Marty Gallagher: You should educate yourself a bit -- two 5-pound weights are going to do very little in terms of triggering the muscle hypertrophy (growth) that you seek. I would weight train twice a week sing a whole body program. I would do three to five cardio sessions. This would be enough to establish a fitness toehold.

Marty Gallagher: Not my bailiwick -- I haven't a clue. Running while pregnant? I don't like that. I have an initial negative knee-jerk reaction: it bothers me; but what do I know?

Washington, D.C.: I go the gym about four to five times a week with a friend of mine and we sometimes get confused as to what we should be doing. We are focusing more on the upper body than the lower and usually focus on one muscle a day. We are quite different, however, in that we are different genders, and therefore have different weight requirements. What would be some good routines for the upper body that would be easy for both of us to do? Also, I am trying to tone, he is trying to build muscle, so should we go for more weight/less reps or less weight/more reps? Thanks!

Marty Gallagher: First off -- stop spending all your time on the beach muscles: pecs, shoulders, arms and abs. You guys will end up with huge upper bodies, piano legs and everyone will snicker behind your back. When I train with my wife we also use vastly different poundage but that's no problem; change the weight and do your set, change the weight and do your set, ad infinitum. It ain't a big deal. Get on the same training wave length. There is no such thing as "toning" a muscle. The muscle either stays the same or you do something to trigger growth. You should build some muscle too. Then both of you lean out for the summer season.

Marty Gallagher: Can you outline the routine? Exercises, sets, reps and frequency?

Arlington, Va.: Hi, I am 5'2", 124 lbs, medium-small build. I have been working out consistently for five years. I put on a little weight and inches so I have "turned it up a notch" to try to get it off. I work out five to six days a week and my routine consists of 40-50 minutes of cardio and weights. My weight routine consists of alternating legs one day, arms the next, legs again, and then chest and back. I was shocked to find out my body fat was at 30 percent! I also try to keep my calories at arounf 1,500 a day. I am struggling and don't know what to do.

Marty Gallagher: First off, how did you arrive at 30 percent body fat? Did someone do an 11-point skin fold caliper test? Plastic calipers are notoriously inaccurate particularly when administered by rookies. How much less can you realistically eat? 1,500 is real low and any less could be injurious to your health. Try not to panic. Send me the exact exercises, sets and reps that you use. I'm very dubious of your 30 percent fat figure; I think it's inflated. 30 percent body fat at your height should make you weigh 150 or more.

More on Stacy!: Marty,

I really enjoyed the end of the school show section which included Stacy. (With her permission, of course) could you post a little more on her workout schedule -- workout time, routine, etc. -- I suspect it would be a good motivator for many.

Marty Gallagher: My Irish Tomboy. She zips around like Liz Taylor in "National Velvet." I guess that makes me Mickey Rooney.

She weight trains three times a week: Saturday, Sunday and Tuesday. She rides on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday. She does Tae Bo four mornings a week before she goes to work.

Stomach Flab: I have excess flab around my midsection (stomach/lovehandles). Is it true that the only way to get this to go away is cardio? I am currently doing cardio four or five times a week up to 45 minutes per day (bike, cross trainer). I am also lifting three times a week.

Marty Gallagher: Actually, the best method for oxidizing the excess fat is a subtle blend of diet and exercise. You need to lift, do cardio and watch what you eat. If you are lifting weights and doing cardio and still carrying excess fat then I'd look real hard at the diet portion of the fitness equation.

Chantilly, Va.: Good day Coach, love the chats.

More reps for definition? More weight for bulk? Even if I'm trying to lose weight and carve my body, is it OK to do the bulk set now and then?

Marty Gallagher: Not exactly. More like eat more calories, combine that with heavier poundage and moderate cardio and you'll grow some serious muscle. Cut the calories, drop the poundage, increase the workout pace, up the reps, add more cardio and you'll trim off the excess. Just increasing or decreasing reps does little or nothing in and of itself.

Arlington, Va.: Hi Marty --

I read that you are a big fan of the deadlift for strengthening the back. Could you explain how to do them safely? I'd like to incorporate the exercise into my back workout, but have never done them. Any help would be appreciated.

Marty Gallagher: I'm a big fan of deadlifting on account of it being the greatest single back exercise ever devised. Deadlifts stimulate more muscle fiber then all the rest of the back exercises thrown together. It is virtually impossible to describe in words a technique that realistically is best taught visually. A picture is worth a thousand words and it would take me five pages to describe what you could learn watching a single rep of a correctly done deadlift. Its like trying to describe Tiger Wood's golf swing with words.

Washington, D.C.: Dead-Lift question. In a fitness magazine they have the model taking it down to the shins and starting over again. Is that right? Or do I put it down on the floor before lifting again? Thanks

Marty Gallagher: Yes -- two deadlift questions in a row -- let me try and explain the technique. My conscience is bothering me. Start with the loaded barbell at your feet. Dip down and grasp the barbell with a shoulder-width grip. I use a reverse grip, my left hand grasps the barbell, palm forward, while my right hand faces palm back, this maximizes the grip. With vertical shins and a flat, arched, convex back, you commence the upward pull. The bar stays in contact with the shins and thighs all the way up and all the way back down. If done correctly, everything arrives at once and the bar snaps into lock-out. The bar is lowered in a slow and controlled fashion. The bar lightly touches the platform and the turn-around takes place as the barbell goes from descending to ascending.

Washington, D.C.: Marty --

Longtime fan of your column.

I am completely convinced of the merits of the "three-legged stool" approach: clean diet, aerobic exercise and weightlifting. I am F, 27, 5'6", went down from 177 to 162 by cleaning up diet and running. I'm at the point where I am ready to commit seriously to getting fit the right way, especially by incorporating weights. My question is, what is a realistic goal in terms of weight loss in the next couple of months? I need a good target to check progress against. Thanks, and keep up the great chat!

Marty Gallagher: Three legged-stool -- that's great! Sounds like something you sit on to milk a cow.

Realistic goal? That depends how much time you want to devote to the campaign.

Let me know how many hours a week you can realistically devote to fitness? Don't tell me what I want to hear, tell what works for you and your lifestyle. Once we have a handle on the available time then we can construct the battle plan. If you've never lifted weights and a devote two to three hours a week to lifting then I guarantee you'll experience phenomenal physical gains.

Silver Spring, Md.: Hey Marty, just wanted to throw my two cents worth in about eating three small meals plus snacks -- since I started seriously exercising last summer, I have adopted this approach. Basically I'm eating something every two to three hours. It's really helping me feel fueled up for workouts, but not full -- and helping me manage the evening overeating that I used to do. By the time I get to dinner, I've had most of my calories for the day and I'm not so tempted to make poor eating decisions.

Marty Gallagher: It just makes good ol' common horse sense to spread your calories over five to six feedings as opposed to the traditional three. If you snack between meals, not only does it keep you in positive nitrogen balance, the optimal muscle-building state -- plus, it helps curb a ravenous appetite.

Alexandria, Va.: Marty,

Thanks for all the good feedback. I've started the following schedule. I work out at home using dumbbells, but don't use leg weights. Two questions, what kind of warm-up on the upper body days, since I'm not doing any aerobics, and does it make good sense to split my upper body stuff into lifting and swimming?

Day 1 -- morning
Medicine ball pushup
Dumbbell bench
Dips

Afternoon pp swim

Day 2 -- morning
Run -- hills
Squats (no weight)
Calf Raises
Lunges
Quick step-ups

Day 3 -- morning
Palms-out wide pull-ups
Bent row
Biceps curl

Afternoon -- swim

Day 4 -- morning
Run
Slow kicks

Day 5 -- morning
Shoulder press
Dumbbell flies
Barbell shoulder raises

Afternoon -- swim

Day 6 -- morning
Pickup soccer or fartlek off road in woods.

Marty Gallagher: Are you doing all this stuff? Or just thinking about it? I'd bet the farm that all this physical activity -- done with requisite intensity, adhered to religiously and coupled with a sound approach to eating -- would produce quantifiable physical improvement in three weeks. After six weeks you'd look vastly better, assuming you paid homage to the caveats.

What's the question? You want me to suggest a "warm up?" The only weight warm up needed is the light set you do prior to the all-out set. That's why we call it the "warm up" set.

Potomac, Md.: I am a very small person (small-boned, 5'1" and about 114 pounds), but I also have an extremely slow metabolism, which causes me to gain weight very easily. You should also know I'll be 40 this year (I know, I know!). I have a pretty sedentary job, but I work out quite a bit: lifting weights for 20 minutes twice a week and getting in about five one-hour cardio sessions in a week (spinning or treadmill). I try to ingest no more than 1,200 calories each day Monday through Friday, but I lighten up quite a bit on the weekends. Here's my question: I seem to be exhausted all of the time! I take Thursdays and Saturdays as days off of workout, but I do push myself pretty hard the other days. Why am I so exhausted? If I eat more, I'll definitely gain weight. If I exercise less, ditto. Help!

Marty Gallagher: First off -- your balance between lifting and cardio is way out of whack. 20 minutes twice a week for lifing? That's not near enough time in relation to the five hours you spend on your cardio.

Too much cardio, not enough lifting.

Second point: how many calories do you suppose you burn during a one-hour cardio session? I can burn 800 calories in 60 minutes no problem and can crank along at 10-12 calories oxidized per minute all day. You are smaller so your burn rate would be less if we both worked at the same intensity. You could quite realistically be burning off 600-800 calories per cardio session. Juxtapose the estimated caloric expenditure against a caloric intake of 1,200 calories a day and you see that you are potentially placing your health in jeopardy.

How many calories do you suppose it takes to power respiration, keep the nervous system firing, the heart pumping and the lungs bellowing? Movement requires energy. You likely have dug yourself a deep negative caloric hole. It is no wonder you are tired. It's a wonder you're not sick all the time with iron deficiency anemia working on a suppressed immune system. You are heading for a potential physical breakdown.

You need to reset your metabolism. You've gotten used to surviving on next to no calories and combined with your excessive cardio have placed yourself in a catabolic state in which your body is likely cannibalizing muscle tissue to cover energy shortfall.

Washington, D.C.: Marty,

I'm a guy and a little worried about my breasts. I've been working out solidly for six weeks and am starting to see some favorable results all around, but am a little worried that my chest doesn't look tighter. I don't want to have a flabby chest. Any advice on what exercises are good for flattening out and tightening the chest area?

You likely are holding fat deposits in and around your pectorals. No amount of bench pressing will make those fat depots disappear. Likely the muscles under the fat are hard and shapely; now we need to oxidize the fat that obscures them. This situation is corrected by eating (to a large degree) and cardio (to a lesser degree). The lifting has likely done its job already; the results are just hidden from view.

Washington, D.C.: Hi, Marty. Thanks for having these chats (I am a long-time lurker). You have inspired me to keep up the three-front war, and I am really enjoying the results. Here's my question: I really like using the leg press machine at the gym. It has definitely strengthened and toned my quads. But I have hit the highest weight I can go on it without causing knee pain (I had knee reconstruction about six years ago). I need a long term solution to keep my quads in shape. What do you suggest? More reps of same weight or different exercise altogether? I currently use the leg press machine four times a week, three sets of 15 reps, and I am at the gym five times a week total (I am female, 5'5", 115 lbs., 30 years old). Thanks, and keep up the good work!

Marty Gallagher: Confused -- leg presses cause pain in your reconstructed knee? Why in the world do you leg press four times a week doing three sets of 15? Who ever told you to do that is woefully misinformed. Way too much. And look what its got you. I'd stop leg presses and try and find quad alternatives that don't cause pain. Perhaps its time for you to try squatting. Experiment with different stance widths. "More reps of same weight" -- what does that mean?

Marty Gallagher: 2/5/02 Questions

San Francisco, Calif.: When I played high school football in the mid-1960s, training by "isometrics" -- exerting as much force as you could against an immovable bar -- was all the rage. That's what we did for strength training before the season. Did this technique ever have and legitimacy? Does anyone still do it?

Marty Gallagher: None, zero. That was a Bob Hoffman marketing ploy designed to sell Bob Hoffman Isometric power racks and iso-straps. He got a bunch of champion athletes to say their progress was attributable to isometric training. They sold a hell of a lot of iso-racks but when the public figured out it didn't do anything sales nose-dived and that was the end of that.

America: What does it mean when my veins stick out more in my arms than they used to? Is it because my body fat percentage is decreasing? I go to the gym often and lift and run and all that. I'm a male 6-3 213 lbs.

Marty Gallagher:When vascularity begins to appear this is usually a sign that body fat percentile is being lowered. Blood pressure can also play a role.

Bethesda, Md.: Hey Marty,

Can you recommend any ways to keep lactic acid buildup to a minimum in the days after a rough workout?

Marty Gallagher: After the fact? The damage is done and there is not a whole lot you can do to undo it. You could do a high rep set (25-50 reps) of the exercise that instilled the soreness; the idea being to pump blood through the area and flush waste products out of muscle tissue. Saunas and whirlpools bring some relief. Are you using high reps? Low reps are less likely to create DOS (delayed onset soreness) then a steady diet of high reps.

Durham, N.C.: Hi Marty,

I love your chats and your advice has really boosted my fitness level and physique. The reason I'm writing today is that I have noticed over the past two years that a lot of women have submitted questions about training while pregnant and being six months pregant myself, I wanted to share what I've been able to learn from a pre-natal fitness trainer and several books. Here are the basic rules I've learned:

1. Don't get overheated. Cardio is good, but don't get your heart rate up above the "fat-burning" zone. In other words, you should still be able to hold a conversation without getting out of breath. Also, try to stick to cardiovascular exercises that don't require a lot of coordination. Some women run throughout their pregnancies, but I've found that the joint loosening that occurs during pregnancy has turned me into a total klutz. (I personally love running on the elliptical machine.)

2. Strength training is a definite must, but try to use machines that isolate muscle groups instead of straining the whole body. (No deadlifting please.) Free weights are great, but try to use them while seated or you can put undo pressure on your abdomen and back which can stress muscles already under a lot of pressure. Believe me, by the third trimester, your back and belly are going to be plenty sore before you even step into the gym.

3. Try to avoid doing anything on your back after the fourth month. When on your back, your uterus puts pressure on your major blood vessels and can limit your circulation to your lower extremeties and to your baby. For example, I use a seated bench press where I'm sitting up straight and pushing the weight away from me.

4. If it feels bad, don't do it. If you feel fatigued, stop. If I push myself to hard at the gym, I am wasted the rest of the day and all I want to do is sleep. You are expending a lot of energy growing that baby so you really need to take care of yourself and make sure you are getting enough to eat.

5. And of course, last but not least, follow a proper diet and drink plenty of liquids. Pregnant women have much higher protein requirements than normal women and if you are strength training on top of that, you need even more.

Of course, you should talk to you obstetrician about any questions you have regarding diet and physical limitations. Also, anyone who tells you that exercise will make your morning sickness go away has never had morning sickness. I didn't exercise for two months because I couldn't leave the house without a bucket and I got motion sickness just walking from room to room. Anyway, thanks again Marty, and I hope this is helpful to your expectant readers.

Marty Gallagher: Thank you.

My 62-year-old father has been a "hard core" runner since high school. I do some running also (30-year-old female), started doing squats and dead-lifts last year and have really noticed a difference in my running. I told my father this and he would like to start a program, but has no idea where to start. He is a 5'11", 150-pound guy who has been doing some moderate weight lifting on machines (leg extensions) for a year or so and is in very good cardiovascular health. Could you recommend a program he could do two or three times per week? He has access to free-weights at a university. Thanks.

Marty Gallagher: Why don't you show him squats, deadlifts, bench press, seated overhead dumbbell press, rowing, curl and overhead tricep extension. Throw in some ab work. Have him lift twice a week doing two or three sets of 10 reps.

Alexandria, Va.: I am a 5'11" 48-year-old male, 160 pounds and I do not exercise.

What is likely to happen to me in the future if I do not exercise, as opposed to if I do? I am looking for a little motivation here if you cannot tell. Also, which would be more catastrophic for me to studiously avoid, aerobic workouts or weight-lifting. Personally, I hate weight-lifting more than I do aerobics.

Marty Gallagher:My old man never exercised a day in his life and was about your size. He was to busy growing up poor in Wilkes Bare in the Depression, fighting WWII (Silver Star, Normandy) and working two jobs as a widowed father of two boys. He smoked for 50 years and had a few drinks every night. He lived to be 84 and was lucid and sharp until the day he died. He went to sleep one night and died. I had a friend who was an exercise freak and died at age 54 of a brain hemorrhage.

C'mon man -- you hate fitness. I'm not your mother or your priest -- I can't magically talk you into something you don't want to do. What am I supposed to say that's going to cause you to suddenly embrace the fitness lifestyle with "Born Again" fervor?

Stafford, Va.: Marty, I work out three to five times a week, I am getting in pretty good shape, I run, do situps and lift, but still can't lose the little bit of flab around the middle, I know the muscle is under there, cause I can feel it. I snack on fruits and veggies most of the day. How can I get rid of the flab I have around the middle? Thanks for your help.

Marty Gallagher: Join the club. It takes a bit of fanaticism and determination to burn off muscle-obscuring body fat. I need a few more details then provided. Generally speaking, to burn off fat you decrease the gross caloric intake, increase to cardio (either intensity or duration) and pump iron.

Alexandria, Va.: Hey Marty --

I am a 32-year-old woman, 5 6', 130 lbs, good cardiovascular health. I have been active from a young age with gymnastics, running, aerobics three to four times/week. I just started weightlifting in a body pump class four months ago, twice a week, doing high-rep squats for a five-minute set, lifting 25 pounds (altogether about 80-100 squats each class). My question is this: a friend (male) who lifts says I should wear knee braces to squat to protect my knees. I have pretty solid knees structure-wise, however I had patellar tendonitis in both knees from running 10 years ago (lasted a couple monthes) and a few weeks ago had IT-band flare-up in one leg that hurt for a few days but is fine now. My knees do not hurt when I squat. Should I wear knee braces to prevent injury, even though squatting thus far does not cause me pain?

Thanks.

Marty Gallagher: 1. Body pump is not lifting weights. It's another form of cardio that uses weights to increase the intensity.

2. Please don't fall prey to the hype that says BodyPump is a "two-fer" and by doing body pump you are satisfying the weight training component and getting cardio at the same time. The reps are so high and poundage so light that next to no hypertrophy occurs. If you are doing body pump as part of your cardio program then fine -- just don't labor under the illusion that you're also getting the strength building/muscle building results you would from a regular progressive resistance program.

3. I don't believe in wearing gear in anticipation of a injury. I don't wear a belt or knee wraps when I lift.

Washington, D.C.: Dear Mr. Gallagher,

I had a traffic accident, two-and-a-half years ago and I had a brain surgery, because of skull crushed and I was in coma for 15 days, after I came out there was a lot of calcification and muscle shorten problems occured on my left arm and leg. Surely first two years I worked and I was in intensive care now, doctors say I need to physcial therapy again to walk, as I walked before the accident, and they say I can walk normal (now I am limping and can not run fast and sporting) If I work with my body, I should work on from my knee until my lip for my leg. But now I don't know which is the best work and health center for me in Washington, D.C. I am Turkish and I am a green card holder. Could you reccommend me a place I can work physical therapy and working properly?

Marty Gallagher: Call me. Here is my e-mail address. Drop me a line and I'll give you my phone number. I know of a great man in D.C. but I need to quiz you a little more.

Washington, D.C.: Marty, I have been on a weight training program with my buddy for about four weeks now. Unfortunately, I think we have hit a wall with our chest routine. Before we started this new routine, our old routine consisted of doing five sets of five reps, increasing weight each set until we hit about 95 percent of our 1RM. My concern that we were building strength but not promoting growth by doing higher reps with lower weight. Can you suggest a better alternative as far as sets, reps and weights? Thanks!

Marty Gallagher: Mix and match, change the rep sequence every four to six weeks. The body adapts and adopts to whatever you subject it to eventually. Before stagnation sets in, make a change. Usually the I work high reps 15-20 to establish a conditioning and technique base. I like to follow that with some low rep (three to five) training for maximum contrast. No one rep range trumps all others. Rotate the rep ranges periodically.

Ab Work?: I know you cannot spot tone, but I cannot seem to get rid of my lower belly, right below my belly button. I do TONS of cardio: swimming, biking, walking. I also strength train twice a week. What can I add to get this fat burned off?

Marty Gallagher: I rest my case.

You can overwhelm and negate a solid hour of cardio by eating too many calories. Your solution lies not in more cardio, but by consuming fewer calories.

Alexandria, Va.: 1. You referred to a tricep pushdown last week. Can I do that with barbells?

Marty Gallagher: No. You can do lying tricep french curls, a.k.a. nosebreakers, or you can do dips, a great tricep exercise, but you will be unable to stress the triceps in the same bio-mechanical as pushdown without a cable.

2. Years ago, I learned to do the bend over row (as it sounds, 45-degree angle bend over and pick up the barbell). It sure seems like a recipe for disaster for the back.

I'm not crazy about stone cold beginners doing rows, or anyone for that matter, without expert instruction.

Washington, D.C.: Marty, What are the best strength training and cardio moves for targeting all parts of the tricep muscle?

Thanks.

Marty Gallagher: Cardio for triceps? No idea what you mean by that. Dips, overhead and lying french presses, pushdowns from different angles. I think tricep kickbacks are overrated.

Arlington, Va.: This may be a stupid question, but here goes:

From what I understand, the more a person weighs, the more calories he'll burn doing a given activity -- so a 150-pound person will burn more calories jogging for 20 minutes than a 100-pound person will. But does it matter if those pounds are in fat or in muscle? I guess what I'm really wondering is, if I gain weight in muscle, will my cardio sessions automatically be more efficient?

Thanks

Marty Gallagher: Oh I hadn't really contemplated all this -- a 250-pound man burns more calories going the same distance, using the same intensity then a 125-pound person. Now the 250-pound guy could be a pro athlete with 5 percent body fat, it will take more calories to power his machine then a 125-pound person, even if that person has 30 percent body fat.

Ah, you may want to provide a few more details or I could give you an answer as simplistic as your question. Lift big heavy weights, eat lots of nutritious food, do killer cardio. Get lots of rest. You'll grow like a fertilized weed.

Washington, D.C.: Marty,

I'm a 28-year-old female. My height is 5'3 and 110 lbs. I'm trying to get down to 105 lbs or less by March 2. I hate starving myself, but I have a lot of "extra" thickness in the waist area that I need to get rid of pretty fast. What is the best way to do this without going on a crash diet?

Marty Gallagher: I need to know more details.

Washington, D.C.: Coach --

It feels great to finally know what I'm doing in the weight room, thanks to you. I now want to mix in some high pulls or cleans. Are they shoulder exercises, that I'd add in before shoulder presses?

Marty Gallagher: No, done correctly pulls and cleans are a back exercise: erectors, traps, lats, rhomboids and teres.

Or a back exercise, that I'd do instead of pullups or rows? (I assume the ones you've alluded to start with the bar just above my knees, but let me know if that's incorrect.)

Do your pulls and cleans and throw in some lat pulldowns using various width grips and hand positions.

Thanks.

Marty Gallagher: Adding another arrow to the quiver:

Effective exercise without equipment

I've always had a soft place in my heart for result-producing exercise done without equipment. There is a long list of exercises that can be done without gear but a very short list of those actually beneficial and worthwhile doing. I recently became acquainted with a health and fitness system that uses free-hand exercise exclusively. The approach and tactics are sophisticated and worth checking out, particularly if you are in the market for a viable fitness system that gets results without using equipment. Zdorovye (z-doro-vay), "Nature's Legacy," is an ancient Slavic health system used by world champion Russian and Ukrainian martial artists. The Zdorovye system is practical in approach with straightforward techniques that are understandable on first exposure, though mastery, no doubt, takes years. All you need is a place to stand, sit or lie down. The benefits of Zdorovye training are numerous: better flexibility, improved coordination, greater joint mobility, accelerated reaction time, improved endurance, increased health, vitality, refined focus and concentration. Best of all, the linked Zdorovye exercise sequence provides an all-encompassing abdominal workout that is incredibly intense and effective.

Practicing the Zdorovye is an exercise in concentration. Zdorovye links mind, body, muscle and movement and like the 36-posture T'ai Chi short form, practitioners simultaneously synchronize breath and movement, doing simple things with extreme concentration and attention to detail, ultimately linking them in one continuous flowing sequence. Scott Sonnon is a martial arts champion and the chief American exponent of Zdorovye. In his latest video, Be Breathed, Scott lays out the basics of the Zdorovye system with a crisp, no-frills presentation that does not bore. No small feat considering that Sonnon presents the philosophic and technical minutia of this multi-dimensional health and fitness system using no props whatsoever. Just Scott staring into the camera, explaining and demonstrating. His verbal skills (mercifully) are strong and he makes a clear and concise presentation. Good stuff. His one-man show is quite interesting and makes the fitness-minded viewer want to try the exercises he so ably demonstrates and explains.

Scott is America's premier practitioner of Zdorovye and begins the video with a detailed demonstration of Dykhaniye breathing technique, the bedrock foundation of the Zdorovye system. Scott goes over the details of the breathing procedure: "We need to concentrate on the exhalation." Scott says as he sets the philosophic table: "We seek to integrate breath, movement and alignment." Dykhaniye breathing is then used in coordination with a series of six exercises. Each successive exercise is more complex then its immediate predecessor. Six exercises are demonstrated, first slowly, yoga-like, then linked and finally done in ultra-quick fashion. The rapid-fire sequence simultaneously tax muscles and improves range of motion. Each different pace produces a radically different result, though technique is virtually identical. Once you understand the breathing procedure, you have, as Scott says, "The potential for perpetual exercise." The Dykhaniye breathing procedure can be done, to varying degrees, anywhere and anytime. "It goes everywhere you do." He states.

Waxing philosophic Scott adds mysteriously "Dykhaniye is not something you do, it is something you are, and eventually is something you become." The breath pattern commences with full lungs and shoulders spread wide and back. Forward spinal flexion initiates the exhalation process. "This is a natural compression that forces air out of the lungs." Scott says, "This natural exhalation forms the focus. The shoulders are rolled downward and this is coupled with the expulsion of breath. Pull the navel to spine as you compress forward." Scott says, "Press the air out of the body." With an audible sound, the last remnant of air is expelled. The inhalation process begins as the spine now bows backward in conjunction with a rearward shoulder roll. "The breather" makes no conscious effort to inhale rather (in a subtle point) the movement of the skeletal structure, the spine and shoulder movement, "do the breathing." At the start of the inhalation process you have zero air in the lungs - you've forcibly expelled the last vestige by drawing the navel into the spine. Now send the spine the other direction, roll the shoulders up and back and extend the belly. The body powers the breathing processes.

In an interesting aside, Scott relates that "Natural structural posture lies halfway in between the two "poles." The middle ground {of the breathing process} is where natural carriage will occur. Your posture will improve." Halfway in between shoulders rolled forward and shoulders rolled all the way back is where our perfect posture lies. Use of Dykhaniye breathing will, according the Scott, "keep the space between discs imbibed with fluid; joint health is maximized." Using a fast pace the exerciser is confronted with a calisthenics series that blows crunches into the weeds. Abs, obliques, intercostals, seratus, erectors - every core torso muscle is stressed and strengthened. "If you are out of breath you are going into oxygen debt and you are doing it wrong." Scott warns. "If breath and exercise are done correctly, no matter how fast or long the exerciser exercises, you should never become out of breath."

Scott goes through a super quick version of the six linked Zdoroyve exercises, going to both sides in certain exercises creating mirror image duplicates. Despite going all out for five minutes at a pace that would cripple a racehorse, he talks throughout and finishes with a flourish, without any hint of heavy breathing. That got my attention. Scott summed up this eclectic, exotic approach to the age-old question of fitness; "The whole procedure provides a great workout with much depth and dimension. The performance goal, the purpose of the whole routine, is breathing reeducation. We train all the time and this enhances our every activity. Movement, structural alignment, carriage and breathing; bring these physical attributes together by becoming adept in these postures." Interesting stuff. For more detailed information, check out: www.zdorovye.com

washingtonpost.com:

That wraps up today's show. Thanks to everyone who joined the discussion.