Robert J. Davis - Fitter Faster: The Smart Way to Get in Shape in Just Minutes a Day

Thank you for downloading this AMACOM eBook.

Sign up for our newsletter, AMACOM BookAlert, and receive special offers, access to free samples, and info on the latest new releases from AMACOM, the book publishing division of American Management Association.

To sign up, visit our website: www.amacombooks.org

FITTER
FASTER

THE SMART WAY
TO GET IN SHAPE IN
JUST MINUTES A DAY

ROBERT J. DAVIS, PH.D.

with Brad Kolowich, Jr.

The contents of Fitter Faster, such as text, graphics, images, information obtained from Fitter Fasters licensors, and other material contained in the book (Content) are for informational purposes only. The Content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read in Fitter Faster.

For my family

whose love does my heart good
even more than exercise

Though writing a book can be a solitary voyage, I was fortunate to have a number of fellow travelers along the way whose help and support were indispensible.

Brad Kolowich, Jr., my co-author, brought not only his considerable expertise to the book, but also his infectious enthusiasm. His upbeat personality and can-do attitude, which have contributed to his tremendous success as a personal trainer, have also made him an outstanding partner for this project.

I am equally grateful to Ellen Kadin, my wonderful editor at AMACOM, who served as chief guide and cheerleader throughout the process. The talent and hard work of Ellen and her colleagues, along with that of fitness photographer Zach Hawkins, brought to life what had been a long-simmering idea in my head.

Thanks are also due to the individuals who were kind enough to share their inspirational fitness journeys, and to my good friend and longtime colleague Leigh Seaman, who gathered and wrote their stories.

My workout buddy Trevor Rosenthal lent both brains and brawn to the effort, serving as a sounding board as I pondered various aspects of the book, and as an adept exercise tester. I also appreciate the input of my friends Erin Robboy and Josh Norcross, who patiently listened to me talk about the book (or pretended to listen) on our weekly hikes. My mother, Scottie, went well beyond her maternal duties by poring over multiple drafts and offering her unvarnished opinions.

My friend and colleague Loren Goldfarb, on whose wise counsel I rely regularly, provided feedback that, as always, was invaluable. The same goes for my close friend Edward Felsenthal, whose editorial guidance unquestionably made this a better book.

My own fitness journeyand therefore this bookwould not have been possible without my first personal trainer, Kevin Kusinski, who is among the best teachers Ive ever had. Kevin always kept me laughing during my workouts and wanting to come back for more. Im also deeply indebted to my friend and current trainer, Chris George, who is one of the most talented fitness professionals in the business. Pushing me beyond what I thought were my limits, Chris has transformed not only my body but also how I feel about it. Its my hope that Fitter Faster can help do the same for you.

From first grade on, it was the thing about school I hated most: Not math tests. Not mind-numbing assemblies. Not even the inedible lunches.

It was gym class.

At the all-boys elementary school that I attended, athletic prowess was considered just as important as academic achievement. Consequently, everyone was required to attend daily PE classes, which always began by our lining up and performing calisthenics like jumping jacks, sit-ups, leg lifts, burpees, and crab push-ups. As a chubby kid who didnt especially like sports or sweating, I detested all the exercises. But one I found especially odious was something dubbed Chinese torture by the coaches. This involved lying on our stomachs, grabbing our ankles, and rocking back and forth (an exercise that I now know is actually called a rocking horse).

Leaning back in his chair, the head coach would bark out orders like a drill sergeant as he puffed away on a cigarette. After getting his nic fix, he would have us choose teamsI was not exactly a first-round draft pickand then play some type of seemingly pointless game. Most often it was Cowboys and Indians (aka dodgeball) in which the objectas best I could tellwas to hurl red rubber balls at players on the other team and try to knock the crap out of them. If you got hit, you were out and had to go sit on the bleachers. In what you might call an auto-out, I often purposely got hit (or pretended to) within the first 30 seconds so I could escape the melee and maximize my time comfortably seated on the sidelines with my friend Daniel, who had turned me on to this trick.

My aversion to exertion and efforts to avoid it whenever possible lasted through high school. But things began to change when I got to college. There I developed an interest in health and started reading about the benefits of aerobic exercise. I began jogging, initially for just a few minutes at a time, until eventually I was able to go several miles. Over time, my distance and speed increased, and running became a regular part of my life. Eventually I became interested in other types of exercise as well and started going to the gym to lift weights.

Today I hit the running trails or work out virtually every day, doing many of those same calisthenics that I so dreaded as a child. But now I actually enjoy them and cant imagine my life without regular physical activity. At middle age, I am in the best shape of my life and am able to move my body in ways that I never could have imagined doing when I was young.

So, what changed? Well Im still far from a star athlete and not a fan of dodgeball. But Ive developed a very different relationship with physical activity. Thats happened because I discovered an activity that worked for merunningand from there was able to make exercise a regular part of my life.

And thats my goal in this book for you: to help make exercise less daunting and more doable so you can incorporate it more easily into your life.

There are lots of reasons why many of us find it so difficult to exercise. Lets start with perhaps the most common one: too little time.

Consider the official recommendations from the federal government and health authorities. Were supposed to get at least 30 minutes, five days a week, of moderate aerobic activity (meaning things like brisk walking, biking, or doubles tennis). In addition, were told that we need two or three days a week of strength-training exercises that target all the major muscle groups. Add to that at least two or three days of stretching exercises. Phew! It can be exhausting just imagining how to fit all that in, much less doing it.

A survey by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has found that about 80 percent of American adults fail to meet both the aerobic and strength-training guidelines. Thats not surprising, given the time required. The shocking part is that 20 percent manage to comply, though I suspect that a good chunk of them are stretching the truth.