A couple of weeks ago, I was walking through a local fitness club, just looking around at the equipment while my son attended a birthday party in one of their activity rooms.  As I was walking back toward the party area I noticed a young woman working out on the abduction machine.  For those of you whom are unfamiliar with this machine, it is designed to strengthen the muscles of the hip that move the legs apart.  There is a corresponding adduction machine that works the opposite set of muscles.

Now those of you who know me, will not be surprised at my disdain for this kind of muscle isolation/limited range of motion/ non-integrative exercise.  So let’s just get it out of that way that I consider that kind of workout a waste of time.   But that is not what caught my attention.  What brought me up short was the fact that the woman was reading a magazine while working out on this machine.  Now I can pretty categorically state that if you can read a magazine while you are exercising than you are not getting a heck of a lot out of your workout.  That especially applies to any sort of strength-training.

I am not sure what this woman’s particular goals are but it’s safe to assume that she wants to improve her fitness, her physique and manage her weight.  If the exercise I witnessed is indicative of her approach to achieving those goals, then there is a good chance that she is wasting her time and her money.  As I have stated in my book, “Perfect Body Made Simple”; in my Podcasts, emails, blogs and to anyone who will listen, keeping yourself fit and trim is simple. . .not easy.  You have to work at it, consistently and vigorously.

We are dedicated to the idea that anyone can achieve health, vitality and “their perfect body”, by using the integrative and metabolic approach to exercise that we offer with the “Kettlebell Way” DVD’s and with our newly inaugurated “Workout-A-Week” Club.  With these two programs we can teach people the foundational movements and programs that restore and renew their strength and vitality and help them achieve new levels of fitness and strength by challenging their bodies with new movements and combinations on a weekly basis.  So far, the feedback has been outstanding.  Newcomers love kettlebell training and experienced athletes are thrilled by the new challenges they are getting weekly from WAW.

That being said, there are many ways to effectively achieve and maintain your strength, vitality and fitness.  What they all have in common is consistency and intensity.  When you are in the moment with your workout, you can give it your all.  And when you collapse in a pool of sweat, you can be assured that you have done yourself a whole lot of good.   Afterwards you can take a shower, hydrate and eat some protein and maybe read that magazine.

Set Yourself Apart.