There's one exercise that we all know, but don't practice enough - though we should be. We do this exercise daily without even thinking about it, yet most of us fail to do it regularly, and with enough passion to actually reap dividends.
It's so simple that you'd probably laugh at me for mentioning it. It's something we do without even thinking about it daily - and it's something that most folks that aren't handicapped can do without any problem whatsoever.
It's one of the oldest exercises known to man, and it produces great results - maybe not the kind the average person would expect, but it DOES produce results, and LONG-LASTING results at that (as the old timers who incorporated this into their routine got). And the results produced benefit you internally instead of just externally - and these results play a huge role in pushing you further along the path to overall well-being and lifelong health.
So, what IS this exercise I'm talking about?
It's not pushups, though those will do you plenty of good, and are something everyone should do. It's not yoga. It's not long distance running, and it's most definitely NOT bodybuilding.
Well, then what is it?
The answer will likely surprise you - it's WALKING. Yes, you heard me right - I'm referring to walking. Something most of us can do, and something which you likely don't even think of as exercise unless your a power walker or unless your out hiking.
Walking is one of the oldest, and most useful exercises there is. You may not think it does you much good, but even a regular (at a decent clip, not necessarily power walking) couple of miles a day will benefit you greatly - perhaps more so than many other forms of exercise. You'll burn calories - which is something most people want to do - but more than that, walking strengthens all your internal organs, and promotes overall health and longevity to a remarkable extent. This fact has been proven scientifically, but even if you don't believe those findings, you've just gotta look at the routines of the old time strongmen, boxers and wrestlers - virtually ALL of them incorporated lots of walking into their daily routines.
It's also a potent anti-dote to ageing - walking works the legs, and as the Chinese say, the legs are the first to go when a person starts to age. Keep the legs fit and strong, and you keep the entire body fit and strong by extension.
And know that it doesn't have to be a vigorous walk to benefit you (though busting your chops walking up a steep hill certainly WILL benefit you!) - walking at a decent pace (note I said decent - not slow) also has it's own benefits, and many of them. The key thing is to walk at least a couple of kilometers daily, or more is possible - and do so without the "marathon" mentality of making the miles, and nothing more. Enjoy the walk, breathe in the fresh air - and simply WALK - thats pretty much it.
That isn't to say walking by itself will get you the results you want - quite the contrary - but it IS a vital part of your routine, and should NOT be ignored.
As for me, I'm doing plenty of walking these days in Oman - this in a country where virtually NO-ONE walks. Sure, the extreme heat is a reason for that, but even so, you'd be amazed at how widespread obesity is here. Folks talk of people in the US being overweight, but there are other countries where the problem is just as (if not more) acute. . .I'm constantly thinking about how much fitter people would be if they just stepped out of their vehicles and walked a couple of kilometers to get to wherever they have to.
Anyway, be that as it may, I'm also doing plenty of handstand pushups, rope jumping, stair climbing and other things in addition to my walking - all things YOU should be doing, or trying to do as well! Of course, you do need a good routine to put things together - but thats why I wrote Fast and Furious Fitness- this has all the routines you need, and more, to get into great, great shape.
OK, long enough post for today, I'll stop here for now. Until next time, make sure you train hard - and be sure to try and incorporate walking into your daily routine as well!
Best regards,
Rahul
PS: I spoke about Fast and Furious Fitness in today's email - the link to that is right HERE. Click on over NOW, and start on the routines that WILL change your life for the better!