Pocket Guide to Fitness: Edition Ii

By Louiza Patsis

The first edition of this book came out in 2007. In this edition, more exercises are added, and more important spirit-mind-body connection distinctions are included. Specific references are included.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Feb 8, 2011
• ISBN: 9781452072616

Louiza Patsis

Louiza Patsis has been working out intermittently since she was nine years old. She first worked out in a gym at her high school St. Francis Preparatory School in Fresh Meadows, NY. She did not begin to work out regularly in a gym doing cardiovascular work and lifting weights until December 1993. She has not stopped for over 13 years. Ms. Patsis also has a Bachelor’s of Arts in Chemistry and Masters of Science in Biology from New York University. She is pursuing a doctorate in information science at the Palmer School of Library and Information Science with a dissertation in the topic of telemedicine. She is the President of LP Enterprises. Ms. Patsis in the past has been certified as a personal trainer by the American Council on Exercise, the American College of Sports Medicine and the International Sports Sciences Association. Louiza Patsis is the author of The Boy in a Wheelchair, which she wrote at 10 years old. It tells the story of a boy who is physically challenged and bullied, and yet excels in school and plays sports. She is also the author of Life, Work and Play: Poems and Short Stories, a collection of works written in the span of 12 years. To order, call LP Enterprises at (212) 252 – 6947, or send an email to [e-mail].

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© 2011 Louiza Patsis. All rights reserved.

Photography by Sylvia Padron from Jamaica, Queens

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

First published by AuthorHouse 2/2/2011

ISBN: 978-1-4520-7260-9 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4520-7261-6 (e)

Printed in the United States of America

Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any Web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

This book is dedicated to my late great father Dionysios Sotiris Patsis, a man of love, integrity, talent and sense of humor.

Contents

Introduction

Part I: Spiritual and Mental Aspects of Working Out

Your Spirit and Your Workout:

Be Centered and Non-Attached

What Is Fitness

Hitting the Wall During the Marathon or Anywhere Else

Good Expectations

Failure

Hard Work

Excuses Not to Go to the Gym

Negative Wanting

Choose Your Body!

Winning

Perfection Context and Being Straight with Yourself

Success = Getting Up Over and Over Again

Get to Know Yourself

Acknowledge Yourself

Be Grateful

How Do You Feel?

If It Ain’t Broke, Don’t Fix It

Dance! Be in the Moment!

Emotions

Express Yourself!

Is It You?

Learn to Listen to Your Body!

Pain

Payoff

Setting Goals: Don’t Stop!

Visualize and Focus

Connect to the Source and Self-Respect

Sports

Marathon Training

Age

Educate Yourself!

Part II: Fitness Facts

A. Miscellaneous Fitness Tips to Get you Going

Your Personal Trainer and You

Perhaps the Best Abdominal Exercise

Metabolic Equivalent (MET)

Plateaus Are Not Only in Arizona

Variations

Interval Training

Killer Seven-Minute Interval Training

Jump Rope

Climb the Stairs!

Plyometrics: A Great Way to Increase Power and to De-Plateau

Women, Fitness and Fat

Can You Spot Reduce?

How Many Calories Should You Burn Per Day?

How Many Pounds Can You Lose in One Week?

Sweat

Do Not Overeat!

Here Is What Else You Can Do!

Log It!

Post an Inspiring, Funny Reminder

Genetics

Target Heart Rate, Aerobics and Cardiovascular Exercise

One-Repetition Maximum

Body Mass Index

Body Fat Percentage

Methods of Measuring

Body Fat Percentage

Boxing

Weight

Women’s Knees

Exercises During Pregnancy

Children’s Exercises

Exercises for the Older Adult

Great Overall Cardiovascular and Muscle Exercises: Crab and Spiderman

Chair Exercises

TV Exercises!

Throw Your Weight Around

Three Ways to Use a Wall

Simple Everyday Tips

Part III: Some Metabolism and Nutrition Facts

Drink Your Water!

Oxidative Respiration for Muscle Energy

Lactic Acid - Ouch!

Amino Acids

Protein

Carbohydrates

Cholesterol and Triglycerides

Eating Before, During and After a Workout

Don’t Get Too Hot!

Is Barbecued Meat Bad for You?

Moderate Alcohol Intake

Alcohol and the Liver

Some Studies

Some Books

Part IV: Stretching

Proprioreceptive Neuromuscular (PNF) Stretching

Ballistic Stretching and Passive Stretching

Active Stretching and Dynamic Stretching

Static Stretching and Isometric Stretching

Biceps Stretch

Triceps Stretch

Chest and Back Stretches

Abdominal and Lower Back Stretches

Latissimus Dorsi Stretch

Quadriceps Stretches

Hamstrings Stretches

Gluteus Maximus Stretches

Massage

Foam Roller

Part V: Muscle Group Exercise Programs

Types of Muscle

Are Skeletal Muscles White or Red?

Three Types of Skeletal Muscle Contraction

Sliding Filament Theory of Muscle Contraction

Summary of How the Heart Works

Warming Up and Cooling Down

Some Neck Exercises

Abdominal Muscles

Some Swiss Ball Abdominal Exercises

Three Simple Biceps Exercises

Three Simple Triceps Exercises

Forearms

Rotator Cuff

Two Simple Latissimus Dorsi Exercises

Some Barbell Exercises

More Back Exercises

Rear Deltoids

Calf Muscles

A Week’s Quadriceps Training

Six Hamstrings Exercises

Cable Leg Adductor and Abductor Exercises

Swiss Ball Abductor Exercise

Squats

Lunges

Three-Month Exercise Programs

Arm and Shoulder

Three-Month Exercise Routine I

Arm and Shoulder

Three-Month Exercise Routine II

Three-Month Arm and Shoulder Exercise Program III

Three-Month Chest Exercise Program I

Three-Month Chest Exercise Program II

Three-Month Chest Exercise Program III

Three-Month Chest Exercise Program IV

Three-Month Chest Exercise Program V

Three-Month Abdominal Exercise Program I

Three-Month Abdominal Exercise Program II

Three-Month Abdominal Exercise Program III

Three-Month Abdominal Exercise Program IV

Three-Month Abdominal Exercise Program V

Three-Month Abdominal Exercise Program VI

Three-Month Abdominal Program VII

Three-Month Abdominal Program VIII

Three Month Abdominal Exercise Program IX

Three-Month Lower Back Exercise I

Three-Month Lower Back Exercise II

Three-Month Leg Exercise Program I

Three-Month Leg Exercise Program II

Three-Month Leg Exercise Program III

Hip Rotators

Gluteus Maximus

Lift Your Pelvis!

Gluteus Minimus and Gluteus Medius

Lunge Squat

Smith Single Leg Split Squat

What Is Harder Than Lunges?

Step Up

Exercises for Balance

Conclusion

References

About the Author

Introduction

I have been working out for years. It is something that I love to do. At 18 years old, although I looked great and had no problem getting a date, I would huff and puff after jogging around one block, or I would get on the stationary bicycle at my university dormitory gym for about 10 minutes and sweat. Since I started to go to the gym regularly, my endurance, strength and flexibility have greatly improved. The gym is a place to be by myself and connect the spiritual, mental and physical aspects of my being into a multi-dimensional whole. It has allowed me to take part in hobbies such as long modern dance classes, hiking, skiing and jogging, including long-distance runs. My energy level has increased. I can often work, study and go out with little sleep for days.

I am at a point where I can generally regulate the amount of muscle and fat in my body. I can control my weight without expensive programs or diet fads. And I feel good about myself at any weight.

I would like to share some of what I have learned with you. I kept a Web log of fitness from October 2005. This book is derived from the Web log www.Louizafitness.blogspot.com.

I would also like to share with you my life axioms. Theorems need to be proven, like the ones in mathematics. Axioms are just true. I believe that life is a yin yang balance, and that two sides of the coin can be true at once, as in Taoism. For instance, it is good and bad to have an ego. A woman has feminine and masculine traits.

1. Perhaps Socrates with Know Thyself served as an inspiration for Shakespeare:

2. To thine own self be true, and it must follow, as the night the day, Thou cannot then be false to any man. I would add woman and God at the end as well.

3. Socrates is attributed as saying Pan metron ariston: Everything with balance or measure leads to arista or excellence.

4. The Truth comes out in the end.

5. What comes around goes around, as in Christianity’s Golden Rule, Eastern philosophy karma, physics, and more.

6. What does not kill you will make you stronger.

Louiza Patsis, M.S.

Disclaimer

None of the information, advice, or programs in this book is intended to take the place of medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Before embarking on any exercise program, have a medical check-up and evaluation by a licensed physician. Do not do any exercises contraindicated by a physician. It is a good idea to be supervised by a personal trainer for at least 10 sessions if you are a beginner in weight training. By beginner I mean a person who has not weight trained in a gym on a regular basis, i.e. at least three days a week for three months, and at least one hour each time.

Part I

Spiritual and Mental Aspects of Working Out

Your Spirit and Your Workout:

Be Centered and Non-Attached

Many people think that working out is only a physical activity. Well, it is also spiritual and mental. Let’s focus on the spiritual now. What will give you that extra push to work out if you are in pain? What will keep you committed to your workout? It is your spirit — your will to increase the level of your fitness, the fight in you to keep going when it gets tough, the belief in yourself that you can reach your goals, the love for yourself when you fail a goal, and the capacity to recommit. All of that extends from your spirit.

Have you ever watched athletes? They are talented, of course, or they would not get where they are and they would not get paid millions of dollars. But what keeps them going when they are tired? What keeps them going when they are losing the game and all eyes are on them? What makes them get up when they lose and be able to play another game? What keeps them going is their spirit. In fact, when you work out, you are working out your spirit, character, brain and personality as much as you are working out your body. You are exercising the love and commitment to yourself, your integrity in health, your commitment power, and your strength.

Working out is a practice you can do for yourself to care for and to center yourself spiritually and mentally, as well as physically. Other practices for this include being in nature, such as walking at the park or going to the beach, and meditation. Sometimes reading, dancing or walking down any street will also center you.

Working out is great because you have time for yourself to use wisely in ways that will benefit you. While you work out, you love yourself and communicate silently with yourself. Ideas and solutions to problems will pop in your head. You will think easily about the future. You will feel revived and strong in every way — spiritually, mentally and physically. You will be able to work out dark emotions.

Working out does not have to be about work. It can be about commitment to your health and your goals, not an attachment that things like your body, workouts, and goal attainment have to look a certain way. When you are attached, you often suffer and working out is not fun. You don’t like yourself if you don’t meet your goals. As you work out, you may be able to get to the point where you BE working out. It is a part of you—not a task. It is the air you breathe. Strive for that, but do not be attached! Have fun working out!

What Is Fitness

Many people think that fitness is being skinny. That is not true. Although you do not want to have a fat percentage that puts you in the overweight category, because this taxes your heart and bones, and diminishes your capacity for motion and often quality of life, having fat is necessary. This is discussed in subsequent sections. Fitness is a strong spirit, mind and body connection, blood with appropriate vitamin, nutrient, cholesterol and other levels, and the following: strength, endurance, flexibility and energy. This book will be a travel guide to fitness for you.

Hitting the Wall During the Marathon or Anywhere Else

If you have run for a long distance, you know that, after a period of time, you hit a wall. The time you hit this may be later the more you practice. The wall can be caused by fatigue of different muscles each time. Often when you run, it is caused by your feet! I find that no matter what sneakers you buy, your feet will hurt!

As I emphasize often, workouts are spiritual and mental as well as physical. While running marathons, I often found myself thinking about people and things that affect me for miles! It’s great that I can catch myself doing this and get it out of my mind. It is also wonderful to be with the people and energy of New York City. But I am telling you: Learning to master your spirit and mind can have you master your body.

If you find yourself hitting a wall at a long-distance run, thinking unwanted thoughts or feeling unwanted feelings, breathe, identify your feelings, be with them and be present to or create a commitment that is larger than the feelings and wall. At the same time, enjoy the moment.

Challenge yourself to surpass the wall. You can start with increments. Tell yourself you will cross a certain landmark, and in how much time. Connect with Nature and people around you.

You will find that the wall disappears, or at least gets smaller! Practice.

Good Expectations

Have good expectations about your health. What do I mean by that? Some people think that expectations, like getting three dozen long-stem roses on Valentine’s Day, lead to upsets. And they very well can. I think that most sayings have a flip side, as the work of Laozi (or Lao Tse or Lao Tze) shows us. On the other hand, if you have bad expectations about your health, vitality and weight, they are likely to become true, as we create our own reality to a large extent. If you think you messed up on a diet in the past and therefore will in the future, or ran slowly in a race and therefore were not cut out for that, chances are you will set your mindset, diet or exercise structure to fail or will not enter or quit the next diet or race.

Dr. Richard Wiseman and others conducted scientific studies to show that people to a large extent create their own luck. His book is The Luck Factor: The Four Essential Principles. He was featured on ABC’s 20/20. Often people have good expectations in certain areas, but not in others. This is shaped often by what people told them about themselves or by how these areas worked in the past.

Failure

Failure can be good. We all fail, often many times, before we accomplish what we set out to do. Each time we fail, we grow in the following ways: 1. Who we are regarding failure gives us growth; 2. We see what our triggers of failure from the past are; 3. We evolve in our relationship to failure; 4. We see what was missing and put it in to be more effective next time; and 5. We learn from our experience, grow and mature as human beings.

By failing we get to see if we are really committed to our goals and not attached. If we are attached, we get to see how we self-sabotage our commitment. What self-sabotaging conversations do we have? These can include:

I will never be good enough.

It is too good to be true.

I do not have the time.

I do not know how.

I cannot do it.

Hard Work

Do you know how sometimes you do not want to take the first step?