Fast Track to Flex Appeal

Man's got to know his limitations." Spend enough time in the gym and you gain an acute appreciation of what Clint Eastwood meant with that immortal line. Eventually, we all run up against the limitations of whatever workout system we're using. Some help make us bigger, some help make us stronger, some help make us leaner, but none seems to do all three at once.

While I agree that it's often more efficient to pursue one goal at a time, the workout system I created for my new book, Huge in a Hurry, allows you to multitask. You'll build size and strength, thanks to the intense challenge to all your muscle fibers from the high-speed reps. And you'll get leaner, thanks to the maximum-effort sets. Try it for four weeks, and you'll see that your limitations aren't really all that limiting.

Your 4-week flex plan

In just three workouts a week, you'll build bigger, stronger muscles while whittling your waist down to size

Directions: Do each workout once a week, with at least a day (48 hours total) between workouts. Instead of performing a specific number of sets, do the total number of reps designated for each exercise—regardless of how many sets it takes you.

Here's how it works: For each exercise, follow the guideline for the amount of weight you should use, which includes a repetition range for your first set. For example, suppose it prescribes four to six reps. You want this to be a challenging weight, of course, so choose what you think is the heaviest weight that allows you to lift at least four reps but no more than six. Then simply do as many sets as you need to complete the total number of reps for that exercise. (If you do fewer reps in subsequent sets, that's fine.)

One more guideline: Perform every rep of every exercise as fast as possible with good form, without pausing at any point. Stop the set if you're slowing down or if your form changes—for example, your range of motion shortens or you need to cheat to finish a rep.

Workout A

• 25 total reps per exercise
• 4-6 rep range, first set
• 45 seconds of rest between sets

1. Chin-Up (or Underhand-Grip Lat Pulldown)

Using an underhand, shoulder-width grip, start the set from a dead hang with your knees bent and ankles crossed behind you [A].

Pull yourself up as fast as possible until your chest touches the bar [B].

If you can't do that many chinupsor don't have access to a chinup bar, do underhand-grip pulldowns on a straight bar with your hands about shoulder-width a part.

2. Dumbbell Bench Press

Grab a pair of dumbbells and lie on your back on a flat bench. Start with your arms straight, holding the weights directly over your chest [A].

Lower them to the sides of your chest [B], and then immediately push them back to the starting position.

3. Front Squat

Grab a barbell with a shoulder-width grip and place it in front of you across the tops of your shoulders. Now raise your upper arms until they're parallel to the floor, allowing the bar to roll back onto your fingertips [A].

Without letting your elbows drop, lower your body by pushing your hips back and bending your knees until your thighs are at least parallel to the floor [B]. Push your body back to the starting position.

4. Barbell Lying Triceps Extension

Grab an EZ-curl bar or a barbell with an overhand grip, your hands a little less than shoulder-width apart. Lie on a flat bench and hold the bar over your chest with your arms straight [A].

Without moving your upper arms, bend your elbows to lower the bar until your forearms are past parallel to the floor [B]. Pause, and then lift the weights back to the starting position by straightening your arms

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Exercise, Education Keep You Sharp in Old Age

If you want your mind to stay sharp when you're 90, here's what you'll need to do.

Exercise moderately or vigorously at least once a week, live with someone, avoid smoking and continue to volunteer or work into your 70s or 80s.

A new study shows that seniors with at least a high school education and a ninth-grade literacy level who followed such a lifestyle were more likely to stay mentally fit than those who didn't.

"The take-home message from the study is, you can maintain your cognitive function in late life," said study author Alexandra Fiocco, a postdoctoral fellow at the University of California, San Francisco. "People are afraid they will experience cognitive decline as they age. But not everyone declines."

The study appears in the June 9 issue of Neurology.

Researchers examined about 2,500 men and women aged 70 to 79 living in Memphis, Tenn. or Pittsburgh, Pa. All were taking part in the Health, Aging and Body Composition study.

Cognitive skills were tested four times over the eight-year study: at the outset and at years 3, 5 and 8.

As time passed, many of the participants showed decline in cognitive function -- about 53 percent experienced minor cognitive decline and 16 percent showed major cognitive decline.

But about 30 percent of the participants showed no cognitive decline -- and a few even improved their scores on cognitive tests.

So, what separated those who experienced mental decline from those who stayed sharp?

Seniors who exercised moderately to vigorously at least once a week were 30 percent more likely to maintain their cognitive function than those who didn't exercise that often, according to the study.

Those who had at least a high school education were nearly three times as likely to stay sharp as those who had less education, while older adults with a ninth-grade literacy level or higher were nearly five times as likely to avoid mental decline as those with lower literacy levels.

Nonsmokers were nearly twice as likely to stay sharp as those who smoke.

And seniors still working or volunteering were 24 percent more likely to maintain cognitive function, as were people who didn't live alone.

"To this day, the majority of past research has focused on factors that put people at greater risk to lose their cognitive skills over time, but much less is known about what factors help people maintain their skills," Fiocco said.

Hypertension and diabetes showed little impact on cognitive skills.

Dr. John Hart Jr., a professor of behavioral and brain sciences and neurology at the University of Texas at Dallas, said patients often come in wanting to know exactly what they need to do to avoid the problems associated with aging.

No one really knows precisely what that prescription is, Hart said. But studies such as this shed light on some of the lifestyle factors that separate those who are experiencing healthy aging and those who aren't.

"These are exciting studies that are getting us closer and closer to finding out what you need to do for a healthy old age," he said.

For people looking to improve their cognitive condition, Hart said there is no one product on the market or type of mental exercise that has been shown to be beneficial above the others.

Instead, take up a different activity, volunteer, try new things to challenge your brain, he suggested.

"It always comes back to eat healthy, exercise, take care of yourself," Hart said. "Stay physically and mentally active, and you will increase your chances of successful aging."

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Abs in No Time

Grab a medicine ball for an intensified crunch workout that will flatten your belly before beach season.

Get ripped fast

In these days of bogus infomercials, fat-burning concoctions, and fitness contraptions that promise incredible abs, there's something reassuring about a workout with a medicine ball. The heft of a vintage medicine ball makes us want to put on gray sweats and start heaving it around with the fellas, grunting contentedly. On the other hand, you can take the vintage thing too far. Leather is out; vinyl is in. Medicine balls now have easier-to-grab surfaces, and they come in many sizes and weights. (They still need a new name, though. Medicine?!)

What are you waiting for?

Here's a leave-me-alone, in-a-hurry, 21st-century set of exercises that uses the weight of a medicine ball to blast your belly from top to bottom, and your obliques on the sides—those all-important muscles you use when doing twisting, turning moves in sports. The workout was designed by Jacqueline Wagner, C.S.C.S., a strength coach in New York City. The added weight of the medicine ball will give you a more intense workout than you'll get with conventional crunches.

Use a ball that's light enough so you can do one set of each exercise without straining or arching your back. A good weight for ab workouts is a 4-kilogram medicine ball (just shy of 9 pounds). Start with one circuit and build up to three sets of the circuit. Use a slow, controlled movement for the Double Crunch and Reverse Crunch.

Double Crunch

Starting position: Lie on your back, with your hips and knees bent as shown and your feet off the floor. Rest your hands lightly on your chest. Position the ball between your knees.

The move: Exhale as you lift your shoulders off the floor and bring your knees toward your chest. Grab the ball with your hands and bring it to your chest as you inhale and ...

The finish: Return your shoulders and legs to the starting position. Transfer the ball back to your legs on the next repetition, and keep alternating ball positions for the entire set.

Seated Twist

Starting position: Sit on the floor, your back straight but leaning slightly toward the floor, as if in the "up" position of a sit-up. Your knees should be bent 90 degrees, your heels about 15 inches apart and resting on the floor.

The move: Hold the ball close to your chest, rotate your torso to the left, and place the ball on the floor behind you. Rotate around to the right, pick up the ball, rotate left, and place it behind you.

The finish: Repeat eight to 12 times, then do eight to 12 more starting with a rotation to your right; that's one set.

Hint: Keep your head in line with your torso throughout the movement. Perform this move as quickly as possible.

Reverse Crunch with Knee Drops

Starting position: Lie on your back, hands resting on the floor at your sides, hips and knees bent 90 degrees, and feet off the floor. Position the ball between your knees. Keep your lower back on the floor throughout the exercise.

The move: Contract your abdominals and pull your knees to your chest, then return them to the starting position.

The finish: Lower your knees to the left and return to the starting position. Drop your knees to your right on the next repetition, and alternate sides for each rep.

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Exercise Protects Your Brain and Memory

For many years, experts have advised people to exercise their brains to combat the memory loss associated with Alzheimer's disease and other disorders leading to cognitive decline. For example, they suggest computer games, playing cards or chess, doing cross-word puzzles, and simply maintaining active social interactions. And such brain exercises do seem to result in modest benefits.

A number of small observational studies had suggested that physical activity can also help maintain memory and reduce the risk of cognitive decline. Reports in 2006 on two large prospective studies supported the benefits of exercise on cognitive function. Participants were 65 years of age or older and free of cognitive impairment on entry into these studies, and they were followed for an average of about 6 years. One study of 1,740 men and women from Seattle found that the risk of dementia was 38 percent lower in those who exercised 3 or more times a week compared to those who exercised fewer than 3 times a week. The authors concluded that their results “suggest that regular exercise is associated with a delay in onset of dementia and Alzheimer disease.”

A second study of 3,375 men and women found that participants who were in the group with the highest expenditure of physical activity had a 50 percent lower likelihood of developing dementia than those with the lowest level of physical activity.

Similarly, an article in a recent Journal of the American Medical Association described the results of a randomized trial of aerobic exercise in 138 Australian subjects older than age 50. On their entry, the participants did not have objective evidence of dementia. When assessed after 18 months for signs of Alzheimer disease and cognitive decline, subjects who had been assigned to the exercise group showed a modest improvement in cognition compared to non-exercisers.

None of these or other studies have shown that physical exercise has a truly dramatic effect on preservation of mental function. Nonetheless, the results suggest that healthier aging and prevention or delay in the development of dementia may be added to the many other benefits of regular exercise.

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The Most Shocking "Healthy" Foods! (And What You Should Eat Instead!)

You know that annoying person in your office or neighborhood who knows how to push your buttons? Well, a lot of food marketers are in the button-pushing game, as well: They’re using buzzwords to tempt you to eat what you shouldn’t. If they can make your belly override your brain, their profit margins might double (often along with the chins).

We’re talking about “reduced fat” products that probably do have less fat--but also piles of sugar and salt to compensate for the lack of flavor--and “all-natural” products that really do come from nature, along with scoopfuls of chemical additives like something straight out of Dr. Frankenstein’s laboratory.

And the most deceptive, dangerous word of all? “Healthy.” Because there is really no way to define it, the FDA has no way to regulate it. And just about anything can be “healthy”—or unhealthy—depending on how much you stuff into your mouth. The latest book in our bestselling series—Eat This, Not That! The Best (and Worst!) Foods in America!—rips the confusing labels off the foods you eat, and exposes the ugly truth behind some of the food industry’s most dangerous health claims. This exclusive excerpt will give you a taste of five of the most dangerous “healthy” restaurant foods, plus better ways to make your meal.WORST 'HEALTHY' SOUP
P.F. Chang’s Chicken Noodle Soup
759 calories
24 g fat (4 g saturated)
4,135 mg sodium
92 g carbs

It’s the best part about getting sick: The promise of chicken noodle soup to come. Studies have shown it works, too, but no study could have planned on the torrent of sodium that swirls around among Chang’s noodles. Experts recommend capping your daily sodium intake at 1400 milligrams, ideally, and no more than 2,400 mg. Any more than that can put you at an increased risk for heart disease, not to mention swell you up via water retention. Unfortunately all Chang’s soups suffer a similar fate. Your only choice is to swap out your bowl for a smaller cup.

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Melt Away Calories in Half the Time

This routine pushes the muscles in half of your body, and then allows them to recover while you push the other half.

Cycle through all four exercises, resting one minute between each, and repeat for 15 minutes. You'll hit every muscle and move at a pace fast enough to melt fat, says the workout's creator, Mike Robertson, co-owner of Indianapolis Fitness and Sports Training.

1. Lunge

Stand holding a dumbbell in each hand, arms at your sides, palms facing in.

Tighten your stomach as you step forward with your right foot, land on your heel, and lower your back knee to just above the ground.

Drive off your heel to return to the starting position.

Do eight to 12 reps with each leg.

2. Dumbbell Row

With a dumbbell in your right hand, place your left hand and left knee on a bench.

Keep your back flat and upper body parallel to the floor as your right arm hangs.

Now raise your right upper arm to your rib cage, squeeze your shoulder blade back, and lower it again.

Do eight to 12 reps with each arm.

3. Romanian Deadlift

Standing on your left foot, hold a dumbbell in front of your thigh with your right hand, palm facing you.

Keep your chest up and back flat, bend at the hips, and lower your right arm.

As you start to feel your hamstring stretch, straighten up again.

Do eight to 12 reps with each arm.

4. Push-Up

Lie face-down on the floor with your palms slightly wider than shoulder-width apart, fingers pointing forward.

Push yourself up until your body weight rests only on your palms and toes.

Lower yourself slowly until your chest barely touches the floor.

Repeat for eight to 12 reps.

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How Can I Shape Up Fast?

Q: Summer’s already here and I’m still out of shape. What’s the quickest way to see results, and how much can I realistically expect to improve in the next month or so?

A: Memorial Day has come and gone, and you feel that you weren’t at the top of your game. Well, don’t fret—you actually have a couple of weeks before summer officially hits, and there's plenty you can do to look and feel better than you do now. I like to ask all of my clients when they start to train with me what their current fitness and nutrition regimen is. A few healthful tweaks will go very far to get you looking and feeling like you are ready for the beach—and just one month is all it will take to get you there.

Starting tomorrow morning, I want you to do the following routine as soon as you get out of bed. This is from my new DVD, "The Seven Day Prescription." Start with a set of push-ups (as many as you can do on your toes—if fewer than 15 repetitions, complete the set on your knees).

Move in to the Plank. In this position, you’ll simulate the "up" part of a push-up and hold for 30 seconds. Keep your abs tight and your back flat the entire time. If the plank is too hard, try the Low Plank instead.

Follow with Plié Toe Squats (15 to 20 repetitions). To perform: Stand with legs out wide and hands on hips. Turn toes out 45 degrees and keep your heels in. Bend your knees and sink down into a squat. Lift your left heel, then lower. Then alternate lifting right and left heels for 30 seconds.

Finish with Alternate Forward Lunges with Torso Rotation (15 to 20 repetitions). Standing with feet shoulder-width apart and hands behind your head, take a large step forward with your right foot. Sink down into a lunge (without letting your knee bend past your toes), and twist your torso while pointing your left elbow to your right knee. Push back up through your front heel and return to starting position. Repeat lunge with left foot, twisting and reaching out with right elbow.

Do the entire circuit without any rest in between each exercise, and then repeat two or three times. This workout should take about 10 minutes and will get your body and brain revved up for the day.

On the nutritional side, consider my A-B-Cs of nutrition: Start eschewing alcohol, bread and other processed carbohydrates in your diet. Start each day with a healthful dose of protein, such as scrambled egg whites with vegetables. The protein will help fuel your body and start your day on the right note. If you're still hungry, a cup of steel-cut oatmeal, prepared with water instead of milk, is a good energy booster. During the day, try to have five small meals every three hours (7 a.m., 10 a.m., 1 p.m., 4 p.m. and 7 p.m.), with energizing, nutrient-dense snacks such as almonds, red peppers, or whey protein shakes at 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.

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