The One-Minute Workout

No matter how brief, simple and easy one makes it, there will always be those so resistant to exercise and conditioning activities, that they will demand that it be even less. With that thought in mind -- for all those too busy to do anything else other than what they are already doing, this is the one-minute, if-you-do-nothing-else program. And if one does nothing else, with this, one will notice significant improvements in health, appearance, and functioning. It would be this:

Upon awakening each morning, while lying on one’s back, raise the knees towards the chest with legs bent at the knees and ankles crossed. Then grasp the lower part of one’s legs with arms and hands to hold that position, as the head moves forward naturally. Hold that position for one minute -- with an awareness of how that position causes the contraction of the stomach muscles. While holding that position, note the changes in muscular contraction just in breathing -- as naturally and effortlessly as possible -- letting air move only through one’s nose.

In this simple exercise, there is no limit to how good one can become at it. Only in this position, is it possible to achieve maximal muscular contraction of ALL the muscles of the body. This is the position of ultimate muscle contraction. It is the very familiar fetal position -- which is obviously the position of strength as well as growth for the human organism. But rather than being a retreat and withdrawal from the world, as often encountered in despondent and dysfunctional individuals, it can be, by intelligent and deliberate design, transformed into the ultimate movement (posture) for growth and improvement. It is that simple.

While the basic fetal position is suggestive as the model for this posture -- it doesn’t take it far enough -- in the direction of complete, ultimate and maximal contraction uniquely possible in this position.

What most people don’t realize is that muscle states -- of contraction and relaxation -- is not determined by effort or resistance, but simply in knowing what positions the body part has to be in for the muscle to be maximally contracted or relaxed. The muscle really doesn’t care whether it took a lot of effort or resistance to achieve that position. Once one realizes what position the body part has to be in for the muscle to be in contraction, one doesn’t have to create an apparatus to assist him in getting into that position (or make it more difficult). It is simply the natural range of motion -- accessible at any time, under any conditions, once one is aware of it. That is something which is not normally taught -- or learned by most, no matter how long they live, and all that they do.

Obese people will have difficulty accessing those extreme ranges because the mass of their own body makes it difficult or prohibitive. But simply moving into that range as much is possible, causes a contraction (making smaller) that ultimately becomes the more normal appearance and function of that muscle.

The position, posture, movement described, perfected one minute each day, as soon as awakening, will result in the most dramatic transformation possible.