Fit Score Book

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FitScore™ A Revolutionary Approach to Fitness

Get your FitScore at HyperStrike.com

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Table of Contents Acknowledgements Introduction A Note from Michael Greeves Who We Are Who You Are You Becoming Fit What is Fitness? Real-World Fitness, How does it Benefit You? Real-World Fitness and a Great-Looking Body Real-World Fitness: The Essence of Human Evolution Why is this Book right for You? What Will You Gain from this Book? Form Always Follows Function

1 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 3 3 4 5

Part I Chapter One Analyzing Fitness Understanding Fitness The 5 Components of Fitness Applying the 5 Components of Fitness Strength Power Agility Endurance Flexibility Optimize the 5 Components of Fitness to Maximize Your Real-World Fitness So, What is the Workout Program? Energy Systems Phosphagen System Anaerobic System Aerobic System Energy Systems and Real-World Fitness Training for Real-World Fitness

7 7 7 8 8 9 9 9 10 10

Chapter Two – FitScore Your Map to Success How FitScore Works for You Moving Forward

15 15 15 16

Chapter Three – Strength What is Strength? What are some Examples of Strength? How is Strength Measured? Strength, Put it in Your Life

17 18 18 19 19

11 11 13 13 13 14 14 14

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Chapter Four - Power What is Power? What are some Examples of Power? How is Power Measured? Power, it has a Place in Your Life

21 21 21 22

Chapter Five - Agility What is Agility? What are some Examples of Agility? How is Agility Measured? Agility, You should have iit

23 23 24 24

Chapter Six - Endurance What is Endurance? What are some Examples of Real-World Endurance? How is Endurance Measured? Endurance, You should have it

25 26 26 27

Chapter Seven - Flexibility What is Flexibility? What are some Real-World Examples of Flexibility? How is Real-World Flexibility Measured? Real-World Flexibility…Why You want it

28 29 29 30

Part II Chapter Eight – FitScore Equipment Needed for Assessments Fitness Component 1 – Strength Fitness Component 2 – Power Fitness Component 3 – Agility Fitness Component 4 – Endurance Fitness Component 5 – Flexibility Strength Assessment Bench Press Squat Power Assessment Jumping Agility Assessment Agility Drill Endurance Assessment 1.5 Mile Run Flexibility Assessment Overhead Squat Keeping Your FitScore Words of Advice Before Starting Assessments: The Prerequis The Prerequisite

32 32 32 32 32 33 33 33 33 35 36 36 38 38 39 40 41 41 43 44 44

Chapter Nine - Putting It All Together How to Use the FitScore Charts FitScore Graph

45 45 84

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Chapter Ten - Mapping Your Direction The Pentagon of FitScore The Real-world Fitness Map Interpreting Your Graph into a Workout

86 86 87 87

Chapter Eleven - Executing Your Plan If Your Fitness Components are Balanced If You Need to Balance Your Fitness Component Creating an Exercise Program Frequency Duration Intensity Determining Your Exercise Ratios: The Approximation Method Examples of the Approximation Method What to do with the Ratios? Freedom in Program Design is the Key Design it Your Way

89 89 89 89 89 89 90 90 90 91 91 91

Part III Chapter 12 - The Exercises Strength Squat Deadlift One-legged Chair Squat Lunge Lateral Lunge Bench Press Push-up Bent-over Row Pull-up Shoulder Press Power Vertical Jump Broad Jump Tuck Jump Skipping Lunge Skier Clean High Pull Power Jerk Power Push-up Medicine Ball Chest Throw Medicine Ball Power Slam

93 93 93 93 94 94 95 95 96 97 97 98 99 99 99 100 101 101 102 103 104 104 105

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Agility Forward Skip Lateral Shuffle Zigzag Run 10-Yard Start-Stop Sprint 10-Yard Reverse Sprint Forward Reaching Lunge Lateral Reaching Lunge Rotation Reaching Lunge Matrix T-Cone Drill Endurance Speed Walking Hill Walking Running Cycling Rowing Interval Running Interval Cycling Shadow Boxing Skipping Rope Combo-Training Flexibility Sampson Lunge Lateral Stretching Lunge Step-Over Lunge Straight-Leg Kick Handwalk Water Wading Wings Back Stroke Frog Drop Overhead Squat Progression Parameters Strength Power Agility Endurance Flexibility

106 106 106 107 108 109 110 110 111 112 113 114 115 115 116 116 117 118 118 119 120 121 122 122 123 123 124 124 125 125 126 126 127 128 128 129 129 130 130 131

Chapter 13 – Conclusion Real-World Fitness Keep it Fresh and Fun

132 132 133

Appendices Appendix A – FitScore Record Sheet

134 136

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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

First, I want to thank God for bringing the right people into my life at the right time. Throughout this journey I’ve been blessed with the people to help turn the vision for this Company and book into reality. Harry, Shirley – Thank you! Next, I want to thank the many people who have influenced my life and helped me build me business. My wife, whom from day one, believed in me and my vision. Many of my personal training clients, several of them successful CEO’s and Executives, who have mentored me and provided invaluable feedback that helped shape the direction of the Company and this book. I want to thank John “Johnny” Nguyen for his dedication and commitment to excellence. John provided key assistance and valuable perspectives during the evolution of FitScore. Special thanks to the Thom and Tracey Downing and the trainers at Focused Individualized Training (F.I.T.) who I’ve learned so much from. I’m grateful to the Downing’s and the staff at F.I.T. for contributing to my education as a trainer. Thanks to my staff and development team for the great website. Finally, I’d like to thank my parents for always encouraging me to go for my dreams. No limits!

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INTRODUCTION Whether an elite athlete, casual exerciser, sedentary office worker or a gym rat, we all want to be fit and healthy. We want to become strong, lean, flexible and active. We want to live healthy and train with purpose and direction! We all want to live a “fit” lifestyle. After 13 years of working as a personal trainer, I developed a passion to help people live a fit lifestyle and transform themselves. In 2005, with the help of many smart people, I launched HyperStrike.com – a fitness and nutrition website. As the founder, I believe I’m in a unique position to help educate people on healthy habits, reaching more people, and teaching them how to live healthier and be fit. I believe that with HyperStrike I can help reach more people, and teach them to: • • • • •

Reach their fitness goals faster Constantly improve their fitness Change their bodies for the better Transform their perception of fitness Empower themselves to become fit

Now, with FitScore, I want to help you do the same. Where HyperStrike gives you a simple, step-by-step plan to get in shape, lose weight and stay healthy; FitScore provides unique insight into your total fitness level. When we first set out to create FitScore we didn’t want to recreate what was already available – tests that give you a one dimensional view of fitness. How frustrating is it to perform a fitness test and at the end confirm what you already suspected. Either you performed well or poorly for that particular test, with no real explanation for what it means in the bigger picture. Too many people have a one-dimensional view of their fitness. Have you ever met someone that brags about their physical accomplishments “I can bench press my bodyweight”, or “I can run a 5 minute mile”, or “I can do the splits”. Most likely, what they’re not telling you is their weaknesses. Sure they can bench press their body weight, but they can’t run a mile. Or maybe they can do the splits, but can’t do a push up. This is common, as it’s human nature to focus on our strengths and hide our weaknesses. What if we changed our perspective on fitness from a one dimensional view to a multi-dimensional, holistic view? Rather than focusing on the exercise, we focus on improving our health and fitness. To see a marked improvement in your fitness, you’ll need more than a plan. You’ll need to know your FitScore.

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In the coming chapters, I’ll explain how to: Assess Your Fitness FitScore helps you assess your current fitness level (or starting point) by breaking fitness into its five component elements and rating each component. The five components are also aggregated to provide an overall FitScore. Improve Your FitScore Individual fitness components can be targeted for improvement. Push fitness to new levels and avoid plateaus with targeted training. Upload to HyperStrike You can upload their FitScore directly to HyperStrike. The Fitness Engine will evaluate the FitScore and create customized workouts based on each individual’s unique FitScore. Share and Compare FitScore contains a community element that allows users to share their FitScore via online communities and compare FitScores with friends, family and peers. If you are currently exercising, I challenge you to get your FitScore. If you are sedentary and contemplating exercising, I challenge you to get your FitScore. If you are looking to take your fitness to the next level, I challenge you to get your FitScore. Everyone should know their FitScore! No matter what you current situation, you can use FitScore to guide your body and workouts. Find a buddy or personal trainer, hit the gym, log your results on HyperStrike.com, and get fit! I guarantee you’ll discover something about yourself: how fit you really are. I did! Yours in Health, Mike Greeves

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Who You Are We make up the staff members for a company called HyperStrike, an on-line fitness company that delivers individualized fitness programs to thousands of people who want to get fit. We are also practicing coaches and personal trainers with real-world experiences. We have changed and improved literally thousands of lives, have worked with athletes of all levels and ages, and we truly enjoy what we do on a daily basis. Because we can only work one-on-one with so many people, we decided to write a book to spread what we do to a larger audience – you. With this book, we hope to empower as many people as possible, to help make the people of this world a much fitter and healthier people. Who You Are You might be an athlete, a CEO, a lawyer, a teacher, a student, a parent, or a grandparent. You might be one of a number of people out there doing whatever it takes to get you through the day: winning a race, closing a deal, digging a ditch, earning a paycheck, studying for a test, raising young children, climbing a mountain, or walking a dog. Whatever it is you do in life, one thing is for sure: You want to be fit. You want to be healthy. You want to look good and to feel good. How do we know? First, we know this because you are reading this book. Second, because who does not want to look good and to feel good? To have these things, you must have superior fitness. And, as far as this book is concerned, your wish to be fit defines who you are! You Becoming Fit “Wishing” to be fit is elusive as a dream, and it certainly will not materialize unless you have the right tools and knowledge to use it. This is where FitScore comes in, to simplify fitness and to empower you to achieve it. What is Fitness? Fitness, as defined in broad practical terms, is the ability to do anything you want, and do it well; whatever the physical task, lifting a weight, running a 10k, throwing a stone, climbing a rock, or jumping a fence. Whatever life presents, handling life’s circumstances without blinking an eye; this is what we call Real-World Fitness. Real-World Fitness, How does it Benefit You? Once you achieve real-world fitness, you can do just about anything you want to do. You gain the energy, strength, stamina and functional capacity to live life to its fullest. Tasks that must get done become easier to do. Real-world fitness gives you a body that is capable of almost anything!

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Real-World Fitness and a Great-Looking Body Now you might be thinking this, “Having real-world fitness is a good thing, but what about getting a great-looking body?” The answer is this: Real-world fitness produces superior physical changes that lead to a lean, well-defined body, and it does so more effectively than the boring exercise routines found in many magazines. Having more functional capacity does not mean you neglect aesthetics. In real life, Form Always Follows Function (see Box Text, p. 5). When you improve the function of your body, the form of your body will naturally follow. We at HyperStrike are aware that more of you, than not, want to have a nice, lean body for the beach, for the evening dinner parties in a sleeveless dress, or for mowing the lawn without a shirt. These are the reasons for which we got into fitness, and probably the reasons for many of you who want to workout. So, we are happy to tell you that, when you become fit – and we mean truly fit for the real world – you will also look the part; this is fact. We have never seen anyone who can do a lot of physical things well and not look lean, defined and strong. The positive changes in your body are, quite simply, the side effects of becoming functionally fit. Simply put, if you get fit for the real world, your body will show it with decreased body fat, greater lean muscles and well-defined shapes. Real-World Fitness: The Essence of Human Evolution Think for a moment of our ancestors who did not have the awareness of body image. Although their bodies were lean and defined, it was not in their social fabric to be pressured into burning body fat, building lean muscles, and sculpting their abs. What they had, though, were physical activities of all kinds instead of cars, escalators, office chairs and television. Our ancestors hunted and gathered, using their bodies in natural ways long forgotten by modern culture. They had to be functionally strong, or they did not eat, nor did they survive the winters. As a result our ancestors increased functional capacity required to survive in those early days, their bodies were strong, lean, and, just as importantly, they were free of diseases common in today’s society (e.g. cardiovascular disease and diabetes). Why is this the Right Book for You? In this book, you will learn to achieve the kind of fitness that is used everyday in real life. Real-World Fitness is not a revolutionary concept. Real-world fitness has been around for millions of years, as our ancestors incorporated this into their daily lives; they needed to stay strong, functional and learn how to survive in their world. However, Real-World Fitness is a revolutionary approach to achieving a strong and lean body. You will use the same activity concepts to get strong and stay strong, to become functional and lean, to not only survive, but also enjoy the modern world. You will apply “ancestral”

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exercise strategies (based on exercise science) that deliver superior real-world fitness. No, you will not throw spears and hurl rocks, but you will learn to perform fresh, exciting and highly effective exercises that nearly anyone can do almost anywhere. The result is that you will melt away body fat and become lean. You will look and feel your best ever, and you will have the physical capacity to do almost anything you want. Essentially, it does not matter what you do in life, as long as you participate in today’s real life. If you want to be a part of today’s real life, be fit and look great, then this book is written for you. What Will You Gain from this Book? From this book, you will: • Learn how to exercise effectively • Get fresh and fun exercise ideas for anywhere at anytime • Produce visible and measurable results • Save time while gaining a stronger and leaner body • Look and feel your best ever • Achieve the kind of real-world fitness that is used in real life everyday • Use programs based on exercise physiology and principles

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Form Always Follows Function Too many people put form before function; this is a mistake. Exercise programs that emphasize only body image often lose out on the benefits of increased real-world fitness. We cannot stress enough how important it is to emphasize function in your workout program! Below are some reasons why every workout should focus on increasing functional capacity, or real-world fitness: First, when you increase functional capacity, you tend to move better and more often in life and in your workouts. You also increase your caloric expenditure. Second, increasing your functional capacity allows you to do more things while preventing injury; you are more capable of reacting and responding to your physical environment, and you are stronger and more able to withstand surprise assaults to the body. Injury can slow or halt your fitness progress, and who wants that? Third, when you have a great level of functional capacity, you can work out nearly anywhere you choose. Any backyard, side street, strip of beach, hotel room, playground structure, tree branch, odd object, or a small space on an open floor – all of these places and things can become your gym for super creative and extremely effective exercises… exercises that most other people cannot perform because they either do not know how or they are doing traditional mindless exercises with the same old protocols that yields less-than-optimal results. Simply put, if you get fit for the real world, your body will show it with decreased body fat, greater lean muscles and well-defined shapes.

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Part I

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Chapter One The great thing about being human is our ability to examine things methodically by separating them into parts and studying their interrelations. We can deconstruct or dissect anything in the natural world and seek to understand it; it is a skill that separates us from animals. Our ability to conceptualize, analyze, understand and apply information into performative acts and/or tasks has advanced human development significantly since the dark-ages of throwing stones and swinging sticks. Thus, it is this, our intellectual skill, which allows us to analyze and understand the thing that should be quite valuable to all of us – our fitness. Analyzing Fitness Fitness is defined in many ways, by many people. For example, if a person can run a marathon, s/he is considered fit. If a person can climb a mountain, s/he is considered fit. Or, if a person lifts a barbell that weighs a ton, s/he is also considered fit. Well, what if the marathoner cannot jump onto a three-foot platform, the mountain climber cannot carry a bag of cement, and the weight lifter cannot run a mile? Would they still be considered fit? The athletes in the above examples possess what is considered specific fitness, or the ability to perform very well at one thing, but at the expense of doing well at other things. This is not “bad” if your passion is doing that one thing – most elite athletes are this way. But, for the rest of us who simply want to be fit, look great and enjoy life to its fullest, specializing in one thing at the expense of doing well in other things is not the best choice. Instead of specializing in one thing and having only specific fitness, we should do well in all things and possess well-rounded fitness. This is real-world fitness. Understanding Fitness Fitness means possessing the physical capacity to do many things, and to do them well. You should be able to run a good distance and be able to jump high; climb a ladder and pick up a large basket of firewood; and lift a heavy weight, yet still be able to run on the beach with your dog. If you are truly fit, there is no compromise. You are capable of accomplishing many tasks, and this requires you to possess many motor qualities. There are many individual motor qualities, all expressed by various actions. Take, for example, a basketball player who jumps up for a slam dunk; the motor quality seen in the jump is expressed as power. Throwing a shot put is also an expression of power, as is swinging an ax down to split a log. There is also strength, or the motor quality of lifting or moving against a large resistance – such as lifting a stone or pushing a couch. There is endurance, or the motor quality seen in continuous work – such as running a 10k or kayaking a long river. Agility is

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another motor quality that change directions, such as tackled, or someone moving after tripping on a rock. quality, because it allows without injury.

demonstrates how quickly a person can a football running back avoiding being her/his feet fast to avoid a fall Flexibility is also an important motor you to move easily, gracefully, and

The 5 Components of Fitness Although motor qualities can be further separated and defined, we have picked five main qualities that effectively represent real-world fitness, and they are: 1. Strength 2. Power 3. Endurance 4. Agility 5. Flexibility In this book, they are referred to as the 5 Components of Fitness. Applying the 5 Components of Fitness In the following section, we are going to apply the 5 Components of Fitness so you can better understand how each is beneficial to you. It is our hope that you will gain a new appreciation and understanding for the concept of real-world fitness and its enhancement of your physique. Strength: Function – Strength determines how easily you can pick heavy things up or move heavy things around. If your strength is great, you can manage difficult and heavy tasks and stay injuryfree. With great strength you are less likely to be dependent on others; for example, when you have to lift something heavy and others aren’t around, you can do it on your own. The sense of independence is priceless! Aesthetics –To lift heavier weights, your body must “recruit” more of your muscles to do the work. When more muscles are used, more calories get burned. So, having greater strength means you can do things that are more metabolically costly. This helps you become lean and stay mean! Power: Function – Power determines how fast you can move against a resistance. The resistance can be your bodyweight or an “external” weight (something other than your own body). Power helps you jump higher, throw farther, and generally move more explosively; it puts “oomph” into your movement. Power is one of the keys to staying young and athletic. Aesthetics – Moving faster means your muscles must contract at a higher velocity. When your muscles contract at a higher velocity, the mechanical power is high. But for that to occur, your metabolic power output must be high. A high metabolic power output means that you burn a large number of calories, aiding the

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goal of becoming lean and staying lean. how this all works?

Are you beginning to see

Agility: Function – Agility brings into your life… well, life! This motor ability allows you to move in ways that surprise and impress onlookers and sometimes even you! Have you ever chase a playful dog? How about chasing a wild child who has had too much chocolate? Have you ever recovered from a stumble and wondered how on earth you did not “bite it hard,” or fall on the ground? Agility allows you to move quickly, to change directions abruptly and with startling accuracy, and to decelerate and accelerate in a blink of an eye. You’ve heard it: “Young and agile.” It’s a great thing. Aesthetics – It takes a lot of energy to move quickly (just as it does to move powerfully – see above). When you accelerate and decelerate your body and your muscles must overcome a lot of inertia. Muscles must contract quite readily and with a lot of force, which means they must utilize a lot of energy. Of course, this energy comes from the burning of calories, and this is a great way to get lean and to stay lean! Endurance: Function – Endurance determines how long you can last while doing something. This requires your muscles to contract repeatedly without premature fatigue. With good endurance you can run farther, bike longer, lift a weight for more repetitions, get more work done and generally tire less easily. Endurance allows you to accomplish and enjoy many activities that life has to offer. Aesthetics – When your muscles contract repeatedly, they must receive constant fuel to keep going; that fuel is from calories burned. Although there are many ways of effectively burning a lot of calories, long-term burning of calories is a good, additional way to getting lean and staying lean. Flexibility: Function – The ability to move your body through a full range of motion is important. With good flexibility you can move freely and accomplish tasks more easily. Flexibility and the ability to move freely also reduces the chance for injury (i.e. strains or sprains). It is important, however, to recognize that flexibility by itself is not enough, it must come with strength and control. In other words, no matter how much you stretch a limb, you must be able to exert control over that limb. Otherwise, flexibility without strength and control can make the corresponding joint “flimsy” and predisposes it to injury. With this in mind, when we speak of flexibility, we really mean functional flexibility. Aesthetics – Having freedom of motion helps prevent injuries, which allows you to stay active and on-target with your fitness routine. This keeps the results coming. But also, being

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able to move and exercise through a greater range of motion requires that the muscles contract a greater distance through its entire length. The result is that the metabolic cost is higher, burning more calories. This helps you get lean and stay lean! Optimize the 5 Components of Fitness to Maximize Your Real-World Fitness You can now see the importance in optimizing the 5 Components of Fitness. Simply working on one or two of these components to the exclusion of the others is not a complete fitness plan. Yet, we see so many people doing so. It is like writing a novel while using only a third of the alphabet! When you target all 5 Components of Fitness in your workout program, you will achieve real-world fitness and you will speed up the process of making your body strong and lean! So, What is the Workout Program? You will find out more about the workout program as you read through this book, but for now, below is a peek at the workout program that produces real-world fitness. • You will use exercises that require whole-body involvement • You will use exercises that are novel, as well as forgotten exercises that have been around for decades, hundreds or thousands of years • You will perform exercises in ways that maximize all the metabolic processes • Your program will be fresh, different and stimulating – not limited to the mundane stuff seen too often in so many workout programs • At times you will use equipment while at other times you will use your own bodyweight (and, if you do not have equipment, that is ok; there are many substitutions) • You will use varying speeds for your exercises • You will work at your own ability level – this program can be done by anyone from top athletes to beginners. You can make your workout as hard as you want or you can make it fairly easy (although we recommend you steadily build up to working fairly hard – it is the quickest way to your fitness goal). • Your workouts will be different, fresh and fun

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Energy Systems Your workouts are based on scientific principles. The following section will include a quick review regarding the basics of exercise metabolism. From this discussion, we hope that you will have a better understanding about the effectiveness of the real-world fitness program. Your car requires energy to run, and that energy is the fuel in the gas tank. In order for the human body to move, it needs fuel, too, and this fuel for the body is called adenosine triphosphate, or ATP. ATP is the basic unit of energy used to move the body, and, unlike your car’s single tank of gas, the human body has more than one “tank” from which to deliver ATP. In fact, the body has three tanks, called “energy systems.” Depending on how you move, your body taps into specific energy systems. Although no one energy system is solely used at the exclusion of the other two, often one system contributes primarily while the other two “chip in” secondarily. The energy systems are called: 1. Phosphagen System 2. Anaerobic System 3. Aerobic System Phosphagen System: The phosphagen system supplies ATP primarily for shortterm, high-intensity activities, like jumping, throwing, sprinting or lifting a very heavy weight. The phosphagen system is the main energy source of ATP for high-intensity activities that last approximately 5 to 10 seconds. Anaerobic System: The anaerobic system provides ATP primarily for intense muscular work that lasts about ten seconds to 3 minutes. Some activities that utilize the anaerobic system include resistance training (using weight equipment or your own bodyweight) and sprinting distances longer than 100 yards. Aerobic System: The aerobic system is the primary source of ATP during lowintensity activities that are more than three minutes long, such as running, biking, casual swimming, walking or simply resting. Energy Systems and Real-World Fitness We see far too many people out there training only one energy system while neglecting the other two. Real-world fitness means that all of these energy systems are equally trained and maximized. Generally, in real life, no one system is favored. You never know when you will need to use what energy system. You may need to jump out of the way of danger; you may need to sprint out from under a hail storm; you may need to carry a heavy weight for a hundred feet; or you may need to hike to the next town after your car puttered to a stop in the middle of nowhere. By

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training for real-world fitness, you will be ready for the real world. Training for Real-World Fitness The FitScore exercise program is designed to balance and then maximize the 5 Components of Fitness and the three energy systems. FitScore will help make you the fittest person you have ever been, and you will also look the part!

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Chapter Two FitScore

Your Map to Success If you plan to drive from Cleveland, Ohio, across the country to Palo Alto, California, for the first time ever, you probably would not climb into your car and start driving without first mapping out directions. Without directions, you might get lost along the way, or it may take forever to get to where you want to go, or you may give up and settle for Wilmot, Arkansas. Not that there is anything wrong with Wilmot, Arkansas, as it offers some fine quail hunting, but it is not where you want to be. The same thing goes for your fitness journey, you need to map it out so that you will get to your destination – real-world fitness – in the least amount of time. FitScore is your map, or your personal guide to your fitness journey. Using FitScore will: a) help define your starting fitness level, b) help you determine the best direction/approach to achieving your fitness goals, c) give you a space to record your results so that you will always know how fitness performance is progressing, and d) give you real-world fitness results; this is much better than guess work. How FitScore Works for You FitScore is designed to be user-friendly, so you will find it quite simple to use. It is essentially a measuring system that helps you track your performance from beginning to end. With FitScore, you can measure your progress along the way so that you can stay motivated or, if necessary, make changes. To know where to start, you will begin with a performance assessment. The performance assessment is comprised of five separate tests that measure strength, power, agility, endurance, and flexibility. Next, you will determine your performance scores for all 5 Components of Fitness. Never mind how high or low you score with any of the components; at this point, it does not matter. What matters right now is that all five of the components are balanced with each other. If they are not, as is the case with most people new to the HyperStrike real-world fitness program, your fitness route will first take a direction that will achieve balance in all 5 Components of Fitness. Balancing all 5 Components of Fitness can take several weeks to several months to achieve, but, in the mean time, you will still be working out, burning calories and improving in areas that truly need improvement. After you successfully achieve balance in all 5 Components of Fitness, you will have what is considered “well-rounded fitness,” a solid platform from which you will launch to the next level of fitness. Remember, the idea is to achieve real-world fitness so that you can do almost anything; again, this means attaining well-

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rounded fitness, or balance in all five fitness components. When you have well-rounded fitness, you can achieve your fitness goals much faster than if you were only good at a few things. (And, because your exercise program will have great variety, it will be a good thing that you can do everything!) Moving Forward What you have in your hands is a simple yet very effective workout plan that contains a vast array of exercises. FitScore will help you to understand the concept of training for realworld fitness. We sincerely know that if you use the plan in this book, you will be impressed and delighted with your results. The remaining chapters in Part I include more in-depth discussions on each of the 5 Components of Fitness. These chapters are short, but hopefully you will gain more of an appreciation for the quality of strength, power, agility, endurance and flexibility. Furthermore, you will read about the importance of how these 5 Components of Fitness affect your life! In Part II, you will learn how to perform assessments for each of the 5 Components of Fitness. Finally, in Part III, you will learn how to train to attain balance among these components as well as continuously progress the 5 Components of Fitness to more advanced levels.

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Chapter Three Strength

What is Strength? Strength is a basic component of all human movement. Its definition can be confusingly broad, and its term is used to describe many things in the world. In the context of human movement, strength can be displayed under many conditions; for example, strength can be expressed in the form of “speed,” or it can be produced repetitively and be called “endurance.” As functional human beings, we possess many strength qualities, but for the sake of simplification, we will refer to strength solely as the ability to produce maximal force against an external resistance. Strength, as defined above, is an important quality to develop and optimize because it enables us to lift, push, or pull something heavy. And, in life, these actions occur, so we must be prepared for it; strength can only make many things in life easier to handle. What are some Examples of Strength? Maybe it is a true story or maybe it is urban legend, but the desperate mother who lifted a car to save the life of her pinned child displayed a feat of strength. Though we sincerely hope that you will never encounter an emergency situation like this, we know that there are times in life when you must lift or move something that is considerably heavy. Of course, in this age of resources, we can rent equipment to do the job, or we can round up a few good Samaritans, but what if those options are not available and the heavy object in question needs to be moved, pronto? If we are strong, chances are we can accomplish this task. If our bodies are strong, we can also avoid injury while doing it. But, if we are not strong, the potential for injury is prevalent with zero to little success of moving that heavy object. Strength does not have to be represented by brute, the Charles Atlas of feats and the workhorse of getting things done. Strength can be represented in a father hoisting his child into his strong arms, creating a sentimental experience stored forever in the child’s mind. Strength can also be one measure of many positive changes occurring from a workout program, or it can offer feedback to indicate you are on the right track to losing fat and becoming lean. Perhaps in some of us, strength can simply be fuel for the ego, but without a doubt, in all of us, strength is fuel for the real world. How is Strength Measured? Many techniques have been developed to measure strength. Two common tests for strength (maximum strength) are the back squat and the bench press. These tests are also excellent strengthening exercises used by athletes and many people who want to get strong and stay strong.

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The back squat is used to assess strength in the lower body (i.e. hips and legs), and it is also a great test for determining strength in the back and torso. You must have strength in these areas in order to perform the back squat, therefore, we at HyperStrike, consider this a test for nearly the entire body. The bench press is used to assess strength in the upper body (i.e. chest, shoulders and arms). Performing the bench press requires stabilization of the shoulder girdles (i.e. scapula or shoulder blade, clavicle or collar bone, and humeral head or top of the arm bone) which, when done correctly, requires the involvement of the rotator muscles of the shoulder joints and the large muscles of the upper back (i.e. latissimus dorsi). Without the participation of these “other” muscles to keep the primary working muscles in “check and balance,” the bench press would not be possible; therefore, we consider the bench press a great all-around upper body test. Strength, Put it in Your Life! • Strength makes you a more functional human being • Strength allows you to lower the risk of injury • Strength allows you to use more of your muscles • By using more of your muscles, strength allows you to burn more calories • Strength assists with weight management • Strength gives you more confidence • Having strength makes you feel good

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Chapter Four Power

What is Power? While having strength to do something is great, it is the possession and execution of power that gets the job done fast. Simply defined, power is the ability to produce high force at high speed. A high rate of force development (RFD) allows you to move your body or an object explosively, an ability that is often necessary in sports, work and life. While strength is the ability to move a heavy weight without any consideration to time, power allows you to move it in as little time as possible. High force and high speed equals high power. Obviously, the heavier the weight, the slower it can be moved; the lighter the weight, the faster. In other words, you can move ten pounds much faster than you can 20 pounds. But, this does not mean you cannot train to increase the speed of moving the weight, or increase the weight while moving at speed – or, ideally, both! In fact, one of the goals of training for increased power is moving more weight faster: Power = Mass x Distance / Time Power, being one of the 5 Components of Fitness, is a distinctive motor quality, and it can be optimized through proper power-specific training. What are some Examples of Power? A jump, a sprint up the stairs, a throw of a stone into the ocean – these are examples of power. Maybe there are times when power comes out of necessity, such as dashing out of the way of danger, sprinting to reach something precious, or pushing or pulling someone to safety. Whatever the case, your ability to contract your muscles at high speed is a useful component of real-world fitness, because life does not always move slowly.

How is Power Measured? Power can be measured through many means, but the simplest way to measure power is through a vertical jump. The vertical jump is a great exercise that can be used to assess power, as well as train for its enhancement. At first glance, the vertical jump appears to be a power assessment for only the legs and hips, but other parts of the body are also powerfully engaged. The torso must stabilize against the high forces of acceleration and the arms must explosively swing upward; this means that the chest, upper back, shoulders and arms are greatly involved. The vertical jump is an effective whole-body assessment and power exercise.

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Power, it has a Place in Your Life! • Power makes you move faster • Power allows faster reactions • Faster reaction time may lower the risk of injury • Power utilizes fast-twitch muscles • Power requires a high metabolic output • High metabolic output aides in weight loss and control • Power gives you confidence

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Chapter Five Agility

What is Agility? If you are agile, you can accelerate your body and suddenly put on the breaks to change direction in a blink of an eye. You can make quick changes of movement multidirectionally, multiple times, continuously, and you can do it at will – or even by subconscious reaction to what is going on around you. This is agility. Changes in directions are decided quickly, and often automatically; therefore the body must be able to respond immediately if it is to be agile. Agility requires the muscles to contract quickly; for you to align your body at the best angles to change directions; and, agility requires that you have good body integrity to remain injury-free through it all. Moving well in zigzag patterns or any combination of multidirectional, unpredictable patterns is considered agility. Agility places a great demand on the body, and it is a great way to train and a wonderful thing to master. As one of the 5 Components of Fitness, agility is a distinctive motor quality, and it can be optimized through proper agility-specific training. What are some Examples of Agility? Imagine a tennis player, a basketball player or a dancer performing at his/her peak, and then imagine their agility transferring to real-life situations where quick movement and abrupt changes in directions are desired or even necessary - such as playing a pick-up game of basketball on a Saturday afternoon engaging in a game of tag with the grandchildren, or stepping off the curb and jumping out of the way as the on-coming car did not see you. Agility can add quality to your life, and as in the last example, it may even save your life! Quickness is a motor quality that keeps us all young while we age. It is the same motor quality that allows elders to retain (or regain) their youthful functions, which can make a difference between continual enjoyment of life and a broken hip if the body was not agile enough to avoid a fall. It is clear that the importance of agility is no exaggeration. How is Agility Measured? Since agility involves multidirectional movement and quick acceleration and deceleration of the body, it makes perfect sense that those elements be combined to form the test for measurement. A great test that incorporates the above criteria to measure agility is the T-Cone Drill. This particular drill also requires quick footwork and proper alignment of the body. The T-Cone Drill is an effective assessment tool, and the abrupt starts and stops in multiple directions also make this drill a great “stand-alone” exercise. The start, stop, and multidirectional nature of this drill distributes appreciable

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forces through the entire body, which is a desirable training effect experienced in other weight-resistance exercises. Agility, You should have it • Agility allows you to accelerate, decelerate and change directions quickly • Agility stimulates fast-twitch muscle fibers • Agility increases function and maintains youthfulness • Agility allows you to enjoy many facets of life • Agility helps you get out of trouble through quicker motor responses • Agility requires great muscular contraction forces • The muscular work in agility burns a good amount of calories • Agility helps you lose fat and manage weight • Training for agility is challenging and fun

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Chapter Six Endurance

What is Endurance? Lifting a bag of cement into the car is a show of strength. Jumping over a big puddle of water is a demonstration of power. Hopping quickly from rock to rock over a rushing stream of creek water is a display of agility. But, doing anything over and over for a period of time requires endurance. Endurance is the ability of your muscles to perform repeated contractions against a lighter resistance. This process occurs through aerobic metabolism, where the body ultimately produces energy from utilizing oxygen (as opposed to utilizing blood and muscle sugar through anaerobic metabolism. See “Energy Systems” in Chapter 1, p. 16). Any physical activity lasting longer than about three minutes is considered aerobic, while anaerobic activity lasts fewer than three minutes. But, in order for an activity to be aerobic it must be lighter in resistance or lower in intensity. Any heavier resistance or higher intensity physical activity that decreases the duration of the workout to last only a few minutes, switches the body to anaerobic metabolism. Examples of aerobic versus anaerobic activity include riding a bike instead of squatting a heavy barbell, or jogging instead of sprinting. The idea is to train both the aerobic metabolism and aerobic power; to push toward the aerobic metabolism “ceiling,” so that you raise aerobic power. Your aerobic power is the threshold at which your aerobic metabolism switches to anaerobic metabolism. By raising your aerobic power, a movable threshold, you are able to work longer with more resistance and greater intensity, because the work remains within your aerobic metabolism (remember, aerobic metabolism allows for work beyond 3 minutes). Training within the aerobic metabolism is a great way to burn calories in addition to everything else that you are doing, but imagine being able to train your aerobic metabolism at greater intensity! This not only burns more calories, but it is a lot more functional, thus fitting the description of real-world fitness. What are some Examples of Real-World Endurance? We are reminded of a HyperStrike client who was on a small boat that had a leak and water was rushing in filling the bottom of the boat. He and his fishing partner took turns bailing water out of the boat with a small pale that held their fish bait. Being small, the pale did not hold much water so they had to move fast! So, there in the afternoon sun, one frantically bailed water while the other rowed, switching every five minutes or so, until they reached shore nearly twenty minutes later. The above story offers a good definition of endurance – not just any endurance but high-intensity endurance, or great aerobic power. Both individuals had to move fast with intensity,

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scooping gallons after gallons of water and rowing against the resistance of current. Since our client and his fishing partner were athletic individuals, their aerobic power was high, allowing them to work continuously with the intensity that would have put a lesser trained person into anaerobic metabolism – which means, at best, only 3 minutes of intense water scooping before sinking into the lake. That afternoon, instead of being soaked with lake water, our client and his fishing buddy were soaked with sweat! They burned a lot of calories, but the best thing was that they went home with their boat, a bunch of trout and a good dinner story; a perfect example of real-world fitness. Certain sports, recreational activities, jobs and moments in life require continuous work from all of us. Are we prepared? How is Endurance Measured? In order to measure aerobic power, many tests can be used, but we have determined that the most accessible way to measure endurance is by running 1.5 mile for time. The speed at which you can run, and the time at which you can complete the 1.5 mile test will estimate where your aerobic power exists. During this test, the faster you run, the greater the intensity. If you misjudged your effort and exceed your aerobic power (i.e. you worked so hard that your body shifts from aerobic metabolism to anaerobic metabolism) you will automatically be forced to slow down or even stop; this will, of course, be reflected in a longer time-to-completion. But, do not worry. The idea with this test is to get an initial time score, and after a period of training to improve your aerobic power, your retest should show an improved time. With an improved time, this means that your aerobic power will have improved, you will be able to perform longer at a higher intensity, and your body will have been trained to burn a greater amount of calories! Endurance, You should have it • Endurance allows you to keep going with physical tasks • Endurance delays debilitating fatigue • Endurance can be maximized through greater aerobic power • If trained correctly, you can increase aerobic power • Aerobic power allows you to last while doing demanding things • Working at high aerobic power burns more calories • Aerobic power helps lower body fat for a well-defined physique

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Chapter Seven Flexibility

What is Flexibility? Moving your joints through full range of motion without restriction is a demonstration of flexibility. Full range of motion should occur at every movable joint of the body. Flexibility allows us to move freely, which results in a reduced risk of injury. A reduction in injury is possibly due to two reasons: first, soft tissues will not sprain or strain from being too tight, and second, body parts can move without compensatory mechanics that can lead to overuse stress injuries. Although flexibility is great for unrestricted movement at the joint, it is important we keep in mind that flexibility by itself is not enough, nor even safe, in the real world. What do we mean? We have seen many people who can lie on their backs and stretch their legs over their heads, but these same people cannot prop a foot onto a ledge in front of them because they do not have the strength to use the entire range of motion. Their flexibility while lying down demonstrates great joint range of motion, but much of it cannot be controlled. To us, this is not real-world fitness. Not only should you have good flexibility, but you should also possess good strength and control with what you have! That is what we consider flexibility for real-world fitness. Another benefit of having real-world flexibility is that you can exercise through a greater range of motion. When your muscles move through a greater distance, they burn more calories. This is thermodynamics at work: the greater the movement, the greater the cost to your metabolism. Ultimately, greater range of motion stimulates and strengthens more muscle fibers and helps you to burn fat and control body weight. What are some Real-World Examples of Flexibility? Imagine someone who is tight in the shoulder girdle (i.e. muscles and soft tissues of the shoulder joint, shoulder blade, and collar bone) trying to pitch a baseball, perhaps in a game of catch with his/her nephew. Not only would the throw look awkward, but the speed of the ball will not be impressive, nor would the distance it would travel. Furthermore, this person is at a higher risk for injury in the shoulder, arm or anywhere along the kinetic chain (i.e. parts of the body that are involved in throwing, which in this case is virtually the entire body). Real-world flexibility would allow this thrower to move through the full range of motion needed to wind the arm up, shift the body, step with the leg, throw the ball and follow through; thus, flexibility throughout the entire kinetic chain, from the legs, through the torso and out to the arms. Another example of flexibility is a tennis player lunging out with one leg while reaching with his/her arm to return a ball that otherwise would have meant a lost point. A final example of real-world flexibility is a mom who has her arms full of groceries and accidentally drops her keys next

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to the car in the parking lot? Not only does she require the flexibility to bend down to pick up the keys, but she must also have the strength to control each of her joints and body parts as she goes down and up while balancing the grocery bags in her hands. How is Real-World Flexibility Measured? Physical therapists often measure flexibility in one joint at a time. While this serves a useful purpose in a clinical setting, it is not useful information for the injury-free individual participating in normal real-world activities, in which multiple joints and muscle groups are used at once. A very common way of assessing flexibility is the sit-and-reach test, where you sit with your legs straight out in front and reach forward to a measuring device. This measures the flexibility in the backside of your body but it does not “tell” the complete story – there are muscles in the front side of the body as well! And, finally, it is not often we need extreme range of motion while sitting down, so we do not feel this is the most efficient and functional real-world measurement of flexibility. Real-world flexibility should be measured while on your feet, and it should involve as many joints as possible. This is why the overhead squat is one of the best ways to measure flexibility. The overhead squat assessment requires you to be on your feet, where most demanding activities in life take place. In the real world, you are on your feet and legs, and your arms are taken through ranges of motion that are used for things such as lifting overhead, throwing, reaching or doing many other activities. This assessment also requires the torso to remain upright in a straight position to protect the low back. The overhead squat is a great assessment for determining joint flexibility and the control you have within the flexibility displayed; this is the single most effective assessment for realworld flexibility! Real-World Flexibility…Why You want it! • Flexibility allows you to move freely • Flexibility reduces the risk of injury • Flexibility allows you to move through a greater range of motion • Moving through a greater range of motion burns more calories • Flexibility allows you to perform exercises with great ease • Flexibility allows you to do more things in life

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Part II

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Chapter Eight FitScore This chapter will take you step-by-step through each of the five assessments that will measure your 5 Components of Fitness. At any time you can log on to HyperStrike.com and view 3D animations of each test. Equipment Needed for Assessments Fitness Component 1 To assess your Strength, you will need: 1) A bench with a barbell (for upper-body strength test) 2) A squat rack with a barbell (for lower-body strength test) 3) Recommended: A spotter Fitness Component 2 To assess your Power, you will need: 1) A piece of chalk 2) A Measuring tape 3) A wall on where you can mark the chalk Fitness Component 3 To assess your Agility, you will need: 1) 4 small cones or 4 paper cups 2) An open area Fitness Component 4 To assess your Endurance, you will need: 1) A stop watch or a sport watch to measure time 2) A stretch of area that is 1.5 miles in distance or a treadmill Fitness Component 5 To assess your Flexibility, you will need: 1) A broom stick or dowel rod 2) A full-length mirror Onward! If you are ready to start the assessments, let’s go to it! You will want to give each assessment your best effort so that any future improvement is valid, so do not sandbag on anything now. Good luck! Strength Assessment [If you are going through the prerequisite phase, perform the following exercises with lighter weights for 8 repetitions, 2 sets total; this means do one set of 8 repetitions, rest for about one minute, and then do the second set of 8 repetitions. Repeat this 2 to 3 times a week for two weeks. Use a weight that is still comfortable during the last couple of repetitions of each set. After this period, you can begin the strength test.]

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Bench Press Guideline for Position and Execution: The Lifter • Lie on a bench face up with your head, upper back and hips firmly on the bench, and your feet firmly on the floor • While lying, position the body so that your eyes are directly below the barbell • Grasp the barbell with your hands slightly wider than shoulder width, palms facing your legs and hands closed • When ready, signal to the spotter to help you lift the bar off the support rack • Spotter lets go carefully ONLY when your arms are straight and you are in control of the weight • Carefully lower the bar to the chest, at mid-sternum area and press the bar back to the top; this is considered 1 repetition • When finished, gesture to the spotter to help you guide the barbell back onto the support rack Guideline for Position and Execution: The Spotter • Stand very close to the head of the lifter but without distracting the lifter • Bend your knees and keep your back straight • Grasp the barbell with an alternating grip (one palm up, the other down), inside the lifter’s grip • When the lifter signals for help, assist by carefully lifting the barbell off the support rack • Carefully let go of the barbell only when both of you are sure that the lifter has control of the barbell with both arms straight • When the lifter is finished, help guide the barbell back onto the support rack Step One - The Warm up: • Bench press with an empty bar for 3 repetitions • Increase the weight and perform more 3 repetitions • Increase the weight a final time to complete the warm up (some people will not need to warm up 3 sets as instructed here, because the testing weight might not need to be so heavy) Step Two - The Test: • Continue to increase the weight on the bar and perform 3 repetitions each time; rest for 90 seconds between each attempt • When you cannot add any more weight and still perform 3 repetitions with excellent technique, then the weight you stopped at is the measure for your upper body strength. (Note: To prevent fatigue, it is desirable to reach your maximum weight within 5 testing sets.) • Record this measurement

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Squat Guideline for Position and Execution: The Lifter • Set the bar on the support rack at chest level • Grasp the bar with your hands wider than shoulder width (it may vary, depending on comfort) • Step under the bar and position your body so that the bar sits on the upper part of your back (avoid bony prominences) • Keep your chest up and out • With the guidance of the spotter behind you, lift the bar off the rack and back up a couple of steps • Descend by slowly bending the hips and knees • Keep your chest out and your back straight throughout the movement (some forward leaning is appropriate) • Go as deep as you can (upper thighs at least parallel with the ground) • Smoothly reverse direction and return to the top • When you are finished, carefully step forward to return the barbell onto the support rack Guideline for Position and Execution: The Spotter: • Stay close behind the lifter without distracting or bumping • When the lifter is ready, help guide the bar off the rack • As the lifter moves back a couple of steps, be sure to be out of the way • Carefully let go of the bar, but remain close behind and ready to help • As the lifter descends, the spotter descends as well, always ready to assist but never impede • When the lifter is finished, help guide the bar back onto the support rack Step One - Warm up: • Back squat with an empty bar for 3 repetitions • Increase the weight and perform 3 more repetitions • Increase the weight a final time to complete the warm up (some people will not need to warm up with 3 sets as instructed here, because the testing weight might not need to be so heavy) Step Two - The Test: • Continue to increase the weight on the bar and perform 3 repetitions each time; rest for 90 seconds between each attempt • When you cannot add any more weight and still perform 3 repetitions with excellent technique, then the weight you stopped at is the measure for your lower body strength. (Note: To prevent fatigue, it is desirable to reach your maximum weight within 5 testing sets.) • Record this measurement

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Power Assessment [If you are going through the prerequisite phase, do the following with lower intensity and effort, for 8 repetitions, 2 sets total; this means perform one set of 8 jumps, and rest one minute before doing the second set of 8 jumps. Repeat this exercise 2 to 3 times a week for two weeks. Jump only high enough so that each landing is soft and comfortable. Believe us, your legs will get a workout, but your knees will not pay for it. After the prerequisite phase, you can begin the power test.] Jumping Guideline for Safe Jumping NASA would not launch an astronaut into outer space without knowing how to bring him/her back down to earth safely. So before you attempt to jump, you must know how to land safely. Here are things you can do to ensure a safe return to earth! Practice them first. 1. Using a stair case, step off the first step and land with both feet 2. Immediately upon contact with the ground, absorb the impact by bending your legs (i.e. knees and hips) 3. Your knees should point straight ahead, never collapsing in toward the midline of the body 4. The only sound should be a quiet and gentle “thud” 5. Repeat this from the first step until the “thud” can barely be heard 6. Next, move up to the second step and repeat the above landing techniques until the “thud” of impact can barely be heard 7. Now you are ready for the test The Preparation: • Stand sideways next to a wall with your dominant hand closest to the wall. • With your feet remaining flat on the ground and chalk in hand, reach up as far as you can and mark a line on the wall – this is your “base mark.” Step One - Warm up: • Jog for three minutes • Perform arm-circles by swinging your arms forward and backward 10 times each direction Step Two - The Test: • Bending at the hips and knees, jump straight up as high as you can, and mark the wall with the chalk at the peak height; remember to land softly and quietly • Repeat this assessment as often as necessary but only if each repeated attempt gets you a higher marking than the previous jump • When finished with the attempts, measure the difference between the “base mark” (i.e. your standing reach mark) and

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•

the highest mark attained on the wall from your vertical jump; the difference is the measure of your power Record this measurement

Agility Assessment [If you are going through the prerequisite phase, do the following with lower intensity and effort. Perform the drill a total of 5 times, and rest about 30 seconds between each attempt. Repeat this exercise 2 to 3 times a week for two weeks. Run only fast enough so that each start, stop and side-cut is done smoothly and with good mechanics. Believe us, you will get a workout, but your joints will not pay for it. After the prerequisite period, you can begin the agility test.] T-Cone Drill Guideline for Agility Drill: To prevent injuries (i.e. strains and sprains), it is important to have good body mechanics during the high acceleration and deceleration phases of the T-Cone Drill. The following are some points to master before performing the agility assessment. • When accelerating, lean into the direction toward which you are moving • When decelerating, lower your body’s center of gravity by bending at the hips and knees • When cutting sideways, lower your body’s center of gravity and have sure-footing from which to push off to change direction • When peddling backward, lower your body’s center of gravity The Preparation: • Wear a proper-fitting pair of athletic shoes that will enable you to safely perform quick starts, stops and cuts • We recommend having someone time your drill with a stop watch (if you have to do it yourself, you will have to be very precise when hitting the start and stop button) • Set the cones out so that they form a “T” (see diagram, p. 24). Cone 1 is your start and end point. Cone 2 is spaced 10 yards forward from cone 1. Cones 3 and 4 are spaced on opposite ends of cone 2, at a distance of 10 yards apart. Cone 2 should divide cones 3 and 4 by 5 yards each direction. Step One - The Warm-up: • Jog for 3 minutes • Hop in place for 10 to 15 seconds Step Two - The Test: • Your running pattern: Sprint from cone 1 (the start) to cone 2; shuffle sideways to cone 3; shuffle sideway to cone 4 (bypassing cone 2); shuffle back to cone 2, and finally, back peddle to cone one (also the finish) • Always face forward and keep your feet pointed forward/in front of you • Perform the drill once at a moderate intensity effort

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• • • •

Perform the drill again at a moderately high intensity effort Perform the drill one final time; give it your best effort (“all out”), timing your run from start to finish The time is the measure of your agility Record this measurement

Endurance Assessment [If you are going through the prerequisite phase, perform the following in short distances. Begin by running a couple of blocks (or a quarter of a mile on the treadmill), alternating between running and walking if necessary. Each time you go out to run, extend the run by an extra block (or an extra fifth or quarter of a mile on the treadmill), still alternating between running and walking. Soon you will find a comfortable pace that requires fewer walking intervals. For many people, running is challenging at the beginning, but the idea is to take your time and be patient; your body will adapt and you will feel better. Get out there (or get on the treadmill) and do this 2 to 3 times a week for two weeks, and you will be ready for the endurance test!] 1.5 Mile Run Guideline for Endurance Assessment: • Wear comfortable shoes • Point your feet straight ahead while running (you would be surprised how many people run with duck feet!) • Keep your posture tall and shoulders back • Relax and swing your arms, elbows bent • Breath rhythmically The Preparation: • You can use a track at a local school, a pre-measured distance on any safe and relatively quiet road, or a treadmill • For the track, 6 loops equals 1.5 miles • For the road, measure a distance of 1.5 miles by car, marking the start and finish • For most treadmills, the distance should be indicated digitally on the information panel located within easy view while running Step One - The Warm Up: • Jog lightly for 3 minutes • Perform arm-circles by swinging your arms forward and backward 10 times each direction Step Two - The Test: • Start your watch and begin running • Try to keep running, but if you have to slow to a jog, walk, or stop completely, that is ok; remember, you are creating a base measurement against which you will measure your progress • Stop your watch when you reach the finish point • The time is the measure of your endurance • Record this measurement

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Flexibility Assessment [If you are going through the prerequisite phase, do the following with a light bar such as a broomstick or a dowel rod. Start with just a few repetitions, squatting down only as far as you feel comfortable. The more important point for this drill is to keep the bar directly above the feet, even as your trunk inclines forward and your head moves forward. Keep the elbows locked out straight. Try to squat a little deeper each time, but be patient; the overhead squat is not easy for most people. Do this for about 8 repetitions, three sets. Repeat this 2 to 3 times a week for two weeks, and you will be ready for the assessment.] Overhead Squat Guideline for Flexibility Assessment: It is important to validate the flexibility assessment by keeping to the standardized factors written in the guideline; they are: • To determine the grip width on the bar, put your arms out to the sides and then bend your elbows at a 90 degree angle so that your hands are pointing forward, palm-side down • This is your grip width on the bar; you may mark the bar at these points • The Arms: when performing the overhead squat, always keep the elbows locked straight. If the elbows bend at any point during the descent, then that is the point where your flexibility ends. Do not squat any deeper than this point. • The Feet: when squatting, keep your heels on the ground and your feet flat, toes pointed forward or slightly outward. Once the heels start to come off the ground, your squat depth is terminated. Do not go deeper than this point. • Keep the bar over your feet as you squat. If you dropped a plum line straight down from the bar, it should intersect somewhere between the arches of your feet and remain there. When the bar moves out of line with the feet, your squat depth is terminated. Do not go deeper than this point. Step One - The Warm-up: • Begin by squatting with just your body weight, hands on the hips • Perform arm-circles by swinging your arms forward and backward 10 times each direction Step Two - The Test: • Using a grip determined earlier, hold the bar directly above your head, arms straight, elbows always locked out • Stand at the mirror • Begin by bending the hips and knees • Go as low as you can while keeping the elbows straight and the heels down

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The exact point where your elbows bend, the bar comes forward, or you heels come up is the measure of your flexibility. (Use the table below to determine the score.) “Full” if your hamstrings are touching the calves “3/4” if your hip joints are slightly below knees “1/2” if your hip joints are level with knees “1/4” if your hip joints are slightly above knees “Stiff” if your hip joints barely bend • Record your flexibility score by writing down one of the 5 choices above •

Keeping Your FitScore Congratulations on completing your FitScore. You now have your initial scores. Please record your scores in the space provided in the Appendix B (p. 136) of this book. By using the exercise program outlined in this book, your FitScores will improve, and as your FitScores go up, you will become a lean and fit machine, ready to take on the real world with fervor!

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Words of Advice Before Starting Assessments: The Prerequisite We recommend that, before doing any of the assessments, you have some practice or experience with each test. If you have already done these tests in the past as either exercises or as assessments, then that is good and you will still benefit from testing with them now to know your current real-world fitness. However, if you have not been exposed to these particular exercises, you should take a little time to study the protocol of each test and practice the movement with lighter weight and lower intensity. We also suggest that you do the above prerequisite for about 2 weeks, so your body becomes accustomed to the movements and adapts with an initial level of strength. The reason for the prerequisite is if you, like most people, go all out on the tests (which you should) to attain a score, without the basic skills and fundamental strength necessary to perform the exercises correctly, you will compromise safety. Therefore, we strongly advise that, if you have not exercised in a while, you do the prerequisite. Do not worry: this prerequisite will not delay your fitness routine; in fact, it is a smart way to start any fitness routine – slow and easy. You will still have worked out through this prerequisite! The Prerequisite If you are doing the prerequisite phase, go through the testing protocols in the next several pages, performing each as though it is your exercise. In fact, as we mentioned in earlier chapters, these are excellent stand-alone exercises. Perform each exercise 2 to 3 times a week for two weeks (add another week if you feel you need to), but do it with lighter weight and less intensity. Take your time, follow the instructions, and focus on the technique and form. That is it. When you are ready, it is onward with the tests. See you then.

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Chapter Nine Putting It All Together From the assessments you completed in Chapter 8, you now possess your own measurements for the 5 Components of Fitness. You are now ready to enter your results on HyperStrike and determine your FitScore. Based off your FitScore results, your workout program will be individualized to turn you into the fittest person you can be! To conserve paper we’ve uploaded all of the charts of standardized scores for the 5 Components of Fitness on HyperStrike.com. These charts are based on sources that denote the performance results of various amateur athletes, but the scores have been adjusted by HyperStrike to accommodate a diverse population of people from various backgrounds. Whether you are an experienced athlete or someone just starting out, these charts ultimately create your FitScore. FitScore Graph Now it is time to plug your scores into the FitScore application. (Note: If you score elite on one of the 5 Components of Fitness, then chances are you will not score as well on the others. One thing to keep in mind is that if you specialize in one or two components of fitness, you sacrifice the others. There are a few powerlifters who, by their nature, specialize in lifting a lot of weight, but they cannot run half a mile to save their lives. Lifting a lot of weight is their sport, and they are willing to sacrifice other fitness components. But, since you want to be well-rounded and fit for the real world, you should avoid specialization, and you should balance all your fitness components – even if your FitScore starts out low. With our training program, you will increase your FitScore, and by training this way, you will gain the greatest real-world fitness and health.) Next, in Chapter 10, we discuss how to utilize your FitScore graph so that you will know what direction to take on your road to real-world fitness. Before long, you will be on your way to the new and improved you.

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Chapter Ten Mapping Your Direction Now that you have your scores entered on HyperStrike, you have your starting point. Next, you need to know exactly where to go on your journey to real-world fitness. The Pentagon of FitScore After entering your score on HyperStrike, you’re ready to begin your training. The purpose of this stage is to achieve real-world fitness by balancing your scores of the 5 Components of Fitness. This initial journey will take at least 12 weeks (or more), but that does not matter because throughout this period you will be working out and benefiting from it; you will actually be working out with a purpose, rather than going through the motions like too many people do. If, however, you happen to have recorded a perfect score on component scores, then congratulations! You will still follow the real-world fitness map, as its direction ultimately directs everyone toward making the pentagon bigger and bigger! The bigger the pentagon on your graph, the greater your real-world fitness! The Real-world Fitness Map Here are the essential elements of the real-world fitness map: Destination 1: Achieve balance in all five components, by creating the shape of a pentagon on the FitScore Graph. You must achieve real-world fitness before improving it! Destination 2: Enlarge the pentagon on the FitScore Graph to increase your real-world fitness. Interpreting Your Graph into a Workout Exercise science is not an exact science, but a science of probability. Everyone responds differently to exercise programs, and sometimes you can even guess the responses in most people by looking at what kind of exercises they use and how often. In other words, if you use one type of exercise more frequently than others [e.g. back squat (strength) versus running (endurance) or jumping (power)] then you will become better at it than at the others; the same goes with constantly training one component of fitness. If you constantly train for the fitness component of endurance but neglect strength, flexibility, agility, and power, then you will be good at endurance and mediocre at everything else. However, if you increase your training of the other four fitness components, then you will improve your performance in these areas. If you scored high on a certain fitness component, this could be due to several reasons: 1. This component is all you train or mostly what you train 2. You train this component for a long duration or with high frequency

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3. You train it with great intensity If you scored low on a certain fitness component, this could be due to: 1. Not training this component at all 2. Not training this component with enough duration or frequency 3. Not training this component with enough intensity Therefore, if you scored low on a certain fitness component, it makes sense that you need to: 1) Train for it 2) Train for it more (duration or frequency) 3) Train for it with intensity If you have the time and the physical resource to add more of one fitness component into your overall training schedule, then it is generally the best solution to improving that fitness component. But, if you are like most people, you only have so much time, energy and physical resource to workout. So, how do you add more exercises without having to commit more time and deplete your body? The answer lies in volume control, a very simple, low tech procedure that works: If you increase the duration, frequency or intensity of one fitness component, then you must decrease the duration, frequency, or intensity of another fitness component. By decreasing the work volume of a specific fitness component (to make room for another), does it mean you will sacrifice your performance at it? Maybe, and/or maybe not; it is not black and white, but it does not have to be complicated. If you scored really high on a fitness component, you may lose some of your performance result, if you decrease you work in it. But, if your performance result is not that high in the first place, then you may: a) not lose any performance result, or b) you may continue to improve your performance simply because you are working out. In any case, it is more important to initially balance all 5 Components of Fitness and then work at increasing them all concurrently. Now that you understand the concept of the 5 Components of Fitness and how to score your current level of fitness, let’s look at what you can do to balance these fitness components. Chapter 11 is short, but you will read how to create a workout program that will balance the 5 Components of Fitness for realworld fitness.

Chapter Eleven Executing Your Plan

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If Your Fitness Components are Balanced… Let’s say you produced a perfectly balanced set of scores on the FitScore Graph. Your next step is to simply choose equal ratios of exercises from the five fitness components; you will do this in the exercise lab on HyperStrike.com to create your workout program! As someone who already possesses well-rounded fitness, you just need to focus on improving those fitness components, making your scores bigger. If You Need to Balance Your Fitness Components… But, let’s say your scores are not balanced, as most people’s scores will not be. You will need to select the appropriate ratios of exercises from the five fitness components (i.e. ratios that will help bring about balance). Creating an Exercise Program To create an exercise program, consider several key factors: • Frequency • Duration • Intensity Let’s briefly look at each. Frequency How often will you workout in a week? If you are working out three times a week, then this is your frequency. Duration How long do you workout? this is your duration.

If you workout for forty minutes,

Intensity In the exercise industry, the word intensity is defined many ways. Intensity can mean the amount of weight or resistance you use. Intensity can also refer to how hard you push yourself. For our purpose, we will use the latter as our definition (i.e. Intensity is how much effort you put into something, either by lifting more weight, going faster, going longer or resting less); it is what makes you sweat! There are other factors to creating an exercise program but these factors are not a big concern to us. What is important now is how long each workout session takes and how many workout sessions per week you will do. Determining Your Exercise Ratios: The Approximation Method This is a simple and friendly method of “approximation.” It is not meant to be rigid and formulaic (remember, exercise science is not an exact science). We like to keep things simple. First, determine the frequency and duration of your workouts. We recommend 3 workouts a week (more or less depends on your ability to commit). For the duration of each workout, we

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recommend 30 minutes to 45 minutes (longer is not necessarily better). • 3 workouts per week • 30 to 45 minutes per workout Second, to determine the ratios of exercises to perform from the 5 Components of Fitness, look at your FitScore Graph to see which components need to be improved. Third, simply: a) pick more exercises from these components, or b) perform exercises from these components more often, or with more intensity -- this is how you create the appropriate ratios; we call it the “approximation method.” This method is low tech, but it works. Examples of the Approximation Method: Let’s say you lack power and agility. You would then want to select higher ratios of power and agility exercises over the other fitness components. Your approximate fitness component ratios might look like the following: ~ 30% Power exercises ~ 30% Agility exercises ~ 13% Strength ~ 13% Endurance ~ 13% Flexibility What to do with the Ratios? You can disperse these ratios out over the course of each workout session, or you can spread them out over the course of the week. As long as you net the appropriate ratios that will bring about balance to all of your fitness components! Freedom in Program Design is the Key The approximation method allows for freedom and flexibility in designing your real-world fitness program; it is to keep things simple and to facilitate variety. However, a caveat is, be aware of the approximate ratios you are choosing; the ratios must address the needs of your FitScore. You are now ready to select your exercises and to design your own workout program! Design it Your Way In the HyperStrike Exercise Lab, you will find a list of exercises and instructions on how to perform these exercises for each component of fitness. From this list, choose your exercises. Let’s get started!

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Part III

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Strength

Chapter 12 The Exercises

Squat Deadlift One-legged Chair Squat Lunge Lateral Lunge Bench Press Push-up Bent-over Row Pull-up Power Vertical Jump Broad Jump Tuck Jump Skipping Lunge Skier Clean High Pull Power Jerk Power Push-up Medicine Ball Chest Throws Medicine Ball Power Slam Agility Forward Skip Lateral Shuffle Zigzag Run 10-Yard Start-Stop Sprint 10-Yard Reverse Sprint Forward Reaching Lunge Lateral Reaching Lunge Rotation Reaching Lunge Matrix T-Cone Drill Endurance The following exercises can be done indoor or outdoor. Remember, the goal of endurance training is to work at or close to your “aerobic ceiling,” or the threshold where your body switches from aerobic metabolism to anaerobic metabolism. Working at or close to your aerobic ceiling allows you to raise your aerobic power (the ceiling), permitting you to perform at a

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greater intensity for a longer stretch; this type of training also conditions the body to consume more calories! For effective endurance training, you may choose one of two training methods, or attempt to combine both methods for more variety. First, you can work hard while still being able to continue – you remain under the aerobic ceiling. This is called “steady-state training.” Or, you can purposely exceed this aerobic ceiling and tap into the anaerobic metabolism for several seconds to a minute or more, and then slow down or stop for a short period (work-to-recovery ratio is about the same duration) to recover before you go again. The above method of training is called “interval training,” a very effective way to raise one’s aerobic ceiling. You can manipulate the work-to-recovery ratio in many different ways (see below under “interval” exercises). Speed Walking Hill Walking Running Cycling Rowing Interval Running Interval Cycling Shadow Boxing Skipping Rope Combo-Training (Push-up/Squat/Sit-up/Jumping Jack) Flexibility The following flexibility exercises are to improve functional flexibility; that is, to increase your joint range of motion and to increase your strength and control throughout every inch of it. Sampson Lunge Lateral Stretching Lunge Step-Over Lunge Straight-Leg Kick Handwalk Water Wading Wings Back Stroke Frog Drop Overhead Squat

Progression One of the fundamental exercising principles is that you must slowly and steadily increase the demands placed on your body in order for your body to continue to adapt to those demands.

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Without exercise progression your results would come to a screeching halt. What this means is, you have to push yourself a little more each time you workout. You must have mental focus and mental intention to work your body a little harder, and periodically step out of your comfort zone; only with this can you keep achieving results. Exercise progression can be done in several ways: • Steadily increase the weight • Steadily increase the reps • Steadily increase the speed of movement • Steadily increase the time of work output • Steadily increase distance • Steadily decrease the time-to-completion • Steadily decrease the rest/recovery interval But, however you chose to increase exercise progression, you must keep one thing at the forefront of your mind: Perfect technique! Parameters: Frequency, Sets, Reps, and Rest Now that you have selected the exercises that will allow you to improve your FitScore, how do you figure out how much to do and how often? For Session Frequency, we recommend starting with 3 workout sessions per week. When you are ready (and you will know) you can begin adding more workout sessions per week. Ideally, we recommend 4 to 6 sessions a week, utilizing a mixture of all 5 fitness components – of course, using ratios specific to your FitScore. The following section contains some general guidelines for each fitness component. You can follow the time period as given, but you can also alter it to suite you. Fitness is not an exact science, nor is it rocket science; you should work hard, but always safe! Strength Weight and Repetitions: Select a weight so the final repetition or two at the end of each set is a challenge. Level 1: 1 to 2 sets / 10 to 15 repetitions / 60 seconds rest Level 2: 2 to 3 sets / 8 to 12 reps / 90 seconds rest Level 3: 3 to 4 sets / 4 to 8 reps / 120 seconds rest Schedule for each level: Weeks 1 to 4: Level 1 Weeks 4 to 8: Level 2 Weeks 8 to 12: Level 3 At week 12: Retest After week 12: Start again at Level 1, using heavier weight. Power

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Weight and Repetitions: The number one criterion to selecting a proper weight for a power exercise is, the weight must be light enough to allow for fast speed of movement. If, at any point, the speed of movement with a selected weight is slow (as compared to using no weight), then it is no longer a power exercise; stop or lower the weight! Level 1: 2 – 3 sets / 4 – 5 reps / rest 60 seconds Level 2: 3 – 4 sets / 3 – 4 reps / rest 90 seconds Level 3: 4 – 5 sets / 1 – 3 reps / rest 120 seconds Schedule for each level: Weeks 1 to 4: Level 1 Weeks 4 to 8: Level 2 Weeks 8 to 12: Level 3 At week 12: Retest After week 12: Start again at Level 1, using heavier weight. Note: The goal is to perfect the technique before you can move fast, and to do this with a new exercise you need to use slow movement speed. If the exercise is new to you: First 2 weeks: Slow to moderate speed Weeks 2 to 4: Moderate to moderately fast speed After 4 weeks: Fast speed Agility The main goal for agility exercises is to be able to move smoothly, quickly and change directions abruptly. Agility exercises are generally done within a specified amount of time or for a predetermined distance. If done for a specified time: Level 1: 2 to 3 sets / 5 to 10 seconds / rest 30 seconds Level 2: 3 to 4 sets / 10 to 15 seconds / rest 60 seconds Level 3: 4 to 5 sets / 15 to 20 seconds / rest 90 seconds If done for a predetermined distance: Level 1: 2 to 3 sets / rest 30 seconds Level 2: 3 to 4 sets / rest 60 seconds Level 3: 4 to 5 sets / rest 90 seconds Endurance For endurance exercises, there are no repetitions or sets, per se. The focus is on the quality of the exercise. The duration of the exercise will depend on primarily one thing: Intensity. If you are performing the endurance exercise with great intensity, then the duration is shorter. If you are doing intervals of high intensity and lower intensity, then the entire duration of the exercise is also lower. We recommend: Low intensity (conversational pace): 40 minutes Moderate intensity (breathing pace): 30 minutes High intensity (heavy breathing pace): 20 minutes

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Interval intensity (all-out performance periods alternating with recovery periods): 10 to 15 minutes Beginners Beginners may want to start with “low intensity.” But, it is ok to try the other intensities because, no matter what exercise is being performed, you have the final control of the pace and therefore the intensity. Beyond Beginners After about 4 weeks of initiating your endurance exercise program, we recommend that you move into “moderate intensity,” “high intensity,” and “interval training” and never look back! These levels are more effective for metabolic conditioning, fat burning, and preparation for real-world demands on the body. (If you already have experience with endurance exercise, we suggest you start with moderate, high and interval intensity.) Flexibility It is very unlikely you can over-do functional flexibility. We leave the frequency of flexibility training up to you, and recommend that you do it as often as you can. The sets, repetitions and duration for all flexibility exercises accompany their instructions. But, if you feel you need to add a little extra, we welcome you to it!

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Chapter 13 Conclusion

Real-World Fitness Nothing is more rewarding than to have a healthy, fit body that not only looks great, but that is also real-world capable! Following the information in this book will bring you a spirited life and let you gain and maintain into your later years the activities that define youth. Remember that physical abilities are specific to training style. The movement capability and metabolic capacity you gain from following this book will let you handle anything the world has to offer or throw at you. The exercise program that was meant to make you “look good” but without the function for real life is not only outdated and incomplete, but it is also less effective because of its limited stimulus. Your fitness journey is now on a different level, you are on a journey to real-world fitness. Keep it Fresh and Fun A fitness program should always be fresh and fun. It should be fresh and fun because it provides new and different stimuli to the body. The body adapts when the stimulus is changed often, and this change is seen in the form of sets and repetitions, resistance, speed, duration of an exercise, intensity, and the change of exercises themselves. It is important to regularly include new exercises into your fitness routine. Adding new exercises to your workouts helps to keep you mentally fresh, and it provides novel stimulus (stimuli) needed for continual adaptation, and, therefore, constant results. This book contains a good list of exercises that will get you going, but if you want more exercises, literally hundreds of exercises, we recommend that you visit our website and join as a member. On our website, you will receive access to hundreds of fun, interesting and effective exercises that will keep you going for years, or, we sincerely hope, for the rest of your life! Come visit and join us: www.hyperstrike.com

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Appendices

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Appendix A FitScore Record Sheet

[INSERT FITSCORE WORKBOOK HERE]