Why do over a third of people in the UK and over half in the USA fail to achieve the recommended amount of activity per week? Getting into shape can be a complicated and confusing endeavour due to conflicting advice, information overload, snake-oil sellers and holier-than-thou influencers whose flat tummy and perfect diet could make you feel that fitness is beyond your reach.
Wouldn’t it be great if the journey to a new you could be simplified to just a few steps?
The mythical number
As an adventurous traveller, you may well have sailed the 7 oceans, set foot on the 7 continents and stared in awe at the 7 wonders of the world. Those of you with an artistic leaning could have taken your inspiration from the 7 colours of the rainbow or perhaps expressed your deepest emotions through song, using the 7 notes in a musical scale.
I strongly believe, therefore, that it’s no coincidence the human body is capable of performing precisely, you guessed it, 7 movements. Every physical task you perform, every single day, is either one of these movements or a combination thereof, hence them being referred to as the primal movement patterns.
Just 7 moves
The fundamental movements are:
- Push – away from your body
- Pull – towards toward body
- Squat – bending the knees to lower down
- Lunge – taking a long stride in various directions
- Hinge – bending at the hip
- Rotate – twisting your torso
- Gait – walking, jogging
We first develop the ability to twist when still in the womb and as early as 3 months of age start to push and pull in trying to crawl. At around 6 months, in sitting up we begin to hinge, followed by the squat when first standing (usually somewhere between 9 and 12 months). Lunging comes next due to the necessity to stabilise when standing, naturally leading onto walking (gait).
Fitness made simple
Clearly, then, for the ultimate total body workout – ensuring aesthetic, functional and balanced results – you need to combine all 7 movements into a single exercise session. In fact, you could say, this is effectively the workout the human body was designed to do.
The good news is there are many exercise variations for each movement (for example, I’ve currently got 52 different squats listed) so there’s no danger that sticking to just 7 movements will end up with you getting bored. This also means that if you find a particular exercise painful or just uncomfortable, there are many adaptations to enable you to still complete the movement but in a modified way.
The major bonus, however, is that this approach to functional fitness training will enable you to better perform the daily physical tasks you encounter in work, rest and play. It promises pain-free gardening, a better golf swing and playing with the children (and grandchildren) until they’re worn out, not you. This isn’t about getting fit for the beach, it’s about getting fit for life.
The workout
Format: 3 rounds of 7 exercises
Timing: 1 minute on each exercise
Work to rest ratio: newbies 30:30, regulars 45:15 and advanced 50:10 (time in seconds)
Push – press-up on knees
Pull – bent over row
Squat – goblet squat
Lunge – power lunge
Hinge – deadlift
Rotate – Russian twist
Gait – farmers carry
Technique
Press up
Place your hands on the floor, slightly wider than shoulder width apart, knees resting on the floor also but not taking too much of your bodyweight. Keeping your body in a straight line from your head to your knees, slowly lower your chest toward the floor by bending your elbows, and then push back up to the starting position. Concentrate on keeping your core engaged so your tummy doesn’t sag down, causing a potentially dangerous arch in your lower spine.
Bent Over Row
Stand with feet hip width apart, knees slightly bent, and lean forwards from the hips until your torso is nearly parallel to the floor, keeping a long spine and your core engaged. Holding a weight in each hand, let your arms hang down towards the floor. Lift the weights to your hips by bending your arms and squeezing your shoulder blades together, then slowly lower them back down.
Power Lunge
Assume a lunge position, right foot about a stride length in front of the left, with the left foot resting on the ball of the toes. Your feet should be apart, as if on train lines, not on a tight rope for better balance. Head is lifted and back is braced in a neutral position, by pulling your abdominals in tight. Lower your body by bending at the hips and knees until your front thigh is parallel to floor then immediately explode vertically. Switch feet in the air so that the left foot lands in front and the right foot behind. Now lower straight into the next lunge and repeat the jump. Protect your joints by landing softly and easing directly into the next repetition.
Deadlift
Stand with your feet hip width apart, holding a weight in each hand with your palms facing your body. Keeping a long spine and core tight, bend at your hips to lower the weights to just below the knees, pushing your buttocks behind you. Push through your heels, strongly contract your glutes, and lift up to a standing position. Throughout the movement, avoid rounding the shoulders.
Russian Twist
Sit on the floor with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Lean your torso back to around 45 degrees, keeping your spine long and shoulders relaxed. Hold the weight in both hands, just a few inches in front of your chest. Now twist to one side moving the weight towards the floor, then return to the centre position. Now repeat to the other side. Concentrate on generating the movement through your core rather than swinging the arms.
Farmer’s Carry
Stand with your feet together, hands by your side holding a weight in each hand, chest lifted and your head up. Lift your left knee up toward your chest, as high as you can without tucking your pelvis under or dropping your chest down. Now take a long step forwards onto left foot and slowly lower yourself towards the ground, into a lunge position, by bending both knees. Don’t allow your left knee to overshoot your toes, as this puts undue pressure on the patella tendon and could lead to injury. Contract the thighs and buttocks to lift up from the lunge and bring your right foot together with the left. Immediately take another giant step, this time bringing your right knee up toward your chest and then repeat the long step and lunge down. At all times, keep the shoulder blades drawn back and down, with a good distance from the ears to the shoulders. Alternating steps, continue walking forwards until the time is up. If short of room, take 2 steps forward, 2 steps back.
Tips for success
If you don’t have fitness equipment such as dumbbells, just use bottles of water, tinned foods and bags of sugar or flour, as these work just as well. The important thing to note is the weight, which is measured in kgs.
Aim for 2-3 sessions per week on non-consecutive days. Rest days are when the magic happens as the body adapts to the previous workout, storing more protein to tone the muscles and more calcium to strengthen the bones.
Your muscles need oxygen when you’re exercising, so be sure not to hold your breath. Ideally, exhale on the exertion, or the hardest part of the exercise.
Err on the side of caution by selecting light weights to start, increasing if you feel you can perform a round of the exercises with ease.
To determine the correct intensity, use the modified Borg scale of 1 to 10, where 1 is total rest and 10 is eyeballs out exhaustion. You should feel your effort level is around 6-7 on the first round, 7-8 on the second round and 8-9 on the last round.
Increasing the weights you use or extending the work to rest intervals should always be done gradually.
Final thoughts
Shaping up really boils down to two things, namely commitment and consistency. Since you now know you only need to complete 7 exercises in each workout, hopefully you feel you can make that commitment. Repeating the workout over and over is essential but fortunately, remembering the routine shouldn’t be too much of a challenge as Harvard University psychologist, George Miller, conducted in-depth research which established that in most cases, the human brain is capable of storing, precisely, 7 items of information in short-term memory.
However, if none of this has convinced you that the number 7 is the key to exercising your way to a better version of yourself, you could always leave it to chance, just like a Vegas gambler who rolls a pair of dice… Although in that case the probability is that most of the time the score will be 7.
Safety considerations
Exercise can carry a risk of injury and/or cause ill health, therefore it is strongly recommended that you consult your medical professional prior to embarking upon a new fitness routine, particularly if you have any concerns regarding your current health status.
Work at a pace suitable to your current level of fitness, reducing the intensity if you feel dizziness or extreme fatigue and stopping immediately if you feel any acute pain.
Check the space in which you intend to exercise is free from obstruction, there are no slip and trip hazards, the temperature is suitable and there is enough room to accommodate the movements you’ll be performing.
Wear appropriate clothing, ideally fitted and breathable, with footwear that offers support and good grip.
If using equipment, you are advised to check it before every session.
To reduce the risk of injury and to boost your results, you are advised to perform a gentle warm up before your workout by moving all your limbs around their joints, gradually increasing the range of motion. Similarly, a cool down, ideally a whole-body stretch, is recommended afterwards.
Your body temperature will rise during the workout so ensure you stay hydrated by regularly taking small sips of water before, during and after your session.
Further reading
Top 10 health benefits of exercise
How much exercise should I do each day?
How to exercise for free
Top 10 foods for fitness
Health benefits of walking
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