Living Better: How You're Exercising

Ultimately, this exercise plan will culminate in you looking healthy, toned and fit.

If you came here with the intention of rivaling Ronnie Coleman, you're better off visiting Bodybuilding.com.

And by that I mean Brad Pitt, not Brad Hollibaugh.

Before we begin, you have to be aware that there are probably a million different workout plans out there. It would be foolish to call myself an expert on anything, but here is what has worked for me and has worked for many. It is a practical, fundamental workout plan that you can fit around any busy student/workman schedule.

But hold it right there - you don't actually have to sign up for a gym membership just yet. As how a toddler must learn to crawl before he/she walks, the first step towards an effective workout regime is conditioning. Apart from your weekly badminton sessions or weekend jogs at the park, I want you to do something very simple for me.

Every night, before you go to bed, get down on all fours... and perform a pushup. Pushups are a compound exercise, meaning they work more than one major muscle group - in this case the arms, shoulders, chest, back and abs. Compounds exercises are the best way to shape your body's overall frame before you start specific weight training.

Before I began to weight train, I used to regiment myself to 120 pushups a night (4 sets of 30 pushups) before bed, every night, without fail. You can start off with a reasonable number, say 30 pushups (3 sets of 10 pushups) every night before retiring. The rule of thumb is start low and then gradually build yourself up to higher levels, as your body adjusts accordingly.

When you're able to do at least 20 to 30 push-ups consecutively without rest, your body is fit and ready for the next stage.

The Pushup

There's a lot more to a pushup than meets the eye. The key to performing a correct pushup lies in your body's form. Suffice to say, many men aren't aware of the correct method of execution - as a rule of thumb - if it feels too easy, you're probably doing it wrong.

Figure 1

As in Figure 1, make sure your back is in a straight line, with your face looking ahead. You should aim to be completely stable in this position and be able to breathe comfortably. Your hands should be placed approximately shoulder-width apart.

Figure 2

Now, in a slow and controlled motion, lower your body until it is perfectly parallel to the ground. Your entire body (upper and lower) should move in tandem and your chest should almost touch the surface of the floor. Most men make the mistake of performing a "semi-girly" pushup, where their upper bodies are doing the pushup while their lower bodies don't move.

Now, making sure your form is kept perfect throughout, push yourself up, again in a slow and controlled motion, back to the starting position in Figure 1 and voila - you've completed your first perfect pushup!

The key to achieving perfect pushup posture is to keep your chest extended outward and your midsection taut and tight - squeeze your core abdominal muscles (a.k.a your abs) in order to keep your back straight and your body stabilized.

If you're in doubt, it's always perfectly OK to get someone to spot for you, i.e. someone to watch you doing the pushup to make sure you're in perfect form.

Now all you need to do is to get down to 9 more of those bad boys and you've completed a set. 2 more sets and you can sleep peacefully with the knowledge that you're one big step closer to a dream come true.

Over the course of the next month, with enough dedication and the right eating habits, you'll notice your body changing quickly - beginning with more rounded shoulders and a filled-out chest. You'll also enjoy increased strength and stamina in sport. But I assure you that this is just the tip of the iceberg.

Up next: Eating your way to a six-pack