Gymless Training System Basic Edition

DISCLAIMER & COPYRIGHT NOTICE The material contained in this book is for informational purposes only. The information is presented in good faith, but no warranty is given, nor results guaranteed. Since I have no control over physical conditions surrounding the application of information in this book the author disclaims any liability for untoward results including (but not limited to) any injuries or damage arising out of any persons attempt to rely upon any information herein contained. The exercises described in this book are for information purposes only, and may be too strenuous or even dangerous for some people. Before beginning your workout routine you must consult with your physician for authorisation and clearance. The information contained herein is not intended to, and never should, substitute the necessity of seeking the advice of a qualified medical professional. If at any time you feel pain or discomfort stop immediately.

PLEASE NOTE - I am a strong believer that you should read any book concerning your health and fitness with a critical mind, don’t just passively accept the arguments being made without giving them due consideration and verifying them for yourself. This absolutely extends to what I am going to tell you over the next two hundred pages. However, please do not dismiss ideas out of hand without giving them some thought or even better putting them into practice and seeing if they work for you. Everything you read in these pages comes from countless hours training, researching and coaching. I have seen the concepts presented in this book work consistently for myself and others. If applied correctly I am sure they will work for you too.

Copyright © 2010-2011 Alistair Ramsay

PLEASE READ - All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, transmitted, stored in a retrieval system, or translated into any language, in any form, by any means, without the written permission of the author. If you attempt to illegally distribute this e-book, you are in violation of international copyright laws and are subject to fines and imprisonment.

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GTS CHAPTER INDEX Using the Chapter Navigation Table below you can click on the chapter headings to quickly transport yourself to the relevant section of the book. In addition a Chapter Summary is included at the onset of each chapter allowing you to quickly find exactly what you are looking for.

CHAPTER NAVIGATION Chapter 1 – Getting Started

Chapter 9 – The Gymless Exercise Library

Chapter 2 – Super Strength

Chapter 10 – Finish Strong

Chapter 3 – Conditioning Matters

Chapter 11 – Dynamic Joint Mobility

Chapter 4 – The Big Six

Chapter 12 – Mobilising Stretches

Chapter 5 – Free To Move

Chapter 13 –Cardio Conditioning

Chapter 6 – The Program

Chapter 14 – Empower Your Body

Chapter 7 – GTS Workout Templates

Chapter 15 – Frequently Asked Questions

Chapter 8 – The GTS Rules

Chapter 16 – Final Word

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CHAPTER 1 - GETTING STARTED CHAPTER HIGHLIGHTS My Training Philosophies

GTS Target Goals

Leave All Excuses At The Door

Thanks for downloading Part 1 of The Gymless Training System, your guide to improved body composition, strength and stamina without the need for a gym membership. Over the next 200 pages I will be discussing and demonstrating everything you need to know for ‘gymless’ body composition change including;

 How to perform minimalist strength workouts using just your own bodyweight  How to best supplement your strength workouts with effective cardio-conditioning  The importance of joint mobility, movement skills and flexibility  What foods you should eat for effortless fat loss, health and vitality  Simple lifestyle habits that can have a profound impact on your physique and health  Basic but powerful hormone optimization strategies you can put to use immediately  And plenty more…

Whilst many of the chapters are worthy of entire books in their own right, I have opted to avoid getting bogged down in the miniature and strived to focus on keeping things simple and to the point. Where applicable I have included further reading recommendations so if there is a particular topic you would like to delve deeper into, you will have a good idea where to start.

MY TRAINING PHILOSOPHIES

Throughout my time studying and working in the realm of sport science, health and fitness I have developed a number of training philosophies that reflect my personal outlook on effective training and form the building blocks of the book you are now reading. Sharing them with you was therefore a natural starting point for this journey.

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PHILOSOPHY 1 = CONSISTENCY TRIUMPHS We live in a quick fix society where everyone expects things to happen by tomorrow. Transforming your physical fitness takes time and effort, yes you can make good gains in the early stages of a training program but truly impressive gains are made through consistent, hard work over a sustained period of time.

PHILOSOPHY 2 = ALMOST EVERYONE CAN BENEFIT FROM STRENGTH TRAINING Whether your goal is aesthetics based (fat loss/muscle gain) or performance based a good strength training program will help you. Too many people neglect this important component of a rounded and effective fitness program. A diet of cardio training alone will give you neither the physique of a cover model nor the performance of an athlete.

PHILOSOPHY 3 = THERE IS NO PERFECT TRAINING SYSTEM The holy grail of fitness training does not exist. There are many different training tools and countless different training methods. Whilst many will work well for the majority, few will work well for everyone. Discovering what works well for you and more importantly what you enjoy doing is the challenge. This manual is devoted to bodyweight exercise, which is a convenient and highly effective form of resistance training (if it wasn’t I would not have written these pages) but I will not insult your intelligence by claiming bodyweight exercise, or my training program is the only way to burn fat, build muscle and improve your athletic performance

PHILOSOPHY 4 = SEEK BALANCE Like ying and yang, high intensity strength and conditioning should be balanced out with periods of recovery and/or low intensity restorative exercise. You cannot train at 100mph for weeks on end and expect not to get rundown and hurt. Likewise you cannot expect to sit on your sofa for weeks on end and expect to get leaner and stronger. Striking a winning balance is the key.

PHILOSOPHY 5 = NUTRITION TRUMPS TRAINING IN THE GAME OF FAT LOSS There is no getting around it, if you eat too much of the wrong things you will not burn fat, no matter how great your training. This point is of critical importance, too many people slave away in their training only to undo it all by filling their body with junk hours later! The two must go hand in hand for truly impressive results. Later in the manual I have devoted an entire chapter to this very important subject.

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PHILOSOPHY 6 = INTENSITY IS KEY For dramatic changes to your physical performance and appearance, intensity is everything. Don't just go through the motions, train hard, train smart and you will be well on the road to huge improvements. One of my mottos is quality over quantity. Most people could get away with training far less often if they attacked every workout they did with real intensity.

PHILOSOPHY 7 = KEEP IT SIMPLE Simple is good, the simpler a system the easier it is to follow and the less likely it is to go wrong. Throughout this manual I strive to keep things as simple as possible for this very reason. Too many people try to overcomplicate fitness training, in my experience this is unnecessary and normally counterproductive.

PHILOSOPHY 8 = DEFINE YOUR GOAL Having a single, clear goal to work towards helps create laser like focus in your training and a strong desire to reach the finish line. Setting too many goals makes it less likely you will achieve any of them.

PHILOSOPHY 9 = USE IT OR LOSE IT Like any biological system your body adapts to the demands placed upon it. This is great when you are training hard, the adaptations are positive. Not so great when you quit training and return to a sedentary life. Your strength and stamina will vanish shortly after. Staying in great shape is a life long journey!

PHILOSOPHY 10 = NOT EVERY EXERCISE IS THE PERFECT FIT We come in all shapes and sizes, just because an exercise works well for one person does not mean it will work well for everyone. Choose movements that strengthen your body, not weaken it further. Throughout this manual there are numerous exercises which you can plug into your training program, just remember not all of them may be right for you.

Ok, now we have covered the philosophies that govern the foundation of this program, let’s move on by taking a look at what you can expect through the consistent application of the information contained within these pages.

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I MPROVED B ODY C OMPOSITION The workouts, nutrition and recovery advice outlined in this manual will help you develop lean muscle and create an environment conducive to fast, efficient and sustainable fat loss. Assuming you are backing up your hard training efforts with sound eating habits and a healthy lifestyle your body will grow leaner, firmer and stronger!

G REATER L EVELS O F S TRENGTH The exercises outlined in this manual are designed to take you on a journey from weak to strong! Along the way you will accomplish feats of strength your body was not previously capable of and build up a tremendous work capacity in all your major muscles.

G REAT S TAMINA A ND ENDURANCE The conditioning workouts outlined in this manual will improve your cardiovascular strength and energy system efficiency. The synergistic improvement in these areas will dramatically improve your energy and stamina levels, allowing you to work harder and faster for a longer period of time.

E NHANCED F LEXIBILITY AND M OVEMENT The dynamic mobility drills and stretching exercises demonstrated in this manual are designed to reduce movement restrictions caused by tight muscles and stiff joints allowing you to move fluidly and effortlessly. This is an extremely underrated skill in the modern world where inactivity rules! Whilst these movements are programmed into your workouts do not feel limited to these times. I have found the ‘little and often’ approach to be particularly relevant to flexibility and mobility gains.

M AKING I T HAPPEN Sounds like a winning combination right? The good news is the formula for getting there is a simple one, however don’t mistake simple for easy. Without hard work and dedication these goals will remain on the horizon, on the flip side, if you knuckle down, put in the work and adhere to the following commitments then they are goals very much within your reach:

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

Get motivated and stay motivated

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Eat the right fuels to empower your body

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Do the workouts (strength, stamina, flexibility)

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Get plenty of high quality sleep

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Don’t give up, persist with your workouts and be consistent with your eating habits

The remainder of this manual is devoted to exploring these areas in more detail to provide you with all the solutions you need to put them into practice. To begin, we will take a brief look at the all-important mental side of things. I would argue this is the single most important part of the fitness equation.

LEAVE ALL EXCUSES AT THE DOOR

Whilst not wishing to overstate the obvious, the best training program and the best eating strategies in the world will count for absolutely nothing if you don’t have the mental strength, desire and motivation to see them through. Without a burning commitment to make positive changes in your health, fitness and physique you will not see a lot of progress! Sadly, this is the number one reason why most people fail in their fitness quest, they simply lack the mental strength/desire to stick on the path that will take them there. Instead laziness, procrastination and excuses kick in. Now I will not pretend to be a qualified self-help guru and bore you with an assortment of clichéd statements about positive thinking, motivation and the like. There are a ton of books already out there if you would like information on these topics, many aren’t particularly helpful, a few are actually pretty good (Unleashing The Warrior Within by Richard J. Machowicz is worth a mention).

One thing I will say on the matter is there really are NO excuses preventing you from getting in great shape! I do not buy into the excuse that you do not have the time to train, I have seen busy city lawyers transform their health and fitness whilst working 80 hour plus weeks and supporting a family. I do not buy the excuse that you cannot eat healthy food; all it takes is some forward planning and mental strength to say no to the junk. I do not buy the excuse that you are waiting until next month to start getting in shape; this is just a ridiculous attitude, if you want it, take your first step towards it today! Over the years I have heard all these excuses and a plethora of others yet still don’t buy any of them. They are simply what they are….excuses! No matter what your circumstances, there are steps you can take to improve your health and well-being. On my website I link to a number of videos showing incredible true life stories of people who have overcome huge adversity to transform their health and fitness, if they can do it, so can you. As with anything it boils down to how

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motivated you are about succeeding. With a passion and desire to succeed most obstacles can be overcome (particularly in the world of fitness training). Without passion and desire you will quickly find yourself skipping workouts, eating rubbish and spiraling away from your goals! Obviously I cannot create this motivation for you, it must come from within. Use whatever you need to motivate you and don’t let it run dry. As I alluded to in my training philosophies, choosing a single goal and pursuing it with laser like focus is a real help in this department. The good news is that once you start training and eating well YOU WILL begin to see some positive changes occurring in the way you look and feel. This will add further fuel to the fire and encourage you to keep going onwards and upwards. But first of all you must take the first step, commit yourself to change and pursue this commitment passionately whilst ignoring all the excuses that tell you not to succeed or prevent you from trying.

LEAVE ALL EXCUSES AT THE DOOR. GET MOTIVATED AND STAY MOTIVATED After you have got your mental focus dialled in, the next most important element in the body composition equation is the foods you choose to power your body with. You will not go anywhere fast (in fat loss terms) if you do not hit a home run in this department. In a later chapter I will provide some guidelines to help get you eating the right way for effective body composition improvements. For now we will bring our focus back to the exercise element of the equation (as I guess this is why you downloaded the manual in the first place!) On its most basic level fitness training can be boiled down to three simple elements. When they coincide you have a balanced, rounded training program.

 Strength  Conditioning  Flexibility For people looking to lead a healthier life in a leaner, stronger body, striking a good balance between these elements is the way forward, hence why all three are included in this training system. In the forthcoming pages I will provide you with the rationale behind the inclusion of each element and more importantly provide you with the information, templates and instruction you need to put them into practice.

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CHAPTER 2 – SUPER STRENGTH CHAPTER HIGHLIGHTS The Benefits Of Strength Training

Why Use Bodyweight Calisthenics?

The title of this chapter may be somewhat misleading. It is not devoted to superhuman feats of strength, rather the superb benefits a good strength program will have on your body. There are precious few instances I can think of, where a good strength program will not be beneficial to your end goals, be they athletic or aesthetic related.

Despite the long list of benefits associated with regular strength training many people still seem to omit this important component from their training. Here are two common reasons why:

S TRENGTH T RAINING CAN ONLY BE DONE IN A FULLY EQUIPPED GYM

Not true! In fact most of the bulky strength machines you see in gyms are grossly ineffective. It is quite possible to perform highly effective strength training workouts in your own home or outdoors with minimal space requirements and little to no equipment. I know this because it is exactly how I train and how I train the majority of the people I work with.

S TRENGTH T RAINING IS ONLY FOR BODYBUILDERS

Nothing could be further from the truth. The benefits of strength training for the general population are far reaching and are explored in greater detail below. From a functional point of view being stronger makes you more effective at performing daily tasks such as picking up and moving heavy objects, and for the athletes amongst you being stronger will almost certainly make you more effective at your chosen sport. However, functional benefits aside, there are a number of other really important reasons to make strength training a staple in your training program which are discussed on the following pages.

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S TRENGTH T RAINING G REATLY A CCELERATES F AT L OSS

Nutrition/lifestyle aside, strength training is the most important activity you can pursue to successfully burn away unwanted body fat. Strength training stimulates lean muscle development and promotes optimal hormone secretion for fat loss thus helping transform your body from soft, weak and flabby to hard, strong and lean.

S TRONGER B ONES

Strength training helps increase bone mineral density which helps protect against injuries such as fractures and breaks. This may be something you haven’t given a second thought to, however I can assure you that as you get older it is something you will become more susceptible to and more aware of. Injury prevention is infinitely more preferable to injury rehabilitation. You should do everything in your power to make sure your body is going to serve you well over a whole lifetime, and this means laying down the foundations for a strong and healthy skeleton right now through strength training.

S TRONGER C ONNECTIVE T ISSUES AND J OINTS

Following on from the above point, strength training also helps to strengthen the connective tissues surrounding your joints such as your tendons and ligaments. Maintaining strong and healthy joints helps you maintain freedom of movement as you get older. Across the globe countless people are suffering from preventable joint pain and greatly reduced mobility brought about by weak and immobile joints. Furthermore it is not just the chronic degeneration of joints which strength training can offset. In the short term it will also help bullet proof your joints against acute injuries such as those picked up in sports or leisure activities. Remember, connective tissues do not heal as quickly as muscle tissue so once injured can take a long time to recover. You are far better off not getting injured in the first place, and strengthening your joints through regular strength training is a great place to start.

N.B. Strength training will strengthen your joints and connective tissues plus provide greater muscular stability to your joints. HOWEVER, too much strength training without adequate recovery time, or use of poor form when performing exercises can have the opposite effect and irritate or damage your joints. Good form and sensible training volumes are very important when strength training.

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E NHANCED A ESTHETICS

Strengthening your muscles will help transform your body from soft and wobbly to hard and firm. Feeling good about the way your body looks will have a wonderful knock on effect to your confidence and mood.

O THER IMPORTANT HEALTH BENEFITS OF STRENGTH TRAINING ARE :



Strength training triggers the release of anabolic hormones that help you burn fat & build muscle



Strength training can help lower your blood pressure

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Strength training helps improve organ reserve and longevity

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Strength training helps increase your sensitivity to insulin (this is a very good thing!)

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Performed correctly a good strength training program can help improve posture



Strength training improves the function of your immune system making you less susceptible to illness

To perform strength workouts you need to work against some form of resistance. This could include barbells, dumbbells, kettlebells, resistance bands or most conveniently your own bodyweight (also known as calisthenics.) Bodyweight Calisthenics were a natural choice for the Gymless Training System, the ability to train anywhere, anytime using your own bodyweight for resistance makes it unrivalled in terms of convenience. However convenience is not the only thing going for Bodyweight Calisthenics, in the next few pages I will explore several other reasons why this is my favorite strength training method of them all.

WHY USE BODYWEIGHT CALISTHENICS? 1. K IND ON YOUR J OINTS

Bodyweight Calisthenics teach your body to move through ranges of motion it was designed to do. The resulting movements are far kinder on your joints and connective tissues than fixed resistance machines. You also do not have to worry about the compressive forces of lifting heavy weights which can be particularly disastrous on your shoulders, elbows, knees and spine when performed poorly. Upgrade to the premium edition of this book at www.gymless.com

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2. P OTENTIAL FOR G REAT S TRENGTH G AINS

Do not be led astray by the doubters who claim impressive strength cannot be achieved through progressive bodyweight calisthenics alone. Gymnasts are amongst the most impressive athletes there are. They have strength, power and mobility that most others can only dream of. How do gymnasts train? Primarily with bodyweight exercises! Granted we are not all striving to become Olympic gymnasts but they do serve as fine example of what can be achieved using bodyweight exercise and plenty of determination/persistence.

3. C OSTS N OTHING

Gym memberships are expensive. Buying a barbell set is expensive, buying a range of dumbbells even more so. Coming in at a total cost of zero bodyweight calisthenics are undoubtedly the most cost effective method of strength training there is.

4. T RAIN A NYWHERE , A NYTIME

With progressive calisthenics you really do have complete freedom over where you train. Since I have started using bodyweight calisthenics almost exclusively for my strength training I rarely ever miss a workout. I have trained in my house, in the park, on the beach, in a hotel. No longer will you miss out on training sessions because you cannot be bothered to get to the gym or because there is a queue for the equipment you need.

5. S IMPLICITY

I like things to be simple. This includes my strength training. The simpler a system, the easier it is to follow and less likely it is to go wrong. Bodyweight Calisthenics are as simple as it gets, master a movement, move onto a harder one.

6. B UILD L EAN M USCLE

Like any form of resistance training, bodyweight calisthenics are a superb method of building lean muscle. Lean muscle will help you to shift unwanted body fat, rev up your metabolism, improve the aesthetics of your

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body and enhance your strength. The muscle you gain will also be firm and functional, no dysfunctional bulk here!

7. E NHANCED MOVEMENT

Practicing calisthenics allows you to develop movement skills and develop great control over the way your body moves. Moving well is a very underrated skill.

8. P LENTY OF V ARIETY

There are more than enough variations of each exercise to keep you occupied for a long period of time. Don’t worry about going stale with this form of strength training.

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CHAPTER 3 – CONDITIONING MATTERS CHAPTER HIGHLIGHTS The Benefits Of Conditioning

Conditioning Conclusions

Now we have looked at the benefits of strength training and why bodyweight calisthenics are a natural fit for this program, let’s look at another important element in the fitness equation: Conditioning (also referred to as Cardio or Energy System Training.) The Gymless Training System incorporates high intensity conditioning sessions to give you a strong cardiovascular system and efficient energy pathways. Check out some of the many benefits this blend of training will provide:

C ONDITIONING A CCELERATES F AT L OSS

Intense conditioning work helps preserve lean muscle development and triggers the release of potent fat loss hormones such as HGH, both great ingredients for rapid fat loss.

C ONDITIONING I MPROVES B LOOD C IRCULATION

Cardiovascular activity helps to increase the density of your capillary network. Capillaries are tiny blood vessels that cover your entire body delivering oxygenated blood and nutrients to where they are needed and taking away toxins and other waste products from your cells. By increasing the density of your capillary network you create an environment where greater oxygen delivery is possible and waste disposal is made more efficient.

C ONDITIONING I NCREASES T HE N UMBER OF M ITOCHONDRIA W ITHIN C ELLS

Housed within your cells are tiny power stations called mitochondria. Those who remember their GCSE Biology will know that these mitochondria are responsible for energy production within a cell. Conditioning workouts can help increase the number of mitochondria within specific muscle cells; this translates to greater energy production and greater fat burning potential.

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C ONDITIONING L OWERS B LOOD P RESSURE

Conditioning workouts can help lower blood pressure. Whilst the scientific reasons for this are unclear, it has been observed as a common by-product of those who exercise regularly, particularly if blood pressure was high to begin with. In fact many doctors will recommend patients commit to a period of cardiovascular activity if they discover they have high blood pressure.

C ONDITIONING I NCREASES H EART S IZE AND S TRENGTH

Cardiac muscle, much like skeletal muscle, undergoes hypertrophy when put under continual high workloads. The most common change seen is an increase in the left ventricle’s chamber volume and wall thickness. This dual effect increases the volume of blood that can be pumped out by the left ventricle per contraction.

N.B. The reason that the left ventricle is affected more than the right ventricle has to do with their relative functions. The left ventricle is responsible for pumping blood around the whole body. The right ventricle is responsible for pumping blood to the lungs and thus does not require the same kind of volume and strength increases.

C ONDITIONING I NCREASES S TROKE V OLUME

Stroke Volume refers to the volume of blood the heart pumps per beat. Conditioning workouts can cause a substantial increase in stroke volume both at rest and when exercising. Increased Stroke Volume is likely to be caused by:



A decreased heart rate allowing for more blood to enter the ventricles between beats



A greater volume of blood in circulation leading to more blood returning to the heart (venous return)



An increase in the size of the left ventricle chamber



An increase in the strength of the hearts contractions due to thicker ventricle walls

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C ONDITIONING L OWERS R ESTING H EART R ATE

Many people experience a substantial lowering of resting heart rate after improving their conditioning. This is probably caused by an increase in stroke volume and improved oxygen delivery. This results in the heart having to beat fewer times per minute to deliver the same amount of oxygen. Over the course of a year or more that is an awful lot of beats saved.

H IGH I NTENSITY SPRINTING C REATES H IGH EPOC L EVELS (E XCESS POST - EXERCISE O XYGEN C ONSUMPTION )

High EPOC levels keep your metabolism artificially high for an extended period of time after you finish a workout as your body attempts to restore homeostasis. This is great news if you are looking to increase your energy expenditure and burn fat. N.B. EPOC is only present after high intensity conditioning workouts such as sprints. Following low intensity workouts such as brisk walking EPOC is at best minimal.

C ONDITIONING I MPROVES Y OUR E NERGY P ATHWAYS

Depending on the intensity of your workout, conditioning will put serious demands on your anaerobic and aerobic energy pathways. Like any biological system, your body will adapt to these demands and make the necessary improvements to come back stronger and better prepared for the same demands the next time around. Everyone should want their body to be able to produce energy quickly and efficiently.

C ONDITIONING I MPROVES YOUR S TAMINA A ND E NDURANCE

Tied into the all the points above. Finely tuned energy pathways and a more efficient cardiovascular system afford a much greater work capacity and enable you to catch your breath far more quickly, a winning combination.

C ONDITIONING I S P RACTICAL

You never know when you might need to run to the train station or sprint to help a friend in need. Everyone should want to develop the ability to do these basic things. It is a great shame so many people are in such poor physical condition that even these basic tasks become a tremendous effort. Upgrade to the premium edition of this book at www.gymless.com

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H IGH PERFORMANCE C ONDITIONING I S E SSENTIAL F OR A THLETIC S UCCESS

For those of you who play sports, enhancing your conditioning will only help your performance. More often than not it is the player or team who is able to maintain their intensity for longer that will come out on top in an athletic setting.

C ONCLUSION

I am sure you will agree this is a pretty comprehensive list. Body composition, oxygen delivery and energy system benefits aside you must also remember that the heart is the most important muscle in the human body. Keeping it fit, strong and healthy is obviously of the utmost importance and a good balance of high/low intensity cardiovascular activity can help you do just that.

Now that we have looked at the extensive benefits of strength and conditioning, we will start looking at how you can put the theory into practice, beginning with the 6 basic movement patterns you can use to create a strong, well balanced body.

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CHAPTER 4 – THE BIG SIX CHAPTER HIGHLIGHTS Lower Body Pushing Pulling Anterior Core

Posterior Core Sprinting Why Only Six? Recommended Equipment

The Gymless Training System uses 6 movement patterns to effectively strengthen the body from head to toe, boost your metabolism, burn fat and build muscle. The following pages explain why each of the 6 movements is included and the benefits you will derive from each of them.

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LOWER BODY MOVEMENTS

The largest, strongest muscles in your body are located on your legs and hips. In almost all athletic situations strength must be transferred from the ground up, this means strength is generated in your lower body and transferred up through your core and out into your upper extremities.

Imagine trying to build a skyscraper on weak foundations, the skyscraper would be weak and wobbly no matter how impressive it may look from the outside. The body works in the same way. The lower body series uses a series of squats, lunges and bends that require the coordination and synergy of all the lower body and hip muscles including the quadriceps, hamstrings and glutes (backside) for excellent full leg development.

Many people will make their fastest progress in the lower body series. This is to be expected when using bodyweight calisthenics. If you quickly reach the advanced levels of the lower body exercise series, you can add a weighted vest and start the levels again. There is always a way to keep progressing!

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PUSHING

The pushing series is built around one of the oldest exercises known to man: the push-up. Since ancient times this great exercise has been used in the physical development of just about every culture around the world, including the famous Spartan Warriors of Ancient Greece and their great rivals the Persian Immortals. Fastforward to today and the push-up is still the primary upper body developer used by most of the world’s military forces!

The Push-Up really is a fantastic exercise that targets all your pushing muscles including your chest, anterior shoulder and triceps.

Furthermore, push-ups require a great degree of core stabilisation to perform

effectively. Learning to synchronise your pushing muscles with your core stabilisers is important for the transfer of strength in real world applications.

The pushing series will take you through a series of progressions from easy to challenging allowing you to safely and effectively build your strength and stamina in this great movement.

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PULLING

Sadly the majority of gym-goers have become fixated on solely working the muscles visible in the mirror (chest, arms and abs.) Unfortunately this approach leads to gross muscle imbalances in your upper body, poor posture and a high susceptibility to injury. From an athletic point of view, failing to access the huge reservoir of untapped strength potential located on the back of your body is also an appalling waste of resources.

Enter the pulling muscles, which include the lats, rhomboids and traps across the upper back and the biceps on the upper arm. Our distant evolutionary cousins were tree dwellers who would have needed these pulling muscles to be phenomenally strong to successfully move around their environment. Elements of these genetics still reside in our anatomy today.

Successful training of these pulling muscles not only helps iron out imbalances that can be created through poor training and modern lifestyles (computer posture!) but will also greatly improve overall strength. Never been able to perform a pull up? The progressions outlined in this manual will take you there.

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ANTERIOR CORE

The world has become obsessed with performing endless crunches in the quest for a flat defined stomach. This is wrong. Crunches require little strength, and target only a fraction of the large number of muscles that make up your core section.

Over time crunches will severely distort your posture, as your rectus-abdominus shortens, pulling your sternum and pelvis closer together leaving you with an unattractive forward hunched posture and an increased susceptibility to lower back issues.

The primary job of your core muscles is to provide stability to your body and as such this is how they should be trained. The Gymless Training System includes a number of static holds, stability exercises and core extensions for a strong and balanced mid-section.

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POSTERIOR CORE

Running up the back side of your body is a key chain of muscles commonly known as the posterior-chain which is made up of (but not exclusive to) the following muscles: erector spinae (spine) gluteus maximus (butt) and the hamstrings.

Modern lifestyles have resulted in a drastic reduction in posterior-chain strength and activation amongst the general population. This is not a good thing as the posterior-chain is responsible for movements such as hip extension (the source of athletic power) and lower back stabilisation.

The Extensor series outlined in the program will go a long way towards improving the endurance of these muscles resulting in the promotion of correct posture and reduction in the incidents of lower back pain.

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SPRINTING

Sprinting is one of the most graceful, natural and powerful of all human movements. Many thousands of years ago it would have been an essential ingredient to survival as the need to escape predators was very real. Unfortunately in this day and age, the art of sprinting is getting lost. Many people struggle to jog for a hundred yards, let alone sprint. Sprinting recruits muscles across the entire body, particularly the hips and lower body. Improved muscle development, strength and power, enhanced cardiovascular fitness and the creation of a biochemical environment that favours fat loss and muscle growth are but a few of the great benefits sprinting offers. A quick glance at any competitive sprinters physique will provide a glowing testament to the positive effect this activity has on your physique and body composition.

Don’t worry if you have not sprinted for years. You are not expected to jump straight in at the deep end and perform a series of flat out sprints back to back. Later in the manual I outline a progressive system of exercise that takes you from walking to jogging to running to sprinting, all with a focus on quality, not quantity. There are no long, drawn out cardio routines here! (If sprinting is really not an option for you due to injury I also provide some other viable alternatives in a later chapter).

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WHY ONLY 6 MOVEMENT CATEGORIES ? As previously mentioned, I like things to be simple, over complication does nothing except confuse and certainly does not imply greater results/benefits. Remember, the simpler a system, the easier it is to follow and the less likely it is to go wrong. With these 6 movements you can train the entire body making you stronger from head to toe. Why spend your time becoming proficient at lots of little movements that provide no significant extra benefit? Better to be a master of few, than average in many. Also bear in mind that each movement is broken down into numerous progressions for you to master so there is no shortage of variety!

Recommended Equipment

The whole point of the Gymless Training System is that it can be implemented anywhere, anytime and as such there are little to no equipment requirements for most of the exercises. The main exception is the pulling series. Here you will need access to a pull up bar, suspension training system or just something that you can pull yourself up to. The only other piece of equipment you will need is an ab-wheel (used when you get to the more advanced core exercises.) My personal recommendation here is the Power Wheel, built by LifelineUSA. This is not the cheapest one around, but it is the best and allows you to do more exercises than a traditional ab-wheel. If you do not want to fork out, don’t worry. There are still plenty of core variations you can use that require no equipment whatsoever.

If you stick with the program for long enough you will eventually master all the different exercises on offer, for most this will occur first in the lower body exercises. When this happens you can continue to progress your training by purchasing a weighted vest. I would recommend getting an adjustable version that allows you to incrementally add resistance. With this fantastic piece of kit added to your arsenal even the most basic of exercises will again present a challenge. Through adding incremental resistance over time the exercises outlined in this manual can keep you occupied for a lifetime!

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CHAPTER 5 – FREE TO MOVE CHAPTER HIGHLIGHTS The Movement Problem

Inefficient Biomechanics

Accelerated Degeneration Of Joints

The Solution

Chronic Tightening Of Muscles

The Benefits Of Dynamic Joint Mobility

Distorted Posture

The Benefits Of Mobilising Stretches

Movement skills, flexibility and joint health are commonly ignored elements of the fitness equation. This is a real shame as great athleticism is built from the foundations of excellent movement. Improve your movement and you will be able to exercise at a much higher level. Improve your movement and your body will feel light and energised. Improve your movement and you will resist injury and joint pain. I could go on and on…!

THE MOVEMENT PROBLEM In a similar mold to strength and cardiovascular conditioning, movement follows the “Use it or Lose it” principle. The less you move, the trickier it becomes. Unfortunately modern living compounds the problem by encouraging you to move less and less. For example the typical day for millions around the globe involves waking up, sitting in the car en route to work, sitting at a desk for nine hours, sitting in the car en route home, sitting on the sofa watching TV or surfing the internet, going to bed. There is virtually no movement at all. This is not good.

At the other end of the spectrum, highly repetitive movements that lock muscles into a contracted position and/or put a repetitive strain on joints can result in similar problems. For example; a women who wears heels on a daily basis is likely to develop very tight calf muscles.

A LACK OF MOVEMENT AND /OR HIGHLY REPETITIVE MOVEMENT LEADS TO THE ACCELERATED DEGENERATION OF JOINTS AND THE CHRONIC TIGHTENING OF MUSCLES . Upgrade to the premium edition of this book at www.gymless.com

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A CCELERATED D EGENERATION OF J OINTS

Unlike muscles, joints have a very poor blood supply which cannot deliver all the materials and building blocks required to regenerate. Instead your joints rely on regular movement, to help repair the damage of ageing and every day wear and tear. Moving a joint through its full range of motion washes the joint in synovial fluid and prevents the build-up of calcium deposits which over time can restrict movement and cause pain. A lack of movement does the opposite.

T HE C HRONIC T IGHTENING OF M USCLES

The sensation we experience and commonly describe as a tight muscle is actually the build-up of residualtension within a muscle. Tension is governed by the central nervous system and is created when the CNS instructs your muscle fibers to contract, this contraction creates the firmness you feel when you touch a muscle! The more muscles fibers that contract, the greater the level of tension.

All muscles have a baseline level of tension, if they didn’t we would just be a pile of mush and bones on the floor. Baseline tension is set by the CNS to not only give us structural integrity but also to provide a safety measure against unwanted or harmful movements, such as extending a joint beyond its intended range of motion. However what can happen through inactivity and/or highly repetitive activity is the baseline level of tension gets reset to a higher level. This restricts your movement because the CNS is disinclined to release the tension below the baseline level. Your nervous system thinks that doing so will put your body in harms way. Again, the net result is restricted movement.

D ISTORTED POSTURE

Tight muscles not only limit movement, they also distort posture and disrupt the flow of energy around the body. A good analogy would be to visualise a skyscraper and its internal system of air conditioning vents and plumbing pipes. Now imagine what would happen to those vents and pipes if the building was pulled to the left and right at different places along its structure. The vents and pipes would not be able to circulate air, deliver fresh water and flush away waste products as efficiently. The same thing happens in your body.

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I NEFFICIENT B IOMECHANICS

As well as disrupt the flow of energy around your body, poor posture can negatively impact your biomechanics, resulting in certain muscles being overworked whilst other muscles are underworked. You see, muscles tend to work in antagonistic pairs (an important attribute since otherwise you would not be able to return a joint to its starting position after moving it!)

A good example of an antagonistic pair is the glutes (responsible for hip extension) and the hip flexors (responsible for hip flexion). When one muscle in the pair gets chronically tight, it can inhibit the other muscle from performing its function correctly (commonly known as reciprocal inhibition.) In this example chronically tight hip flexors can inhibit the glutes from functioning correctly, which in turn leads to a greater strain being placed on the muscles up and down the kinetic chain as they pick up the slack (synergistic dominance.)

THE SOLUTIONS I have found through my own practice and through training others that the combination of dynamic joint mobility work and mobilising stretches offers a hugely effective and time efficient way to counter restricted movement and the build of chronic tightness and/or pain. This is why both these elements are included in the workout templates outlined later in this manual.

In addition to your regular workouts I highly recommend finding the time to perform 5-10 minutes of these exercises on a daily basis. Personally I try to perform 5 minutes of dynamic joint mobility work first thing in the morning to energise me for the day ahead. Then, in the evening I strive to do some controlled stretching for 10 minutes before I go to bed, I find this has a wonderful calming effect on the mind and body allowing me to drop quickly into deep sleep, not to mention the enhanced flexibility benefits. In the following pages I will highlight some of the benefits that you can derive from making dynamic joint mobility work and mobilising stretches a part of your training. There is nothing new or revolutionary about these techniques. Ancient physical practices like Qi-Gong and Yoga have been using similar principles for thousands of years to great effect.

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THE BENEFITS OF DYNAMIC JOINT MOBILITY WORK D YNAMIC J OINT M OBILITY D RILLS PROVIDE YOUR JOINTS WITH THE MATERIALS THEY NEEDS FOR REPAIR AND REGENERATION

As already mentioned your joints have a very poor blood supply that does not adequately deliver all the materials and building blocks they need to regenerate. Instead your joints rely on regular movement, to help repair the damage of ageing and everyday wear and tear. Moving a joint through its full range of motion washes the joint in synovial fluid which provides the joint with the materials it needs to repair and regenerate.

D YNAMIC J OINT M OBILITY D RILLS L EAD T O H EALTHY , S UPPLE J OINTS

Tied into the previous post, regular movement prevents the build-up of calcium deposits in your joints. If left unattended these deposits can build up and lead to pain/restricted movement. This is classically what happens in an ageing joint. The good news is that regular movement helps break down these calcium deposits and prevents them reforming.

As a direct consequence of these first two benefits you are left with healthy, supple joints free from restrictions and pain!

D YNAMIC JOINT M OBILITY D RILLS ARE E NERGISING

Combining Joint Mobility Drills with deep diaphragmatic breathing has a fantastic energising effect on the body. This probably stems from a combination of increased oxygen in your system and production of electromagnetic energy produced when your muscles and connective tissues move. Either way, it feels great.

D YNAMIC J OINT M OBILITY D RILLS E NHANCE R ECOVERY FROM E XERCISE

Joint Mobility Drills are a great way to speed recovery from hard exercise. Not only are the joints themselves washed in synovial fluid but the blood supply to the muscles around the joints is also increased, thus enhancing recovery in both the joints and muscles.

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BENEFITS OF MOBILISING STRETCHES U NLOCK TIGHT MUSCLES

Through a combination of controlled stretching and breathing you are able to release the built up tension in your muscles. Done frequently enough, this will help to reset the baseline level of tension in that muscle which will allow for more freedom of movement and enhanced posture. Please note that stretching a muscle does not mean forcing it to lengthen. This will do nothing except damage the muscle tissue. Instead you must teach the muscle to relax. This allows the muscle to lengthen without the associated tissue damage of forced stretching.

I MPROVE M OVEMENT

Once you unlock the tight muscles that surround a joint, the range of motion available to you will greatly increase. Eliminating excess muscle tension is a great way to rediscover the freedom of movement you had as an infant.

I MPROVE POSTURE

As mentioned in the previous section, tight muscles pull on your skeletal structure and distort your posture. This negatively impacts your movement efficiency and internal functioning. In addition, poor posture leads to overworked and under worked muscles which is a sure fire way to develop chronic pain. Lengthening tight muscles through stretching can help restore optimal posture.

A LLOW THE BODY TO WORK MORE EFFICIENTLY

Tied into the previous point, once you can restore the optimum level of tension to the muscles around your body you will find that your whole body works more efficiently. You will move more fluidly, your range of motion will increase, everyday tasks will become easier and your workouts will improve.

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R ELAXING /T HERAPEUTIC

Releasing the tension from your muscles feels great. Personally I find there is no better way to relax before I go to sleep than working through a stretching sequence, concentrating on relaxing my muscles, clearing my mind and breathing deeply. The net effect is a feeling of calmness and relaxation that sets you up perfectly for a great night’s sleep.

CONCLUSIONS - Hopefully you have been convinced these elements of the exercise equation are worth including in your workouts and weekly routine. It is amazing how much better your body feels once restrictions are eliminated and you are free to move. Later on in this manual I devote a chapter each to joint mobility and stretching so you can effectively implement them in your workouts and/or rest days.

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CHAPTER 6 – THE PROGRAM

THIS CHAPTER IS ONLY AVAILABLE IN THE FULL EDITION C LICK ON THE IMAGE BELOW TO LEARN MORE

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CHAPTER 7 – THE GTS WORKOUT TEMPLATES

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CHAPTER 8 – THE GTS RULES

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CHAPTER 9 - THE GYMLESS EXERCISE LIBRARY CHAPTER SUMMARY The Gymless Exercise Library Index

The following pages contain all the exercises you need to perform the strength workouts in this manual. Each exercise includes a description, performance tips, common faults and pictures. For quick reference a table summarising all the exercises for each movement pattern is given below. The exercises in the table are listed in approximate order of difficulty. If you are totally new to training I suggest starting with the easiest exercises, if you are more of an exercise veteran then you may want to start further down the chain. Eventually many of the exercises will no longer present a challenge (particularly relevant from a maximum strength perspective.) No problem, simply add a weighted vest to the mix. The exercises become a whole new ball game with 1040kg on your back!

IMPORTANT - Before starting any exercise program you should check with your physician that it is safe to do so. If you experience sharp pain or discomfort when performing any of the movements then discontinue the exercise immediately and seek advice from a medical professional. Not every exercise is the perfect fit for everyone. If a certain movement causes you pain and discomfort simply remove it from the program. However do not confuse muscle fatigue (which is expected) with muscle/joint pain. The two are very different, one is a constructive discomfort the other a highly destructive discomfort.

SAMPLE EXERCISES FROM THE GYMLESS EXERCISE LIBRARY LOWER BODY PULLING MOVEMENTS MOVEMENTS

PUSHING MOVEMENTS

POSTERIOR CORE

ANTERIOR CORE

---------

---------

---------

---------

---------

Reverse Lunge

Upright Pulls

Incline Push Up

Prone Cobra

Incline Plank

---------

---------

---------

---------

---------

Bulgarian Squat

Eccentric Pull Ups

Hindu Push Up

Straight Leg Bridge

Climber

---------

---------

----------

---------

---------

Dynamic Lunges

Horizontal Rows

Assisted OAPU

Hamstring Curl

Renegade Row

---------

---------

---------

---------

---------

THE FULL EXERCISE LIBRARY (AVAILABLE IN THE FULL EDITION OF THIS PRODUCT) CONTAINS OVER 50 EXERCISES . EACH MOVEMENT CATEGORY IS BROKEN DOWN INTO A LOGICAL SERIES OF EXERCISE PROGRESSIONS ALLOWING YOU TO SAFELY AND EFFECTIVELY BUILD YOUR STRENGTH AND JOURNEY FROM WEAK TO STRONG

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LOWER BODY - REVERSE LUNGE REVERSE LUNGE DESCRIPTION Another great movement, the Reverse Lunge requires greater balance and coordination than the previous unilateral options. This move can become quite awkward at the slow tempo, probably better used in the fast tempo workouts. (Back To Exercise Index) 

PERFORMANCE TIPS Stand tall with one knee raised up towards your chest



Swing the raised leg under your hips and take a big step back behind you



Drop straight down into the bottom of a lunge position



Your front heel should remain grounded throughout and your upper body upright



Drive back up to the standing position using your front leg. As you are doing this swing your rear leg all the way through and back up towards your chest



Keep your knees tracking inline with your feet for the duration of the exercise



Either keep your arms hanging by your sides or imitate arm motion when sprinting i.e. syncing with your opposite leg

COMMON FAULTS 

Losing balance and wobbling on descent



Resting your bodyweight on the back knee at the bottom of the movement

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LOWER BODY - BULGARIAN SPLIT SQUAT BULGARIAN SPLIT SQUAT DESCRIPTION The first of the advanced exercises the Bulgarian Split Squat is a test that requires greater strength and balance than the earlier exercises. (Back To Exercise Index)

PERFORMANCE TIPS 

Place your rear foot on top of a stable surface that is approximately 6-12 inches



Hop your front foot forward



Keeping your front heel grounded lower yourself down towards the floor



Keep your knee tracking in line with your toes



Allow your rear knee to drop down towards the floor



Keep your upper body upright with your arms by your sides



Drive upwards using your front leg, actively squeeze your working glute (butt cheek) as you drive up



COMMON FAULTS Losing balance and wobbling on descent



Knee not tracking in line with toes on the lead leg

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LOWER BODY - DYNAMIC LUNGES DYNAMIC LUNGE DESCRIPTION This explosive lower body developer should only be attempted by the more advanced trainee. This is a dynamic variation of the standing lunge where you take off between each repetition and switch legs mid air. As you come down you must absorb the force using your ankle, knee and hip joints before exploding up into the next rep. This is a tough exercise so ease yourself into it. N.B. This exercise cannot be performed at a slow tempo so ignore the normal tempo guidelines when using this exercise. (Back To Exercise Index) 

PERFORMANCE TIPS The set up is the same as the standing lunge



However this time you explode upwards with enough force to take you fully off the ground



When you are airborne switch your legs over



As you land simultaneously bend at the hip and knees in both legs to absorb the impact force



Explode upwards again to complete another rep



Aim to land as softly as possible



COMMON FAULTS Not absorbing the impact force correctly, keep it as gentle on the joints as possible



Losing balance



Performing too many reps too soon

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PUSHING – INCLINE PUSH UPS INCLINE PUSH UPS DESCRIPTION The pushing sequence begins with the elevated push up. This variation adjusts the leverage of the movement so more weight is shifted to your feet meaning the resistance your arms and chest must overcome is reduced. (Back To Exercise Index)

PERFORMANCE TIPS 

Find a flat elevated surface, the higher the surface the easier the movement



Place your hands on this elevated surface, directly underneath your shoulders with your fingers pointing forwards



Keep your body long and tight from head to toe



Squeeze

your

glutes

and

brace

your

midsection 

Don’t let your back round up or sag down at any point (strong, neutral spine)



Descend downwards until your chest is an inch from the elevated surface before pushing back up to the start position



Keep your elbows tucked in close to your body during the movement



Make sure your whole body moves at the same pace. Don’t let your hips drop quicker than your shoulders, this is a sign of weak pushing muscles or weak core stability

COMMON FAULTS 

Elbows flaring out to the side during the movement, this is unhealthy for your shoulders



Not achieving a full range of motion, if it is too hard then find a higher surface



Lower back collapsing at any point during the movement



Hips dropping quicker than the shoulders (poor core stability)



Shoulders rising quicker than the hips (poor core stability)

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PUSHING - HINDU PUSH UP HINDU PUSH UP DESCRIPTION The Hindu Push Up works the entire body and targets the chest muscles from all angles. Throw in a bit of flexibility and you can see why this is such a highly regarded exercise that has been used by warrior cultures for many centuries. Due to the more complex nature of this move, ignore the prescribed tempos. Instead focus on smooth, controlled movement throughout performed at a slower or faster pace depending upon which training block you are in. (Back To Exercise Index)

PERFORMANCE TIPS 

Start with your feet spread hip width or slightly wider and your butt pointing up in the air



You should be in a pyramid type position (similar to Down Dog in Yoga) with a long line running from your tailbone to your finger tips



To commence the movement, dive down towards the ground then flatten yourself out as if you were sliding underneath a fence



Finish the movement by driving your head upwards and extending your spine squeezing your glutes tight as you do so



Your finish position will be similar to Up Dog in Yoga



To get back to the start position, simply lift your hips until you are in the same pyramid

(down dog)

posture you

started with

COMMON FAULTS 

Not squeezing your glutes on the upwards phase. This will serve to protect your lower back



Achieving a poor range of motion. Imagine sliding your body down, under a fence and up

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PUSHING - ASSISTED ONE ARM PUSH UPS ASSISTED ONE ARM PUSH UPS DESCRIPTION The Assisted One Arm Push Up places most of the workload onto just one arm, the non-working arm is used to balance the movement and nothing else. Whilst still requiring a decent level of strength to perform this exercise does not have the steep learning curve and massive core strength requirements of its unassisted counter-part. This makes it an accessible target for anyone to achieve. (Back To Exercise Index)

PERFORMANCE TIPS 

Set up as you would for a regular push up



Reach your non-working arm out at 90 degrees. I find it helps if you place it on a slightly raised surface



Using all the queues of the classic push up, lower your chest to the deck and then return to the starting position



Minimise pushing from the nonworking arm



Ensure you work both arms evenly (i.e. for every one set you do on the right arm, do one set on the left arm)



COMMON FAULTS Elbow flaring out to the side during the movement



Not achieving a full range of motion. If it is too hard then work with an eccentric variation



Lower back collapsing at any point during the movement



Hips and shoulders descending / ascending out of sync



Too much work being done by the non-working arm

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PULLING - UPRIGHT PULLS UPRIGHT PULLS DESCRIPTION The upright pull is a very gentle exercise making it an excellent starting point for complete beginners and for those coming back from injury. The upright pull will help you activate and feel the pulling muscles of the upper back. This will stand you in great stead for the later progressions. Most people should be able to quickly progress from this movement onto harder exercises. (Back To Exercise Index)

PERFORMANCE TIPS 

Stand tall from head to toe (strong neutral spine)



Grab hold of a door frame or suspension trainer and lean back under control until your arms are fully extended



Your

body

should

be

angled

backwards at about 70 degrees 

To return to standing, pull with your arms and squeeze your shoulder blades together to bring yourself back to an upright position



Maintain a straight alignment from your head to your feet throughout the exercise



Keep your shoulders packed down and back throughout

COMMON FAULTS 

Relying solely on the arms to pull you up. Think about activating your upper back muscles and squeezing your shoulder blades together as you pull yourself up

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PULLING - ECCENTRIC PULL UPS ECCENTRIC PULL UPS DESCRIPTION The best way to do full pull ups is, unsurprisingly, to practice full pull ups. However what happens if you are not strong enough to perform a full pull up? Fear not, this is where the eccentric pull up can help you. The eccentric pull up bypasses the tricky concentric (upwards) phase of the pull up motion. Instead you jump up to the top position of the movement and from there you lower yourself back down as slowly as possible. This is extremely hard work but is an unrivalled method of building up enough strength to perform full pull ups. Ignore normal tempo prescriptions with this exercise. (Back To Exercise Index) 

PERFORMANCE TIPS Stand underneath a bar/suspension trainer



Jump up so that your chin is above the bar/handles and hold yourself in this position



Arms should

be

approximately

shoulder width apart 

Keep your knees slightly bent behind you and the rest of your body straight



Tense the body tight and begin to slowly lower yourself back to the ground



Take as long as you can to do this



Once your arms are fully extended drop back down to the ground



Jump up and repeat



Make sure you vary your grip regularly (underhand / overhand / parallel)

COMMON FAULTS 

Performing the first half of the lowering phase slowly and then free falling the second half.

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PULLING - HORIZONTAL ROWS HORIZONTAL ROWS DESCRIPTION Whilst not as glamorous as the regular pull ups, horizontal rows are a very important exercise for keeping your shoulders healthy and your posture in check. They target the muscles in the middle upper back, which are often neglected in many strength routines. Always strive to keep a good balance of horizontal and vertical pulls in your training program. In the Gymless Training System you can do this by swapping from one variation to another after every training cycle. (Back To Exercise Index)

PERFORMANCE TIPS 

Find a bar around hip height or adjust the length of your suspension trainer accordingly



Grab hold of the bar/handles with an overhand grip approx shoulder width apart



Extend your arms so that your body is almost horizontal with the floor



Tense up your mid section



Keeping your body long from head to toe pull yourself up until your chest almost touches the bar/handles you are holding



Keep your shoulder packed down and back throughout



Visualise

squeezing

your

shoulder

blades together on each upward phase



Lower yourself under control keeping the same alignment

COMMON FAULTS 

Hips and shoulders start moving at different speeds on the way up and down. Keep your core muscles tight in order to maintain alignment



Grip gives way. Slow tempo horizontal rows get tough on the forearms and grip. Practice will make perfect.

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POSTERIOR CORE - PRONE COBRA PRONE COBRA DESCRIPTION The Prone Cobra is the first in the spinal extension series. These exercises will activate and strengthen the spinal extensor muscles that run down the back of your body. If you have any disc problems in your spine or other conditions that may affect your ability to perform spinal extensions you MUST make sure you check with your doctor or physio before commencing these movements. Perform all of the cobra movements at a smooth, slow and controlled tempo. (Back To Exercise Index) 

PERFORMANCE TIPS Start lying face down on the floor with your arms by your sides



Squeeze your glutes tightly together and lift your head and chest away from the floor



Keep your feet on the ground



Squeeze your shoulders back as you come up and keep your body long from head to toe



Pause at the top of the movement and slowly return to the starting position

COMMON FAULTS 

Not squeezing the glutes when you extend upwards



Forcing the range of motion - Only go as far as you comfortably can



Lifting your feet off the ground



Rushing the movement - The prone cobra should be done in a smooth and controlled manner

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POSTERIOR CORE - STRAIGHT LEG BRIDGES STRAIGHT LEG BRIDGES DESCRIPTION The Straight Leg Bridge is the final bridging variation. It differs from the others in that your upper body is held upright by your arms whilst you extend your hips. You will need strong, mobile shoulders to be able to hold yourself in this position. Perform at a smooth, slow and controlled tempo. (Back To Exercise Index) 

PERFORMANCE TIPS Sit on the ground in an L-shape



Your legs should be straight out in front of you and your spine should be tall



Place your palms on the floor (or on raised blocks) either side of your hips with your fingers pointing towards your toes



Press down with you arms as your squeeze your glutes and lift your hips until your body forms a straight line from head to toe



Tilt your head back and look towards the sky



Keep your body tense and your butt cheeks squeezed tightly together



Pause at the top of the movement before slowly lowering yourself back down



COMMON FAULTS Not forming a straight line with the body at the top of the movement



Not tilting the head backwards as you come up



Not squeezing the glutes as your come up

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POSTERIOR CORE - POWER WHEEL HAMSTRING CURLS POWER WHEEL HAMSTRING CURLS DESCRIPTION The final exercise in the extensor chain series requires you to extend your hips and flex your knees simultaneously, putting a great work load on the hamstrings, glutes and lower back muscles. This exercise does require the use of specialised equipment, namely the Power Wheel made by LifelineUSA. This is a tremendous bit of kit that has been described as the ‘best core trainer in the world’. I thoroughly recommend getting one! (Back To Exercise Index) 

PERFORMANCE TIPS Attach your feet to the power wheel and lie down on your back



Squeeze your glutes and lift your hips

off

the

ground

whilst

simultaneously flexing your knees and pulling the wheel back towards your hips using your hamstrings 

Pause

when

your

shins

are

approximately perpendicular to the ground 

Keep very tight through the whole body



Slowly reverse the direction of the wheel as you straighten your legs and lower your hips



COMMON FAULTS Not firing the glute muscles



Not keeping the whole body tense for the duration of the movement



Not controlling the downwards phase of the movement

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ANTERIOR CORE - INCLINE PLANK INCLINE PLANK DESCRIPTION The first in the core progressions, incline plank is a static hold that will help activate and strengthen all your important core muscles including the transverse abdominus, rectus abdominus (abs), and obliques. N.B. Incline Plank is a static hold and as such you can disregard exercise tempo with this move. (Back To Exercise Index) 

PERFORMANCE TIPS Place your arms directly under your shoulders with fingers pointing forwards



The pits of your elbows should be facing each other



Create a straight line running from your shoulders, through your hips and down to your ankles.



Imagine lengthening your body from head to toe



Imagine

pulling

your

shoulder

blades apart 

Brace your glutes and mid section



Do not let your lower back cave in



Do not let your hips lift up



Hold the posture for as long as you can



COMMON FAULTS Lower back caving in



Hips lifting up

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ANTERIOR CORE - CLIMBERS CLIMBERS DESCRIPTION The Climbers are almost identical to the Elevated Climbers except for the fact that your hands are now placed on the floor not on an elevated surface. This increases the intensity of the exercise on your core muscles. You will need good mobility to perform this movement. (Back To Exercise Index) 

PERFORMANCE TIPS Place your hands on the floor directly underneath your shoulders



Create a long straight line from head to toe



Maintaining this posture lift one knee up until it almost touches your chest



Don’t let your foot touch the ground



Take that knee back down to the starting position and bring the other knee up to the chest



Focus on staying tight through the rest of the body and maintaining that long tall posture from head to toe



COMMON FAULTS Hips rise up when the knee is lifted, you must maintain a straight posture from your head to your toes throughout.

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ANTERIOR CORE - RENEGADE ROW RENEGADE ROWS DESCRIPTION The Renegade Row is a superb core conditioning drill that requires upper body strength synced in with powerful core stabilising activity. (Back To Exercise Index)

PERFORMANCE TIPS 

Extend your arms and place them on the floor directly in front of your shoulders



Take a wide stance with your feet



Brace up your mid section and squeeze your glutes



Transfer all your weight into one arm



Lift the other arm off the ground and bring it up to the chest without your torso twisting



Place the hand back down



Transfer your weight to the other hand and lift the non-working arm off the ground



Keep

alternating

back

and

forth

between the two arms with minimal to no twist in the torso 

To progress the exercise, try bringing your feet closer together



To add resistance you can perform this exercise using two dumbbells



Alternatively you can try performing this movement on closed fists instead of your palms

COMMON FAULTS 

Not transferring your weight onto one arm before lifting the other off the ground



Torso twists when you pull one arm off the ground. Your arms should be the only thing moving.



Hips lifting up. You must maintain your alignment from head to toe

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CHAPTER 10 – FINISH STRONG CHAPTER SUMMARY Constructing A Finisher

As you will have noticed, an optional 2-5 minute Finisher section is included in each of the workout templates (except the recharge week). Whilst optional, I do recommend its inclusion. A short, intense finisher will help create an optimal biochemical environment for fat loss and muscle growth not to mention the great cardio benefits you will also derive from this style of training. My favorite finisher of them all is sprinting. Few things can compete with the full body intensity this style of training offers.

If sprinting is your method of choice you can either use an abbreviated version of the conditioning workouts outlined in the upcoming ‘Cardio Conditioning’ chapter or simply perform a series of 50-200 meter sprints with short rest periods (10-30 seconds) for 2-5 minutes.

If sprinting is out of the question I have included a brief section of viable alternatives, these exercises will help get your heart rate up and build the desired levels of lactic acid in your muscles. Perfect if you are working out indoors or are unable to sprint for whatever reason. The goal here is to simply spike your heart rate and build up high levels of lactic acid in your working muscles which will help create a positive hormonal environment for fat loss and muscle gain.

The options are limitless, choose one of the sample formats below or create your own. It’s working if you are busting your gut and finish the routine sweating and exhausted. In the next few pages I will examine some of the most effective exercises and routines I have experimented with. Exercises that work well in a Finisher routine generally adhere to the following guidelines:

 Target a large % of muscle  Can be performed quickly  Not too technically demanding

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The latter point is important as you will be getting tired during a Finisher routine. You want to make sure you are using exercises that can be performed safely, quickly and effectively even when you are in a fatigued state.

THE REST OF THIS CHAPTER IS ONLY AVAILABLE IN THE FULL EDITION C LICK ON THE IMAGE BELOW TO LEARN MORE

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CHAPTER 11 - DYNAMIC JOINT MOBILITY EXERCISES SAMPLE EXERCISES Shoulder Dislocates

Alternating Side Bends

THE FULL JOINT MOBILITY LIBRARY IS AVAILABLE IN THE FULL EDITION OF THIS PRODUCT C LICK ON THE IMAGE BELOW TO LEARN MORE

The following pages contain the joint mobility exercises you can use as part of your dynamic warm ups. In addition these exercises can be performed on ‘rest days’ as they will help to energise your body, not drain it. Whole books have been written on dynamic mobility exercises so rather than drown you in every possible exercise there is, I have opted to include a selection of what I feel are the most effective. However, please be aware this is not a finite list. At the Gymless.com website there is an ever expanding video library of exercises, including a section on dynamic joint mobility drills which you can use to research other variations to substitute into your training program. I recommend performing each drill outlined below for 30-60 seconds, before moving straight into the next drill. I like to start at the top of the body and work my way down but this is just a personal preference. There is no right or wrong order to perform these drills so find a combination that works for you. In addition to the dynamic joint mobility drills below I like to complete my warm up with some low rep sets of easy strength movements such as overhead walking lunges, overhead squats, incline push-ups, Trotations, upright pulls and turkish get ups. This helps activate and fire up all the muscles you are going to be using in your workout.

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SAMPLE EXERCISE 1 - SHOULDER DISLOCATES PERFORMANCE INSTRUCTIONS

Shoulder dislocates are a superb drill to open up the chest and create supple shoulders. You will need a dowel (wooden rod) or resistance band to perform this one. Grab hold of a dowel in front of your body. Slowly raise the dowel up overhead and down behind your body. Return along the same path. The wider grip you have, the easier the exercise. Therefore to increase the difficulty of the movement over time steadily adopt a narrower grip on the dowel. If you do not have a dowel, you can use a resistance band. In fact for those of you who are very tight in the shoulders/chest a resistance band is probably the best place to start as you can stretch the band as much as you need to complete the movement.

Back To Dynamic Joint Mobility Index

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SAMPLE EXERCISE 2 - ALTERNATING SIDE BENDS PERFORMANCE INSTRUCTIONS

Many people are very restricted in the lateral line, this drill helps to rectify that problem. Raise one arm up in the air and reach/lean over to the opposite side. You should feel a good stretch down the side of your body and in the latissimus muscle that feeds into the overhead arm. Imagine creating a smooth curved line from the tip of your hand to the top of your hips. Once you reach the end range of motion, lean over to the other side, reaching your opposite arm overhead as you go.

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CHAPTER 12 – MOBILISING STRETCHES SAMPLE STRETCHES Down Dog

Lunging Quad Stretch

THE FULL LIBRARY OF STRETCHES IS AVAILABLE IN THE FULL EDITION OF THIS PRODUCT C LICK ON THE IMAGE BELOW TO LEARN MORE

The following pages contain various mobilising stretches you can use to perform your cool downs. In addition I love to perform these exercises in the evening before I go to bed to help eliminate excess tension in my muscles, enhance my flexibility and calm my nervous system before sleep (I find they have a wonderfully therapeutic effect that almost always enhances my ability to fall into a deep sleep.) Whilst I can’t guarantee everyone will experience the same relaxing effects, it is certainly worth trying out.

Much like the dynamic mobility drills above, whole books have been written on the subject of stretching so, as before, rather than drown you in every possible stretch there is, I have instead opted to include a selection of the most effective and most accessible. Within your cool down I suggest choosing one or two stretches from each category and working through them one by one. If you want a more prolonged stretching session (in the evening or on a rest day), simply include more exercises or work for longer on each stretch you have chosen.

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STRETCHING CATEGORIES  Back Line

 Hips & Legs

 Front Line

 Ankle

 Lateral Line

 Shoulders/Chest

 Spiral Line

 Thoracic

The latter four categories speak for themselves. The Front Line, Back Line, Spiral Line and Lateral Line exercises target interlinked chains of muscle & fascia that run up the length of your body. Thomas Myer does a superb job of explaining this interconnection of fascia, muscle and connective tissue in his excellent book Anatomy Trains. However, for those of you who don’t care too much for an anatomy lesson just know that improved function in these myofascial lines is going to have a wonderful effect on your ability to move freely.

The key to stretching is to try and relax as much as possible. If you are tense and fighting the stretch, your nervous system will not release the muscles being worked and you may end up damaging the muscle fibers. Breathe deeply and relax into each stretch. Only go as far into a stretch as you comfortably can, once there focus on your breathing and with each exhalation try and drop into the stretch a little further. I recommend holding each position for anywhere between 15-60 seconds.

ALSO REMEMBER, AS MENTIONED PREVIOUSLY NOT EVERY EXERCISE IS THE PERFECT FIT FOR EVERYONE . IF A CERTAIN STRETCH CAUSES YOU PAIN AND DISCOMFORT SIMPLY REMOVE IT FROM YOUR ROUTINE .

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BACK LINE - DOWNDOG PERFORMANCE INSTRUCTIONS



D OWNDOG IS A GREAT STRETCH FOR THE LINE

OF MUSCLES THAT RUN D OWN THE BACK OF YOUR BODY ,

INCLUDING YOUR CALVE S , HAMSTRINGS AND BACK MUSCLES .



F ROM THE



M AKE

SURE THE FOLD IN YOUR BODY COMES FROM YOUR HIPS , NOT YOUR LOWER BACK



Y OUR

SPINE SHOULD REMAIN IN A LONG , NEUTRAL ALIGNMENT



P USH DOWN INTO THE



A IM TO WORK YOUR HEELS DOWN TOWARDS THE FLOOR ( DON ’ T WORRY IF THEY DON ’ T ACTUALLY TOUCH THE

CLASSIC PUSH UP POSITION , RAISE YOUR HIPS HIGH AND PUSH THEM BACKWARDS

FL OOR WITH YOUR HANDS TO LENGTHEN THE SIDE S OF YOUR BACK

FLOOR , I T IS THE INTENTION T O DO SO THAT COUNTS )



I F YOU HAVE VERY TIGHT HAMSTRINGS BEND YOUR KNEES A LITTLE TO HELP EASE THE MOVEME NT

 B REATHE AND RELAX , EACH TIME YOU EXHALE TRY AND DROP A LITTLE DEEPER INTO THE STRETCH

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HIPS & LEGS - LUNGING QUAD STRETCH PERFORMANCE INSTRUCTIONS

 T HIS STRETCH IS MORE DIFFICULT THAN IT LOOKS , BUT WHEN PERFORMED CORRECTLY PROVIDES A FANTASTIC STRETCH FOR YOUR QUADRICEPS AND HIP FLEXORS

 F ROM A LUNGE POSITION LIFT YOUR REAR FOOT OFF THE GROUND . REACH BACK AND GRAB HOLD OF YOUR RAISED FOOT WITH YOUR HAND

 R ETURN YOUR UPPER BODY TO FACE FORWARDS AND REMAIN TALL THROUGH THE SPINE  U SE THE OTHER ARM TO HELP BALANCE  I F THE MOVEMENT IS TOO TRICKY , TRY PLACING YOUR REAR FOOT ON A CHAIR OR ELEVATED SURFACE INSTEAD OF USING YOUR ARM TO HOLD IT IN PLACE .

O R YOU CAN PERFORM THE

MOVEMENT WITH YOUR BACK FOOT PRESSED UP AGAINST A WALL

 B REATHE AND RELAX , EACH TIME YOU EXHALE TRY AND DROP A LITTLE DEEPER INTO THE STRETCH

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CHAPTER 13 - CARDIO CONDITIONING WORKOUTS

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CHAPTER 14 – EMPOWER YOUR BODY

THIS CHAPTER IS ONLY AVAILABLE IN THE FULL EDITION OF THE PRODUCT INCLUDES DETAILED NUTRITION, RECOVERY AND LIFESTYLE INFORMATION WHICH WILL HAVE A MAJOR IMPACT ON THE WAY YOUR BODY LOOKS AND FEELS.

C LICK ON THE IMAGE BELOW TO LEARN MORE

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CHAPTER 15 - FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS I AM A BEGINNER TO EXERCISE , IS THIS PROGRAM FOR ME ?

Yes of course, after you have been given the all clear by your doctor make sure you start with the easier strength exercises and foundational level cardio workouts. It won’t be long till you are graduating onwards and upwards to the higher levels of the program.

H OW DO I CHOOSE THE RIGHT EXERCISES FOR MY WORKOUTS ?

I recommend everyone starts with the easier exercises and progresses onwards and upwards from there. Some might progress very quickly, others may spend a while longer on the easier exercises. There is no right or wrong. Here is a reminder of the guidelines you should use when picking exercises for your workouts:



Low Rep Workouts – The exercise should challenge you in the 4-10 repetition range when performed at the slow tempo.



High Rep Workouts – The exercise should challenge you in the 10-25 repetition range when performed at the fast tempo

Also remember that not every exercise is the perfect fit for everyone. If an exercise causes you trouble (even when performed with good form), simply remove it from your training program.

H OW QUICKLY SHOULD I PROGRESS THROUGH THE EXERCISES ?



If you can perform 10 reps of an exercise at a slow tempo then consider it mastered in the low rep workouts.



If you can perform 25 reps of an exercise at the fast tempo then consider it mastered in the high rep workouts.

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That said, I recommend staying on each exercise for at least one training cycle, even if you master it sooner. This will give your connective tissues a chance to catch up with the developing muscles. Remember, your muscles get stronger much more quickly than your connective tissues and creating a big deficit between the two is not a good thing, injury beckons. There is nothing more frustrating than choosing an exercise beyond your current strength levels and injuring yourself trying to perform it. This will derail your progress in a flash as you won’t be able to train whilst it heals.

W HERE DO I GO ONCE I HAVE M ASTERED ALL THE EXERCISE PROGRESSIONS ?

Firstly congratulations, you are now stronger than 95% of your friends and colleagues. However I imagine if you have reached this stage you probably have a desire to get stronger still. My best recommendation is to purchase an adjustable weighted vest and start the program again! The progressions become a whole different ball game with an additional 10-40kgs on your back. Plus the greater work demands placed on your muscles will ensure they continue to grow and progress.

W HAT HAPPENS IF I FEEL DISCOMFORT PERFORMING ANY OF THE MOVEMENTS ?

If you experience sharp pain or discomfort when performing any of the movements then discontinue the exercise immediately and seek advice from a medical professional. Not every exercise is the perfect fit for everyone. If a certain movement causes you pain and discomfort simply remove it from the program. However do not confuse muscle fatigue (which is expected) with muscle/joint pain. The two are very different: One is a constructive discomfort the other a highly destructive discomfort.

W HAT SHOULD I EAT WHILST STRENGTH TRAINING ?

You should eat what you would for long lasting health and vitality, lots of vegetables, some fruits, high quality protein sources and healthy fats. Avoid processed foods, toxic fats, refined carbohydrates and excess sugar. Please check out the nutrition guidelines for more detailed information on this subject.

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W HY DO YOU RECOMMEND A LOW CARB DIET ?

I don’t recommend a low carb diet, at least not for everyone. What I do recommend is you source your carbohydrates from nutrient dense sources such as vegetables whilst avoiding the nutritionally void processed grains and sugars. As mentioned in the nutrition section, some people will do better eating a slightly higher volume of carbohydrates (primarily from veggies) whilst some people will do better eating a lower volume. There is no one size fits all solution, experiment to see where on the carb spectrum you lie.

T HE S PRINTING WORKOUTS NEVER SEEM TO GET ANY EASIER , WHY IS THIS ?

Conditioning workouts are always hard work no matter how fit you are. Remember, as you get fitter you are able to push yourself to greater and greater levels of performance. The relative intensity remains largely unchanged. However if you were to go back and repeat some of your workouts from earlier in your conditioning journey you would find them a lot easier!

I AM HAVING A HARD TIME RECOVERING BETWEEN TRAINING SESSIONS , WHAT SHOULD I DO ?

Firstly make sure that you are getting plenty of good sleep and eating enough good food. If you are already ticking these boxes consider reducing your weekly training volume by eliminating a workout from your schedule.

W HAT SHOULD I DO IF I DEVELOP A NIGGLING INJURY WHILST TRAINING ?

Obviously prevention is the best form of rehabilitation, always aim to train when you are feeling fresh and strong, if you are not, take another days rest. Also never allow your exercise technique to get sloppy. If you can’t perform an exercise perfectly, then don’t do it at all. However, even with good practices occasionally an injury will strike. Once it does, don’t try and train through it (I have learnt this lesson the hard way.) Ease off your training and allow it time to heal. If there are exercises you can do which don’t affect the injured area, great, work with them. If the injury does not clear then I highly recommend seeking expert help from a doctor or physio sooner rather than later (again, I have learnt this the hard way!) Also remember to incorporate plenty of dynamic mobility work and stretching into your weekly schedule. This simple tip has had a wonderful effect on my ability to fend off little niggles and minor injuries, not to mention the enhanced flexibility I now enjoy as a result. Upgrade to the premium edition of this book at www.gymless.com

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A RE THERE ANY OTHER PROGRAMS I COULD USE IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING WORKOUTS ?

Absolutely. I thoroughly recommend practising some form of restorative exercise in conjunction with the strength and conditioning workouts described in this manual. A good restorative exercise program will help lengthen tight muscles, reduce movement restrictions, enhance mobility and energise your body. Yoga, Qi Gong, Tai Chi are such examples. Alternatively you can use the joint mobility drills and stretches in this manual to form your own restorative exercise practice.

C AN I EXTEND A TRAINING BLOCK FOR AN EXTRA WEEK ?

If you are still making good progress at the end of two weeks in your current workout then you can continue for a third week before changing training focus (low rep/high rep). Beginners particularly may find they can improve for a longer stretch of time before changing. Personally I always like to swap after a fortnight. It keeps things fresh, keeps me motivated and helps prevent the build-up of overuse injuries!

W HY ARE THERE NO ADVANCED BODYWEIGHT EXERCISES IN THIS MANUAL ?

I deliberately chose to exclude several advanced bodyweight exercises and gymnastic movements (handstand push-ups, unassisted pistol squats, unassisted one arm push-ups etc.) for a couple of reasons;

1) Many of these moves have a significant learning curve and can take many months of specific practice to master, some moves may even take years. This makes them inaccessible to the general population who just wants to burn fat and build muscle. 2) When performing any exercise, good technique is paramount. However, this is particularly true with the really advanced bodyweight exercises. The high volume workouts outlined in this manual and the complex nature of advanced bodyweight exercises is not a good mix. In my experience, fatigue quickly leads to a breakdown in form which in turn leads to a greater likelihood of injury.

For these reasons I chose to fill this manual with exercises that have a short learning curve, are accessible to everyone and can be safely performed for high volume in minimal time. This combination allows you to derive all the body composition improvements you desire (less fat, more muscle) without having to spend considerable time mastering complex movements. To increase the intensity of any strength exercise in this manual, simply add a weighted vest. You do not need to spend time mastering a new movement. Down the Upgrade to the premium edition of this book at www.gymless.com

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line you may well decide that you would like to shift your goals to pursue your maximum strength potential using bodyweight exercise. This would be a perfect time to start practicing the more advanced bodyweight exercises. I hope to produce a manual in the near future which will cover raw strength development using advanced bodyweight training strategies and exercises.

W HAT IS THE MAIN DISADVANTAGE OF BODYWEIGHT EXERCISE ?

In my eyes the biggest disadvantage to bodyweight exercise is that you can only progress so far with your lower body maximum strength development. Eventually most bodyweight exercises will only provide your lower body with a strength endurance challenge, not a maximal strength challenge. For most people this is not a problem, the strength provided by one legged squatting variations is more than enough to enjoy an active, healthy life. Also remember you can always incorporate the use of a weighted vest to increase the resistance. However if you were a serious athlete or were interested in maximizing the strength and growth potential in your lower body you would need to look at other forms of training (barbells, trap bars, kettlebells etc.)

M Y L EG M USCLES ARE ALWAYS TIRED WITH ALL THE STRENGTH TRAINING AND SPRINTING , WHAT SHOULD I DO ?

You may find that performing three to five strength sessions per fortnight coupled with two to four sprint sessions is putting too much workload onto your legs and they are failing to recover properly. If this is the case you have a number of options. Firstly you can reduce the number of sets you perform on your lower body. The other option is to reduce the frequency of your sprinting workouts. Personally I love sprinting and the training effects I derive from it so if my legs are feeling particularly tired I tend to reduce my strength training volume on the lower body instead. Take home message, if your legs are constantly exhausted you need to reduce the volume and or frequency of your lower body training.

W HY ARE THE SCALES NOT DROPPING ?

You are interested in fat-loss, not weight loss. It is quite possible to lose a lot of fat, look considerably leaner and healthier yet still remain at a similar weight. This occurs when you simultaneously burn fat and build lean muscle tissue. Using scales to record your progress has the potential to be misleading, instead use a tape measure to measure your waist, arms, chest etc. Check to see how you clothes fit you, look at yourself in the mirror, take before and after photos. All these are far more reliable confirmations of success than a set of scales, which do not take into account the changes in body composition you will be experiencing. Upgrade to the premium edition of this book at www.gymless.com

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H OW SHOULD I RECORD MY WORKOUTS ?

You can’t beat a notebook and pen. In addition you can login to the member’s area at www.gymless.com (Premium Edition Only) and log your workouts in an on-going training diary. This is great if you want some encouragement/feedback.

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CHAPTER 16 – FINAL WORD CHAPTER NAVIGATION Back to Main Chapter Index

THE BODY RE-COMPOSITION COMMANDMENTS To conclude this manual I have created a shortlist of commandments summing up much of what has been said in the previous pages. Committing these commandments to memory and putting them into action will put you in the fast lane to a leaner, stronger, healthier body… Bon voyage!

COMMANDMENT 1 – CURB CHRONIC INSULIN L EVELS By avoiding excessive sugar and refined carbohydrate intake you will help curb chronic insulin levels. This means less fat storage, improved body composition and better health.

COMMANDMENT 2 – GET HEALTHY This is all about lifestyle. Pursuing habits that encourage a healthy body will have a profound impact on your fat loss efforts. These habits include: eating lots of fresh wholefoods from good sources, reducing stress levels, getting high quality sleep, avoiding unnecessary exposure to toxins and finding time to relax & unwind.

COMMANDMENT 3 – TRAIN HARD Whether you want to lose fat, gain muscle or both training with intensity is a must. Don’t just go through the motions, train hard. Attack the workouts and exercises detailed in this manual and you will make great progress.

COMMANDMENT 4 – GET MORE SLEEP

I know this has already been mentioned in Commandment 2 but it is well worth repeating. Get more sleep. You will feel better for it, you will look better for it and you will perform better for it.

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That concludes Part 1 of the Gymless Training System, I hope you have enjoyed reading and digesting all the information in these pages. Of course reading was the easy bit, now it is up to you to get out there and get on with the hard bit.. the training itself! It would be great to hear how you are getting on, so if you get a chance drop me a line at www.gymless.com and keep me updated. Best of luck with your training and keep me posted on your success!

Alistair Ramsay BSc Applied Sports Science

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