What is the easiest way to work the whole body? Very simply, I developed what I call “The Simple 7” – the
seven main muscle groups we work on throughout the week. The Simple 7 includes:- Chest
- Biceps (front of arms)
- Triceps (back of arms)
- Abs (can be worked daily)
- Back
- Front of legs
- Back of legs
generally, I split a workout between alternating days: The first day I will work upper body, the next day
lower body. Again, work abs every day to help strengthen the core. Doing some healthy cardio means a
good 15 minutes of elevated heart rate. There is plenty of evidence to support the notion that 15 minutes
of cardio daily has profound impact on heart health.Don’t worry about trying to spend an hour on a treadmill; the added benefit is minimal and may actually
work against you.There are approximately 260 muscles in the body. So, why just work on seven, and why these seven? Well,
it’s all about getting the most bang for your effort. When exercising, it’s best to work on large muscle
groups. It’s as if you are fine-tuning a regular car engine as opposed to an engine in a toy boat. The larger
the muscle, the more metabolic benefit, and the bigger the payoff when it comes to weight maintenance.
The Simple 7 group consists of the fewest number of muscle groups one has to work on to achieve
maximum benefit in an exercise routine. You can exercise with more or less, but if you attack these
particular muscles, then you will achieve maximum benefit. Also, it’s important to realize that the body is
a balanced machine, and you must work the lower with the upper, and the back with the front. The seven
muscle groups provide total balance in an easy way.SEVEN WAYS TO LOOK GREAT
Target These Major Muscle GroupsSECTION FIVE: Week 10: Exercise
By Luigi Gratton, M.D., M.P.H.