WORK OUT TIPS FOR HUFFINGTONPOST
Because of the tremendous volume of emails asking me how I stay so fit, I thought I’d make it easy and answer your fitness and grooming questions right here on the blog! Starting with this one:
Q:My wife says my legs are spindly. I’d like to build them up but I’m on a fixed income and can’t afford fancy equipment. Any tips?
-D. Corn, Washington, DC
D – I’m in fantastic shape, and I don’t belong to a gym or own any equipment (other than some kind of pump Scott got me for my birthday). I do all my running in my basement, averaging between 12 and 16 miles every morning. I don't even own a treadmill!
D., you can do effective resistance exercises without using weights, simply by employing the body weight of your partner. To focus on your calf and thigh muscles, I would suggest a tremendous exercise called the Donkey calf raise (the origin of the name: Men actually used donkeys as weights for the exercise!!). I do this exercise every morning with my roommate Scott before he leaves for work (he’s at the Southwest terminal now). Essentially you’ll be doing a squat movement, with your partner straddling your upper back. Do the movement slowly, pause on the down movement, and then return to a standing position slowly. Do three sets of ten repetitions.
To increase the weight, have your partner wear a backpack full of neck massagers. To decrease the weight, have him remove the backpack. And then articles of clothing.
D, there are other simple moves you can use to build your leg muscles that don’t need weight. Email me later and I will send you pictures.
Next time: D. Frum has a question about back hair.
