Let's review the three essential components of exercise discussed so far:

1.) Exercise must be brief.  Generally the workout should last no more than 10-25 minutes.

2.) It must be intense.  You must work to total muscle failure and beyond.

3.) Exercise should be infrequent.  Once the "good damage" is done, there should be multiple days of rest and therefore recovery for the muscles to become stronger.

Finally the fourth component is SAFETY

One of the truly remarkable aspects of conventional exercise is how injury is accepted.  Pick up a Runners World and there will be numerous articles related to injuries:  "What to do about knee pain."  "What kind of supplements to alleviate inflammation."

It was hip soreness that drove me years ago to quit running.  Isn't it just a little crazy to do these activities in the name of health and along the way know we are going to be subjected to pain and potentially crippling injuries?  Does anyone notice how busy orthopedic surgeons are replacing different joints and treating pain, all exercise related?

This is the true beauty of slow motion strength training.  The slow motion is not the secret to success. The slow movement catches pain early before long term, bad damage is done. We know we have to work out intensely.  However, intensity when coupled with speed can cause an injury. For example if someone is doing a chest press quickly they can throw out their shoulder before they realize it. When moving very slowly if a shoulder starts to hurt, we stop before an injury is created. When moving slow we can work out with incredible intensity, AT ANY AGE, without fear of hurting ourselves. By the way, while safety is the first reason to move the weights slowly, the result is that the muscles are worked harder without momentum, thus contributing to better results.

The other important aspect is simply overuse. Doing X activity every day or for hours at a time sets us up for an overuse injury. If a runner takes 1500 steps a mile and runs 5, then he is taking 7500 steps many days a week. What chance do his joints have? Whenever you see a 50 year old runner uninjured it's almost always because he just started to run in his 40's.

We exercise to be healthy. To look good. To feel good. To maintain functional abilities. To be able to do sports and activities as long as possible. Let's generalize it by saying we preserve our youth. Staying injury free is a critical component to making our exercise efforts productive.

ZUCCHINI SOUP WITH CURRY

Right now you can find locally grown summer squash at the Farmer's Market or in abundance in the produce department.  This Zucchini Soup with Curry is always a hit and a great way to get part of your 6-8 fruits and vegetable services a day, in fact, a bowl can count as two servings! I've made it for years and it's one of my all-time favorite soups -- Denise Morton

Serves 4-6

*3 TB unsalted butter
*2 medium onions, chopped
*1 stalk celery
*1 tsp curry powder
*6 zucchini - diced
*4 cups chicken broth (try for organic)
*3 TB chopped fresh parsley
*Lime juice from 1/2 of a lime
*1 cup buttermilk

In a soup pot, saute onions and celery; stir in curry and cook for 3 minutes. Add zucchini and cook just until soft. Add the chicken broth and bring to a boil. Simmer about 20 minutes or until tender. Stir in parsley, lime juice and salt and pepper to taste. Puree in a food processor in batches then put the mixture back into the soup pot (can be made ahead up to this point). Just before serving add buttermilk. Do not boil, just warm slowly. If serving guests, you can add a swirl of cream when served.