The DaVinci Fitness Code?

by Heather Long | More from this Blogger

12 Apr 2006 09:30 AM

Almost three years ago, I read a little book called The DaVinci Code by a relatively unknown author named Dan Brown. It was a decent book. The story was compelling and the mysterious clues fun to track down with the compelling characters of Robert Langdon and Sophie. Little did I know at the time that the hype surrounding the book would soon overshadow the enjoyment of it.

Now, in a book called The Da Vinci Fitness Code by Joseph Mullen the argument is made that maximum fitness can be found in minimum time using the Fibonacci sequence. Mullen's credits as a fitness center owner and author uses his knowledge and experience to propose that the sequence named for an Italian mathematician is at the center of a program that mixes holistic wellness, exercise workouts and positive affirmations.

The sequence is produced by adding each of the two preceding digits: 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, etc. The key to developing a workout is to use the numbers in the sequence to determine rest periods, reps for endurance and muscle failure. If you're scratching your head a little, don't worry - you are not alone. With so much hype surrounding The Da Vinci Code, it can seem a bit of a stretch to apply the popularity of the book to a fitness regimen.

Still, it is not uncommon to perform 8 repetitions of an exercise in 3 separate sets with rests of 1 minute between each exercise. 13 repetitions would likely be the point of muscle failure. Depending on the type of muscle training you are doing, the use of the Fibonacci sequence can be applied.

Mullen agrees with other fitness theories such as those found in Body for Life and Curves in that he argues fitness can be found in minutes a day and not hours. The author uses mixing of mathematical theory with the Golden Mean (utilizing the blueprint of Da Vinci's Vitruvian Man) as a means to illustrate harmony in the body.

Do Mullen's theories hold up in practical fitness? You be the judge. The theories are interesting, for certain and the presentation is unique, but they are not as new as they might appear to be on the surface.

Learn more about Heather Long

Heather Long is 35 years old and currently lives in Wylie, Texas. She has been a freelance writer for six years. Her husband and she met while working together at America Online over ten years ago.

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