With the recent spate of warm weather, it feels as though spring is already upon us. Which means one thing: less clothing. And, with bathing suit season just a few months further, the likelihood of much less clothing in the near future.

Which, so far as I can tell, is the main motivation behind getting in shape: the desire to look good naked, or in some scantily clad approximation thereof. Of course, there are plenty of other reasons as well; living longer and healthier certainly spring to mind. Still, whatever your motivation, I hope you enjoy and benefit from this short series of ‘shape up’ posts about fitness.

Am I qualified to dispense advice on the topic? Probably not. But as there’s nothing like the specter of getting beat up in front of large crowds (the joy of competing in full-contact combat sports) to keep you motivated, over the past five years, I’ve methodically examined the science behind all kinds of fitness ideas. Then I’ve practiced what I’m about to preach, and I’ve been impressed by the results. With fairly minimal time and effort, I’ve managed to push myself into the best shape of my life, keeping my body fat at 6-8% year round, and ending up faster, stronger, more flexible and generally better feeling than I’ve ever been in the process.

While I’m hoping to flesh out ideas on training for athletes interested in high-end competition elsewhere, this series is a bit more narrow in scope. In short, it looks at the question, “what’s the very least I can do to get into excellent shape?” I hope you not only enjoy it, but put some of the ideas to work in your own life. I think you’ll be impressed by the results.