Happy New Year! I hope you have been able to keep focused on your health goals through the holidays. With years end I have looked back over my program and progress for 2007. I am satisfied with the progress I have made toward my goals. I was able to run with a small group (sometimes just two) for hour plus runs 26 week‐ ends in 2007. I was able to maintain my weight and trim a little off my waist. I added something new to the cardio exercise routine with a stationary rowing machine. I have suffered a setback of late that has limited my weight lifting but I have been able to continue running and cardio workouts. I developed some aggravating pain in my left shoulder that did not resolve itself with simple rest and OTC medicines. Fearing a torn rotator cuff injury I went to my Doctor then to an Orthopedics Specialist. Diagnosis is Impingement Syndrome, a common overuse injury to the shoulder joint. Treatment included a Cortisone injection, rest, and now physical therapy. It is better and I have been able to stay active throughout the process. I hope to continue into 2008 building on this base. A fellow Firefighter approached me the other week about working out and cardio training. The question was about the best order of performance to maximize gains. It depends on specific fitness goals to answer correctly. If your interest is mainly on cardiovascular performance with maintenance of muscle tone or weight loss, then run before you lift weights. If you are trying to add muscle size or maximize maintenance of current gains then lift first then run, bike, or perform other cardiovascular exercise. His primary goal is to gain muscle size and to maintain his current cardiovascular condition. So the workout then run order will maximize his efforts to reach his goal. It works like this; our body secretes Growth Hormone (GH) naturally to repair, rebuild, and build new muscle tissue. Normally our bodies secrete this hormone when we are asleep, but it will also secrete GH when we engage in vigorous exercise. I am talking about high‐ intensity exercises, short to no rest periods, and using large muscle groups. Perform a good warm‐up to ready your body. Then perform a routine of exercise that incorporates the three principles at a maximum effort then after a recovery period perform your aerobic work out. “A 30 minute tread mill sprint to exercise failure produces a near maximal GH response, with GH levels remaining elevated for at least 60 minutes post exercise.”1 Conversely, “performing cardio before resistance exercise will blunt the GH response to resistance exercise.”2 A favorite routine of mine is called 5‐10‐15. Five pull‐ups, ten pushups, and fifteen air squats (Deep knee bends) is counted as 1 round. Perform as many rounds as you can in 20 minutes. It is a simple routine that can be performed in one spot with only an apparatus to perform the pull ups on. Take care and maintain focus and form when performing near maximum efforts to minimize risk of injury. Set your goals for the New Year, make a plan, and begin efforts to reach them. Good Health, Ted 1 Deschenes MR, AM J Phys Med Rehabil, 2002 Nov;81 2 Longcope, J Clin Endocrinol Metab, 85:293‐296, 2000