Finally, it has dawned on the exercise gurus that exercising biceps or triceps independently does not have any meaning in real life. An iron-pumper could still go ahead and hurt his back while showing some machismo around the house. He could still be injured while moving a heavy cabinet at home, because of faulty posture.

People working out in gymnasiums have a mechanical precision about their exercises, which may not help them handle real situations correctly. Says Hoffmann, ``While doing a bench-press, the back is supported. And when this back rest is removed in real situations, a faulty posture while lifting weights could lead to back trouble.''

Traditionally, exercises have been done in isolation, where a particular area/muscle is exercised, but the body does not functionthis way. Hoffmann and his colleagues at the Reebok University in the US have devised a new crop of calisthenics, where other parts of the body are working along with exercising one major muscle.

``Basically, we do this by mimicking the movements of the body when performing certain actions, like lifting a piece of luggage and putting it on a rack above the head,'' says Hoffmann.

So, instead of doing abdominal crunches from a supine position, the new calisthenics tighten the abdominal muscles using an upright torso position. The strengthening of the upper body for stability and flexibility is the key to these exercises. ``The idea is not to hyperflex any part of the body, which invariably leads to problems later,'' says Hoffmann. These calisthenics have been dubbed as `The Final Cut' by Hoffmann and the Reebok team-the final cut referring to the defined cut the body will acquire after these exercises.

Hoffmann suggests this theory can be put to use even at work. Simple changes in posture while sitting atone's desk to improve fitness can work wonders. ``You should sit holding your back straight, with the chest up, but not pushed forward and shoulders straight, the obliques contracted and the triangular bones of the shoulder almost touching each other,'' says Hoffmann.Hoffmann, who holds a Bachelor's degree in respiratory diseases and a Master's degree in health education, has always been a fitness freak. Sixteen years ago, he became a trainer with Reebok and hasn't stopped ever since. An American by birth but a Parisian now, Hoffmann is now Reebok's master trainer, looking after the training of aerobic instructors the world over at company-sponsored gyms.

Though he is not directly involved with the research at Reebok University, Hoffmann is consulted by the research team and gives his observations on new exercises devised by them. ``The new exercises have proven to be totally safe and can be adopted for any population. But I would still advise people interested in fitness that cardio-vascular activity likewalking, cycling, running or aerobic exercises is a must along with these strengthening and flexibility exercises,'' says Hoffmann.

While in India, Hoffmann spent his time training instructors in Mumbai and Delhi's gyms so that these instructors could impart the Final Cut technique to their students.

But after the final cut? What then? Reebok, says Hoffmann, is now working on incorporating yoga techniques into routine aerobic classes. ``I have just been discovering the beneficial effects of yoga, where you can exercise without the same vigour and yet get similar effects,'' he says. Reebok University researchers are working on ways of incorporating the reverential Suryanamaskar into an exercise regimen.

But for now, the FIRE is spreading. Be sure to quiz your fitness instructor about it.