"Things do not change; we change." ?Henry David Thoreau

The following article is a chapter from my new book, The Da Vinci Fitness Code.

Professor Stanley Plagenhoef, one of my greatest mentors, introduced me to the Fibonacci number series in the early 1980's. He encouraged me to think of those numbers in the ideal relationship of health and fitness. I took his advice and bought books that spoke of the Fibonacci numbers, and the link between those numbers and The Golden Mean Ratio.

The first and best book I ever bought is titled, The Curves of Life, written by Theodore Andrea Cook, ISBN # 0-486-23701. The publisher is Dover Publications in New York.

Interestingly, this publication mentions on its title page, that the book includes special relation to "The Manuscripts of LEONARDO DA VINCI." I learned many details from this insightful; brain penetrating book (and others I later read).

Some I will reword from memory. Leonardo said: "?you cannot be a good master, unless you have a universal power of representing by your art, all the varieties of the forms in Nature.

. . . . Do you not see how many and how varied are the actions performed by men alone ? how many kinds of animals there are, of trees and plants and flowers ? how many kinds of springs, rivers, buildings and cities, of instruments fitted for man's use, of costumes, ornaments and arts?

All these things should be rendered with equal facility and brace by anyone deserving the name of a good painter".

What finally became clear to me was how all the factors Leonardo declared are connected in nature, propose, and carefully worked-out precise proportions, and shapes.

Generally, the shapes are a series o that are the Fibonacci Numbers, which can eventually take compared to the shapes of spirals, and curves.

Spiral shapes and curves are visible, in the night skies of our Universe. In the shapes of our Galaxy, and the Milky Way, as well as in the structure of clouds. On earth the shapes, curves, and proportions and the numbers agreed to these properties are "The Formula for Growth."

These shapes take the form of many aspects of Nature, prevailing in the Galaxy, on land in the curves of the ocean waves and sea shells, to the flowers and the trees and in the proportion and beauty of the legendary paintings, sculptures, and achievements of the great architects, such as Frank Lloyd Wright.

Because this is a book matched to excellence in fitness training, I must focus on examining fitness as it is about the human body.

When involved in learning the specific ways that the Golden Ratio and the Fibonacci Numbers, represent a part in all aspects of our daily lives, I propose that you use a computer to explore the World Wide Web.

All you need to do is type in either, "The Golden Mean Ratio," or "The Fibonacci Numbers," and you will be presented with thousands of pages of outstanding, original research choices. You will be amazed!

As you will discover, the Golden Mean Ratio and the Fibonacci Numbers clearly connect to the shape and proportions of the human body. Nature is also guiding us in our physical development.

You are presumably aware of the drawing by Leonardo Da Vinci of "the Vitruvian Man." This drawing outlines the ideal proportions, size, shape, and symmetry of the ideal human body. Some of us inherit ? genetically ? that shape. Many of us do not.

Nature is not continually perfect.

It became clear to me that the Fibonacci numbers and by continuation, the golden Mean Ratio, could have value when shifted to a legitimate total fitness protocol, as well as physical therapy, work conditioning, and bodybuilding protocols.

Apparently, the numbers, known as the Fibonacci numbers, were, first, discussed by an Italian mathematician of the thirteenth century, Leonardo Da Pisa.

The numbers, interpreted again, and it became apparent that certain ratios, and formula principles of these numbers, about growth, symmetry, proportion, and beauty appeared virtually everywhere.

The numbers verified to refer to a specific ratio, often discussed as The Golden Mean Ratio. A ratio used by Master artists, sculptors, and architects, to create their visions, in perfect balance and harmony.

Beginning in the outer cosmos, where spiral shapes prevail in great abundance, and the relationship of the planets distance from each other, is in a Fibonacci balance and Golden Mean Ratio.

Apparently, the architect-Source of the unified universe, formulated these proportions before anyone else did.

On earth, the proportions of the Fibonacci numbers, compose life forms, such as the human body. The Golden Mean Ratio aligns with the representations of the human body (and many other creations) by the great artists, such as Leonardo Da Vinci.

The spiral formations, produced within the Golden Mean Ratio are the same as the ratios of the Fibonacci numbers are to each other.

The growth and beauty of these spiral proportions appear on earth in the forms of flowers, branches and leaves on trees, the curves of ocean waves, the shape and proportions of animals.

In humans, they emerge as the length of the torso to the lower body. The size, and shape of all body segments and their relationship to each other, and to the body as a whole.

This illustrates in the famous drawing of Leonardo, called, "The Vetruvian Man." It interprets the ratios just mentioned, and shows patterns how the body is sectioned, illustrated as balanced, and agreeing with each other.

One interesting sidelight to thinking of the relationships of certain shapes and the inherent superiority of their use on planet earth is that the shape of the Nautilus Sea Shell.

It highlight's for instance as the essence of a superior, proportionate shape. From my point of view, the invention of Nautilus Exercise Equipment, in 1970, marked a major breakthrough in the evolution of fitness training.

It is interesting to me that Arthur Jones (the architect of Nautilus) chose the name Nautilus for his fitness equipment.

The major component of his invention is an apparatus called "the cam," which to him looked as the shape of a Nautilus Sea Shell. Thus, the name Nautilus was given to the advanced, High-Tech equipment.

It is possible that using a perfectly shaped device, in exercise equipment, is what produces the surprising improvements of those who used Nautilus. I believe so!

Although professionally involved in the health field for 25 years, before 1980, I never heard of the Fibonacci numbers or the Golden Mean Ration.

Generally, during those years, I carried out in my exercise programs, as I told to clients. Bear in mind that many research programs I developed guided much of my exercise knowledge.

Therefore, in one sense, these programs were not the same as other "experts" recommended.

During the middle 1980's, I started to use the Fibonacci numbers in various fitness protocols. I did not explicitly explain to my patients why I was recommending various number systems, for their programs.

Like most fitness clients, they were not versed in the procedures used in the typical fitness programs. All they expected was the best results possible.

I held in reserve, all the workout cards of those I adequately worked with, and eventually, the cards numbered in the thousands. Unfortunately, those cards were destroyed a few years ago, in a basement flood in a house I owned in New England.

Since all effects, of fitness training base in the initial, baseline fitness levels, I was lucky to develop the "Units of Muscular Contraction formula."

This consistent approach, as mentioned in this book, can separate real results, from imagined results. I suggest you use it as the definitive appraisal tool to measure improvement.

Without fail, everyone greatly improved using the Fibonacci numbers. Again, correctly measured using the Units of Muscular Contraction system and by comparing the past and present day bodyweight, and the muscle to fat ratio.

Until recently, I have not publicly discussed using specific numbers, compared to harmony, proportion, and beauty, growth, combined with strength. flexibility, muscle endurance, and cardio-endurance, incorporated in one workout.

This book is an effort to help you simplify your fitness quest by introducing you to the ease of using the same power that Nature uses to create the proportionate health of the Universe.

This Universal power is in the Fibonacci Numbers.

Contact author at: joemullen.org@mac.com www.thedavincifitnesscode.com