Off Duty, Military Health and Fitness - Marine Corps Times

The face of fitness

Meet Tech. Sgt. LaVar Gilliam, a 6-foot, 210-pound testament to the benefits of dedicated exercise.

A biomedical equipment technician with the 79th Medical Support Squadron at Andrews Air Force Base, Md., Gilliam, 30, is absolutely ripped. With his six-pack abs, bulging pecs, and hulking arms and shoulders, he is a model image of physical fitness and the perfect specimen to illustrate our report on getting back in shape.

When we phoned the Andrews fitness center in search of a well-toned airman, the noncommissioned officer in charge that day recommended Gilliam — without hesitation. He’s a workout junkie, the NCO said, in the gym lifting at least five days a week. Moreover, Gilliam runs an online personal training service. Check out his Web page at myHitechTrainer.com.

Our timing was fortuitous. Gilliam deploys soon to Afghanistan — Taliban beware — where he’ll stay for the next year. He was good enough to pose for these photos and share these details about his favorite exercise before heading downrange:

“My favorite exercise to do in the gym is the incline bench dumbell press. It’s a great calories-burning exercise, and it tones the hard-to-develop upper chest area. The key to getting maximum results from this exercise: don’t set the incline bench higher than 45 degrees. (The closer you are to 90 degrees, the more your shoulders will handle the load.)

“Use a weight you can manage easily, and have a spotter nearby until you get the motion and angle correct. Start by lying on the bench and bringing the weight to your chest. Then in one motion rotate your elbows out horizontally in a “T” shape. Flex your chest and press the weight up until your elbows are just short of locking. This keeps the tension on your chest, the primary benefactor of this exercise. Next, lower the weight until you feel a slight stretch in your chest — not discomfort.

“Exhale as the weight goes up. Inhale as you lower it.

“I like this exercise a lot because it combines several muscle groups: triceps, chest, shoulders and lats. It’s a great way to maximize work in minimal time.”