The need for exercise...or not

This may be a revised version of one of my Column 8 pieces, though it seems mostly to be as originally written. 
Practice makes perfect. If you don't use it, you'll lose it. So they say. Some time ago a member of our family purchased a set of exercise DVDs with the aim of building up her/his muscles. I'm not allowed to be more specific about which family member it was, but the DVDs gave a real boost in the physical department. She/he disciplined him/herself, getting up at the crack of daw...