As dark adepts, a lot of what we do is internal, or mental. We study Machiavelli, people and behavior, meditation, emotions, and philosophy. A strong mind is important, but so is a strong body. You must climb the mountain before you can gaze at the valley.
Physical training (PT) will make you healthier. Your heart and immune systems will be stronger. We can go into tidbits about having the conditioning to last through a fight or run faster or further than an adversary, but you should already know these things.
First and foremost, be reasonable with yourself. If you’ve never lifted weights before, do not expect to bench 300 pounds six times your first time in the gym (some people can do this naturally, others cannot). Do not expect to be the best boxer or fastest runner just beginning.
This factors into a common mistake people make: failing to set reasonable goals. There’s nothing wrong with having an ideal body type (or an emulation of another person — say, Arnold Schwarzenegger or Jason Statham), but I recommend always finding out where you are now and trying to beat your self. Always strive to increase whatever it is that you can do now. Citius, altius, fortius.
Keep track of your goals. I have a notoriously poor habit of starting journals and not keeping them — particularly if they’re on a computer. I prefer using the computer for writing projects, but when it comes to journals and exercise plans — paper and pen is the way for me. Find what’s best for you. Keep a journal of your progress. I recommend recording what you do and for how long, how you felt during it, if that’s the right amount of exercise or if you need more during that amount of time, and what you eat during the day.
Goals are nothing without plans. Plans require thought and strategy — and in order to form a strategy you need knowledge. Start reading. There are tons of good books out there on fitness — cardiovascular tips, weightlifting tips, etc. It helps to have at least a basic education in human physiology so you know how muscles work, which muscles are which, and what they do — so you know how to make them do what you want (eg: get bigger, be stronger, faster).
If you’re in the gym, beware what I call the ‘newbie psychosis.’ You’re not in very good shape. You approach the weights, and you see all these muscle-bound, protein-eating, truck-lifting freaks… and you freak. You get intimidated, and go for a swim. Do not do that. Walk up there and start exercising. Hell, don’t even be afraid to ask for advice on a muscle group. You’ll probably meet a new person with interesting perspectives on exercise.
Some quick thoughts for you to consider as you begin a path to fitness include:
Foundation of knowledge: As I said, get out there and read. Darren is a nutrition god and I cannot imagine how much he’s read. I’ve read quite a bit of literature on exercise myself, and will tell you there’s a lot of good advice out there — but the best advice anyone can and will give you (besides seeing a doctor) is: listen to your body.
Goals: Know what you’re doing and why. Know why you’re lifting weights and for which muscle groups. Know why you’re running at the pace you are, for the distance you are.
Nike! Just do it. Sitting at home meditating on fitness and reading fitness journals will never, ever get you there. Doing something is better than nothing, so do what you can. If you skip a day, be sure to get back into it immediately. If you can’t make it to the gym, be sure to do something at home… you’d be surprised what you can do with just the human body as a weight.
Keep a journal: Write down what you do and how you feel and what you’re eating. Write down things you read in journals that you’d like to try. Vary your exercises — trust me, your body will get used to a routine and you’ll hit plateaus. Shock the body back into growth through variation.
Sprinting will increase your overall speed. Running long distances (or even shorter ones), and slowly increasing the speed each time out will increase your speed and conditioning; however, I have read and know through personal experience that sprinting is a great way to condition the body.
Tone = repetition. You won’t be able to throw as much weight around if you’re doing a lot of reps, but your muscles will become conditioned, tight, and strong. More weight = less reps, but your strength should increase faster than by just doing repetitions.
Keep your back straight. This is true for almost every exercise (including running). Arching your back can lead to injury, and that’s a big sad face.
Find a buddy. When I first got into weights, I had a hard time finding the motivation (particularly on runs) unless I had a workout partner. That is not a problem now (actually I’m a solo guy now, unless I’m boxing), but certain exercises will almost require you to have a spotter. Do not be afraid to recruit a friend or — egads! — make one at the gym.
I hope you’ve found this introduction helpful, especially for those who are maybe new to fitness or are thinking of starting a regime. Remember: the body and mind work together, and to separate or ignore either is unnatural and will leave you with something useless in and of itself.
For your own safety, I recommend consulting a doctor before beginning a new fitness regime. I wish you the best 
Oh, and have fun! =)
-Cole
