Stretch Some Things and Strengthen Others

Some people love to do yoga; they do it all the time. Others love to run; they also do it all the time. Weightlifters love to lift weights; they too do it all the time. All of them think their exercise plan is the best and seldom branch out of it.

Is this a recipe for developing the capacity to do all the physical things that you want to do during a long life? I think not. The two main reasons I think that you must do a variety of activities are that we adapt to stressors quickly (and then plateau or regress) and because no single exercise or training style will hit all the components that contribute to a long, healthy, capable life. We have to mix it up to stay gain and maintain fitness. I also think this is more interesting way to approach movement and will help keep you on your training plan.

Frank has a bunch books worth reading

I'm really enjoying reading Frank Forencich's book Play as if Your Life Depends on It. Among the many gems of wisdom he writes about, he talks about how certain parts of the body weaken with age and other parts tend to shorten over time. A training plan that tries to strengthen everything or one that tries to stretch everything is counter productive. Coupled with the style of life that modern humans live, we have to really focus our physical training time (or movement time or even better, play time) in such a way to unlock the natural mobility we have within each of us.

Frank's view is that we should work to stretch muscles like the hamstrings, pecs, biceps, calves, psoas and forearms since these contract over time. The gluts (butt), abdominals and low back (my addition) tend to weaken with age so we should do exercises to strengthen them. This could seem like a complicated training requirement but it really means that you need to deadlift, squat, pull yourself up and stretch against the sitting posture that we tend to keep through most of the day. Stand up, move around, squat down, pick up something heavy, go for a walk.

Good health advice comes in many flavors

Learn about your body and try new things no matter what your age or current condition. You are your own trainer, physical therapist, orthopedist and nutritionist. Keep picking from a variety of  training styles. You'll find that you stay interested in your exercise time more and you'll also develop skills that will serve you throughout a long & adventurous life.

Mix it up and keep it fresh!

Essential Skill: Walk with Weight

An unfortunate situation to prepare for in today's world

On the morning of September 11, 2001, powered transportation completely stopped in the greater New York City area. Cars, cabs, buses, subways, trains and planes all shut down because of a terrorist event. The images of people walking home from lower Manhattan wearing their work clothes (along with dazed expressions) made an impression on me. We take our transportation for granted--that is until we lose access to it. Americans tend to work in urban centers and commute an average of 16 miles one-way. Are you able to walk that far? What about doing it carrying your work bag? How about carrying your bag and your child?

Walking is a basic movement and one that defines us as a species. We can go places with our feet that are impossible to reach with any other form of transportation. Backpacking in the wilderness connects you to nature in ways that aren't possible with motor vehicles.  The health and social benefits of daily walking are well-known, but being able to walk for a few hours with a moderate load could also save your neck. Evacuations never happen until they happen to you; then it's too late to prepare yourself physically for it. Chemical plant explosions, wildfires, tornadoes, nuclear leaks, gas pipe ruptures, oil spills and terrorist attacks are occurring more often than we would like. While driving to escape these events may be an option, road congestion might make walking to safety the preferred option.

Backpacking with kids and pets can also be a lot of fun

Along with the need to evacuate somewhere, comes a need to take supplies and prized possessions along with you. The American Red Cross recommends that we all have emergency kits prepared for our families with water, food, medicines, blankets, flashlights and a radio among other gear. Combined with a few choice heirlooms and possessions to keep children comforted, a minimal bag might weigh 30 lbs or more. Can you carry this walking at least 10 miles?  I suggest that you give it a try.

The real tragedy is in not preparing for the known knowns.

Go for a Walk

Walking is one of the most essential human movements.  It's one that we really take for granted until we lose our mobility for some reason. Bipedalism is a defining characteristic of our species and probably contributed to our extraordinary success as a species.  When a baby takes her first steps, it's a defining milestone for her parents and a glorious accomplishment for her.  Walking is a great way to socialize with people along the way and in your neighborhood.  There's no need for special equipment or clothing to start a consistent walking program--you just have to go for a walk!  On top of all this, walking happens to be one of the best forms of cardiovascular exercise that we can do with the least amount of downside health risks.

Here are few suggestions for making walking a consistent activity in your daily life:

Walk everywhere you can.  I live in a major city so I have the advantage of being able to walk almost anywhere.  If I get stranded, I can catch a train, bus or cab to make it back home.  If you live in the suburbs, find sidewalks and paths to walk on.  Walk through shopping centers, parks, around lakes or home from work.  When you play golf, walk instead of riding in a cart.

Walk outside. Don't worry about the rain, cold, or heat--just prepare accordingly.  We are so much more durable to the elements than we give ourselves credit for.  You'll benefit from fresh air and sunlight in addition to keeping abreast of what's going on in your town and seeing your neighbors.  Listen to music, audio books, or language lessons if you walk alone.

Walk your dog.  There's really no excuse for a fat dog because their activity and food is completely under the control of the human owner.  He'll thank you and you'll thank yourself.

Do errands on foot and carry you bags home.  Carry a backpack and pack reusable bags for your hands if your backpack isn't large enough for your purchases.  If you live far from a shopping center, walk 1 way and have someone pick you up or drop you off.  Check online for walking paths near you.  You might be surprised how many walking paths are connected to shopping areas.

Use a pedometer and make it into a game.  We all love games and getting your steps in each day or beating your family and friends is a great way to keep you on pace.

Count walks as exercise.  Give yourself credit for exercising any day you walk for more than 30 mins or so without stopping.  Exercise doesn't always have to hurt but it does need to be consistent.  A 130 pound woman burns 304 calories by walking 1 hour at a 4 mph pace; a 180 pound man would burn 421 calories.  What a great way to catch up with your spouse after work! 

Walk with a backpack to add intensity.  Carry around a 20 pound weight for a few miles and imagine how much better you will feel if you dropped any extra weight you might have on your body.

Make the effort to turn walking into a habit.  Daily walks consistently for a few weeks will make walking a lifelong habit that you'll benefit from in so many ways.

If you can walk, you can exercise.  What other excuse do you have for not working out today?

Basic Movements for the Modern Human

The bodies we have today evolved through a combination of genetic and environmental adaptations to the world around us.  Our ancestors, while not the fastest, strongest, biggest, or toughest animals, became one of the fittest creatures on the planet because of intelligent application of physical effort to achieve life's requirements.  Our minds were key to our success but we still needed agile bodies to put thought into action.  Both men and women had to perform the following basic body movements on a daily basis to stay alive:

1. Walk with a load
2. Crouch down and pick up a load
3. React quickly and explosively to threats
4. Pull yourself up
5. Swim to shore

Fortunately for us today, we don't need strong bodies to sustain our lifestyle, but our bodies still need activity to stay healthy.  Metabolic systems and mental function improve with exercise.  My contention is that both mind and body will be optimized for the modern world by incorporating the basic movements that kept our ancestors alive.