Skólahreysti: Building Strong Kids in Iceland

I came across the VICE News piece about Iceland's culture around strength and fitness.  I got into the story because I have been focusing on strength training for the last few months.  I was impressed with another aspect of Iceland's commitment to fitness though. 

The reporter met up with family that runs a national physical competition for kids called the Skólahreysti.  This is a televised event similar to Ninja Warrior or the Crossfit Games.  Sölvi Fannar appears to be the mastermind behind this initiative for Iceland.  His comment that training to be better at this style of obstacle course will benefit athletes in any other sport.  I agree.

Unfortunately the trend today for kids in the US seems to be towards focusing on a single sport.  While there a host of reasons why I don't think this trend is postive, maybe something like the Skólahreysti, Crossfit or Ninja Warrior could take hold more broadly to help balance out the physical imbalances that single sport athletes might develop.  Maybe training for a fitness as a sport event could empower us to see lifelong physical fitness as a goal.

Smoothie for starting the day off right

I'm not a real disciplined eater so I've looked at ways of sneaking in as many good things as possible into my diet.  The right nutrients can help us function and look better.  Unfortunately we don't have an overwhelming consensus on exactly what to eat but a few trends seem to be emerging.

Adequate amounts of fiber, water and protein are important.  As is consuming foods that reduce general inflammation in the body.  With this in mind, I created a morning smoothie that fits the bill for me.

Green Tea (cold for liquid base)
Frozen spinach
Frozen berries
Banana -- 1 whole
Ground flax seed -- 1 tbsp
Chia seeds -- 1 tbsp
Greek yogurt -- 1/2 cup
Whey & hemp protein powder mix -- 1 scoop
Coconut oil -- 1 tbsp
Cinnamon -- 1 tsp
Ginger (ground) -- 1 tsp

I've added Turmeric as well but I'm not sure consuming it this way will absorb into the body in the intended way.  I've read that combining it with black pepper and possibly heating it is required to make it more bio-available.

Give it a try and let me know what you think.

Tabata Fitness

Tabata training is a specific protocol within the broader classification of High-intensity interval training (HIIT). Tabata is sprint training where short bursts of activity (20 seconds) are broken up by even shorter rest periods (10 seconds) and repeated over a pre-set number of repetitions (8). The promise of this style of training is greater physical benefit in a shorter period of time. Compare the body type of elite sprinters with elite distance runners and you'll see for yourself the metabolic effect of training in these different way. You can apply the Tabata protocol to almost any exercise but my favorite is running sprints Tabata-style.

4 minutes of pain for a lifetime of benefit

The two ways I do Tabata sprints are on the treadmill and outside. Warm up with some callisthenics and light jogging for about 10 minutes so that you get your legs ready for full-out exertion.

On the treadmill, I set the incline to 12% and the speed to be around my 5k race pace. For a 25 minute 5k, the speed should be 8 mins per mile or 7.5mph (5 mins per kilometer or 12kph). Hop on the treadmill for 20 secs then off for 10 secs holding the side hand rails and straddling the moving belt. I like to wait for the treadmill timer to hit a minute mark before beginning so I don't have to do much math in my head. Leave the belt running between sets. Repeat 8 times.

Outside, I like to use music that has Tabata time built into it. Google Tabata Songs and you'll find a ton of options. The music tells you when to work and when to rest. I sprint at max effort and then walk during the breaks.

Sprinting builds muscle unlike slower jogging

Running outside is more realistic and enjoyable but I think the steady pacing of the treadmill is advantageous too. Mix both into your weekly workout schedule and be prepared for extreme exhaustion in a short period of time either way.

There are claims that Tabata running alone can prepare your for longer distance running but sport or race specific training is always necessary for a particular sport or race. I put Tabata in the General Physical Preparedness (GPP) category not as a replacement for work towards specific goal accomplishment.

- Intensity is key to achieving a metabolic benefit for your body

Sitting on the Floor

Sitting still on the floor comfortably takes practice

I'm a fan of capturing small moments throughout the day for a little bit of movement and mobility training. I live is a city so I default to walking as much as possible. I take the stairs when possible. Another easy example of this would be to sit on the floor as much as you can.

Floor sitting is incredibly simple yet particularly difficult for many of us due to modern life. Sitting comfortably in a cross-legged requires hip girdle and leg flexibility along with low back and neck strength. You engage your core in a way that builds in intensity rather quickly if you aren't practiced at floor sitting. Chair sitting, as we normally sit, works at odds to all of the components that go into floor sitting.

Practicing yoga asana (postures) was originally focused on making the body more comfortable in a seated position for meditation. Sitting quietly on the floor is literally grounding--you become directly connected to the ground which has calming mental benefits.

Kids can do it and so can you

Sitting on the floor also connects you to children better because you meet them on their terms. You can participate in their play and learning more directly. Kids love it when adults get "silly" by getting down on the floor with them.

There are many examples of different ways to sit on the floor. Mix it up. Sit with your knees tucked under you. Sit wide legged. Sit with one knee tucked back and the other crossed in front. Sit with the soles of your feet together. Variation will allow you to go longer stretches of time without having to get up. Holding a deep stationary squat is also a great way to open your hips to allow for a more comfortable seated position.

Start by sitting a few minutes at a time while watching TV; maybe just during the commercials at first. Your knees, low back and neck may become sore but consistent practice will minimize this with time.

- Master the basics before charging ahead to advanced exercise and there's not much more basic than sitting quietly on the floor.

MovNat has a number of great ideas for helping you to sit better

Steve Maxwell on Joe Rogan

From my first post, you know that I'm a big fan of Jack Lalanne. He had tons of old school wisdom about living in an optimal way physically. Listening to the Joe Rogan Experience podcast recently, I came across Steve Maxwell, a modern day Jack Lalanne in many ways. I thoroughly enjoyed hearing Joe and Steve talk about diet, joint mobility, strength development and life in general.

Here are the two podcasts that he did with Joe:

• JRE #504
• JRE #491

Check 'em out.

Pathetic Physical State of Americans

The fact that most kids in America are officially unfit is pathetic. I don't blame individual kids though. I blame parents and schools. Chances are that most parents are unfit too though.

You don't need a fancy playground but they can be a fun way to get physically fit.

The solution is simple. Play (exercise) with your kids. It's a chance to bond with them, you will improve the health of both of you and it can be very fun. Go to the playground with them today and scramble around with them for an hour.

Ask me about playground activities for all ages.

Go for a Crawl

"Going for a Run" is an expression that most of us instantly understand. When you say this, you intend to put on different clothes & special shoes, go outside (or jump on a treadmill) and shuffle along at a rapid rate until you get tired and sweaty. The goal is exercise for health, conditioning or body adaptation to accomplish a distance/time goal. Going for a run equals weight loss and healthiness in the minds of most people.

He makes it look so easy

It's really not the best way to lose weight or keep it off though. It's boring for many people. It's damaging if you do it incorrectly (you actually do need to learn how to run). Watch people's faces when they jog and you'll see many pained expressions or at best blank, zombie faces. People dread to do their run, but they feel compelled by social norms that it is the best thing to do for exercise.

How about mixing a "Go for a Crawl" day into your workout routine? If you're training for a race, consider this a cross-training day. If you run for weight management, this will replace a run in your weekly training schedule. If you're into conditioning for some other sport, crawling in the grass will be a great augment to any sport. You will get cardio and strength training in one activity.

What do you do? Go to a field & crawl around like a bear in the grass. Repeat until you are tired and sweaty. That's it.

Maybe don't crawl until you bleed. Watch your wrists though and go slowly.

It is silly so you will laugh at yourself. It is difficult on your coordination, balance and muscles so you'll get a workout. Kids will want to join you because it will be funny to them too. Other adults will question you about it and probably want to try it themselves too. It's a natural activity even if it feels a bit unnatural at first. Crawling is fun so you'll want to do it and wanting to exercise is key to reaching your goals.

When you use all your muscles at once, you get the best possible workout.

Best Exercise for Total Fitness

There are so many great movements to train (squats, pullups, swimming, kettlebell swings). There are also so many great conditioning workouts that tax all your metabolic systems and muscle groups (sprints, thrusters, swimming). I'm going to go out on a limb and say there is a number one best movement for total fitness.

The Burpee Pullup

Find a playground, a soccer goal, scaffolding, a tree branch or just about anything taller than your overhead reach. Drop to your stomach and then pull yourself up until your chest hits the bar. Repeat 10, 50, 100 times--whatever you need to do. Every single muscle in your body will get worked and you'll be cashed out much sooner than you'd expect.

This is a great way to modify your body composition, get stronger, develop endurance and become more generally competent with your body.

Difficult movements make for a hard body and strong mind.

Ninja Warrior Training

Just looking at Mt. Midoriyama makes me nervous

I love Sasuke. The Japanese came up with an awesome physical test that no one was even able to finish for the first four years of the competition. Now called Ninja Warrior because of a huge international audience; we also have the American Ninja Warrior with a series of regional competitions that lead to a final round in Vegas. I've watched the show for years and every time I see a few contestants run through the course, I have to rush out to a playground to practice the moves myself. TV that motivates you to move is excellent television indeed!

Obstacle course training might be the most perfect form of physical conditioning. It taxes all the major muscles; stresses aerobic & anaerobic metabolic systems; develops coordination, agility & balance; creates body awareness for overcoming real life physical challenges; and most importantly, it motivates you to exercise because it's fun!

Finding an obstacle race is easy; training on playgrounds & "nature's obstacle course" is fun

Fitness is a multifaceted concept. I look at it as developing the physical components & skills to live a long life doing the things that make you happiest. When your body lets you down by holding you back from your dreams, you have to work to overcome the weakness (there's no quit in any of you I know). Obstacles and movement training highlight weaknesses but by maintaining a playful heart, they can inspire you to higher levels of fitness than you ever thought possible.

Running is an essential human movement, as is swimming. Goal setting & accomplishment is key to happiness--marathons and triathlons are brilliant personal accomplishments. These activities don't encapsulate total fitness however, and even can be counterproductive to developing or even maintaining other key fitness components like joint mobility, strength, agility, coordination and balance.

You also won't develop the physique that you desire by just running. You'll drop pounds initially but almost any activity will create noticeable body changes in the first months as your metabolism has to compensate for the new stress. After the initial months, our bodies adapt to the stress, it becomes a new normal and no further body composition changes occur. People also become bored with the same activity, dread working out and fall off the wagon. Incorporating obstacles to climb, hurdle, balance on, etc will keep your training interesting. Run backwards, shuffle sideways, vary speed--this will make your runs more interesting for your body and mind.

Running is an essential movement but taken to an extreme can hurt total physical fitness

Physical activity is a daily part of a long and happy life. Move in a variety of ways. Try new things. Explore!

Too much of a good thing is too much.

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!

Movement Training Ideas

I'm all for going for a run. It's a great way to blow off steam and burn up some excess calories. It's hardly the best form of exercise for overall fitness though. To develop total fitness, you have to move your body in a wide variety of ways in addition to running. This is why I love outdoor fitness stations.

Fantastic outdoor fitness station I stumbled upon in Buenos Aires

Back in the 1970s, cities installed Parcourse outdoor exercise stations in public places. The stations had labels for how to use them and completed as a set, were designed to target all aspects of physical fitness. They fell into disrepair in many cases though and I'm not fond of many of the modern versions that have replaced them. I've encountered many great versions but most often in other countries.

You don't really need specialized outdoor fitness equipment though. While adult-sized high bars are fantastic for so many movements (pullups, muscle ups, bar rolls, skin-the-cat, toes-to-bar, etc), you can do so many cool movements with standard children's playgrounds. I often get little kids at the playground trying to mimic my movements. What better way to inspire youngsters to develop a lifelong movement habit than through personal example?

Don't overlook climbing up, balancing on, crawling around, carrying things or jumping over obstacles of opportunity in your local park or neighborhood. I love to string up a climbing rope in the park and incorporate climbing into a circuit course using a park bench, tree, steps, wall or whatever.

No outdoor fitness course nearby? Make your own.

Here's a sample workout to get you started:

1. Run to a playground (1/4 to 1 mile)
2. Do a couple of passes on the monkey bars
3. Hold a handstand against a wall or tree for 30 secs
4. Balance on each foot for 30 secs each
5. Carry a cinder block in each arm for distance 
6. Vault or leap a park bench x 10
7. Duck walk for 10 yds x 3
8. Sprint home

Experiment with other moves, duration and intensity. There are a bunch of great YouTube videos describing playground workouts or look into the MovNat sample workouts. Use your exercise time as a chance to have some fun while you get stronger and healthier.

Essential Skill: Defend Yourself

Be polite, be professional, but have a plan to kill everybody you meet.
- Gen. James Mattis USMC(ret.)

I started off with a rather aggressive quote but my ultimate goal with this post is to help you avoid getting hurt by someone acting aggressively towards you. Gen Mattis' quote above is from the perspective of a warfighter, but I think it applies to the realm of self-defense in everyday situations as well. We don't generally live in a hostile environment with bodily threats happening in a normal day. We do have a rather thin veneer of civilization though and people tend to behave poorly in times of turmoil. You should not underestimate the speed at which a seemingly peaceful area or situation can turn ugly and have a plan to avoid harm to you and your companions.

MCDP-1 Warfighting publication that guides the overall philosophy of the Marine Corps. Replace the word "war" in the pub with "life" and you'll find this to be an excellent guide for the civilian world as well. MCDP-1 is not about specific tactics, techniques or weapons--it is about mindset. I had an instructor tell me to look at the world through a lens of MCDP-1 and that message stuck with me. Self-defense is also first about mindset. Here are some of my suggestions on how to cultivate self-defense into your daily physical training:

Be a hard target
First of all, be aware of your surroundings and avoid situations that are dangerous. Whatever your training level, don't foolishly spoil for a fight. If you look for a fight, you'll probably find one with someone meaner, tougher or more skilled in fighting than you.

She has confident posture; not sure the clothing is practical though.

Walk confidently with your head up and shoulders back. Look around as you walk. Make eye contact with people. Move quickly and decisively. Project a body language that you belong and that you are comfortable in your own skin. Staring at the ground as you walk, crossing your arms in font, hunching your shoulders or being immersed in your phone all highlight you as an easier target.

Wear practical clothing that doesn't restrict your ability to walk easily, run briefly, jump or climb. Bring along more stylish shoes or clothing to wear when you get to your destination if necessary.

Defuse the situation

Be cool to defuse a situation

Keep your distance and don't be threatening in response to a perceived attacker. If someone is verbally aggressive, a response in kind will likely escalate the situation to a physical confrontation. Be polite and calm in the face of hostility. Keep moving away from the situation steadily.

If you become trapped in a confrontation, abandon property to the attacker without hesitation. Stealing from you may not be the ultimate goal of an attacker but give them any property they may ask for. At the least, it could distract the attacker and give you an opening to flee. Never comply with going to another location with them though--relocation never works out for the victim.

Practice for physical confrontation
Drill punches, elbow & knee strikes and kicks in your physical conditioning program.  Work to be quicker, stronger, and more precise in all your movements. Where you hit someone is more important that how hard you can hit someone. Take courses on grappling, striking and general self-defense to develop skills but more importantly, help develop more self-confidence thus making you a harder target. Brazilian jiu-jitsu (BJJ), Judo, Muay Thai, Krav Maga are all practical combative disciplines. My limited background with fight training is in wrestling and ground fighting techniques based on BJJ while in the Marine Corps.

Practice techniques that are designed for real-world situations

You don't ever want to fight for real but if you can't avoid the physical confrontation, you have to work on fighting skills. Fight training is hard but it's also fun and empowering. It's a total body experience where physical & mental weakness quickly manifest. Embrace your fear. Bravery is acting in spite of fear and it's an acquirable skill with practice.

Respond ferociously

Violence is the last refuge of the incompetent.
- Isaac Asimov, Foundation

While the mongoose is really the aggressor towards the cobra, channel its ferocious spirit when necessary

The Constitution specifically mentions our individual right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. You don't have to be a victim and there should be no moral dilemma to hurting someone who wishes to hurt you. If attacked, respond quickly, explosively and violently while working to get away as soon as possible.  You did not create the situation and it is your right to defend yourself.

You can't rely on the police or anyone else to respond quick enough to keep you from getting hurt. Channel the spirit of a caged monkey and react ferociously. Strike weak parts on your attacker hard and often. Withdraw just as decisively and aggressively. Return to your hard target posture as quickly as possible and calm your mind.

You chose to be a victim if you don't seek out ways to avoid being one.

Find Your Obsession

Remember what keeps you committed to your goals

La Méthode Naturelle

 Être fort pour être utile (Being strong to be useful)
- Georges Hébert

Contrary to what Nike might tell you, physical fitness training is not a new concept.

Georges Hébert was a French physical education thinker and instructor in the early 20th century.  He was inspired by the seemingly natural physical prowess and physique of indigenous populations. In his mind, these people had no instruction on diet or exercise yet had a superior level of fitness to people living a modern lifestyle. Other thinkers in Hébert's time were proposing physical training concepts and programs prompted by public health and military preparedness. His philosophy strove to mimic the behavior patterns of native people by centering on a return to the basic functioning and enhancement of natural human skills (La Méthode Naturelle). The 10 basic movements in his mind were walking, running, jumping, crawling, climbing, balancing, throwing, lifting, defending and swimming; a standard training session would involve a combination of these elements.

Old school obstacle course training inspired by Georges Hébert

USMC obstacle course training, Parkour, MovNat, Fartlek among others are all modern implementations of La Méthode Naturelle.  Essentially the principle is that learning to master obstacles in the world around you provides all the physical stimulation we need to achieve a fully functioning human body.  Individual components of fitness like strength, endurance, or flexibility are not trained in isolation but as a byproduct of developing useful skills.  Movements aren't scaled for age or sex. There is no end-state fitness goal. You listen to your body and practice everyday striving for greater efficiency in movement. Physique is also a byproduct of focusing on improving movement.

Fit bodies are not just for men

To Hébert, a strong, agile body was a useful body. Doing stuff when and how you want to do something was the purpose of training. Not just pullups for stronger arms but for better climbing ability.  Not just better climbing ability as an end-state but to better scale something for a vantage point or to escape. The underlying purpose of life enhancement permeates all physical training sessions.

Think about what drives you to train your body.

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.

Form Follows Function

"It is the pervading law of all things...that form ever follows function. This is the law."
- Louis Sullivan

From: sixpackfactory.com

It's understandable that you want to look good in a bathing suit.  I want to look good with my shirt off too.  Jack Lalanne is one of the greatest health and wellness advocates even used standing in front a mirror naked as a better indicator of health than weighing in on a scale.  Striving for a lean body is not pure vanity but also a great way to improve your overall self-esteem and sense of self.

That being said, physique based diet and exercise plans don't necessarily lead to developing a "capable" body--one that can perform a broad range of physical feats.  I argue that a capable person has even greater self-esteem than one who is merely lean and muscular.  Confidence comes from knowing that you can handle life's curve balls and that you can respond to unpredictable situations where a weaker, slower or less nimble person wouldn't be able to avoid tragedy and failure.

Free running is an excellent mix of real world physical skills

Fortunately beauty does not need to be sacrificed for effectiveness and vice versa.  A functionally adept person is very likely shapely and visually pleasing in form.  The reverse is seldom true however.  How many body builders can swim a mile?  How many triathletes are capable of chinning themselves more than 5 times?  How many marathoners could pick up and carry someone their own size?  Some but not many.

I'm with Jack Lalanne in that a fit body should be a shapely one. Don't just focus on bigger arms and a smaller butt though.  Replace isolation weight training movements with compound ones (i.e. pull-ups over bicep curls).  Stand up when you workout versus laying down.  Use your own body weight and awkwardly shaped items for resistance training.  Run, swim and walk with a weight frequently. Working to develop real world physical skills will build an attractive body but more importantly you will acquire physical capabilities that will serve you throughout your life.

Competence leads to confidence.

No Point in Even Trying

Sad but true?

Maybe the Onion was correct in their recent spoof news article. Losing weight, writing a book, breaking up with someone, learning another language, changing careers--all these choices are made more difficult by the inertia of life. Change is hard, intentionally changing yourself is impossible.

Bullshit.

We all start out life at the same place as naked, helpless, poor, dumb babies. We immediately start to accumulate experiences, knowledge, & stuff.  We also start developing habits--both good and bad.  Learning to speak and understand our first language seems like a natural process from a position of being an adult who is already fluent but think about how frustrated kids are by their inability to understand or to be understood.  No wonder kids pitch fits all the time; they want something specific but are incapable of getting it! There's nothing easy about developing language skills, but children have no other choice than to struggle through picking up words and phrases little-by-little everyday. They develop the good habit of studying their first language until they can be understood as they would like to be.

He'll be speaking Swahili in no time

Necessity drives kids to try new things. As adults we benefit from the ability to reason and forecast with rational thought.  We can look at our struggles to become fitter and healthier through the lens of a child struggling everyday and see that immediate results are not possible. We can see the reward in the effort itself.  We know that diligent effort over time pays off in the end. We know that babies learn to speak eventually because they work at it everyday and don't let minor setbacks derail their progress.

Changing your life isn't impossible. You have so much more going for you than any helpless, ignorant baby, and they change their lives all the time. Find your internal driving need as babies do. You have to want to do something the way that a baby wants to talk or walk. Commit to a healthy lifestyle and little-by-little you'll get the results you want.

If a helpless, dumb baby can do it so can you.

Essential Skill: Pull Yourself to Safety

Swim to shore or climb back into the boat.  Being fit gives you options

I have a number of modern physical skills in mind that are guiding these Essential Skill posts. So far I've written about carrying your own bag and swimming to shore. Both of these skills require total body movements that task more than a single energy system (i.e. aerobic & anaerobic). Pulling yourself away from harm is a skill in the same vein. Where might this skill come in handy?

• Climbing a tree, wall or fence to avoid an animal
• Lowering yourself down a rope to get out of a burning building
• Pulling yourself out of a river from a hanging branch
• Getting back into a boat or canoe from the water

I love rope climbing workouts because it's both practical and difficult

Upper body pulling strength will factor in being able to accomplish tasks like these, but they also involve core strength to pull your legs up and the agility to harness assistance from your feet. Women often make better rock climbers than men because they don't rely on upper body strength as much and scramble up a rock face more efficiently using a combination of arms & legs. Same principle applies for the 4 examples I listed above.

This isn't to avoid focusing your training on developing grip and pulling strength. Both women and men should be able to perform a dozen pullups or so. Climbing and lowering yourself down a rope will be much easier with upper body strength to draw on. Merely hanging from a bar, rope, edge of boat, etc. is challenging enough if you don't focus on body weight pulling exercises.

Moving your own body is all the gym you need (http://bodyweightproject.com/)

Here are a few excellent moves to practice in your training program to both develop and maintain the ability to pull yourself out of harms way:

• Pullups
• Dips
• Hanging leg lifts
• Rope climbing
• Rolling over a high bar
• Muscle ups

We tend to live up or down to expectations so set high physical standards for yourself.

The President's Fitness Challenge

A great idea that has never really been implemented

What happened to the President's Physical Fitness Test that we used to take as kids in PE class?  I remember struggling through it in elementary and middle school.  We didn't really prepare for the test--it sort of just got sprung on us randomly.  The pullup portion was humiliating to me since I couldn't even do one until I focused on practicing them consistently as a 6th grader.  Having a Marine for an old man provided that not-so-subtle external motivation for me.  I would have disliked it as a kid, but having guided training sessions to the Fitness Test standards would have been so much better for my physical development and sports performance.

Out of curiosity, I looked up the test standards and I'm rather impressed with it.  Covering many aspects of fitness, kids have to really focus their physical activities towards the skills covered to pass their age standard.  There is also a test for adults which is rather easy but could be a fun program to mix into your daily exercise regimen.  I wonder what percentage of kids by age group even attempt the challenge these days and what percentage can meet the age group standards?  Probably not high percentages in either case, but I don't think the numbers for kids when I grew up in the 1980's were much better.

Pullups are a key movement for determining overall fitness

It's odd to me that this program hasn't become a bigger focus for our educational system.  The mind-body connection for learning is well established.  Kids need to get their excess energy out before they can focus on mental tasks (I still have this problem).  We knew as early as the Eisenhower and Kennedy administrations that American youth were lagging the physical condition of European counterparts.  The health of boys has been essential to national security since ancient times since they are the future soldiers that defend the country.  Boot camp is only a few weeks long; not nearly enough time to erase a lifetime of physical neglect.  The first organizers of the President's Council on Youth Fitness faced criticism that state ordered fitness programs were paradoxically both communist and fascist.  In any case, the laissez-faire attitude towards developing youth health and fitness hasn't seemed to work very well for us.

China seems to have a stronger focus on the health and wellness of its people than what we see from our government here (maybe the critics during the Eisenhower administration were right!).  On a recent trip, I saw publicly available outdoor fitness equipment with clear usage instructions throughout the cities that we visited.  Cities organize morning tai chi sessions in public parks and hold line dancing in the evenings.  Bike riding used to be just for transportation, but now is becoming a fitness pursuit for middle class Chinese people.  The Chinese culture honors athletics while we tend to prioritize games.  Because of all this, my bet is that Chinese kids are on average stronger, faster, leaner, and healthier than American kids.

Outdoor playground for adults in Shanghai, China

Developing human feed stock for the army isn't the only reason for a country to want fit kids.  Most countries have national health coverage paid by the state through taxes.  This creates a direct motivation for the state to reduce lifestyle-related diseases whose treatment cost the taxpayers more than the cost of nutrition and activity programs.  With our privatized healthcare system here in the US, it seems we have less of a motivation to help kids learn to be healthy early in life.  Maybe at the school district level, administrators  have gotten so out-of-shape themselves that they can't stomach the hypocrisy of prioritizing physical education (both activity and instruction) higher.  Restricted class time and money pop up as the reason for PE cutbacks, but I don't buy the argument that they are the primary limiting factors for health education.

I think institutionalized laziness has woven itself into our cultural framework.  Play and games are viewed as just for kids.  Without a sport to train towards, many former athletes stop training all together.  Fitness as a goal in itself is growing as a movement, but our national waistlines still continue to grow.  We spend our time and money on what we prioritize highest.  30-60 minutes per day for developing physical health awareness would be energy well spent for all ages.  The earlier we start, the easy it is to make fitness a life long habit.

Kids learn whatever we teach them; what are we teaching them about their health? 

Essential Skill: Swim Ashore

Swimming is a confusing sport, because sometimes you do it for fun, and other times you do it to not die. And when I'm swimming, sometimes I'm not sure which one it is.
- Demetri Martin

How would you handle this situation?

Swimming is an interesting physical skill to me.  Most people don't naturally swim, tread water or float--we need to learn this skill intentionally.  While babies love the water and automatically hold their breath under water, humans quickly develop an understandable and visceral fear of the water if they don't learn to swim early in life.  As a Marine, I saw some of the toughest people you'll ever meet collapse with fear at the prospect of jumping into water no deeper than their waist.  Running is also a skill that you need to develop, but people don't risk immediate death by starting a running program without adult supervision.  I'd even argue that open water swimming may be the most important physical skill that we teach children for saving their lives.  Oh and swimming is also a great exercise to develop cardiovascular & muscular endurance with minimal injury risk regardless of how skilled you may be at it.

For the swim ashore training standard, I propose that everybody should be able to comfortably swim at least 1 mile in open water without any flotation assistance.  We take boat rides all the time without a second thought and seldom know where the life jackets are stowed.  Wearing a life jacket for an afternoon of kayaking or canoeing in a lake may interfere with getting a good tan so you leave it at the rental shack.  You may fall overboard from a cruise ship while mindlessly strolling the deck at night.  For those of us who are comfortable in the water, scenarios like this are hardly life threatening.  We'd just compose ourselves after hitting the water and casually make our way ashore.  If you aren't comfortable in the water however, you'll die rather quickly without immediate assistance.

Swimming in the open water is very different than pool swimming

If you have kids, swim lessons are more than just a fun summer activity so get them comfortable in the water as early as you can.  If you're an adult who can't swim, tread water and float, check out basic swim lessons at the YMCA or Red Cross.  The next step for everyone is to get better at swimming with a focus on stroke mechanics.  The Masters Swimming organization is a great resource to improve this.  Start in a pool and strive to swim a mile* without stopping or hanging on the wall.  Finally, go find some open water and work up to completing a mile there.  You'll find that having to lift your head to navigate, negotiating the chop & current of the water and the psychological impact of swimming in unprotected water all make open water swimming significantly more challenging than pool swimming.

Being a physically fit human means that you can handle yourself in a wide variety of situations.  Strength and cardiovascular conditioning are huge components of this as are agility, balance, coordination and flexibility.  We need to train all of these consistently but swimming in open water should be top priority--for fun, health and life.

You either do it or you don't; there's no A for effort in survival.

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*1 mile = 1,600 m = 70 lengths of a 25 yd pool (typically found in the US)