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.

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.

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.

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.

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.