Zombie Fitness Bootcamp

Lately I have been watching the television show "The Walking Dead". The idea of a zombie holocaust can be quite frightening if it were an actual reality.  Some of the scenes in the show can be quite gruesome. If you are familiar with the current brand of zombie movies, there are always necrotic body parts, lots of internal organs, enough blood that my blood bank at work would be in trouble if we had to replace it and lots of adrenaline flowing through ones body.

I have been thinking about it and I believe that there could be some physical benefits involved in a zombie holocaust. Most of the characters on the show look physically fit after their encounters with the "walkers" especially if they actually manage to survive. One movie that I watched the other night was called "Zombie Apocalypse" which had physically fit zombies which were more like runners than walkers. An encounter with one of these zombies could really improve your cardio if you manage to out run them.

Let's examine the actual physical benefits of a zombie attack.

1) I already mentioned the cardio endurance that can be gained from running or walking at a very brisk pace to avoid a zombie encounter.

2) There is something to be said for agility training in these situations. Weaving in and out of the way of the living dead can definitely improve ones agility.

3) Balance and stability gains can be found from balancing on a fence or standing in a tree.

4) Scaling a tree or a building can improve ones strength and agility. Resistance can be added if the zombie happens to grab your leg while climbing out of his way.  That kickbox class you took could come in handy if you have to kick him to break free.

5) Jumping over dead zombies can bring back memories of your old track and field days. Jumping over the zombies is another test of agility much like the hurdles.

6) Anybody with martial arts training will appreciate the use of a big stick in fighting off our necrotic friends. It can be used like a staff or a jo with blocks and jabs. If the stick is sharp, there is an added benefit of using the stick like a javelin.

7) A heavy mallet can be used to improve your upper body strength in our zombie boot camp. Use the mallet in a wood chop move to fend off your foul smelling enemy.

8) More upper body strength can be achieved by attaching a rope to the zombie to pull him out of places you don't care for him to be stuck in like wells and sewers. You can do a tug of war to help pull your water logged zombie out the sewer for more fitness sparring.

9) Those kickbox moves can help fend off an approaching zombie if there are no weapons in site. Front kicks and side kicks can push him out of your way  so you can get ready for a belly blow upper cut, hook and a cross. This will only work with smaller, less powerful zombies. Hopefully, you don't have to resort to this because it allows for the possibility of being bitten. 

10) If you are really in bind, try your Zumba moves on the zombie. This will completely confuse them as it does your fellow Zumba class participants.

11) In the worst case scenario, always resort to cardio. Actually, it is best to sprint if you can. This activity is more anaerobic and can build up lactic acid leading to cramps but at this point you probably don't care. You need to run like hell to get out of there, so go!

Of course, this is just for fun. We all know zombies do not exist. You could use these ideas to create a really fun boot camp though:)

Fitness Tools

There are some tools that can be used to determine whether you are at a healthy weight. Body Mass Index, Waist to Hip ratio and  a simple waist circumference are helpful numbers in determining where you stand in your body composition.  The simplest indicator is the waist circumference. Body measurements are very helpful in determining body composition but the waist circumference is one measurement that can help determine risk due to obesity related diseases. BMI is the most popular but does have some limitations with people with large muscle mass.

BMI (Body Mass Index)

Body mass index the height and weight of an individual to help determine if the individual is at a healthy weight, over weight or under weight.
To calculate BMI divide your weight in kilograms by your height in meters squared. You can also calculate BMI by multiplying your weight in pounds by 703 and then dividing that number by your height in inches squared in the event you do not have a metric scale. Here is an online BMI calculator from BMI Calculator.org so that you can determine your BMI without going through all the calculations.




WHR (Waist to Hip Ratio)


The waist to hip ratio is one of the most useful tools in measuring abdominal girth which is valuable in measuring the amount of abdominal fat in an individual. To determine WHR, divide the circumference of the waist by the circumference of the hips. A WHR above 0.95 for men and 0.86 for women classifies an individual as obese by ASCM guidlelines and indicates a risk for coronary artery disease.


Waist Circumference

Waist circumference alone provides valuable information about disease risk.  In men, a measurement of 102 cm or 40 inches and greater and in women, 88cm or 35 inches and greater, can significantly increase the risk of obesity related diseases.

Exercise: The Prescription for Health

Recently, I attended the annual CanFitPro conference in Toronto and I attended a lecture that gave me some food for thought.  It was a lecture by Dr. Mark Occhipinti called "Anti-Cancer Diet: Changing the Way We Ear and Think". Basically, what Dr. Occhipinti was saying in his talk was that we need to change to a diet of plant based foods to avoid developing cancer, heart disease, diabetes and other ailments. Shortly after attending this lecture, I watched a documentary on CNN with Dr. Sanji Gupta interviewing former president Bill Clinton about his recent encounters with heart disease. Apparently, Mr. Clinton is now eating a diet based on plant based foods for the most part as well as maintaining a fitness regime based mainly on running. Mr. Clinton has been successful in reversing his heart disease and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. In the same documentary, a woman in her middle years was diagnosed with coronary artery disease with one artery almost completely occluded. The physician wanted to perform coronary artery bypass surgery immediately. The woman chose to treat herself by changing her diet and exercise. She chose a plant based diet and an exercise program resulting in the reversal of her occluded artery.

Adopting a completely plant based diet is a pretty severe strategy and one that not everyone will be willing to do, however, there can be positive changes made in ones health by incorporating whole grains and more fruits and vegetables into your daily diet. Eliminating things like pop, chips and foods made from refined sugars can make a huge difference in your diet and ultimately your health. The addition of other protein sources such as beans, legumes and soy on one or more days of the week can help with the transition to a healthier diet. With so many antibiotics and hormones being added to the feed of animals, even the leaner choices of animal proteins are not has healthy as they once were.

Changing the way that food is prepared can have a huge impact on the fat content. Poaching and steaming are healthy alternatives to sauteing and frying. Steaming also prevents the loss of vitamins in vegetables.  Grilling can be a tasty as well as healthy way to prepare foods. Broiling and baking instead of frying can help save on the fat content of food.

The other factor in this prescription for health is exercise. Moderate exercise is recommend to patients who suffer from most ailments including diabetes, obesity, arthritis, fibromyalgia, heart disease, hyperlipidemia and so many more. Many people that are told that they need to exercise are coming from a sedentary lifestyle and this in itself can present as a death sentence. It does not have to be that bad. The simplest form of exercise is walking. If you have never exercised, you might start by walking around the block. Each day try to go a bit further. You may only be able to walk for ten minutes when you first start but after a week or so, you can increase to 15 minutes. As your fitness level improves, you can start increasing the pace at which you walk to the point where you can eventually add a few minutes of light jogging. This all takes time and is part of your progression. As you become more fit, you need to add more intensity or more time to your activity to see more progress.

The type of exercise that you choose depends on your personal likes and your abilities. If you are morbidly obese, you do not want to choose an exercise that can actually endanger yourself. Many people hire personal trainers to help them establish a fitness program. This is often a wise move for those who do not know where to start. A personal trainer can assess your fitness level and make recommendations that are best suited to your own needs. For people with very special needs, a kinesiologist might be able to help you. For most people, a personal trainer is all that might be required. The need for the personal trainer will diminish once you learn your program and once you have established good form with any of the strength training moves that you perform. Personal trainers generally focus on strength training while working with their clients. They tend to leave the cardio training to the client once the client knows how to set progressions on the treadmill or the bike.

You make your program very simple by choosing to walk or run for your cardio training.  Be sure to incorporate  all forms of exercise into your program. You need to move with cardio activity. You need to lift with some form of strength training. And you need to stretch your muscles. The American College of Sports Medicine recommends that the normal adult under 65 years of age does 30 minutes of moderately intense cardio activity 5 days a week or 20 minutes of vigorous intense cardio 3 days a week. For strength training they recommend 8 to 10 strength training exercises with 8 to 12 repititions of each exercise 2 times a week. These are minimum guidelines. Here are the guidelines.


Here is the link for the new Canadian guidelines for physical activity. These also are minimum guidelines.

Both guidelines explain moderate activity as being activity that allows you to generate a sweat but to be able to still hold a conversation.  So if you choose to walk, you need to do so at a faster rate than your normal liesurely walk. Also if you want to lose weight, you will most likely want to increase your time from 30 minutes to 45 or 60 minutes.

It is important to pick an activity that you like. Some people do not enjoy walking or running so cycling may be an option. Others love to dance so they might chose an activity that involves dancing such as Zumba. I like kickboxing so I love to do Turbo Kick and Tae Bo. As long as it allows your heart rate to increase in your training zone, then it is all good.

There are many advertisements that promote pilates for weight loss. Pilates is a great workout but it is more of a core stabilization and flexibility workout which we all need. There is no cardiovascular activity in pilates so it should be used in addition to your cardio program.

Yoga is another activity that many people chose as their activity. I love yoga and all of it's benefits which include strength, flexibililty, relaxation and the ability to connect your mind and body. Yoga is another activity that enhances your cardio training but in itself has no cardiovaxcular benefit.

Strength training is the other main component mentioned in the guidelines. We need strength training for our muscles and our bones.  The guidelines recommend a minimum of twice a week but as you progress you need to use the principle of progressive resistance. This can occur by increasing the number of repitition, weight used and/or by increasing the number of sets. One set usually consists of 8 to 12 repititions of a certain exercise. You want a weight that will actually fatigue your muscle by twelfth repititon. Generally the activity will start to feel more difficult by the ninth rep if you are using enough of a load. If you do not feel any fatigue after 12 reps then you need to increase your weight. Resistance bands can also be used. The same priniciple applies. Some bands are heavier giving more resistance. You can get more resistance from your band by shortening it.

There are all kinds of books and videos of strength and cardio activities out there if you choose to follow a program at home. Just make sure that the book or video is from a reputable source.  The publisher Human Kinetics publishes hundreds of fitness books by very reputable trainers. There are many DVDs on the market for the video fitness buff. The programs by Beach Body are usually good but you need to make sure that they are an appropriate program. I would not choose to P90X or Insanity if I were a beginner exerciser. But there are programs out there for most people. There are always websites that will have reviews or discussions about different programs. Netflix in the US does have fitness videos that you can preview before you purchase.

It is all good. No matter what you decide to do, the important thing is that you have chosen to move. You are making the changes in your diet and your activity. If you are diabetic, you will see changes in your blood glucose and your overall health. If you are obese, you will see changes in your weight and hopefully, you will approach a healthier weight and extend your life. If you have arthritis or fibromyalgia, a moderate exercise program will help you to feel better and hopefully have less pain. If you are just trying to improve your life, you should start to see the benefits. To put it simply, we need to move, lift, stretch, eat whole grains, fruits and vegetables, eat lean sources of protein and limit refined sugars. You will feel better and live better and longer.

Discovery Fit & Health : Alfonso Moretti: Boot Camp Body

Discovery Fit & Health : Alfonso Moretti: Boot Camp Body

Full Body Kettlebell Workout from Prevention

Full Body Kettlebell Workout

Heartwalk

Fitness for Free (or almost)

In all the years that I have been involved in the fitness industry, I really cannot imagine how much money that I have invested in trying to keep up with all the new programs and equipment. For the most part, I might spend $10.00 every second month to purchase a DVD that interests me. I do have quite a collection so I have made a big investment during that last several years.

In the last few months, I have been investigating free fitness options. I have talked about some of the options before but it's always good to rehash old ideas.

If you think about it, children have the right idea on how to to keep fit for free. They like to play games like tag or hide and seek. They skip to school, at least I always did, which adds a little plyometrics to their programs. Sometimes they just run around the school yard or park, laughing and play. Kids like to hang upside down from the monkey bars and they climb up the steps to the slide and slide down. They also have impromptu baseball games or football games that keep them moving. We could learn a lot from our children.

The most inexpensive fitness equipment I can think of is the human body. Our legs and feet and probably the most useful when it comes to staying shape. We can walk, run, do plyometric moves, lunge, squat, kick, dance, bicycle, jump, skip or jump rope and march.

You can use your own body weight for strength and conditioning. The best example is the push up. You can very the positioning of your arms so that you can work your chest and shoulders with a wider stance, or isolate your triceps by bringing your arms closer together. You can also work your triceps by doing a triceps dip with a chair. If you have access to a pool or lake, swimming is an excellent full body workout offering resistance, endurance and cardio. And who needs a fancy abs machine when the best ab workout you can do is a simple crunch using nothing else but your abs.

Simply going out and moving our bodies is the best way to get in shape but sometimes we all need a little motivation and guidance from an outside source. I think that this is where most people get intimidated. Personal trainers, gyms, videos and books all cost money and in today's economy people are saving money where they can. Many people have decided to cut the cost of that gym membership from their budget which might leave some lost on how they can keep motivated to stay fit. If you have a computer and access to the internet, there are several websites that are offer totally free programs to help.

One of my favorite websites is SparkPeople. SparkPeople offers a total fitness tracker where you can track your activity and your nutrition. They have a huge fitness and food data base so that you track your caloric intake and output. SparkPeople also has a large data base of exercises, including video descriptions so that you see the moves that you want to do. They also offer short video workouts that can be done right from your computer. There are discussion forums available and you can have access to your own webpage. There is SparkPeople app for the iPhone and iTouch available.

Another site that I have found is ExerciseTV. If you have cable television, ExerciseTV has a cable channel that offers several video workouts on demand by celebrity trainers such as Cindy Whitmarsh and Kendall Hogan. If you do not have cable television, you can also have access to some of the same workouts on their website. There are several workouts that can be streamed to your computer for free at any time. They also offer different programs that you can download and follow the workouts on your computer according to the workout program. They have programs for almost any goal. There is the option to download the videos in the programs for a small fee but many of them can be streamed completely free.

Another free site that is available is GoodLife at Home. GoodLife Fitness is one of Canada's largest fitness clubs owned by David Patchell-Evans, or Patch as many call him. GoodLife launched a website called GoodLife at Home this year which is available to everyone. The website offers free, full length workouts that stream to your computer for free. Once you set up your free profile, there are video workouts that can match the goal you want to accomplish.

LiveStrong is another website that is valuable fitness resource. The most valuable resource is the DailyPlate which is total fitness and food tracker. It has a very large data base of foods and activities. It also has a large exercise data base to demonstrate various exercises through video. If you have an iPhone or iTouch, you can sync your LiveStrong tracker.

I can go on and on about free online fitness sites. ShapeFit offers FitTracker which has food and exercise databases as well as videos. Team BeachBody still offers WOWY, their online gym for free which is a great motivator. The Heart and Stroke Foundation and the American Heart Assocation both have online fitness resources available to all completely free.

If you have an iPhone or an iTouch, there are many free fitness apps that can be downloaded to your device. I already mentioned the LiveStrong and SparkPeople applications. iTrain is a free app with trackers and videos. Fitness Builder from Pump One has a free application with a huge data base of workouts and exercises. Another free fitness app is GymABC which offers exercise video demonstrations and workout programs.

The last free resource that I want to mention is your television. I mentioned earlier that ExerciseTV has workouts on demand if your cable company offers it. There is also FitTV available through cable that offers several fitness shows. Some of the shows that are available are Caribbean Workout, In Shape with Sharon Mann and Bodies in Motion with Gilad along with several others.

If you choose some of the free video options, there may some equipment used but you can probably get buy with a 2 sets of dumbbells or a resistance band which are not that expensive to purchase. Sometimes house hold items can be used such as water bottles filled with water but make sure that, if you use something from home, that it
is safe to use and that it will actually offer the resistance that you need. Other than that, have fun with your new free fitness venture.