Estela's Thoughts on Fitness
"Hey Kev, what do you do to stay fit?" Over the years, some variation of that question has presented itself in my regular polling of Instagram and social media as well as in podcasts and interviews. What defines physical fitness for me is the ability to perform the duties and tasks I'm responsible for. As a survival instructor and guy who regularly takes students into the backcountry, I always ask myself, "Could I carry someone out of the woods in an emergency?" Other roles lead to other physical fitness questions. Could I protect my girlfriend, could I process enough firewood for campouts with friends, can I drag that deer back out of the thick woods and to a clearing to process it? All of these questions drive how I address training and as roles change in life, so do the workouts performed to ready myself. This time around, I'm addressing some random fitness thoughts on fitness as I have my morning coffee.
Push, Pull, Press, Lift
Perhaps one of the easiest ways to think of muscular strength is your ability to push, pull, press, and lift in relation to your body weight. Pulling is more important in grappling than pushing and from a medical response perspective, lifting is supreme. While training all of these motions, grip strength is a byproduct and it is always appreciated when performing heavy work. If you're looking to isolate grip strength, you can always pick up heavy-duty grippers that come in 50, 100, and 150 weights or the extra heavy-duty that are 200, 250, and 300 lb. The reason I use my body weight as the metric for these exercises is because it is more than the average weight of the typical American male. For men over 20 in this country, the average weight is just shy of 200 lbs while I'm closer to 215-220. I know, most of my students will fall in this weight range as will most of the guys in my closest training circuit. If I need to drag a buddy to help, lift someone over an obstacle, or otherwise move a body, I know if I can do this to mine, I can do it to someone else.
Rucking
One of the easiest ways to get a good sweat is rucking. I love it because I can use my existing backpacks loaded out with what I plan to carry instead of dedicated training packs with "artificial weight" plates and such. Rucking is simple, grab a bag and go. It also helps you gauge your ability to cover distance in an emergency. If you've run a mile with track shorts and sneakers on, see what your mile looks like under the weight of a pack. If that is too much, try timing your mile with your loadout you EDC. Rucking gets my heart rate up without putting too much stress on my knees. Your heart doesn't know the difference between running and rucking and one is more functional than the other. The other benefit of rucking is shaking out your equipment in a controlled way. When I shoulder my pack, I know if it rides right or if I need to make adjustments to how it is packed and cinched down. Rucking is my primary cardio workout and I never get bored of it.
Flexibility
When I was only 5 years old, I remember watching a barely known Jean-Claude Van Damme sit in a full split in the corner of a ring in the movie No Retreat, No Surrender. Years later, he gained fame for those splits in Blood Sport, Kickboxer, and Double Impact. When I was young, I thought flexibility meant working on my splits, and at a time, I could drop into one easily. Ask Fieldcraft's Jen Caro if I can still do one today and you'll be as surprised as she was when I put on a demonstration. It is important to have flexibility but that doesn't necessarily mean what you might think it does. Consider your back. You can bend forward and backward. You can twist at the waist. You can also bend to either side. These 6 motions are important for spinal health and they should be stretched each day along with the rest of your body. With increased flexibility, you also gain an increased range of motion. Think of it this way, learn to flex your body and increase your flexibility on your terms before someone else or conditions stretch you to the point of breaking.
Diet
Your diet is equally as important as your workout routine. The expression, "you are what you eat" isn't as apparent with the occasional cheat meal once a month but if you cheat on your health on a daily basis with junk food, you'll see a junk body in the mirror. A good diet consists of consistency but that requires good food consistency. It also means starting your day off with proper hydration and that means adding a minimum of 32 ounces of water to your usual cup or two of coffee per day. Your diet should also reflect your output. Most will multiply 12 by each pound they weigh to determine how many calories are needed. For me, that means roughly 2600 calories per day. These calories should be whole foods as much as possible and balanced, spread out throughout the day, and portioned correctly. It's easy to make excuses and claim "I'm too busy" but the reality is you can't be bothered. You can always make time and make yourself the fuel you need to properly supply your body with the nutrition it deserves.
Recovery
When I was 22 years old, I could go out with my college buddies, stay up until 2 am, and be ready for a class at 7 am. At 44 years old, I know burning the candle at both ends like I used to is a surefire way to have a terrible day. Sleep is underrated and there is a false bravado to the idea "I don't need to sleep" or "sleep when you're dead". Lack of sleep is tied to poor health and it will put you in an early grave. Nowadays, I make sure to sleep like a child with an early bedtime and I declutter my bedroom making it a place to sleep. If you've tried contacting me in the evening hours to no avail, it's probably because my phone is on silent. Business can wait until morning. Recovery is also about listening to your body. It's ok to work out when you're sore but not when you're injured. Going back to a workout before you are fully recovered is foolish and yet I have to admit I've done that far too often in my younger years. Rest days are just that. For someone who likes to wake up early and start work before others get up, I have learned sometimes it is ok to sleep in if my body needs it. I've also learned everything in moderation including moderation. Sometimes, you just need to have that slice of cheesecake.
This blog is dedicated to the memory and legacy of Richard Sorin. I only met you once at the family farm but I respect the impact you have made on the fitness community. Rest in peace.