Introduction
In the fitness blogosphere, one encounters a deluge of lists detailing exactly what movements will guarantee 'functional capacity' and 'general preparation,' but only a precious few discuss quality of life, effective time management, and balanced development as goals. These are true indicators of fitness, which is generally misunderstood to be merely a quality of the body. 'Fitness' is better conceptualized as 'goodness of fit' between the possible demands of the environment and the capacity of the body to withstand and overcome them without incurring, sudden, cumulative, or irreparable damage. Creating a flexible regimen that can be maintained unaltered in tandem with all the nonphysical demands of life while developing adequate resilience is imperative for longevity.
In a martial sense, one's physical fitness routine is the most constant fight that will be faced through life. Wars and battles may be won and lost, but one's own creeping decrepitude will remain an unwavering, hidden foe that reveals itself only in glimpses and becomes stronger with age. Simple movements and bodily functions begin to degrade in quality as life progresses, and though this is a natural course, there are ways to make a spirited resistance to the process and even wage war against it. Though everyone will inevitably succumb to defeat, there is great glory in making a thorough effort to increase, maintain, or even merely slow the decline of physical robustness. The following physical practices in order of importance are essential to strategically holding ground against death if they are practiced consistently to the parameters described.
Structure and Implementation
I have ordered these movements by importance, interdependence, and sustainability. If one lacks strength or time for exercise, at least movement 1 should be performed, which will serve as preparation over time to train movement 2 given sufficient effort, which lays the groundwork for movement 3, and so forth. This progressive addition of steps is intended for the enhancement and remediation of adult physical robustness for those who are beginning to feel the effects of aging, and is not necessarily applicable to adolescent development. If a higher level movement becomes impossible to sustain, or injuries prevent it, do not despair. Merely subtract that movement until the precluding injury or health condition heals, or there is enough time to incorporate it. But one should never stop moving at all the levels they are able to accommodate. The more fundamental movements will sustain one's strength adequately during periods of incapacity.
These movements must be practiced nearly every day in order to effectively resist and repel aging. They are all intended to be whole body exercises that maintain muscle tone, gently recirculate and stress test the systems of the body, and provide direct preparation for acute, unpredictable environmental demands. From least to greatest, one can discern the complete spectrum of athletic development and decline. It is the hubris of youth to assume that effortless performance at higher levels of these movements grants one a reprieve from practicing the former movements. Failure to use ALL these movements as close to daily as possible will inevitably result in a complete loss of the neglected movements and a precipitous decline in strength and morale. Everyone who can must train these movements because the only alternative is death by degrees. Losing any of these movements should be treated with the same gravity as ceding territory to an enemy combatant. Retreat if forced, but do not ever cease the objective to retake lost ground.
Progress in these practices may not be immediately apparent, and this slowness of progress is incrementally more pronounced as one regresses further down to the most foundational practices. Reaping ALL the physical benefits of walking, for example, may require over 6 months of persistent, near-daily practice. By contrast, the benefits of sprinting intervals may be discernible in as little as a week. It is myopic, however, to conflate the immediacy of one's observed benefits with the priority of the movement. Though it may take many more years of neglect to lose one's ability to walk, the skill will be much more sorely missed by the sufferer than the ability to run quickly.
1. Walking for Time and Distance
This practice is nonnegotiable. One must walk, with or without assistance, with moderate intensity for at least 3 hours per week (2 hours, if all other movements are included) for as many miles as possible. Split up the time any way desired, but make it happen. One can do 1 hour per walk for 3 times per week, 45 minutes for 4 times, or 30 minutes for 6 times. The author finds that walking incorporates all the most important martial capacities: awareness, discipline, and resistance to austerity. It requires you to dynamically discern safe, dependable routes, practice avoidance of choke points, be mindful while planning ahead, maintain balance, and endure healthy discomfort over time. Physically, walking requires and gradually builds robustness of the musculature of the lower body, which takes a couple months to discern, the connective tissues and bones in the feet, ankles, knees, hips, and core which takes half a year to discern, and the cardiovascular system which may progressively adapt for years given a diet rich in natural sources of Vitamin C, which reinforces arterial tissue stressed through walking.
The health benefits of walking emerge from the peculiar way that the circulatory systems of the body function. Unlike a purely mechanical system, the circulatory systems of the body past a certain age and body mass index do not adequately circulate in the absence of supplemental movement. Failure to walk can result in digestive, cardiovascular, and lymphatic illnesses due to insufficient circulation. Consistent walking actually facilitates completion for many of the body's functions and is therefore the most necessary physical skill. During times when walking is not safely possible, one must hope they can engage in the other practices and put enough effort into them to prevent decline. The lower body strength and systemic preparation built through walking sets the stage for practice 2.
2. Squat Resting for Time
For at least 2 minutes per day, one should endeavor to rest in as low of a squat as their (in)flexibility will allow. This is the default rest position for most people in the world and inability to maintain this position will plague one with lower body pain, movement restrictions, various weaknesses throughout the body, and the development of a tendency to look for chairs when standing, which if heeded often enough will begin to confine one to them. When standing up out of the low squat position, the arms should be extended straight above the head vertically as close to the ears as possible. This will gradually improve the flexibility of the spine, shoulders, knees, and hips. Repeating this movement several times per day, or better yet, investigating hygienic methods of squatting to eliminate, will necessitate daily practice without the need to schedule any explicit squatting practice. If one becomes proficient with squatting in this way, they are prepared for the rigors of crawling.
If one cannot squat, practicing sitting and standing, holding a squat isometrically against a wall, and attempting to squat lower over time while holding onto a counter or other stable structure for assistance are productive alternatives. Do not allow inability to complete the unassisted movement to discourage the practice of these preparatory steps daily, as one will obviously reap more benefits from the attempt than from giving up.
3. Crawling for Distance
Crawling is the original movement, and as such, it is the first exercise any of us regularly practice as infants. However, once it is lost, it is very difficult to regain. This is because, as a developmental precursor for walking, it is HARDER than walking. An infant learning to crawl actually gains more strength through crawling than they ultimately require to stand up and walk. Therefore, when this skill is lost, it is harder to regain than walking or squatting. The benefit to this difficulty is that crawling alone can provide nearly all the physical muscularity and strength an adult will likely ever need provided that the crawl is accomplished low to the ground using only the hands and feet as contact points. The squat precedes the crawl in this hierarchy, because one must be able to safely lower to the floor and stand up from it before they have any business crawling over it. One must continue to squat however to continue effortlessly transitioning from walking to crawling without pain. This author crawls for at least 30 steps forward and 30 steps backward after strength workouts, or interspersed throughout the day. If a strength workout is unfeasible due to time constraints, doubling the amount of steps forward and backward can usually approximate the muscular benefits of any calisthenics routine, especially for those who are heavier than their normal body mass index score. Crawling before a daily walk is a good practice and the period of exhaustion after crawling is an optimal time to rest in the low squat for 1-2 minutes. For a period of weeks, the author practiced ONLY the low forward and backward crawl with no loss in strength during single leg squats, pushups, dips, and pullups. The muscularity built through crawling sets a foundation for lifting.
4. Carrying/Lifting for Repetitions
Carrying and lifting weight should be done in a way that mirrors how the movement is naturally performed under conditions of austerity, with weights that enable high repetitions over time. Single armed Olympic lifts with dumbbells or kettlebells are sufficient for this purpose and also serve to further condition the cardiovascular system to endure an enormous volume of stress. This author opts for 200 repetitions per week of the kettlebell snatch with 24 kg and 100 with 16 kg, though 250 clean and jerks per week with a 55 pound dumbbell can be as effective, or simply carrying a moderate weight for distance, such as a heavy pack held by one hand at a time. Lifting for high repetitions prepares the cardiovascular system for athletic stressors, strengthens the grip, and inoculates the spine and lower back against injuries resulting from acute lifting stress. If one is able to lift moderate weights easily for many repetitions, it becomes possible to safely practice sprinting for speed.
5. Sprinting for Speed
Sprinting is running as fast as you are able for short distances. To incorporate this as a daily activity, one may simply sprint for speed for 3-5 intervals of 50-100 yards during daily walks. It should be noted that jogging, or running for distance is NOT included as a required activity due to the abundance of overuse injuries and pains that are nearly inevitable for those who run for distance. If one requires more conditioning than walking, sprinting is more than adequate for the job, and also adds an element of explosiveness which develops a resilience against sudden physical stress by all systems of the body. It is recommended to perform sprint intervals on hills which will increase posterior muscular activation, reduce the maximum speed attainable, and correspondingly reduce the potential for both acute and cumulative injuries.
Preserving the Routine
It should be emphasized that ALL of the practices listed must be performed as close to daily as possible. These 'exercises' are selected to constitute core practices that characterize a healthy human being and as such, one should be able to perform them with modest volume nearly daily without ill effects. Inability to continue with this routine and improve in health might warn of an underlying health concern for which a medical consultation may prove helpful. The reader is wished the best of luck, and resolution in their fight to the death against dysfunction, weakness, and pain. May this next year bring you and those you love closer to life.
