Suarez: Combat Fitness -- Getting Started

From Gabe Suarez:

OK guys...I've gotten several emails asking about how to get in shape after years of neglect and sloth. First thing you have to ask is get in shape for what? Since we are a fighting group, I would assume we mean getting in shape for fighting, self defense, etc.

You can divide fitness into several areas but the most important I think is to have a proper weight. If you weigh in at 350 pounds and your fat percentage is 50%, that weight will not help you either in a fight, or for longevity.

Since this situation is the most likely one, I will begin with that.

First thing is to make certain the diet is correct. Pasta, bread, rice, potatoes and doughnuts washed down with a keg of beer every night will not do anything for you.

Look up Paleo Diet and try to follow it as much as possible for six months. Eat vegetables, fruits, meat, chicken and fish as much as you want and avoid other things.

Next thing is avoid (avoid is avoid...not eliminate) alcohol and sodas, and sweet fruity commercial drinks. Water, tea, coffee, and natural fruit juice should replace them.

Eat until you are full and then stop. It is a discipline like anything else. If you think its too much, then forget the whole thing - go back to watching the military channel with your chocolate cake.

Next thing is get out on the road...or treadmill. Start walking...fast. Everyday. Increase the time, and speed. Turn the walk into a run. If your knees are destroyed, use a bike instead. If you have no bike, buy one. Eventually one will run out of excuses, or they will find one to justify the military channel and the chocolate cake.

The road work and the paleo will begin to drop off weight. It will work unless you are either not doing it, or there is some actual physical/hormonal issue that prevents it and then its not a matter of exercise.

At some point you will need to begin strength and anaerobic work. The simplest thing, that you don't need any equipment for is a simple exercise called the Burpee. You can do this anywhere....in your office, in the yard, in the garage, in a hotel room, even in a jail cell.

The low level method is this: Begin standing. Drop to a push up position, kicking your legs out. Kick the legs back in quickly, and stand up. Do them until you are out of breath. Stop, recover, and do anther set. Do it for 15 minutes at least, adding time until you are working for 30 minutes.

Next level is to add a pushup.

Next level is to add a vertical jump when you stand up. Keep adding reps and sets. Eventually you might even want to add some weights but that is for another time.

Walking, eating right, doing burpees. How freaking caveman simple is that??

Begin with that and let us know how it goes.