Sunday, May 31, 2009

Wonders of Modern Technology: Fitness recovery finally enters the 21st century


Under Armour has now come up with a new two piece suit to help athletes recover faster. It is not available yet but is expected to come out this summer. Check back often as I will let you know as soon as you can buy one. Click here to find out all about the details of this great product.

Wednesday, May 27, 2009

My day with the Fuji Marines and FOX TV


Well, Thursday, May 21, was quite a day.

Not only was it my birthday, but I was also asked to take part in a FOX TV reality based TV show to be filmed at the Camp Fuji Marine training base.

We all met bright and early at 6:30 am at the New Sanno Hotel, which is in the Middle of Downtown Tokyo. The Fox TV filming crew, Positive Productions, Stars and Stripes and the FOX Samurai Divas were all on hand.

The Security guards were busy to say the least.

Also, General Rice, the Senior Military Officer for all of Asia, was present for a conference.

As the three limos and the filming crew vehicle rolled in, along with all the Japanese Samurai Divas assembled, quite a stir was created. As the divas strolled through the lobby and flaunted their stuff, the camera crew was busy filming their every movement.

After all were accounted for and loaded into the vehicles, we departed. I rode in the stretch limo with the Divas. As we neared Camp Fuji , the Divas were prepped and made ready to join the US marines for the Day’s Events.

The Limos pulled into the Camp’s main gate and were escorted to the rally point where the Marines were assembled. Upon arrival, the Divas were met by Major Powell, the Camp’s executive officer, who introduced them to their squad leaders and placed them within their squads for the day’s events.

Events included a static display of vehicles and equipment used in daily maneuvers. After that it was on to the obstacle course, where the Divas navigated through the course with their squads. After the obstacle course, it was on to the Pugel stick fighting. The Divas held their own against the Marines. At the end of the last bout it was time for chow. The Divas were introduced to field chow, which is called MREs (meals ready to eat).

After a short break, we were off to the repelling tower challenge. After a safety briefing, the Divas suited up in harness, boots, and helmet, and took on the challenge of the repelling tower. They all passed with no casualties.

Next came the endurance and memory test. They had to identify and memorize ten objects after a grueling run through a jungle course with physical obstacles along the way in a timed event. Again the Divas proved fit and ready to overcome this challenge.

Finally, we marched backed to the Base Camp to undergo the final event, which was a uniform inspection. The Divas pulled up in the Limo dressed to kill and inspected the Marines in their dress blues to choose a winner, awards were presented and then the Divas accompanied the winners to the chow hall for dinner. All in all the Divas performed gallantly and passed all tasks assigned.

As the head FOX fitness instructor and military advisor for the Divas, I was thoroughly pleased with their performance, how they adapted, improvised, and overcame all duties they were tasked with.

Monday, May 25, 2009

Get off that couch NOW!

In case you needed another reason to start working out or to increase your current workout, here is some research which shows that men with big muscles are 40% less likely to die from cancer. Again and again, research shows that staying fit makes sense for a longer and better life. What are you waiting for? Get up and work out!

Wednesday, May 13, 2009

YOU The Owner's Manual


Here is a great book that describes how to perform proper maintainance and upkeep on the body. It's an easy read and is something that even younger kids can read and learn from. It gives a lot of information about the stuff that goes on inside the body that we never think about. A must read for anybody interested in better health and fitness.

Wednesday, May 6, 2009

First Principle of The Fitness Code: Fitness starts from the bottom up


If you have been to my website, you’ll already know that according to the first principle of The Fitness Code, proper body alignment (and fitness) starts from the bottom up.

That’s why wearing proper athletic shoes is so important.

Everyone has a different structural alignment. Many of us think that because we have a pain in a certain part of our body it automatically stems from that same spot. In reality that is probably an incorrect assumption.

The ideal situation is to be properly evaluated from the feet to the head. Some stores offer assessments when you go to buy a pair of shoes. They have a machine that electronically evaluates where the body weight is being distributed. It is a very simple procedure that only takes a few minutes. For some of the more advance athletic shops they will not let you buy a shoe until they see you run in them.
Such assessments are very useful in my opinion and are well worth the extra time and money.

There are a few other things that you can do to help correct and maintain proper alignment to get maximum optimal performance.

One is to go to a foot doctor who can check your feet, take x-rays and recommend proper footwear and possible orthotics. The other is to see a certified exercise specialist. They can do an initial evaluation to check your structural assessment and recommend a corrective exercise program. The other is to have gait analysis done in order to observe your posture.

For more information on this topic along with instructional materials check out www.thebiomechanics.com. Justin Price is known to be one of the best in this field. Many local fitness gyms have personal trainers that are certified to perform these assessments as well. If anybody is interested, you can email me at pete@thefitnesscode.com and I can give you additional information on options here in the Tokyo area.

Friday, May 1, 2009

Here is a good dvd for stiff neck and shoulders


Most people don't get a chance to stretch out their neck and shoulders properly.
Here is a very useful video that will take you through step by step and can be done in the convenience of your own home. Cost is $24.95 and can be ordered here.