March 1, 2020

In this newsletter . . .

Bountiful
Burpees

First though, I stumbled across unique Burpee possibilities in a 2015 video of a Super Bowl party. Please stay with me now. It seems two young men at the party agreed to a Burpee challenge. Both appeared to be in good shape, and here’s how the contest went.

One young man was to do one Burpee for every completed passing yard by New England Patriots’ quarterback Tom Brady. The other participant would do one Burpee for every completed passing yard by Seattle Seahawks’ quarterback Russell Wilson. The Burpees were the advanced kind, which included a squat, legs thrust to the rear, a pushup, and then a jump at the end in each rep.

In addition to lots of sweat and pretty heavy breathing, there was of course plenty of hooting, cheering and side remarks from friends in the room. By the end of the football game the Brady representative, soaked with sweat, had completed 328 reps and the Wilson man had done 247. Together, they may have shed more perspiration than many of the players on the field.

Big Super Bowl parties don’t appeal to me personally. When the game is on I don’t like distractions. But it was a group of young guys and looked like everyone was having a good time. You might think that there was lots of beer involved. But it did not appear so, at least not with the two Burpees competitors anyway.

So, to the Burpee movement itself. Burpees are a full-body exercise that challenge both the muscle and cardiovascular systems. One of the beauties of the movement is that it requires no weights or apparatus, and very little space is needed. Since they can be done anytime and almost anywhere, they’ve been called the “no excuses exercise.”

Now to the big question: are they age-appropriate for seniors? The answer is yes, assuming that you have no underlying physical conditions prohibiting vigorous exercise — and that they are approached incrementally. I certainly wouldn’t recommend senior beginners competing in the Super Bowl challenge format.

If you would like to try them, take the age-appropriate gradual approach. Everything is explained and demonstrated here in my brief Burpees video. Please take a look. Then make them part of your fitness arsenal, even if your repetitions never reach into the hundreds. Mine sure don’t.

Obliterate Belly Fat

Fat that accumulates around our bellies and internal organs poses a terrible health risk. Our midsections are the worst place to carry excess fat. And with spring and summer on the way, who wants a potbelly?

Carrying extra pounds? Now is the time to act. But don’t waste time trying to “spot reduce.” It doesn't work. In fact, spot reducing doesn’t exist.

See Ab Exercise and a Trim Waistline for what works and what doesn’t. The second part of fat reduction is Practical Nutrition. Success must have those two components.

It’s March 1st. Time to get serious. Start now and in a few short months you’ll look and feel great.

Logan

Senior Exercise Central

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Sincerely,

Logan Franklin
The Gray Iron Fitness Newsletter
www.senior-exercise-central.com