by Toby Ralph
When my wife and I married, she was in the Army and I was a first responder. I knew I would either need to start over every time we moved, or I’d need to change to a career with more portability. I enjoyed fitness, and I had been training people as a side gig for years, so I decided to become a personal trainer.
Staying active has never been a problem for me. In high school I wrestled and ran track. I’ve been walking several miles a day for years. I’ve also been lifting weights for many years—even hitting all the “gym bro” milestones: a 300+ lb bench press, 400+ lb squat, and 500+ lb deadlift. But after working as a personal trainer for several years, I found myself looking for new and fun ways to incorporate more cardio into my workout.
Walking and jogging are all well and good but can be terribly boring, not to mention tough to do consistently as the spouse of a Service Member with a hectic schedule. Plus, I don’t always have 45–60 minutes to dedicate to a treadmill. I wanted an alternative that was a little more intense and could yield the same (or better!) cardio fitness results in a shorter amount of time. So at 35 years old, I decided to pick up skateboarding again.
I started skateboarding as a young teenager and continued all the way up until I was about 20. At 5’10” and about 190 pounds, I’m now much bigger than the 140-pound 20-year-old I once was. I knew when I decided to start skateboarding again that I’d have some muscle memory. But what I did NOT remember was just how athletic skateboarding can be.
My first session riding the board was short, because my family had plans that evening. At first, it took me a little while to get my balance. Then I just cruised around my neighborhood, trying to relearn how to ollie (make the skateboard jump) and kickflip. Soon it was time for me to cruise home to get ready for the evening. When our plans ended early, I took it as the perfect opportunity to get in another skateboarding session. I grabbed my skate tool and my board and headed to a nearby elementary school parking lot for some more practice. I had so much fun! Eventually, I had to go home to get my son ready for bed. I was tired after that much skating but thought nothing of it. I took a shower, got something to eat, and lounged around before bed.
When I woke up the next day, I tried to hop out of bed…and I could barely move. All I felt was intense soreness in places I hadn’t felt for years. My abs, lower back, upper back, quads, hamstrings, calves, ankles, head, shoulders, knees, and toes were all letting me know I had messed up. When I finally rolled—yes, actually rolled out of the bed—I could barely make it to the kitchen for coffee. It was at this moment I realized, even though I lifted weights religiously and walked like a nomad, I was still out of shape in other ways.
I’m using my experience to preach the importance of a multifaceted approach to physical fitness. Whereas I could lift weights and walk all day, I had been seriously neglecting other aspects of my physical fitness. I’m not telling you to go buy a skateboard or run out and train for the X Games. I’m simply trying to drive the point home that there’s far more to fitness than lifting heavy circles and camping out on a treadmill.
Balance, multidirectional movement, and explosive strength are all things that normal lifting and running don’t cover. Service Members especially should be incorporating as many types of physical training as possible into their routines. Activities like martial arts, jumping, hiking, and yoga are all great things to add to your routine. Increasing and maintaining flexibility and positional strength can go a long way in injury prevention and mission readiness.
What happened to me is a perfect example. All that weightlifting, running, and walking didn’t prepare me to take on the athleticism of skateboarding.
I know the military is making great strides in modernizing physical training, but there are still some gaps. And until they work out how to fix the gaps, it’s up to Service Members to fill them.
So please, think about incorporating the training methods you're missing into your normal fitness routine. Even if you address the often-neglected areas of fitness just once a week, you’ll make great strides in ensuring your morning walks to the coffee pot are less painful than mine.
