My fitness and mobility 2024: Personal challenge from Norway
- Mike Burnside
- Mar 27, 2024
- 3 min read
Updated: Sep 15
Revised post: September 15, 2025
Over the last couple of years, my personal fitness and mobility has taken advantage of my living space workouts (short mini sessions or longer session), using and adapting neighborhood beach-park & playgrounds (children's and adult exercise equipment), and some rather steep hills just outside my building--for biking, walking and running. I invite you to look at my collection of YouTube Videos documenting these interests (which I, in turn share with most of my clients). I also have books that cover in some professional detail the same interests (Yes/no Fitness series).
Fully aware of the creeping phenomena of the "beer belly", I monitor the waistline and refrain from too much sugary coffees, summer pops and non-alcoholic beers. Like a lot of people, the winter holiday season also creates challenge. I still seem to be gaining 10-15 lbs during the winter, even though running and walking at least 20 miles a week, cycling at least 12 miles, and doing resistance training at least 2 x per week. It reduces in the summer. In the winter my waist is 36 inches and in the summer it goes to a low of 33 inches. Summer is more active, and yes, I tend to be more active, and eat more salads.
Aerobic/cardio/vascular/pulmonary fitness activity--as practiced in such activities as walking briskly, jogging/running, biking, swimming, etc., in various ways (methods)--providing a host of physiological benefits. There is still a need for those who want 'structured exercise' to understand the various aspects and methods, I have services and written materials for anyone who wishes to learn about such matters.
As mentioned with plenty of varied hill in Vancouver, I get intrigued with 'hill-work'. And with a background in fitness testing, my interest in treadmill tests set for the same angles to mimic hills has led me to look once again at my aerobic fitness vis a vis VO2max. Given an ability to run up and down a 4 minute hill for 60 minutes straight--an educated guess puts me at least at a VO2 Max of 48-50 mg/kg/mins. An actual realistic test for me would be the Canadian Search and Rescue test, described in a previous post. Passing that test would suggest an aerobic fitness of 'Good' to 'Very Good' for a 20-something-year-old male. I am now 67. I am not especially built for excellence at longer distance running. I am more built like a work-horse. My fitness goal uses a 'gold standard' to compare: the exceptionally challenging Norwegian Reconnaissance Squadron treadmill test; involving:
Carrying a 25 kg ruck and a 3.4 kg gun in one hand, the whole test is a constant 7km per hour (4.5 mph); first phase 10 minutes on the flat; 10-15 min phase 3 degree hill; 15-20 minute phase 6 degree hill; 20-25 minute phase at 9 degrees.
Total 25 minutes is a pass. 25-30 minutes at 12 degrees is excellent for this group of men/women.
In the meantime, I walk and run up hills with and without 35 lbs.
Speaking of the said Norwegian fitness test; other fitness aspects include :
single pull up/chin over bar with 25 kg
single row face down on a bench. Bar with weights; my body weight total weight lifted to the bench.
single two handed chest toss of a 10 kg medicine ball, minimum distance of 5 meters.
All of these tasks warrant a complete resistance training program that lead to actually practicing the tests themselves. End of summer test--in a lab or supervised gym. This seemingly simple and pared down set of tests can be a base for a host of challenging activities that these soldiers undergo: jumping out of planes, swimming and scuba, mountain climbing, trekking extreme environs, etc.
Flexibility and mobility programing, done as many days as possible through the week, help to enhance the test outcomes, and to prevent injury, as well as rid myself of a couple of historic flare-up in the hips and back (more explanation to follow this post).
Related Performance Fitness and Mobility YouTube videos (Mike Burnside Fitness channel)
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