Chronicle EditorInnocent Choga Fitness—
Why has it become necessary for us to exercise and eat well? History has always provided many lessons from which we could learn. In the early days of our creation, after the Almighty had sentenced us to work hard on this earth, the phrase “Survival of the fittest” would have been appropriate; meaning exactly what it says.
No mechanical farming and hunting implements existed .Man had to physically toil to survive. He had to be fit to defend his territory against marauders. Wars were fought very physically; expert sword wielding and precision in archery came with a lot of drills and practice.
Apart from good strategies, the physical fitness of soldiers was important. It was part of the major elements that made the difference between winning and losing wars. This is revealed in the books of history. Oversight of and a slump in fitness levels is one of the many reasons that contributed to the fall of the Roman Empire. This fall was process that came about after a long time since the Romans had conquered Europe and parts of Africa. The Romans warmed up to the effects of civilisation and started living idle lives of luxury and entertainment.
They now liked to watch games in which they pitted their conquered subjects, including the rival Barbarians. This phrase “survival of the fittest” could have been very true in its literal sense in the earlier times of war, but now this could have changed to “survival of the richest”.
The Romans did not like the clean way the Greeks played sport .It was soft to them; it was child’s play and they wanted it real, with blood and even the death of losing participants. They were rich and they could afford to pay for such fun. Those who survived in the games were well rewarded for providing good entertainment.
These could have been the origins of professional sport though. The participating Gladiators had to be very fit, they had to practice well or they would not come out of the arena alive, never mind the prize to be won .In contrast the “Supreme” Roman citizens became unfit; enjoying themselves eating, drinking, and watching the bloody games and indulging in all other vices that sometimes accompany the life of opulence.
They now resorted to hiring mercenaries as part of their army, to help fight wars on their behalf. But mercenaries do not belong to anybody. Although they are hired by the highest bidder they are neither patriotic nor are they loyal to a cause that does not concern them. They are not part of the system they do not belong to. When the going gets tough I am sure they will run away with their lives.
But the person, who coined this phrase “Survival of the fittest”, in actual sense meant the ability of a specimen to multiply and survive because of genetic superiority and its ability to adapt to situations. The Romans promoted civilisation throughout the world , but they could not control themselves and adapt to it in the long run .They got caught up in the web of merriment forgetting that it was the superiority of their army and citizens’ fitness that had built the Empire. As result they were conquered by the fit Barbarians, and the vast Empire they had established crumbled.
Civilisation was good, technological advancement is good too, but like some good things they come with a price tag and side effects. Research has indicated that as technology is advancing there is a negative correlation with fitness levels which tend to decline.
Study of fitness patterns have revealed that in times of peace societies tend to relax, get less fit and concentrate more on amassing wealth and live for luxury and entertainment. The human body has a tendency to prefer to lie idle and we are finding gadgets to do every physical job that the body used to do manually. TV, games and play stations are taking over the physical lives of many individuals.
As it is the world is reeling from the side effects of these developments. Obesity is wrecking havoc all over the world. It is the major cause of many diseases which are weight related. It is true, medical advancement helps but should we heavily rely on laboratory synthetic medicine and surgeries to fight our health wars against diseases while we relax and indulge?
Synthetic mercenary medicine brings temporary relief but it is not a natural part of our bodies and unlike herbs it is not part of the eco system. It comes with a price tag, conditions and side effects. It should be a last resort, if we are unfortunate to have it prescribed for us. Then there will be no choice, we have to stick to the medicine to survive.
After the World War Two, lessons leant led to the introduction of Physical Education in schools. Industrialisation and mechanisation led to the realization that people need to exercise. Even then, as it is world obesity statistics are not healthy at all. These statistics are available for us to learn about the catastrophe that is being caused by obesity. In Zimbabwe our diabetic statistics have reached the ten percent and counting mark.
Professionals in respective medical disciplines talk about the increase in the number of young people in search of synthetic aphrodisiacs and fertility medicines.
Teenage girls are now suffering from fibroids etc. Although experts say it is also a mental thing, good food and exercise can be natural enhancers. It is all about the efficient flow of blood. Exercise naturally improves the flow of blood and assists with mental fitness. Mercenary synthetic aphrodisiacs give a sudden rush of blood increasing the heart rate, and if one is not fit this can result in fatal consequences.
Aphrodisiacs have been said to be the cause of sudden death in many cases where people passed away during amorous pursuits. Unfortunately, with cash in the pockets most of us would not go for pumpkin seeds leaving pizza behind.
Experts also talk of encounters with young people searching for magic stuff to give them energy and power for sports performance. Sometimes athletes get to the top of their careers through hard work and after they have established themselves they do not want to work hard anymore. They want to be merry in the off season and rely more on mercenary short cuts to get back into shape. They should use the Scout motto “be prepared” and stay close to competition/match condition by cross training in the off season.
As sports supporters, some of us are always watching and cheering athletes as they play and get fit, while we live sedentary lives, eating junk foods and popping mercenary pills that we have allowed to take over our natural body systems in the fight against diseases for us. We should also do some exercises for ourselves.
It is obvious we are not experiencing full technological advancement yet. I think the best in technological advancement accompanied by its full side effects is yet to come. But are we as human beings losing the plot, will we fail to naturally adapt to the new situations we are creating? Interestingly one documentary pointed out, “Will the Coyote remain as the last specimen standing?” This is in reference to the animal’s well known natural ability to adapt to any environment, including the changing of eating habits were necessary. We need adapt and do our best to contain these diseases, which are stemming from the repercussions of technology advancement.
Innocent Choga is a six time National Bodybuilding Champion with international experience. He is studying for a science degree in Physical Education and Sport. Email:[email protected]
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