Zombie Workout: Get Fit Enough to Fight the Undead

Appeared in the May 24, 2010 edition of Wired Magazine

Are you truly prepared to survive a rampage of the undead? Because it’s not just a matter of stockpiling MREs and shotgun ammo; you need to train for some serious fight-and-flight situations. That’s the idea behind ZombieFit, an exercise class in St. Charles, Illinois. To prepare for Z-Day, students do cardio, lift weights, and practice parkour maneuvers in a foam rubber mock-up of an urban environment. “It’s about being quick and efficient with your movements,” explains instructor Jesse Randall. “If the zombies come, you’re going to need to conserve your energy.” If? I think he means when.

Survival Workout

1 Climb
Zombies aren’t very spry, so climbing over barriers is a key evasive maneuver. Practice on a wall that’s a little taller than you.
Extra training: Pull-ups, bench dips
Muscles worked: Core, triceps, deltoids

2 Free Fall
Jumping off a roof may provide temporary respite, but break a leg on landing and you’re dinner. Cushion the impact by extending your legs and touching down on the balls of your feet. Then get up and make tracks.
Extra training: Toe raises
Muscles worked: Calves, hamstrings

3 Hurdle
Run at a sturdy obstacle—park bench, subway turnstile, picnic table. Dive forward, placing both hands on the object, and swing your legs up to your chest. The momentum will propel you over.
Extra training: Air squats, push-ups, sit-ups
Muscles worked: Pecs, delts, quads

4 Breakaway
“Extricating yourself from a zombie’s grasp uses every muscle in your body,” says Rich Gatz of ZombieFit. Practice by lifting and tossing a big object like a tractor tire.
Extra training: Resistance running, weighted pull-ups and push-ups
Muscles worked: Lats, core, hamstrings