Batman’s Approach to Fitness:

Batman is a super-athlete, combining agility, flexibility, and gymnastic-like strength. Flexibility and mobility are pivotal to prevent injuries, both in training, and ‘in the field’. Stretches are part of every workout, with recovery sessions like yoga, foam rolling, and massage in between high-intensity days.

Cardio conditioning is the basis of Batman’s fitness. To be able to patrol nightly in Kevlar body armor takes a low-intensity cardio base. To be able to fight multiple attackers or one supervillain takes a high-intensity cardio peak. Alternating sessions of low-intensity cardio with small bursts of high -ntensity cardio will cover both.

Agility and Quickness is incredibly important for someone who has to fight multiple attackers at the same time. The drills used for Speed, Agility, and Quickness also make great high-intensity cardio sessions.

While strength is incredibly important, maximum strength isn’t as important. No need to train like a powerlifter when your friend is Superman. The more important strength is called relative strength, which means strength relative to bodyweight. Olympic Gymnasts are known for high levels of relative strength. Functional strength tools like bodyweight exercises and dumbbell/kettlebell workouts do great for this style of training.

Head over to @superhero.forge (Instagram) to get a free Hero’s Fitness Starter Guide and learn more about how to geek out and motivate yourself on your journey to a healthier you.

You are enough. Many times, you are more than enough. But what happens over time as you drain yourself to give back to the world? You fight on. You somehow find a way to dig deeper than you ever have before and convince yourself that there is always more to deliver to the world. That is a noble process. Those closest to you are in your debt.

By the way, that includes yourself, too. You are now emotionally, physically, socially, and spiritually in debt to your own needs. Your body will break down. You will be more prone to illness and injury. You may anger easily, cry unexpectedly, alienate your support system, or behave in an atypical manner. Perhaps you will endure all of the above.

The good news is it doesn’t have to be that way. Know thyself, and let others know you, too. Keep track of the things that typically drain and energize you. Heed the signals when you are not feeling as well as expected. Even a few minutes to gather your thoughts can save the day. Sleep is your greatest ally at the right moment. Skipping meals unfortunately points to “stress eating” later. Give yourself grace. You have put out a loan against your own mental wellness. Pay it back, with interest.

Capes on the Couch is the podcast where Comics Get Counseling. A board-certified psychiatrist and a comic book aficionado examine the mental health issues of superheroes. They are at capesonthecouch.com or wherever you find podcasts.