Unlike influenza, there is no vaccination. The only saving grace for this terrible ailment is that it is completely self-inflicted. You will only get it if you take on the Prowler challenge.
The question is… why do it when it sounds so horrific?
Full blown “Prowler Flu” does not come on with any old prowler workout. The Prowler is a mainstay in our training programmes and if just using a prowler brought on the debilitating symptoms, our gym would be very messy (you know how much that would upset Paul) and we would probably not have very many return customers. No, “Prowler Flu” is a side effect of taking on the “Prowler Challenge”
What is the Prowler Challenge you ask? It is 190m of intense pain! You need to push the prowler up and down our 19m track for a total of 10 lengths in as fast a time as possible. The symptoms of Prowler Flu come on very quickly and you will have full blown “Flu” before you reach the end of 190m.
So what should you expect?
- Shortness of breath and this will kick in within the first 2 lengths
- Heavy legs and sweating. By the 6th length your legs will start to feel like they belong to someone else and you will start to leak.
- It will feel like gravity has been turned up. You will feel like you are carrying another person on your back and you will probably feel like giving up. Lengths 7 and 8 are the worst for this and this will be the point where you want to throw in the towel – DON’T, you are nearly there
- By now your legs feel like lead, probably can’t feel your arms and your heart will feel like it is going to explode. The end is in sight, just get your head down and finish strong.
- Finished…. Sweet relief? Not quite. Lying down is now a chore. It feels like you have to hold on otherwise you will fall off the earth. Your blood has been diverted to your working muscle and this can leave you with an extreme feeling of nausea. These symptoms can last for up to 20 minutes.
How to recover?
- Breathing. Focus on taking deep and long breaths. You need to repay the oxygen debt you have just placed on your body. This will help you to feel human again quicker.
- Proper hydration is essential. Water is involved in so many of the bodies functions that having sufficient water in the body will help you recover quicker.
- Nutrition is also super important. Prowler flu will cause muscle damage and getting the essential nutrients into your body to facilitate that repair is important. If you don’t have a chance to get a good refeed in after the challenge, grab a protein shake at the gym.
- Sleep. Not that this will take much effort, but a good nights sleep will help you recover fully from your ordeal. You may even find a power nap at your desk will be required to get you through the day.
Prevention
There is no “vaccine” for Prowler flu and it can’t be entirely prevented, the symptoms can be reduced.
The human body is a great machine that adapts very well to what we do. So remember, your first exposure to the Prowler challenge will result in a hefty dose of “Prowler Flu”. The good news is that with each subsequent attempt, the symptoms will be much less severe.
The Answer is quite simple….
Taking on and surviving the “Prowler Flu” has many positive benefits.
- Reduce resting heart rate
- Increased work capacity
- Increase power
- Greater ability to cope with a really intense workout
- Reduced body fat
- Massively improved fitness levels
- Bragging rights if you post the fastest time.
- And lastly, it would get you ready to be the best competitor in Supermarket Sweep history. You can show off to friends and family by running around the supermarket with the trolley next time you go shopping
We invite you to come down to the gym and see for yourself what it’s all about. Could you tackle the prowler challenge? https://coreresults.co.uk/find-us/