It’s always fun to view different video, TV, and cinematic pursuits through the lens of something like “The Walking Dead.” And, because it’s in a dramatically post-apocalypse setting, the ideas of style and fitness can be even more peculiar when held up to the light.
But, in relation to the life you have, or perhaps even the life you want, it’s enjoyable to look at certain iconic points in the show like the treadmill in the hospital, the perpetual culture stigma of female armpit hair, how shaving beards for men is a luxury and a comfort, how much running is involved everywhere, and when uniforms come into play during the action and theory segments of the show.
The Treadmill In the Hospital
One of the offshoot scenes one season was when a few episodes went rummaging around inside the idea of a hospital and a police force that worked with the hospital staff. In one scene, the police chief was running on a treadmill. In a world gone completely upside down, she still maintained a workout routine with a heavy piece of machinery to help her keep both fit and connected to the world that she knew and was trying to protect and maintain.
The Culture Point of Female Armpit Hair
It’s perpetually hilarious that women in post-apocalyptic movies and TV shows still manage to shave their armpits, even when razors are nowhere near available. Because of the culture of female beauty that continues to perpetuate mainstream productions, this is one of those ‘truth’ faux pas that are never going to leave the mass consciousness. It would simply be too much of a distraction for the average viewer to handle, for whatever reason.
Shaving As a Luxury
And in addition to, but in contrast to as well, the concept of shaving, the men of “The Walking Dead” approach shaving as meditative, transformative. A way of going from one person to another, of being one person, and then being another. The style of the beard and the style of the face are the difference between civilized and tribal, and that shiny little razor blade is the cause of it all. Another scene in one episode went over the importance of haircuts, as the barber is referenced as a person from another universe, almost!
Run, Run, and Run Some More
And what’s your fitness level right now? Could you run for a few miles in the deep South heat after someone who’s stolen your truck of food, gas, and goodies? Shows like “The Walking Dead” give you a quick shot of an alternate reality where fitness is a survival necessity, rather than something that you do with your pet dog in order to shave off the calories from the last pizza you ate.
The Military Outfit Makes the Man
In another specific episode, Abraham finds a dress military uniform, and putting it on, it helps him clean up both his mind and his body, as well as some of the emotional tumult that he’s going through with many of the changes of plans his groups has worked through.