TheShadowKnows
Member
I feel like this is a topic that many people overlook, but physical fitness is going to be a major factor in a SHTF scenario. The first rule of Zombieland is cardio, and yes, it's a joke, but there's some truth to be had here. (Besides which, an active lifestyle has untold health and quality of life benefits.)
How far can you really hike with your BoB, weapons, and whatever other gear you're planning on moving with? It's not advisable to load up with your firearms and hit the hiking trails, but your bags will not raise suspicion. I use to backpack and we'd train with our packs in all sorts of hiking and camping locations. Jogging is also obviously great for cardio.
You don't need a gym membership or a fancy weight set to do strength and conditioning training. I always say, "Why join a gym? I've got 140 pounds to work with right here." Simple as it seems, push-ups, sit-ups, pull-ups, dips, squats, and calf-raises can do a lot for your overall strength using nothing but your body weight and a table, or a bench, or something to support yourself on for dips. Do a little every other day, and when it gets easy, do a little more. Stretch out afterwords to prevent soreness and to keep your muscles from tightening and your joints from stiffening. Joint mobility can be as important as strength depending on the situation.
Also worth looking into is more advanced mobility training. Americanparkour.com has some excellent beginner tutorials on movements like basic vaults, running up walls, and dropping and rolling. Regardless of how far you get into the other techniques, I recommend that everyone learn how to safely land (safety tap) and perform a correct shoulder roll. Knowing these things can save your life if you ever need to drop or jump off of something. The key to parkour is safety and progression; start slow, start low, and be safe. Do some reading up on the philosophy of the discipline (efficiency, flow, precise application of power, etc) and they can be applied to any challenge, physical or otherwise. I can post some good beginner training videos if anyone is interested. Besides being a great workout, parkour is also a lot of fun!
How far can you really hike with your BoB, weapons, and whatever other gear you're planning on moving with? It's not advisable to load up with your firearms and hit the hiking trails, but your bags will not raise suspicion. I use to backpack and we'd train with our packs in all sorts of hiking and camping locations. Jogging is also obviously great for cardio.
You don't need a gym membership or a fancy weight set to do strength and conditioning training. I always say, "Why join a gym? I've got 140 pounds to work with right here." Simple as it seems, push-ups, sit-ups, pull-ups, dips, squats, and calf-raises can do a lot for your overall strength using nothing but your body weight and a table, or a bench, or something to support yourself on for dips. Do a little every other day, and when it gets easy, do a little more. Stretch out afterwords to prevent soreness and to keep your muscles from tightening and your joints from stiffening. Joint mobility can be as important as strength depending on the situation.
Also worth looking into is more advanced mobility training. Americanparkour.com has some excellent beginner tutorials on movements like basic vaults, running up walls, and dropping and rolling. Regardless of how far you get into the other techniques, I recommend that everyone learn how to safely land (safety tap) and perform a correct shoulder roll. Knowing these things can save your life if you ever need to drop or jump off of something. The key to parkour is safety and progression; start slow, start low, and be safe. Do some reading up on the philosophy of the discipline (efficiency, flow, precise application of power, etc) and they can be applied to any challenge, physical or otherwise. I can post some good beginner training videos if anyone is interested. Besides being a great workout, parkour is also a lot of fun!