Fit to Survive

Apologies if there is a thread on this subject already, I have looked and found only the thread on fatness (more of that later...).

What is your fitness regime to prepare for an emergency?

I don't have any particular doomsday theories, but I can't help but think that I ought to be prepared in case of natural disaster/civil unrest/martial law etc. My aim is to be able to cover 3 miles in 20 to 25 minutes with a 100 litre bergen, side pouches and webbing to get me out of the urban area and then cover 30 to 40 miles a day (terrain dependant) to get to my intended safe location.

I train for 1 hr 30 min a day, 30 mins aerobic at 70 to 80% of my max heart rate and 1 hr of weights alternating between upper and lower body. My weights focus on medium weight and reps (e.g. 30kg bench press, 4 x 12 reps). This seems to be working quite well, but I wondered if any other survivalists have fitness aims and tips on maintaining fitness.

On the subject of fat, my intention is that I should be carrying some fat (20% of my body weight) to allow for dearth - if you're too finely balanced then starvation is going to hit you hard, if you're too fat then you aren't going to get anywhere.

P.S. I am in the UK, if that has any relevance.

reply to post by Naboo the Enigma


Alas, I don't have one.

I don't drive, I actually walk every where I go pretty much. Unlike a lot of people and I think this applies especially in the UK and the US it wouldn't be a huge shock to me to actually not be able to drive everywhere.

I think one thing that the average person can do is to walk more. Personally I am going to start to try and carry some weight as I walk. Ideally we would ike to have a pack readya ta ll times, one for me, one for him - but not much good if I can't carry the thing.

D

reply to post by Merigold


Getting used to walking with weight is a big thing, I have no intention of using a vehicle in any kind of doomsday scenario. If I get a couple of weeks' notice ahead of the panic, then I might take the car and try to get one step ahead. Unfortunately walking down your local high street with a bergen on your back does get some funny looks!

reply to post by Naboo the Enigma


Could try to start off with leg weights, in 5 to 10 lbs each. Then move to a weighted vest. I did a 12 mile cancer walk and got funny looks when I wore the leg( ankle ) weights. I got alot more funny looks after i took them off after the cancer walk and I was high stepping my way home.

I feel anything you can do to get into shape will help in event of sitx or in event it doesn't happen. Riding a bicycle is a good low impact workout.

I worked in a labor intesive job before i got promoted. Now I have to start a physical fitness regime.

not takinf a stab at you persoanlly OP

but Im not sure why all the survivalist are so hardcore about things

if nuke war does happen and the earth is f#$cked and torn to bits would you really still want to be living?

I mean c'mon

what kind of emergencies are you trying to prepare for or atleast assume would happen?

im just curious is all

i can see packing water and food for like a major earthquake or major fire or country economic goes to pooper but other than that>?

reply to post by MurderCityDevil


Nuclear war is a unique circumstance, my concern (as I said in my OP) is more about the martial law/civil unrest which is likely to result from a natural disaster. If nuclear war does happen I am unlikely to survive the first strikes.

Noah, I agree with you about the job thing, I changed to more desk-based job a couple of years ago and really noticed the difference in my fitness level.

Yeah, I was working full-time in an office over the summer and I gained at least 15 lbs.

I've been meaning to get in better shape and lose weight as a survival preparation, but it's just one of those things that is super-easy to put off. Any attempt I've made to lose weight has started successfully, losing 5 lbs in the first week or so. But then you have one bowl of chips and boom... back down the slippery slope. I think I could lose 40 lbs in 4 months and get into "battle-ready" shape if I put everything into it, but I just can't find the time, effort, desire, etc.

Ironic since lately I've been hammering that physical fitness is one of the most important survival items that people are always overlooking, and it doesn't cost anything or weigh anything to obtain or have. I went for a 1 hour walk on pure ice/slush/snow on Monday and my feet were killing me by the end... I know if something happened right now I would really have to push myself to carry on.

I make an effort to go on at least 1 or 2 epic bike rides every summer with my buddies. We leave at about 11 am down some nature trails and get back around supper time. I'm not sure what kind of distance we cover. By the end, you're usually so tired that you're pushing your legs down with your hands just to keep pedalling.

Even if the world doesn't suddenly come to a crash, it will keep you out of the growing obesity/heart disease/diabetes epidemic.

[edit on 2/22/2008 by Yarcofin]