Im working on getting back into shape right now. I'm embarrassed of how far I've let myself go. Not to be an Al Bundy, but I used to be a college athlete and I'm not sure I could continually run a mile now. Like I said, working on it.
Lost about 30# so far since June. But I've got to seriously increase my strength and stamina.
Run? Never have been much of one, even when I was under 200. Guess I'll have to walk to the war.
Fitness, general healthiness, the most underrated topic in preparedness. I cannot believe how this topic is overlooked so often.
I think this is a hard topic because there really is no best or direct route to "survival fitness". Maybe military fitness is the best because it would fit best in a survival situation, but whether it is basketball, running, yoga, weight lifting, all is better than nothing. If you are already fit, I think your goal should be going towards the military fitness style, so if you are a really great basketball player in terms of fitness level, incorporate some climbing, crawling, etc.
Lets be perfectly honest, most of us will most likely die because of a heart attack vs some shtf scenario. That is the cold hard truth, it isn't sexy like dying while battling a horde of zombies as you make your last stand on bunker hill. We talk lots about waking up, and facing the real world situation, yet we miss something right in front of us. And perhaps it is my local area, but preppers really seem to fall into the stereotypical overweight male who drinks scotch at night while talking about the upcoming SHTF scenario while his gut makes his pregnant wife look like a twig. Talking about how if those sheeple ever come to my farm I will shoot them, yeah right buddy, you will have an incredibly hard time maneuvering and breathing in a life and death scenario. Shooting hungry people is different than sitting on a chair and sitting paper, these people will move.
I had Bariatric surgery back in May and I have lost over 50 lbs. since then , I feel great , I began my diet three and a half years ago , when I started I weighted 587 lbs. as today I weight 348 lbs. my weight I want to be is 245 lbs. I will have one more operation to take off the extra skin in March of 2017 , with the weight I lose from now to then should " with the next operation " I hope to be at 245 lbs. .. It's the best thing I ever did .
I am swimming, light running, and light wights plus the heavy bag. I am not the workout king I used to be and I am never where I want to be but I'm working it. Knees and back take special consideration. I will never be 21 and in the ring again but I do as best I can. Just been to the heart guy and my heart and circulatory is good. Just have to take the BP pills and watch the weight. Diet is important as well as when you eat. I am down over 40 lbs.
I've found out I can split wood with a mail, pound fence posts into our succulent NW Arkansas soil, haul square bales, and wrestle aggressive adolescents and adults to the ground. But when it comes to running or uphill walking, I get winded too quick. A dr told me my lungs don't inflate to their capacity due to past asthma problems. I'm no dr, but I call bs on that.
So I've really got to work on that .
This is honestly not something I had considered in my prepping until I got here. I just got sick of how far I've slid in my physical abilities, but the recent weight gain while off work for six months was what kicked my butt in to gear. I promised myself to get out more and in order to keep myself on this I chose to visit a new hiking trail each week. I am absolutely terrible at keeping myself motivated, my gym membership is largely a waste of money, so it's sort of a treat for me and something to look forward to. It's been 18 weeks, but I can't tell you what progress I've made since I steer clear of scales :vs_lol:
Also since returning to work, I'm sure to take the stairs rather than the elevator every morning. 7 flights up, five days a week. I use them to build up my uphill stamina, and get a good stretch in too
When I left the Corps over 20 years ago I felt I was in pretty good shape I think I'm in better shape now even though I have gained a few pounds.
I walk the perimeter of the property almost every day, chop firewood, dig ditches yes we have a backhoe but sometimes you just got to get in and do it by hand and I actually use a bicycle when I visit our nearest neighbor a couple mile down the road.
I swim a couple of times a week, lift weights 3 times a week and usually walk with Mrs Phrogman for about an hour 3 times a week. I use to be a runner but I have had hip issues in the last couple of years so now I only run when I need to.
If you're a fat body cut off all those fat cakes and sweets, no one is making you a pie when the world ends
No carb diets + cardio = fast, cheap way to lose weight. Get used to low carbs anyway when the world is over
Cardio and calisthenics are the gold standard - you can tone/cut/bulk with weights if you really wanted to, but how are you powering that Herculean frame at the end of the world? Answer: You're Not
Go Ruck. And not that poser, wannabe operator "workout" society that just cons stupid people out of money - go buy a surplus ALICE/MOLLE from a milsurp store - start with low weight and mileage and build up as you go along. The Big Army standard is 3 hours with 45 pounds (not including weapons, ammo, armor - or at least it is SUPPOSED to, never happened that way) in 3 hours. The "selection" standard within the SOF Support which we used as a basis to see who would suck shit in the rear or go out with an ODA for deployments was 75 pounds (not including weapons/armor/water) for 16 miles under 3:30 hours - no one is going to hold you to that standard, but it was realistic for the South American/Caribbean AOR where the heat and bugs would smoke you fast.
Practice with your gear - all those sexy carriers, go bags, med kits and crap you bought may look cool but unless you can use it you won't do you any good unless you can move around in it and carry it.
Workouts don't have to be boring - psychologically you do better at things you enjoy, you can add sprints/suicides to your range time, helps get your cardio in and adds stress to shooting. Practice unscheduled bug outs, go hiking, run drills in your gear etc
Yes @Cricket, Mrs S got me a FitBit fitness tracker earlier this year and I wear it most days. It tracks steps/miles/calories burned/heart rate as well as monitors your sleep patterns. It ain't perfect and some of the reviews are not that great but it helps motivate me.
For my fitness activities I switch between walking, elliptical machine, weights and my all time favorite fitness regiment, P90X. I just don't do the jumping around stuff anymore...and no more running which I miss. I also stopped cutting/splitting my own firewood when I jacked my back up recently. Its the bending over part that kills me...but, very few things better for you than than swinging an axe.
Getting old is a bitch...
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