The goal of prepper fitness is to stay fit so you can survive any emergency or catastrophic disasters. A true prepper knows it is insufficient to simply have stockpiles of food, water and supplies in their home. They also know that having knowledge on different survival skills is not enough. To survive the downfall of society, you need to be physically and mentally fit.
For now, we’ll focus on physical fitness.
You have to stay fit so your body can withstand different physical tasks, particularly when you have to bug out when SHTF. Be honest to yourself. Do you think you can carry a fully packed bug out bag while running for your life? Do you think you can outrun the zombies of World War Z or the human-harvesting Tripods in War of the Worlds? Are you even fit enough to jump over huge cracks on the ground caused by earthquakes?
Prepper fitness tip: cardio
As Columbus preached in Zombieland, the number one rule of surviving is cardio. You need to stay fit to outrun any threats and to perform vital tasks.
Walking is the simplest exercise that anyone can do. It conditions the body and builds endurance, qualities you’ll need when you have to bug out. According to the American Heart Association, a person needs to walk or do other aerobic exercise for at least 150 minutes a week. Start off by walking around half an hour for 5 times a week. As your body gets used to the regular physical activity, increase your work load gradually.
Another popular cardio exercise is running. You may find yourself running for dear life in a SHTF scenario. Your survival will depend on your prepper fitness regimen. To stay fit, run for a minimum of 1 hour and 15 minutes each week.
Some people may find walking and running a tad too boring. Spice things up by asking someone to be your running partner. If you prefer to exercise to stay fit alone, listen to music on your phone or music player to liven things up.
Use earphones to drown out the outside noise and ensure a relaxing run or walk.
Prepper fitness tip: strength training
When SHTF, you’ll be doing a lot of travelling by foot, especially if you don’t have a bug out vehicle. You’ll likely do some lifting and other rigorous tasks like stopping a helicopter from flying away while holding on to the ledge of a building. If you want Captain America-like biceps, you have to build your strength through exercises such as push ups, pull ups, squats, hip extensions, and presses.
Prepper fitness tip: flexibility
Another way to stay fit is to be flexible. Jesse Eisenberg’s Zombieland character tells us that Rule Number 7 is to limber up, especially if you’re up against threats. Even if you managed to stay fit before the apocalypse, you still have to do some stretching and light exercises to avoid pulling a muscle.
Stretching exercises, yoga, and using an exercise ball are just a few ways you can be flexible.
Prepper fitness tip: learn to swim
There are two ways swimming can help you survive the apocalypse. First, you won’t drown in case you fall into deep water. Second, swimming is a good exercise to stay fit and ready for when SHTF. Additionally, you have a better chance of surviving a tsunami or flood if you know how to swim.
Prepper fitness tip: self-defense
Martial arts is more than just a plot for a Ralph Macchio movie, it is a necessary part of prepper fitness. Learning karate and other fighting styles are not only meant to help you stay fit. You can use martial arts to defend yourself and your loved ones.
As you go on full Cobra Kai mode, you must never forget to hydrate. Drink plenty of water to replenish the ones you lose while out running or doing the other prepper fitness exercises mentioned above.
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