Prepper fitness: Survive physically challenging emergencies with these SHTF workout tips

Preparing for disasters is about more than just grabbing as many supplies as you can. While making sure your survival storage is well-stocked and having all the gear you need is great, there’s one thing that you still need to work on: Preparing your body.

Maintaining physical fitness is an important part of being prepared. Not only does exercise provide you with tons of health benefits, but it will prepare you for that long trek you may have to undertake when SHTF.

To get you started, here are some tips for planning out your survival fitness plan. (DoomsdayMoose.com)

Cardio

Cardio fitness is extremely important. It improves your cardiovascular health, strengthens your immune system and reduces your risk of falls. Having plenty of cardio exercises in your workout routine will help improve your endurance for when SHTF, giving you stamina to accomplish your daily tasks to survive.

No matter what shape you’re in right now, you can start cardio training. Simply go on a brisk walk or a jog, and escalate as you get better at it by walking or jogging longer distances. (Related: Your physical fitness is just as crucial as your preps when SHTF: Stay healthy by walking regularly and following a balanced diet.)

Familiarize yourself in weather extremes

Take advantage of drastic shifts in weather whenever possible. Try hiking with your gear in deep winter, in the heat of summer or during a torrential storm. Testing yourself during these extreme weather situations isn’t just good for your body overall, it can also help you learn your body’s limits. Once you understand the peak of your physical strength and endurance, you can hopefully overcome these limits with a little more preparation and exercise.

If you’re healthy enough, you may even try going long periods during this hike without either food or water, just to test how far you can go without sustenance.

Vertical and horizontal movement exercises

If you’re in the middle of a big city when you decide to bug out, you may come across different obstacles, such as car crashes and blockades. Learning skills such as parkour, which can help you get from point A to point B as quickly as possible, and wall climbing can help you figure out how to escape these kinds of disaster areas. This is why your exercise plan should involve workouts that can improve your vertical and horizontal movement range.

Practice shooting at moving targets

Some of the obstacles you may have to deal with when you bug out may include people who want to harm you for your gear. However, these “targets” aren’t the same as the ones on a shooting range – these targets are moving. The best way to train for these kinds of self-defense scenarios is to practice shooting at moving targets.

Apply for membership at your local trap or skeet shooting club. These clubs will probably have instructors who can help you master your craft by letting you practice shooting at clay targets.

Alternatively, you can buy a steel target plate, attach it to a remote controlled car and have somebody drive it around for you during shooting practice.

A good disaster preparation workout will ideally get your body in shape for when SHTF. This means you must learn how to keep functioning after a long day’s work, overcome obstacles, travel in extreme weather and defend yourself. When all hope is lost, your body will be able to keep you going.

Sources include:

DoomsdayMoose.com

Healthline.com

NRABlog.com