When we think about preparing for the end of the world or even a survival situation, there are a lot of different things to consider. Most people focus on supplies — food, water, medical supplies, tools, etc. — and having a place to retreat to.
One thing that you can’t afford to overlook is your overall health and wellness. Don’t waste all your time preparing food and shelter if you won’t survive long enough to use it because the rest of your life is spent behind a computer or sitting on the couch.
Check out these survival-themed exercises that will help ensure you’re ready for any SHTF scenario you might encounter.
1. Walking
While we’ve evolved past our hunter-gatherer days, traveling long distances on foot is part of human DNA. We are one of the most successful pursuit predators on the planet — we could chase something across the landscape, non-stop, until it literally died of exhaustion. That sort of endurance could mean the difference between life and death in a survival situation, giving you the ability to escape a dangerous situation rather than being trapped in it.
It will take some time to develop that level of endurance, but when pressed, the human body can keep going long past the point where you believe it will fail.
Exercise Examples
- Walks of increasing distance
- Speed-walking or power-walking
- Hikes, especially over uneven terrain
2. Running
Walking isn’t always going to get you away from a dangerous situation fast enough. Running is a skill that most of us have neglected since it stopped being required in high school, but it can literally save your life.
Take the time to learn how to run properly so you’re not putting yourself at risk for injury. In the beginning, getting fitted for proper running shoes can help prevent injuries, but if you’re worried about being able to run in a SHTF scenario, practicing these skills in any old pair of sneakers or boots can help ensure you’re ready for anything.
Exercise Examples
- Distance running, starting with 5k and working up to ultra distances (50k or 100k)
- Obstacle course races (Spartan, Tough Mudder, etc.)
- Altitude training, in person or with a mask that simulates a thinner atmosphere
- Running while carrying extra weight (rucksack, weighted vest, etc.)
3. Swimming
We all love going for a dip in the pool when the weather is hot, but these skills could actually help save your life. How far do you think you would get if you dove in fully clothed and tried to swim across a lake? Chances are high that your waterlogged clothes would drag you down before too long, leaving you with a dilemma: shed your clothes and run barefoot and mostly naked, or drown?
Swimming is another cardio and endurance-based exercise, but it requires a totally different discipline because you also have to worry about breath control and staying afloat. It also serves as a full-body workout, which is one of the reasons why it’s so popular for fitness.
Exercise Examples
- Triathalon Training (running, swimming, cycling)
- Swimming distances fully clothed and while hauling gear
- Breath training exercises to increase the amount of time you can hold your breath
- Lifeguard or other rescue training
4. General Cardio
Cardio is a very broad term that can encompass dozens of different exercises. We could spend all day talking about each of them, but that’s not why we’re here. Varied cardio exercises can help improve your overall health while making it easier for you to accomplish the tasks that you’re going to need to survive.
Improving your cardiovascular fitness means your heart works better, your body processes oxygen more efficiently, and you’ll be better suited to whatever harsh environment you’ll find yourself facing in a SHTF scenario.
Exercise Examples
- High-intensity interval training (HIIT)
- Sprints
- Biking – both distance and obstacle
5. Endurance
Cardio is essential, but by itself, it won’t keep you alive. Being able to sprint for a couple of minutes will only get you so far — and often it won’t be far enough. Endurance, rather than bursts of energy, is what is going to help keep you alive. This goes back to the fact that humans are persistent predators. We’re built for sometimes super-human feats of endurance that would kill just about anything else.
Focusing just on cardio will give you a little bit of endurance, but if you want to increase your chances of survival, don’t rely on cardio alone.
Exercise Examples
- Swimming, as mentioned above
- Sports like basketball or tennis
- Biking
- Hiking various distances and difficulties
- Dancing
6. Flexibility
Don’t roll your eyes and say that you don’t need flexibility because you’re not some Instagram yogi. The ability to be flexible can actually help keep you alive, and more important, injury-free in an emergency situation.
Exercises that encourage flexibility work to strengthen the muscles in a different way than weight training or cardio by pulling them in all different directions. Without this sort of cross-training, you could easily injure yourself trying to pull someone over a wall or from some other awkward position.
Exercise Examples
- Yoga, including aerial yoga for upper body strength and flexibility
- Gymnastics
- Pilates
- Barr (ballet-based exercise routines)
7. Weight Training
Lifting weights is something we’ve all done at one point or another, but it is one exercise that you don’t want to neglect when it comes to survival skills. Sure, it can help you get stronger, but having the ability to lift hundreds of pounds without injuring yourself can also be valuable if you need to carry someone to safety, lift and move debris, or any of a thousand other possible reasons you might need to lift something heavy.
Yes, we know that anyone can complete super-human feats of strength under the influence of adrenaline, but what the movies don’t tell you is that those feats often result in serious injuries. You lifted a car — there will be consequences unless you’ve taken the time to train your body to handle that sort of strain.
Exercise Examples
- Deadlift
- Clean & jerk
- Endurance-related training (carrying heavy weights long distances)
- Overall muscle training
- Practical applications like chopping and hauling wood
8. Parkour
Don’t laugh. We know you just pictured Steve Carell somersaulting over couches while yelling “parkour” in “The Office,” but training this particular skill could save your life. Parkour, also known as free-running, gives you a unique way to navigate obstacles that might be in your way. Skilled free-runners can climb walls, leap from rooftop to rooftop, and be basically untouchable for anyone on the ground. It takes a lot of time and practice to learn how to safely leap from rooftops or run across the tops of pillars, but it is also a full-body workout, equal parts cardio and strength training.
The goal here isn’t just to fling yourself out into the void and hope for the best — it’s to have the strength and flexibility to be totally in control while you’re flying through the air.
Exercise Examples
- Attend a free-running/parkour gym
- Or
- Join a free-running/parkour group
- That’s it. Those are the only suggestions. Learn from experienced free-runners so you can gain skills without hurting yourself badly.
9. Climbing
Can you scale a mountain face or climb over a wall that might be in your way? Climbing — and more importantly, being able to climb safely — is a skill that is often overlooked, but it could mean the difference between life and death in a survival situation.
This is another skill that is equal parts cardio and strength training, but it requires strengthening very specific muscles, such as the ones in your hands, fingers, and forearms. Don’t jump right into trying to free-solo a massive rock face by scaling it without ropes or any safety equipment. Start small and work your way up to that sort of crazy stuff.
Exercise Examples
- Indoor rock climbing
- Outdoor rock climbing/bouldering with an experienced teacher
- Moving rock climbing walls
- Parkour, as scaling walls is one of the skills you’ll gain
10. Balance
When was the last time, as an adult, you tested your balance by navigating a narrow path? It doesn’t necessarily have to be a balance beam or a rope bridge — it could be something as simple as balancing across the top of parking blocks in your grocery store parking lot.
Balance is essential as a survival skill, whether you’re trying not to trip as you carry a heavy load or you have to make your way across a narrow bridge or fallen tree to cross a raging river. Balance is something that you can work on throughout your day without the need for a dedicated workout. Start by standing on one foot as you wait in line at the store or while you’re standing at the sink washing dishes.
Exercise Examples
- Gymnastics, specifically balance-focused events like the balance beam
- Tai chi and other martial arts
- Balance exercises designed for seniors to help them avoid falls
11. Self-Defense
Having all the guns and ammo in the world isn’t going to help you if you can’t reach your weapons or don’t know how to use them. Self-defense courses — especially those that focus on close-quarters combat — can help save your life if you find yourself facing off with another person for supplies, shelter, or any other reason. Opt for a broad range of skills rather than focusing on just one branch of martial arts, simply because you never know what might serve you best in an emergency or survival situation.
Exercise Examples
- Sign up for a local self-defense class
- Explore mixed martial arts classes
- Choose a martial art like Krav Maga that teaches you how to disable your opponent as quickly as possible
- Most of these classes come with accompanying workout recommendations
12. Agility and Coordination
Being the fastest person on the track doesn’t do you a bit of good if you can only run on flat pavement and have to slow down before you can change direction or avoid obstacles. The world isn’t flat, and you won’t always be navigating concrete or pavement in a survival situation.
Having the agility to switch directions or avoid obstacles, and the coordination to accomplish these tasks without sending yourself sprawling, are all part of the task of survival. They aren’t easy, but they’re something you can usually work toward while honing other skills.
Exercise Examples
- Agility exercises, such as those designed for football players
- Obstacle courses and races
- Box jumps
- HIIT workouts
13. Speed
Speed, agility, and coordination all tend to go hand in hand, but that doesn’t make one more or less important than the others. Speed is just as important, especially if you’re worried about escaping an assailant or making good time across a barren wasteland where you’re likely to be spotted if you stop.
The best way to work on speed is to focus on the rest of the exercises we’ve mentioned so far. You can’t manage speed if you don’t have a good foundation or the endurance to maintain it for long periods. Build your foundation of endurance and distance, and you’ll find it easier to reach the speeds you need.
Exercise Examples
- Endurance workouts
- Distance running
- Sprints
- HIIT workouts
14. Jumping
Jumping, and more importantly, landing without injury, are essential skills you’ll want to hone for any survival situation. You need to know how to jump from a standstill and from a running start, as well as how to get either height or distance, depending on the situation. You need to know how to land correctly, how to fall if necessary, and how to get right back up and try it again.
It sounds simple, but a lot of physics goes into a successful jump. Practicing these skills can help ensure you’ll have them if you need them, and you won’t end up hurting yourself trying.
Exercise Examples
- Box jumps
- Broad jumps
- Parkour
- Squats and lunges
Be Ready for Anything
It’s hard to prepare for a specific SHTF scenario because we don’t really know how the world is going to end. The best way to prepare is to take the time to be ready for anything. That should include strength and cardio training as well as other more specific exercises like swimming, HIIT, jumps, and yes, even parkour. You never know what you might encounter, so the more skills you have in your toolbelt, the more likely your survival becomes.
[Note: This was a guest post.]
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