Personal fitness milestone...

[Brandon]

I just rode ten miles on my bicycle today!

I was disgusted with myself and started to get serious about it. I was tired of fixing my old bike and it was interfering with my pacing so I went and bought a new one. Best thing I have done for myself in quite a while.

I started off at about 3 miles and added about .5 to 1 mile a day by going to the next hilltop.

It isn't showing on the scale yet (which I consider a good thing at the moment) but I can tell I have lost weight in my face and I've gained a notch on my belt.

Just had to tell someone,

Thanks,

Brandon

[Biker]

Good on you, man. Congrats!:)
Biker

[Thefabulousfink]

Good for you, I am just coming off of 3 months of physical thearapy for a back injury an another 3 month of lazyness.:rolleyes: I use to be in pretty good shape, but now I have to make that long, hard climb all over again.

I am not a big bike rider, but I use to do it quite often. Set aside a Saturday and try a 25 mile ride, it's not that hard if you take your time; pack a lunch it's lots of fun.

To keep this related to the forum, what do people consider "good shape" for survival if things suddenly turn bad. In my opinion the minimum level of fitness for a SHTF would be something like this:

Be able to sprint 100 yards
Be able to run 2 mi
Be able to complete 10 pull-up (needed for climbing)
Hike 10-15 mi in a day (with a pack)

I didn't include any times b/c different people will take different amounts of time. I think that if a person can do those activities, they should be fit enough to handle most SHTF

What do you think?

[Balog]

Good for you! It's hard to keep a healthy lifestyle; unless you do something silly like, say, join the Marine infantry.:)

As for what is fit enough.... It may be the Corps talking, but I'd put the run to 3 miles at a good pace. I've seen guys "run" about as fast as my arthritic grandmother walks. Pullups are good, but can be misleading. They favor lean wiry types. 10-15 miles isn't that far, depending on the pack's weight. If you do nothing but hike for a fairly full day (10-12 hours) w/ a moderate weight (50-60 lbs) pack, I'd shoot for 20-30 miles depending on terrain and weather.

[Brandon]

I can outwalk most people even with a 50 lb pack, I just never lost weight doing it.

I needed the cardio aspect of the bike, my heartrate just never gets that high when I walk.

I consider 10-15 mile/day pretty good walking, but I made 10 miles in just a short time this afternoon.

[trickyasafox]

congrats man. you always feel better after you work out.

[Thefabulousfink]

I am not talking about getting into war-fighting shape, just the minimum for your everyday person. 2 or 3 miles is splitting hairs, the idea is you can get away from trouble reasonably quick (for a person on foot). The idea behind pull-ups is that you can lift you body weight up to get over a ledge (and do it more than once). Hiking: I have been hiking most of my life and 20 mi in a day is quite possible, however, when I have taken people new to hiking out and have found that 15 mi is the farthest that people in good shape can do before they physically quit. After a few days that improves, but the average person can only be expected to go about 15 mi unless they have done a lot of hiking.

[mmike87]

I lost 60 pounds in 7 months bike riding several years ago.

I went from 235 to 175. I am about 178 today, several years later - when I started working out on the home gym I actually gained a few pounds, muscle I assume (hope!).

This winter I have been doing the Parabody gym and 30 minutes on the eliptic machine, alternating every day, and walk about 2 1/2 miles at lunch several days a week. I also jog a bit, usually about 5 miles or so.

I always park out in the boonies in parking lots and always take the stairs. Little things add up over time.

[SMLE]

I really need to get my bike back on the road. It's great excercise if you have less than fit knees.

FYI: Get a bike that FITS! Then set it up properly. Use your gears and try to stay aerobic as much as you can, avoid the "burn". Try to ride for at least an hour. This does two things; One, is it helps force your body to use stored fat for fuel. Two, it makes your muscles use more of their fibers, and therefore makes them more efficient.

I'll also need to come up with a rifle scabbard for one of my Lee Enfields. Hmmm, across the handlebars, or alongside the forks? :rolleyes:

[rdbrowning]

"I was tired of fixing my old bike and it was interfering with my pacing so I went and bought a new one."

So what did you get, Honda, Harley, Yamaha...?

[Cosmoline]

I got out of the bike riding habit when I moved up to the big icecube. I've seen folks brave enough to ride on sheets of ice, but I'm not one of them. Gravity and I don't get along as well as we used to, and I used up all nine of my lives in my 20's. I try to focus on hiking and walking as much as possible, though it's far too easy to become a cave dweller in the cold dark months up here. In past summers I've tried to make a target milestone, usually climbing some small peak in the chugach not over 4,000 foot vertical rise from the trailhead. That's more than enough for me. This winter I blew out my left knee and my bones have started feeling their age, so I'm adjusting my elevation down a bit and lengthening my goal. I'm planning on retracing an old trade route from the mouth of Indian Creek to the headwaters of Ship Creek and then, trail condition permitting, into Anchorage from the north.
The scouting I did on that trail this past fall was pretty dismal, though. It's in bad shape and I'm in worse.

[30-06 lover]

Congrats

[30-06 lover]

Congrats!!!

[greg700]

Congratulations

Just remember that at first you will put on muscle as you shed fat so you may not see much weight loss at first.

[Oldtimer]

Bike riding is a relatively low-impact way of staying in shape. So is swimming. If you feel the need to run, try to do it on something other than concrete or asphalt!

A good friend of mine was a weight lifter for many years, and strong as an ox. He added bike riding to his regimen, and started losing weight, but still maintained his strength. I got him started with swimming, to work on his cardio-vascular, and he's now taking 75-mile bike rides!

[ravencon]

Congratulations! I'm sure that there are more than a few of us THRs that would benefit from putting in more time at physically challenging activity than keyboarding or even (gasp) time at the range.

[riverdog]

Back when I lived in Alexandria I bought a mountain bike and replaced the knob tires with 2' slicks. It was a good combo for me. Good bike paths in NoVA along the Potomac. My longest was a 30 mile ride from my place to George Washington's place at Mt Vernon, side streets and the bike path. Took about 2 hrs. Back then I also ran 4 miles every other day. The trick to going distance is to take lots of water and don't stop.
To keep this related to the forum, what do people consider "good shape" for survival if things suddenly turn bad. In my opinion the minimum level of fitness for a SHTF would be something like this:Be able to sprint 100 yards
Be able to run 2 mi
Be able to complete 10 pull-up (needed for climbing)
Hike 10-15 mi in a day (with a pack)Don't set an upper limit. Just get on your bike and go, you don't need to go fast, just don't impose an artificial reason to stop. In a real survival situation, your limit may be where you die. Think about that when you set a fitness goal.

Now that you've gone 10 miles, go 15 or 20. Next, start riding every other day and on your off days walk 4 or 5 or 10 miles (100 calories per mile whether your walking or running) and work on upper body doing push-ups, pull-ups and sit-ups -- do lots of sit-ups. I hate 'em too, but I can crank out 120 in 2 minutes and I'm 54 yo.

[Davo]

Thats a great way to get into shape without hurting your knees. Its also more fun than walking.
I started my fitness quest last sept, and now have lost over 40 lbs, and am MUCH stronger. I used to be nearly dead after "jogging" a mile, the other day I did 3 consecutive miles in record time. I ride frequently, and go for hikes to the top of a local mountain, each time trying to better my last time. Its very encouraging to see improvments. Its also said that being in good shape makes you a better shot, which is good because I need all the help I can get.
I need a new stick to beat all the ladies away, the old one has now worn out;)

[RiverwinoIA]

Pullups are good, but can be misleading. They favor lean wiry types.

so does climbing... :neener:

[Davo]

Hey riverwino, im going to joshua tree on monday for some climbing and rappeling:D

[MSgt B]

I once had a SERE instructor tell me "Hit the ground running"

He said "If you can cover three miles in 30 minutes over any terrain, day or night, you've got it made"

That has always been the standard I use for personal fitness. I guess it would also come in handy for basic SHTF.

I could even do it once....many moons ago.

[SRMohawk]

Sarge,
Is that with or without a 40-60 lb pack and a long gun (e.g. tactical rifle or shotgun)?

[old4x4]

I'd like to drop 30 lbs AND do a 50 mile bike ride sometime. I've done 31 mile ones during the summer, maybe once every 2 weeks (it's a round trip to my gunshop and if I'm gonna ride that far, I'm gonna buy something!! :D )
My older brother (formerly 80-90 lbs heavier than me), has lost almost all of that and I'll be damned if he's going to wear a smaller pants size than me!!!!! Thus my new diet!

[Balog]

It's been mentioned before, but I wanted to re-emphasize it. Biking and swimming are superior to straight running because of the lessened impact and joint stress. Swimming is also more strenous and lots of fun IMHO.

Just keep working and be persistent. Any type of physical activity, be it running marathons or walking the dog briskly, will pay dividends; but only if you keep it up. A regiment that takes longer to show results or that maintains a lower level of fitness is better than a hardcore program you won't keep up with. Integrate it into your lifestyle.

[dm1333]

A few years back I hurt my shoulder so badly I couldn't even run. Eventually I was able to get on a bike and lose my padding. Since then I ride on the road and offroad, and to work at least twice a week. I like to run too, but you almost never see somebody on two wheels looking like they hate what they are doing. Can't say the same about running.

[NMshooter]

If you can walk continously for one hour on the sidewalk you are in ok shape.

If you can maintain 4 mph. you are doing better.

If you can carry a 60 lb. pack through 20 mi. of rough mountain terrain in a single day you are doing better than me.:)

Running often does more damage than good, especially to the knees, and stay away from concrete. Swimming probably gives you the most complete workout with the least impact on your joints, but it can be hard to find places to swim for exercise.

[Don Gwinn]

Cycling is fantastic stuff. I've lost over 100 pounds in the last year and a half (though I've put about ten back on this winter.)

Last summer I rode in my first century. I had planned on doing 40 miles. When I got to the turning point, I didn't want to go back. I did 63 instead, the "metric century." (100 kilometers.) This year I'm doing the 100 mile century.

When I started last summer, I hadn't been for a real bike ride since I was a kid and 4-5 miles was a real workout. I remember my first ten mile ride very well. . . it was a HUGE deal to go that far. It was only a couple of months later that I discovered that 30 miles hurt, but it was doable. . . . and a week after that I did 63. If you're working hard and using a quality bike (not the super-expensive stuff, about the price of a new Glock or less) you'll be shocked at how fast your fitness builds. I couldn't believe it.

[aguyindallas]

I am going to share my milestone also.

At the first of the year, I made up my mind to make a change. I decided I was not going to buy bigger pants so I could CCW IWB for one thing.

Anyway, a gym membership and a much better diet has allowed me to shed 30 pounds since Jan 1.

I am at a plateau now, so I have been increasing my routine a bit to try and get a jumpstart again.

20 more to go....

[Brandon]

My schoold is about 12 miles from the house, the plan is to have my wife drop me off with the truck on her way to work then I ride home 3-4 times a week. Then she can take my route home and make sure I make it ok. Saves gas and give me motivation.:)

I wore out a diamond back steel frame over the course of about 6 years and I got tired of fooling with it over the last 2 and it shows.

I bought a trek 6500 aluminum, it has really good components and rides really smooth. I took off the knobbies and put on balloon slicks. I love road bikes but they really don't suit my riding style or the road conditions here.

I carry my snub .30 in my pocket and pepper spray clipped outside my pocket for the time being. My regular carry piece doesn't fit that well in my pocket. Still debating what I will do about defense on the way home from school.

[lbmii]

I noticed that being in shape greatly increases my accuracy during unsupported standing position shooting with pistols, shotguns and rifles.

I just got back from New Zealand from a job related trip. In my spare time I rented a bike and went all over Auckland.

http://www.thehighroad.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=37294&stc=1&d=1142817621

[MSgt B]

I once had a SERE instructor tell me "Hit the ground running"

He said "If you can cover three miles in 30 minutes over any terrain, day or night, you've got it made"

That has always been the standard I use for personal fitness. I guess it would also come in handy for basic SHTF.

I could even do it once....many moons ago.
__________________
MSgt B

Sarge,
Is that with or without a 40-60 lb pack and a long gun (e.g. tactical rifle or shotgun)?

No long gun or heavy ruck.
Standard combat boots and about 30+ lbs of miscellaneous crap. (Radio, 9mm, water bottles, etc. etc..)

[JamisJockey]

Good for you!
I used to be 195 (Not much? I'm 5'3"! ), and am now at my winter 'fat' weight of 160. I ride a few thousand miles a year during spring/summer/fall. It gets addicting.
As for the weight, you're probably building muscle first. Some people, depending on body type, even gain weight at first. Start stepping up your speed a little bit (consider buying a cyclometer if you don't have one), as well as your distance. If you can ride 12 miles, you can ride 15. Once you can ride 15, 20 isn't that hard. I feel that 20 is a good number, plus intervals.
If you feel ready, try doing intervals. 3x30x3, max effort, 3x a week. This means 3 max effort intervals for 30 seconds, with 3 minutes in between. Do this for about 2 weeks, and then step it up to 4. Then 5. Then, 3x1x3 for about 3 weeks. Next, go to 5x1x3's. You're going to get fast doing this, so you might end up wanting to ride more :neener:
Being fit will absolutely contribute to your well being. Having the aerobic ability to last a few minutes of hard effort could save your life in a fight.

Cyclocross barriers during a race

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y88/Atc1man/cycling/Jasononthebarriers10-26-03.jpg

Riding in Kamas, Ut (I'm on the left)

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y88/Atc1man/cycling/Kamas10-18-20031.jpg

Top o' the world, ma!

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y88/Atc1man/cycling/P1010918.jpg

[trickyasafox]

(not the super-expensive stuff, about the price of a new Glock or less) you'll be shocked at how fast your fitness builds. I couldn't believe it.

you might be on a gun forum if:

you use the cost of firearms to determine price, rather then putting down an actual amount

[riverdog]

The mountain bike I bought in 1991 cost more than a Glock costs now. Lightweight Cro-Moly frame, high-end drive train. Trust me, you can feel the different quality. I still prefer Cro-Moly to aluminum. Cro-Moly flexes and absorbs shock whereas aluminum sends it straight into you. My next bike will be a Surly (http://www.surlybikes.com/).

[Working Man]

Good deal.

I always liked push-up myself. If you do them with correct form they will let
you know where else you need work. Do enough of them and you will start
feeling it in your back and legs. There is enough variety that can be done to
make a good workout. Best part, no cost of equipment.

Physical fitness is just as important as a good BOB or a good CCW, IMO.

[PCGS65]

Right now I'm putting on a lot of miles in the woods shed hunting. Then when the weather warms up I'll be cycling. Gotta keep the legs in shape for hunting.