Top Physical Condition!!!??

[combatantr2]

I thought this would br appropriate under 'strats & tacs', but if not, mods feel free to take this out.

Its obvious that most THR members if not all are very well prepared, logistically, with regard to firearm preparedness, possible SHTF scenarios, with complete back-up plan even to relocate to planet Mars in case of any eventuality. But im wondering if your also physically prepared.

Since January this year 07, I have been doing extra long walks, reduce food intake, more fruits and veggies, even sometimes leaving the car at home, in the hope of getting myself into complete fighting form, getting back to the right weight, just not to feel slow, and to feel truly prepared for any eventuality. Both in firearms training, support defense material and the physical aspect. Got me to thinking that all is really a waste, the guns and rifles, tactics and training, and all if your not in top physical shape. I reckon that maintaining yourself in top condition is equally important in preparing yourself in firearms application in possible armed confrontations.

So, I encourage everyone to be physically fit. You need it, your family needs you.

 

[Henry Bowman]

Same here, though I started in February. I don't look or feel "fat," medically checked out OK, but I had no aerobic stamina for stairs or running. I'm changing that. Getting fit for "tactical" reasons.

 

[Devonai]

I know a few gentlemen down at Fort Benning who will get you in top physical condition, and they will pay you to do it.

A simpler idea that works for me is to have a set of weights in front of my TV. I am in the habit of banging out a few reps of three or four exercises every day. I put the weights within the line of sight of my TV so that they're always on my mind when I'm watching. It works for me.

 

[Library Guy]

Lifting ammo for a better you

This is a good topic and one I’ve often pondered when I see guys at the range smoking cigarettes and getting out of breath walking to and from the 100 yard line. If we had a 200 yard line at my club there might even be fatalities.

I’m not a health Nazi by any means. But I am aware of all the people who prepare for the next zombie incursion while ignoring the threat we pose to ourselves with our sloth and poor diet.

Want to protect your family? Drive carefully. Wear your seatbelt. See your doctor regularly. Lock your doors. Take a first aid/CPR course. Take regular walks. Lay off the burgers. Quit smoking and buy a new gun with your cigarette savings.

Oh, and ammo cans are great for weight training.

 

[TallPine]

If I was in top physical condition I wouldn't need a gun

I'm in pretty good shape for the shape I'm in - that being a degenerative muscle condition My problem is too thin, not too fat.

But I still go out on several mile walks in the hills with my dogs on good days, and still manage to ride my horse. But I'm pretty much worthless in the mornings until the ibuprofen kicks in.

 

[Mainsail]

I think the idea that someone has a complete bug-out-bag and considers themselves prepared for whatever might come along, while at the same time being so …uh, let’s use, ‘unfit’, is a bit silly.

Here’s my weekly workout schedule:
Monday; Run 4½ miles (45 minutes) at lunch. After work, push/pull the weights for 1½ to 2 hours.
Tuesday; Bike, rollerblade, or yard work depending on the weather
Wednesday; Repeat of Monday
Thursday; Repeat of Tuesday
Friday; Repeat of Wednesday
Saturday and Sunday; Long bike ride, yard work, and or (preferably) long wilderness hike

 

[tasco 74]

what'dya mean i'm not in shape...... ROUND IS A SHAPE!!!! seriously i have never smoked and i walk every where i go but in the last few years i have put on weight and lost stamina so bad i don't know how i'd survive in a crisis........ i can shoot pretty accuately with the weapons i own though.......

 

[learningman]

I've been on the tread mill since Jan.. After it wasn't making me sweat enough I started walking varing inclines with my hunting pack on with everything I usually cary plus my hunting rifle stapped to the pack as well. That has stopped giving me the desired results so this week I started running up the hills behind my house. I've always battled my weight and have had enough. My main goal was to make sure I live to see my kids grow up, but the extra benefit's of being healthy and fit support other actions as well. Good luck in all your efforts.

 

[DogBonz]

Top shape...

Not so much any more, but I'm not out of shape. At 5-11 185, I could loose a few pounds, and I hate, repeat, hate to run, so even though biking 20 or so miles in an hour and a half barely winds me any more, running more that a mile or two kicks my butt. I do hike a lot though, and have done 20-25 mile hikes in a day with a 20 pound pack, although the last one of those was 3 years ago. I also lift weights, but not as often as I should. I just prefer to be outdoors.

 

[vintage68]

Reminds me of that fat, out of shape cop we all watched on the news running with his AR while the events at Virginia Tech were going down. How a guy could be a police officer and be that out of shape is beyond me. Don't police officers have to pass annual PT tests or something?

A cautionary tale for us all....

 

[El Tejon]

Move around a bunch, don't eat so much. Hard to do in America. When I was studying German in high school we had to translate a fable about "lazy land", where no one worked and food was everywhere. When I think of that fable, I think of modern America, where the poorer you are, the fatter you are.

com, lots of gym rats here at THR. We talk about being fit continually, http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=32879&highlight=Gunercise

 

[bb21]

Can of Worms

Well I have quite a bit to say on this subject, first of all I have a degree in Exercise Science, a certified Personal Trainer, and somewhat of a health nut, so I am opinionated on this matter to say the least.
1st of all we are all at a greater risk for some type of health issue than an actual physical confrontation where deadly force will come into play.
2nd of all we all talk of the best strategy being to avoid a conflict or retreat to a safer place. When a confrontation takes place we need to be able to react quickly and I think most would agree the better shape we are in the quicker we can react, or retreat. I would hope most people who truly think "Tactically" will try to gain every possible advantage including being in top physical shape. With that being said I understand that the average person will not be able to run a mile in under 6 minutes, or bench 250 10 times. What I would recommend is that everyone should get a minimum of 20 minutes of exercise 3 times per week, but 40 minutes 4 times a week would be better. Higher intensity is better and if you were really strapped on time 15 minute high intensity runs 3 times a week would get you by, and for some people this may be all they need to get into pretty good shape. We should take all precautions and do what it takes to gain every advantage possible, including being healthy. Just my $.02.

 

[El Tejon]

My Wing Chun club has been into this guy's exercise program: http://www.rossboxing.com/

The training is intense, the exercises can be done anywhere including a garage where we do it, the slegdehammer training is nuts and burns flab like a furnace, and, as a bonus, I sleep better now.

One thing I like to mention is the importance of stretching out. You see guys in gun school unable to affect proper shooting positions because of lack of suppleness or braying about how stiff and sore they are on the second or third day of class. Yoga works! http://www.sunshineyogafitness.com/

 

[glockman19]

NO. I need/would like to lose 20 lbs. Just started a diet and exercize.

 

[CannibalCrowley]

Got me to thinking that all is really a waste, the guns and rifles, tactics and training, and all if your not in top physical shape. I reckon that maintaining yourself in top condition is equally important in preparing yourself in firearms application in possible armed confrontations.

Judging by the number of members who need a 46" or greater gunbelt or can't use Smartcarry because their belly gets in the way, a lot of people on this board wouldn't agree with you.

 

[ball3006]

I have been a competitive powerlifter....

since 1992. I still compete at 63 years old and lift between 1000 and 1100 lbs in a meet. I can't do stairs anymore but can walk forever.......oh, according to the government, I am severely obiest........6' 250 lbs......yeah, right....chris3

 

[tanksoldier]

I used to do a schedule of Birkam yoga 5x/ week, and running or weight lifting on alternate days... running or weights in the AM, Bikramin the PM.

Since my injury I've gotten WAY out of shape, but I'm slowly working on getting it back.


http://www.bikramyoga.com/

 

[El Tejon]

Bikram five times a week!

That's inspirational.

 

[Richmond]

physical training

I heartily agree that a strong base of functional fitness is important preparation for a SHTF scenario. As mentioned in the self defense thread, I am a martial arts/physical training nut, and don't suggest my regimen to others.

At 53, I slimmed down from 195 2 years ago when I was power-lifting (following a shoulder injury), I work out a couple of hours daily in martial arts and bodyweight/dumbell/sledgehammer/medicine ball type training.

What I want to offer is walking and hiking with a weight vest as a superior training method. The weighted pack, which I also sometimes use, is OK, but a quality training vest, such as the V-Max http://www.weightvest.com/ allows you to train with the vest on in a lot of body weight exercises, and distributes the weights on the upper body without any pressure points, like you get even with a great pack.

I call it "walking the dogs" - I take my two young labs and hike about 1 hour daily in hilly, rocky terrain with a 60# weight vest plus about an 8# BOB. A lot of it is in a wooded park that has about 15 miles of hiking/mountain bike trails and about 550 feet of elevation to play with. Some of the climbing is scrambling with hands and feet. Currently, at 5-9, 31.5 inch waist (1.5 inch more than when I was swimming competitively in college), 43 inch chest, resting heart rate of 38-40, low cholesterol and about 12% body-fat by the caliper test, which is pretty low for a guy my age. The funny thing is, once you are conditioned, it feels very natural - I throw on the vest, go hike, run and climb, and it feels natural - just "walking the dogs".

I also think that, combined with the bodyweight regimen, this is a very "functional" form of fitness, as opposed to "gym" fit.

 

[trueblue1776]

"Try To Ban My Guns Nancy Pelosi!" -Arnold Voice

(If I went to jail, I guess that would sort of be a ban....)

I agree, a gun won't protect you from a heart attack. I think staying on top physically is the basis for a mans life, it is natural.

Fat people at tactical schools crack me up.

 

[don]

Ball 3006 Don't feel too bad about your weight. According to the weight charts in doctor's offices at least my cardiologist's office any competitive bodybuilder is way overweight. Incidentally good totals for a 63 year old.

 

[Soap]

Got me to thinking that all is really a waste, the guns and rifles, tactics and training, and all if your not in top physical shape. I reckon that maintaining yourself in top condition is equally important in preparing yourself in firearms application in possible armed confrontations.

So very true. I find it ironic that at gunshows the vibe there is to be watching out for the U.N./Black Helicopers/Chinese invasion when really most of those people need to be watching out for heart disease.

 

[ID_shooting]

Not all heavy people are weak or untrained.

I agree that most large people are not all that active, but I am an exception. After multiple surgeries by the Army and the joint injuries that preceeded them, I have a hard time pain wise, with high impact work outs. That said, I can still road march (day pack and rifle during hunting season) all day long at a clip that my "healthy" skinny friends have a hard time with.

I still keep my flexibility up and not affraid of hard work like splitting wood, building frames and moving heavy equipment. I am about 40 pounds over where I should be and was allways border line over while in the Army (I was flagged two or three times) and still maxed push-ups and sit-ups and usually ran well under the limit on my PT tests. The big difference is, I am short and really short people carry wieght differently.

I think it has more to do with staying active and not being a couch spud all the time.

 

[TexasP226]

I have a lower back condition that prevents me from running and jumping without great pain, but I walk and bike as much as I can.

 

[Matt King]

In order to lose weight:

1. Eat less.

2. Eat better.

3. Excercise more.

It's really that simple.