If you are interested in survivalism, you probably know that surviving a natural disaster or civil war takes a minimum of preparation. You will need to start by equipping yourself well, but also knowing how to surround yourself with precious allies. But optimal physical condition and sports training focused on the skills you will need to move forward, hide, and defend yourself is also essential.
A good survivalist must show adaptability, robustness, but also agility, and self-confidence. However, the goal is not to become a confirmed weightlifter. Quite simply, an athlete in good physical shape and with a healthy lifestyle to deal with all eventualities. Because survival is as much in the body as in the head that it happens.
To help you see more clearly, we’ve developed a Survivalism Training Program that will allow you to focus on the qualities you need to acquire. Follow the guide!
What are the points to work on to train for survivalism?
The most important thing in dealing with a survival situation is to be in good physical condition. You must therefore have a balanced build, that is to say, neither too massive nor too thin. Your survivalism training will also allow you to acquire certain essential skills to move, and in particular:
- endurance: you will have to walk great distances and for long periods. But also cover uneven, sloping terrain, or covered with snow or sand;
- versatility: survival means knowing how to face obstacles. And so learn to fall, crawl, roll, or move on your stomach. A good survivalist should also be comfortable in the water or with night hiking;
- muscle power: you will of course have to work on your strength (both pure, either your muscle strength, as your speed). But we’ll take a closer look at it right away.
Why develop muscle power?
Muscle power is interesting in survivalism and in particular the weight/power ratio. In fact, depending on your body weight, you will have more ease in moving (walking, climbing) if your muscle power is equivalent. Also, be careful not to confuse power and muscle mass.
You will however need a minimum of volume to increase your muscle power. With the main advantages of:
- exerting intense physical effort (such as breaking down a door or breaking a window);
- have a store of fat mass if you are undernourished;
- generate heat if you are in a cold area;
- accustom your body to intense and constant physical exertion.
Flexibility, balance, and agility
The good news is, you don’t have to be a mountain of muscle to survive in a harsh environment. Flexibility is also very important. Indeed, a flexible body will be more enduring, and more agile. Your muscles can also accumulate more tension and tire less quickly.
By working on your flexibility, you will improve the elasticity of your muscles, have fuller movements, and be more stable on your supports. Flexibility also has no direct drawbacks (unlike muscle mass).
Balance is also something that you can work on by training, and in particular by developing your muscle power and flexibility. This will help you prevent falls and recover better after exercise. But also to carry heavy loads.
How to train
Now let’s move on to practice. To improve your balance and flexibility, and build muscle mass, you will need to train. If you have a physical job, that’s already good news. But a voluntary training program is essential, especially for strength.
The Lafay method is interesting because it plays on your versatility and your adaptability. You will not need any material to practice it, and it will make you work on all the points we mentioned above through different exercises.
His approach to physical training is also relatively gentle. You are not going to strain your muscles or unbalance your body, which is the reverse of the philosophy of survivalism. It also cancels out the stress, both physical and psychological, of many physical pieces of training, while still allowing a fairly rapid progression.
Crossfit to train for survivalism
Crossfit is a little more radical, but still a very effective method for training survivalism. By combining athletics, gym, and bodybuilding, you will get versatile training and above all based on resourcefulness. You will also work on your respiratory endurance, muscle strength, but also your speed, and balance. In short, all the qualities of a good survivalist.
On the other hand, your personal investment will be more intense, and you must at least have a little experience in the sport. It is nevertheless an interesting choice because it is efficient and versatile, and which will prepare you for any physical effort in emergency and survival situations.
Combat sports
Certain combat sports such as Krav Maga or Taekwondo may be relevant for training in survivalism. They allow you to work the whole body (both the legs and the trunk). But also to improve your endurance, your balance, but also your power.
It is also a considerable asset in certain emergency situations, and a good way to prevent and deal with falls. On the other hand, the training will generally be done with several people and indoors, which is not always practical. But if you’re looking for a way to improve your self-confidence and learn to listen to your body, martial arts are for you.
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