Why physical fitness is crucial for survival (and why all preppers need to take good care of their bodies)

Many preppers often underestimate the importance of physical fitness when SHTF. You can learn all there is to know about self-defense techniques or bugging out, but if you can’t defend yourself in an actual fight or even carry your bug out bag for several miles, then all your accumulated knowledge will have been for nothing. In a survival situation, you will need to pull your own weight, which will likely mean intense physical labor. If the situation calls for it, you may need to make a quick evacuation. If you are with other people, you won’t want to be left behind or slow down your group just because you have to stop every few minutes to catch your breath. Improve your chances of survival by learning about the importance of physical fitness. (h/t to BackdoorSurvival.com.)

Being physically fit keeps you healthy in your everyday life

This one should be self-explanatory. Intense physical exercise will allow you to achieve and maintain peak physical condition, and prevent the onset of any chronic health conditions. It can even allow you to better engage in physical or manual labor when the situation calls for it. These situations don’t even have to be emergencies. They can be as simple as gardening, assembling furniture, or carrying heavy packages up a flight of stairs. With the right exercise, soon enough you will be able to do more difficult tasks with much less effort. (Related: Physical preparedness is a way of life: Regular physical labor improves your health and chances of survival.)

Being physically fit makes you less of a target

Criminals and desperate folk often look for people they can easily overpower. Those who look weak, small, or frail tend to make easy targets. Of course, looks aren’t everything. Even if you happen to be small in stature, you can still learn how to defend yourself. Some of the best forms of self-defense are Muay Thai, boxing, and Brazilian Jui-Jitsu. Muay Thai is possibly the most effective striking system in the world, while Brazilian Jui-Jitsu how to get your attacker to the ground and make them submit. Boxing teaches you how to land devastating blows while evading your opponent’s attacks.

Being physically fit pushes your body to its limits

Learning your body’s limits is one thing. Being able to reach them is another. Of course, it is important to know your limits. Regardless of what the movies tell you, an adrenaline rush will not magically save you when SHTF. It will give you a boost, but you will probably not be capable of pulling off superhuman feats of strength, especially if you’ve been living a mostly sedentary life prior to that moment. The adrenaline will also wear off eventually, leaving you with very sore and tired muscles. However, if you are capable of reaching the full extent of your body’s limitations, physical feats that previously would have taken an adrenaline rush to accomplish can become regular tasks you can do with ease.

Being physically fit allows your body to better adapt to situations

Cardiovascular fitness and endurance is incredibly important to survival. If you are able to walk or run for hours at a time, you will have an advantage when it comes to fleeing a disaster zone. You will be able to maneuver over harsh terrain with more ease than the average person. If your path is blocked, you will have the agility and stamina to find other routes around the obstacle.

Learn more ways to improve your chances of survival by going to Survival.news.

Sources include:

BackdoorSurvival.com

PrimalSurvivor.net