[shrink4]

I try to stay fit for multiple reasons, including surviving a SHTF situation. I am in good cardiovascular shape, but am not very muscular (I have tried weight lifting, but do not build muscle easily).

My question is, how important do you think muscular strength is vs cardiovascular shape? If you work-out, what is your focus?

 

[Adam]

My bias is towards muscular strength, since I really loathe running. Cardio is good, but most likely in dire times you will be hauling a lot of heavy things and running from zombies or politicians. So both are important in the end.

I focus on core and arms mostly, my legs are tanks thanks to years of gov't abuse. I try to procrastinate on cardio as often as possible. But in the end I try to keep a balance of both. SHTF or not, I feel great.

 

[Operator6]

Weight training with little rest between sets working out two muscle groups per workout.

Chest and triceps

Back and biceps

Leg and ab day

Workouts are intense for 45 min to an hour.

The other 4 days are for stretching and walking.

High protein and medium carb diet.

If I'm not getting sore then I'm not doing enough. Once every couple months I take a week off and just stretch and walk.

 

[shrink4]

Weight training with little rest between sets working out two muscle groups per workout.

Chest and triceps

Back and biceps

Leg and ab day

Workouts are intense for 45 min to an hour.

The other 4 days are for stretching and walking.

High protein and medium carb diet.

If I'm not getting sore then I'm not doing enough. Once every couple months I take a week off and just stretch and walk.

You sound very dedicated. How long have you been at it?

 

[Operator6]

You sound very dedicated. How long have you been at it?

16 years but had to take a few months off once because I hurt my elbow.....not workout related. I bruised my ulnar nerve.....I still worked out but couldn't use that arm.

I workout to failure. Burn the muscle completely.

 

[dontbuypotteryfromme]

Do a bit of both. Mostly plate kettle bell and body weight stuff. Both are important. Find an exercise you enjoy.

 

[Sue Doh Myn]

Most people who worked outside all their lives were pretty lean. Look at old pictures of trappers and homesteaders - not many weightlifters.

 

[jihiggs]

I am pretty over weight right now so my primary goal is to get down to a healthy weight. Once I get there, I will focus on strength and endurance. I am not built for running, I'm built for lifting heavy things.

 

[BJJ_Grappler]

Do a bit of both. Mostly plate kettle bell and body weight stuff. Both are important. Find an exercise you enjoy.

I bought some kettle bell handles from New York Barbell. Any suggestions for exercises that you like?

 

[dontbuypotteryfromme]

I bought some kettle bell handles from New York Barbell. Any suggestions for exercises that you like?

We do a 5 min set. For mma
1arm swings.
2 arm swings.
Figure 8s
Squats.
Upright row
2handed lift and press.(lion kings)
Curls. (Get the girls)
Flick and press.
Push ups 1hand on the bell.

3sets of five should stuff you.

 

[McGuyversurvivor]

my goals,,
1. quit smoking so I can run uphill
2. touch my toes

 

[MooseMax]

I am in good cardiovascular shape, but am not very muscular (I have tried weight lifting, but do not build muscle easily).

My question is, how important do you think muscular strength is vs cardiovascular shape?

Being muscular is an obvious benefit, but i wouldn't stress over your physique, because you can still be strong without looking big.. as this 110 lb. 17 year old girl demonstrates: :thumb:

Besides strength & cardio capacity, i think it's important to also have a diverse set of coordination skills. The ultimate example is martial arts, where skill frequently trumps brute strength.

Lately i've been seeing the value (and enjoyment) of obstacle course-type exercises .. like Tough Mudder, Warrior Dash, American Ninja Warrior type stuff. Lots of useful survival skills get trained in those. And you can do a lot of it at a playground.

I'm a trainer at gym by the way.

 

[Life at the Beach]

Adding muscle to my legs, primarily my quads, adding some width and meat to my arms

 

[junglecrawler]

my goals,,
1. quit smoking so I can run uphill
2. touch my toes

It's all good, brother. We all have to start somewhere.

My cardio comes first, with strength training right after. The cardio is intense, and the strength training is to point of failure for each set. Most of the cardio is running, ropework or fighting, while most of the strength is free body, with some dumbbells for arms and kettlebells for shoulders/back.

The philosophy is that in SHTF we'll be needing all these things combined. The body will be shocked into actions in routines it's normally not comfortable with, and out of order. For distance runs I tack on an extra minute every time, eventually getting back to distance racing requirements.

Today was: A distance run; pull ups; pushups on bars (for extra stretch/compression); hanging rows from the pullup bar; dips; crunches and leg raises.

Tomorrow: Agonizing sprint exercises I read from Forrest Griffin's 'Got Fight?'; shoulders and back using kettlebells; arm curls; speed bag.

Then there's fighting several times a week.

Admitting that I'm human here, and fall of the wagon occasionally. Warm housecoats and cups of coffee beckon. Holidays and sensible eating are not good friends.

 

[jojo64155]

I've focused on weights and martial arts for some time, and I feel that I've let the cardio side go way to far..
My primary goal is to get more cardio, my secondary is to get my lifts back to early 30's levels. I had some real good lifts back then, I'd like to repeat one of them anyway..

 

[penguinman000]

my goals,,
1. quit smoking so I can run uphill
2. touch my toes

The person that can barely lift a bar in the gym or can only do 1-2 laps at the track is leaps and bounds ahead of the person still sitting on the couch. :thumb: People with modest fitness goals are more likely to succeed than those who make the dramatic New Year's eve resolutions.
-----------------------------------------
I'm on a powerlifting kick right now. For the longest time I focused on cardio and "routine" strength training. I switched to powerlifting simply to see how strong I could get. Never tried and figured I would give it a shot.

It's been working out well for me, I've gotten my 1RM on squats up to 300, bench up to 245, and my dead lift is 250 for 6 reps (haven't maxed out yet on these). This is a gain of more than 80 lbs on my squat, 45lbs on my bench, and more than 100lbs on my dead lift in the last 8 months. All without chemical assistance. I know these aren't huge numbers but they are serious improvement for me.

 

[penguinman000]

I bought some kettle bell handles from New York Barbell. Any suggestions for exercises that you like?

If you haven't checked out youtube yet, its worth it. Lots of great routines on there. Since you are a BJJ guy I would recommend checking out Steve Maxwell's videos (he is a BJJ BB and very informed on personal training).

Pavel's books are good but cost too much for what you get (half the books are advertisements).

 

[dontbuypotteryfromme]

my goals,,
1. quit smoking so I can run uphill
2. touch my toes

Running up hills is very simple but super effective.

Our hill sprints have broken more people than any other exercise

 

[shrink4]

Thank you

Being muscular is an obvious benefit, but i wouldn't stress over your physique, because you can still be strong without looking big.. as this 110 lb. 17 year old girl demonstrates: :thumb:

Thanks for this. I am a woman and have always had a hard time building muscle. I don't look very intimidating.

 

[shrink4]

flexibility?

my goals,,
1. quit smoking so I can run uphill
2. touch my toes

Very few mention flexibility. Would it help in a SHTF situation? I do not think it would hurt. I have never met a yoga instructor who was not in phenominal shape.