I am a 16 year old boy that has been interested in fitness and prepping for a long time. I am in great physical shape and am wondering what would be better to have. Explosive power, powerful lifting, sprints and size. Or smaller frame, endurance runs, and not as much explosive power. I definitely fit into the endurance category right now and am wondering what would be better in a close quarters, city style environment.
Urban survival fitness
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Endurance is best. A guy with average strength that won't quit is better then a strong dude that will wear out quick. At the same time a good runner that can't do any thing with some weight on his body is useless as well.
I used to be a big time running, in what most people would consider great shape. Then I joined the Infantry, even by military standards I was in great shape. That is until I strapped a ruck on, then I was the guy at the back busting my ass to not get caught by the fall out truck. I ended up working really hard to bulk up and condition my body to working with weight. This was years ago, now I can keep up with the best of them and am still considered by the military to be in great shape.
Lately I've been focusing very hard on weight training and light running. Due to lack of proper nutrition my body hasn't been able to bulk up as much as I would have liked but that is what it is. When I get back to the states I want to start focusing on a mix of calisthenics, running, rucking, and as gay as it sounds pilates. With the goal being now that I've packed on more muscle mass to keep what I have, tone up, better my endurance, and working on my flexibility while rehabilitating my busted up joints.
I used to be a big time running, in what most people would consider great shape. Then I joined the Infantry, even by military standards I was in great shape. That is until I strapped a ruck on, then I was the guy at the back busting my ass to not get caught by the fall out truck. I ended up working really hard to bulk up and condition my body to working with weight. This was years ago, now I can keep up with the best of them and am still considered by the military to be in great shape.
Lately I've been focusing very hard on weight training and light running. Due to lack of proper nutrition my body hasn't been able to bulk up as much as I would have liked but that is what it is. When I get back to the states I want to start focusing on a mix of calisthenics, running, rucking, and as gay as it sounds pilates. With the goal being now that I've packed on more muscle mass to keep what I have, tone up, better my endurance, and working on my flexibility while rehabilitating my busted up joints.
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Parkour is fantastic for yonug man, the ability to move like that has severla advantages. I would combine it with abit of fighting, boxing or thai boxing and some BJJ for grapling. Once you're old enough then go for armed self defense, but the h2h skills will always be important.
Bulking up and both looking and being strong has a couple important advantages. You're strong, which is a good thing, but you also "look" strong, which means others are less likely to consider a easy/vulnerable target.
FerFAL
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This is a good point. Too much bulk gets in the way and slows you down, and really doesn't make you that much stronger, unless you're specializing in lifting dead weight in some manner. But overall strength is a ratio of strength/weight. Look at gymnasts, for example. Some of the things they do require enormous amounts of strength, but gymnasts are frequently not bulked up at all.
However, perception is everything, and the public perceives large, even fat men as being more dangerous.
As a side note, I have a friend who is 6'7" and many times drunks and idiots will pick on him for a fight because they want to prove something. I'm not huge, but not a small man a 6'2" 200lbs, and I've had my fair share of little guys try to pick fights with me.
But my personal opinion is that it's better to be fast and precise than slow and a bit more powerful. I'm not a warrior, my first plan is always to remove myself from any bad situation and only fight if it's required.
It's also easier to hide if you're smaller.
Az
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Parkour is very cool to watch and I admit, those guys/gals seem to be in great shape with some cool skills. One thing though, I'd like to see how their joints are doing after several years of that stuff. Concrete is very hard and unforgiving. I see lots of bad knees and hips in the future for those people.
For the OP, what others have mentioned is good, a little of both - strength and endurance. Look up some of the Nave Seal's workout routines for some ideas. If you want to hit a gym a couple times per week, stick to large muscle group exercises and exercises that use more than one joint. For example, squats and lunges are a multi-joint exercise (good), a biceps curl is a single joint. You'll get plenty of biceps and triceps work by doing rows and presses.
For the OP, what others have mentioned is good, a little of both - strength and endurance. Look up some of the Nave Seal's workout routines for some ideas. If you want to hit a gym a couple times per week, stick to large muscle group exercises and exercises that use more than one joint. For example, squats and lunges are a multi-joint exercise (good), a biceps curl is a single joint. You'll get plenty of biceps and triceps work by doing rows and presses.
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If at all possible, go for actual boxing or tai boxing combined with BJJ. In my experience its a much better combination than going for KM which in many cases is more about the art of taking money away from you. Boxers are some of the best brawlers and it adapts nicely to quick and dirty street fights in spite of being a "sport", mostly due to the ammount of realistic sparring involved, which KM lacks. Throw in some grappling with BJJ and you've got a nice set of h2h fighting skill set.
Just my 0,02 c on the topic.
FerFAL
I agree with FerFAL on this, boxing trumps any specialized training overall. Krav Maga does have some interesting and useful firearms takeaways and such, but putting a man on the ground fast is going to be more important 99% of the time.
It is wrong to say guys who are "built" or "muscular" are slower or have less endurance, most of that perception comes from what people think of bodybuilders not weightlifters. The average olympic weightlifter is strong, fast, can run better than the average person, and is almost gymnast flexible. If you can find a gym in your area that focuses on oly lifting or even powerlifting you can increase your strength and stamina better than any bodyweight-centric program or non-program will.
It is wrong to say guys who are "built" or "muscular" are slower or have less endurance, most of that perception comes from what people think of bodybuilders not weightlifters. The average olympic weightlifter is strong, fast, can run better than the average person, and is almost gymnast flexible. If you can find a gym in your area that focuses on oly lifting or even powerlifting you can increase your strength and stamina better than any bodyweight-centric program or non-program will.
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Most of the other guys have already pointed out the importance of a balanced approach to fitness for survival. I encourage you to consider 3-4 days/wk of CrossFit/SEALFit and do some sort of combo of Thai Boxing and BJJ on your off days. Definitely leave a rest day or 2...Even at your age, you need the recovery time.
Ultra marathons are a great way to help you rethink how fit you are
But a young age is a good age to start doing lifting, especially core stuff like squats and deads. You are in the age (until your mid twenties usually) where you should be adding a lot of chest and abdominal muscle, and squats and deads help with that. They also build massive amounts of muscle, even if you don't see most of it, and that helps keep you in shape while letting you eat everything within reach cause it burns so much fat.
But a young age is a good age to start doing lifting, especially core stuff like squats and deads. You are in the age (until your mid twenties usually) where you should be adding a lot of chest and abdominal muscle, and squats and deads help with that. They also build massive amounts of muscle, even if you don't see most of it, and that helps keep you in shape while letting you eat everything within reach cause it burns so much fat.
There is no doubt that the gym is a great place to isolate a muscle group that you think you are weak on, but being a gym rat is one dimensional.
Exercise should not be drudgery. If you are going to run; trail run. If you are going to swim; learn to surf. Instead of planks; water ski. Whereever you are, whatever you are doing, try to turn it into a pull up or a squat. Excercise should be a lifestyle; not 45 minutes on a treadmill, 3 times a week.
Likewise, whatever you are doing, do not let peer pressure ruin all your hard work. Have a beer with the boys; not 6 beers (opps, your only 16...ahh, forget the Coke, diet Coke and Gatorade; drink clean, fresh, unadulterated water). Have a couple of wings and a handful of Doritos; not a bucket and a bag full. All of America is pigging out on Twinkies (and it shows); don't be that guy!
Congrats on your quest to be a powerful and shredded prepper.
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aside from any "disciplines," "SchoolS' and"systems" the 2 basic exercises I feel are most useful. ----in fact utterly necessary ----in an SHTF are
long distance endurance running .. at least the 440 yard run,, working up to 1/2 mile and then a mile...
and pullups aka Chin-ups ... why ? ---because that is how you get over fences and extract your self from a hole,, hang from a window... or hold on to something ,
follow that , especially for the urban survivalist,, with running the stairs,, builds aerobic endurance, builds the legs,, builds coordination..
any sort of crunches or sit-tups are also good as they strengthen the back and posture which makes back packing less painful
long distance endurance running .. at least the 440 yard run,, working up to 1/2 mile and then a mile...
and pullups aka Chin-ups ... why ? ---because that is how you get over fences and extract your self from a hole,, hang from a window... or hold on to something ,
follow that , especially for the urban survivalist,, with running the stairs,, builds aerobic endurance, builds the legs,, builds coordination..
any sort of crunches or sit-tups are also good as they strengthen the back and posture which makes back packing less painful
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Although I’m failing at practicing it much, but focusing on your core and cardio are key for a foundation. I’m not running as much as I use to do…Uncle Sam still requires it from me, but I do more low impact cardio such as elliptical or biking and most of my training is focused on my backpacking hobby. If balanced properly, you can significantly improved strength without sacrificing cardio endurance. Care needs to be taken as extremes to either end of the spectrum can limit your overall ability.
The Army loves to push running and it’s a good exercise, but I’ve seen a lot of hardcore runners that have no upper body or core endurance. A little stressor of weight, climbing or dealing with obstacles wears them out quickly. My wife and I have enjoyed doing some of the “Mud Runs” of where there are a variety; a good practical exercise of both lower and upper body endurance, but the key has been a solid core (which I need to start focusing on again).
Do take care to not stress your joints and proper stretching will minimize serious muscle/tendon tears. Youth helps a lot with recovery, but at my age I really do have to consider that body weight is just as bad on your joints as heavy impact exercises (another good reason to keep weight gain under control) and recovery is more important depending on the event or severity of the exercise regime.
Congrats on starting now. My son is an avid soccer player and currently running cross country, but we hit the gym every morning for stretching, weights, working the core and a cardio for me.
ROCK6
The Army loves to push running and it’s a good exercise, but I’ve seen a lot of hardcore runners that have no upper body or core endurance. A little stressor of weight, climbing or dealing with obstacles wears them out quickly. My wife and I have enjoyed doing some of the “Mud Runs” of where there are a variety; a good practical exercise of both lower and upper body endurance, but the key has been a solid core (which I need to start focusing on again).
Do take care to not stress your joints and proper stretching will minimize serious muscle/tendon tears. Youth helps a lot with recovery, but at my age I really do have to consider that body weight is just as bad on your joints as heavy impact exercises (another good reason to keep weight gain under control) and recovery is more important depending on the event or severity of the exercise regime.
Congrats on starting now. My son is an avid soccer player and currently running cross country, but we hit the gym every morning for stretching, weights, working the core and a cardio for me.
ROCK6
In general, the stronger the better. You're 16, which means you're right in the middle of a hormone explosion. Your muscles are ready to explode, too. Big, heavy, compound movements like squats, bench presses, deadlifts, and barbell curls are your friend. Eat as much as you want as often as you want (as long as you're lifting/exercising). Run a few miles a a couple of times a week, do some speed work like sprints when you can. Watch yourself get huge. This is good advice, you should listen.
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1,159 Posts
So much has changed since I was a young Marine. In the olden days
we trained to be able to run 3 miles and be fresh as a daisy when we
got there to fight.
Guys today go with so much battle rattle that I cannot fathom climbing
a flight of stairs and not having the "Levine sign" (Oy vey , oy vey,
Doc , my chest hurts. ) And I'm a Catlick.
Still I give a strong vote to endurance and cross training. I loved running
the trails and stopping at the stations to do the exercises. By the end of
OCS I was an animal and at the end of the Basic School I looked buff in
my Gyrine running shorts at the beach. I mean, one must have reasons.
Eventually, you will have to give Father Time his due. What I injured while
young became arthritic by 60. Go for looking buff in your running shorts
at the beach. Life is all about cute chicks and hard work. Eventually , The Cute Chick and a family.
The pain seems
an old friend and my memories confirm I made the right choices.
(Do not die for the wrong causes. Treat your life as if you only had one to live.)
we trained to be able to run 3 miles and be fresh as a daisy when we
got there to fight.
Guys today go with so much battle rattle that I cannot fathom climbing
a flight of stairs and not having the "Levine sign" (Oy vey , oy vey,
Doc , my chest hurts. ) And I'm a Catlick.
Still I give a strong vote to endurance and cross training. I loved running
the trails and stopping at the stations to do the exercises. By the end of
OCS I was an animal and at the end of the Basic School I looked buff in
my Gyrine running shorts at the beach. I mean, one must have reasons.
Eventually, you will have to give Father Time his due. What I injured while
young became arthritic by 60. Go for looking buff in your running shorts
at the beach. Life is all about cute chicks and hard work. Eventually , The Cute Chick and a family.
The pain seems
an old friend and my memories confirm I made the right choices.
(Do not die for the wrong causes. Treat your life as if you only had one to live.)
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160 Posts
Op, excited to see a young man on this board and interested in prep!
Gym! Martial arts! (You'll get defense tactics and cardio if you select the right dojo) and running running running!
Strength, knowing how to leverage it properly and endurance are all vital tools for life....not just prep. The other benefit is mental toughness.
Keep prepping my friend.
Gym! Martial arts! (You'll get defense tactics and cardio if you select the right dojo) and running running running!
Strength, knowing how to leverage it properly and endurance are all vital tools for life....not just prep. The other benefit is mental toughness.
Keep prepping my friend.
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