One of the things I talk about a lot on this site is how mindset and fitness are the keys to surviving almost any crisis. While we talk a lot about gear, I usually always preface that by saying that gear is great; but knowledge, fitness, training, and the will to survive are what make the difference.
Four Killer at Home Fitness Programs
If you are looking to get in shape, then check out my article on prepper fitness. But if you are looking to take things to the next level then I wanted to share some killer workout routines that can help you boost your fitness without ever having to walk into a gym.
Tony Horton’s P90X3 Workout Program
P90X was one of the first real home workout programs to look at every part of your body and take gym style results and bring them into the home. I personally used the original P90X program and saw some awesome results from it, but one of the biggest drawbacks of that program was how long the routines lasted. I just didn’t have the time to devote an hour to an hour and a half every day for the program, so when they released the condensed 30-minute a day program, I was pretty stoked to see it.
You can order it here on Amazon.
Beachbody INSANITY Workout Program
If you like the longer format, Insanity has routines that range from 40-60 minutes. This is a cardio heavy workout program that uses intense spurts followed by shorter rests — a formula that has ben shown to create muscle quicker and increase your endurance levels at a faster rate.
You can find Insanity here on Amazon
Rushfit: Georges St. Pierre 8 Week Ultimate Home Training Program
I like this program because it brings in Mixed Martial Art (MMA) style conditioning that can help from a self-defense standpoint. MMA fighter Georges St. Pierre and his trainer Erik Owings takes you through 8 weeks of MMA style training to give you huge results in a short period of time.
You can find this training program here.
RIPT90 Complete Home Fitness Program
So as you can see in the video above, RIPT90 doesn’t come close to the excitement and production value of the Beachbody videos. What it does do right is the cost. The videos are a fraction of the cost, giving it one of my top spots on the list of home workout programs.
RIPT90 includes 14 workouts designed to shred fat and build muscle over a 90 day period. The videos routines clock in anywhere from 15-40 minutes.
There’s no way that jumping around in a gym can prepare you for a survival situation in a wild place…. And there’s only one way that anyone, no matter how tough they think they are, can prevail and that’s to get far away from the thousands of panic stricken humans that will be going nuts in a SHTF situation. I would suggest doing similar exercises only out in the bush…. I use trees for pull-up bars, steep trails as stair climbers and so on and so on. You can prep and train in a gym all you want but if you’re really going to survive, outside of fantasy that be, then you better go out in the woods and dance with some bears!
I agree totally! Back in my younger days before California went to the dogs, my routine included sprinting up steep hills, doing pull-ups on tree branches and push-ups on various terrain. This was before gyms became popular in ’76 when Nautilus became the rage. I did all this for general fitness, as no one then worried about SHTF. It was merely to feel fit and enjoy the fabulous outdoors of southern Callifornia!
Pretty sure a pull-up being done on a tree branch isn’t any different from a pull up on a bar…
Yes, pull-ups are great, but they are more fun in nature! I like the gym, but prefer to be outside. Bottom line: find a work out routine that is both effective AND that is enjoyable enough for YOU to maintain interest. Conditioning is important, but is not the end-all of training; you also need to balance the development of mental toughness. Though short work outs can effectively get you into shape, do they prepare you for the rigors (physically, mentally, and spiritually) for long wilderness treks with heavy loads, navigation, and children? Given a tight schedule, I have recently found a discounted p90x series and intend to try it… will let you know how it goes. If it is enjoyable, I might stick with it for the sake of physical fitness, but not at the expense of being MENTALLY prepared for the wide variety of problems that life can present.