Cardio? Or Strength?
Both.
Survival isn’t specialized, like a 100m dash. It may require the ability to move fast, but also move far. It may require you to carry weight or traverse uneven terrain. Building a solid, strong foundation that can adapt to a changing environment is going to be one of your biggest assets when the going gets tough. But developing strength is going to do more than help in an emergency. It’ll make life more enjoyable.
So whether you’re a gym rat, or your fitness has slid a bit since high school, here are a few exercises to do when you need to get a workout in. Anytime, anywhere.
STRENGTH
1. Push-Ups: I used to work at an ad agency, where everyday at 2pm, the entire office would do pushups. We started with 10, and added 5 each week. It wasn’t long before nearly the entire office was ripping 50 Push-ups off like it was no big deal.
Push-ups are a classic and for good reason. With simple variations, they can work your chest (arms shoulder width, elbows in), shoulders (hands wide) and triceps (hands close together). Start with as many push-ups as you can while keeping your form, and add 5 reps each week. Bonus points: drop down and crank off your max number of reps more than once a day.
2. Lunges: Lunges are great for lower body strength and mobility. They target the quads, glutes, and core. Mix it up and switch between lunging straight ahead or side to side. Or switch to reverse lunges and hit an entirely different group of muscles.
TIP: Make sure you’re never letting your knee go so far forward that you can’t see your toes, and start with 3 sets of 20 and work from there. If you’ve got a backpack nearby, throw some weight in it, or hold something heavy in your hands (like a 25 or 35 pound weight) to work the core a bit harder.
3. Dips: Dips can be done on any parallel sturdy surfaces, like two chairs. They will target triceps, shoulders, and chest. Just like the reps above, figure out your max number of reps and add 5 each week. If you’re a beginner, keep your feet on the floor to help get through the last few reps. If you’re advanced, find something taller and keep your feet off the floor. And for the super advanced, add weight via a backpack or something similar.
CARDIO
