Notes from JWR:

The high bid is now at $210 in the SurvivalBlog benefit auction for a batch of 10 brand new original Imperial Defence SA-80 (AR-15) steel 30 round rifle magazines. The auction ends on July 15th.

Today we present another article for Round 11 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The writer of the best non-fiction article will win a valuable four day “gray” transferable Front Sight course certificate. (Worth up to $2,000!) Second prize is a copy of my “Rawles Gets You Ready” preparedness course, generously donated by Jake Stafford of Arbogast Publishing. I will again be sending out a few complimentary copies of my novel “Patriots” as “honorable mention” awards. Round 11 runs for two months, ending on the last day of July. Remember that articles that relate practical “how to” skills for survival will have an advantage in the judging.

Cutlery Considerations for TEOTWAWKI, by Gage

In a post-TEOTWAWKI environment many of the services we take for granted now will be nonexistent. We will be growing or own produce, butchering our own livestock, cooking our own food, performing our own minor surgeries and protecting or own lives. We will have to rely on our own skills, knowledge and equipment. Of all the tools available to humans none has more importance than a wide selection of cutlery. History has revealed to us six simple machines that revolutionized the world: the wheel, the lever, the pulley, the inclined plane, the screw, and the wedge. As you may have guessed the wedge is an example of the knife. If you were to keep track of every time you, or a mechanical device, used the simple wedge (knife) to accomplish a task for one day you would surely be amazed. In my opinion acquiring a wide selection of cutlery should be considered a top priority in any preparedness plan.
Contrary to the propaganda expelled by some of the mass marketing knife manufacturers there is no one “do it all” knife. There are hundreds of knife designs, shapes, lengths, grinds, etc. They all serve a specific purpose. Some can overlap and do double duty but to be truly efficient you should chose a knife specifically suited for an intended task. Let’s look at what those tasks might be and some suggestions to consider when purchasing your survival cutlery.
Butchering: When it comes to butchering domestic livestock you can get by with three basic knife designs: a straight or curved 6” to 8” boner, a 6” skinner with an upswept point and a 8” to 10” breaker. These should be stainless steel with a synthetic handle. The stainless blade will hold up to the acids and blood from the carcasses and the synthetic handles are much easier to hold when your hands are bloody. Victorinox, sold by Forschner, are superb knives at very reasonable prices. There are other well-made blades out there, but these are the industries standard.
Kitchen Knives: Here you will want a full set of 5” steak knives, 3 or 4 paring knives, a 10” chef’s knife, a 8” scalloped edge bread knife, and a few 6” to 8” boning knives. I would also suggest a good quality game shears for disjointing wild (or domestic) small game and waterfowl. Again, I highly recommend stainless steel in the 440C series for corrosion resistance. Blade grinds for kitchen and butchering knives are generally based on a flat grind and work superbly.
Hunting: There are about a hundred knife designs sold under the heading hunting knives and my suggestions are just that, my suggestions. To help make things a little easier, I will give you too basic blade designs to choose from: a drop point or a clip point. A drop point is as it sounds, the spine of the knife drops slightly from the back edge to the point. It would be safe to say this is the most widely made hunting knife design in history. The clip point design has a shallow swedge (false edge) running an inch or two back from the point and is seen in many ‘so called” bowie knives. The clip point configuration makes piercing cuts a little easier but the choice is yours as both designs make for an excellent hunting knife. The blades length should be a least 4”. Blade grind should be either a flat or hollow grind. Both grinds make for excellent slicers that are easy to sharpen as well as strong. A high carbon blade with a mirror polish and Rockwell rating of 58-60 should serve you well for a lifetime.
Next you should get a bird and trout knife. If you have ever tried to skin a squirrel or dress a partridge with a full size hunting knife you will know frustration. A small 2” to 3” thin bladed knife, possibly with a ring to slip over your finger so you don’t have to set it down while skinning will be worth its weight in gold and yet cost next to nothing.
Lastly I would purchase two filet knives, one around 5” and the other around 10”. Fishing is not only an enjoyable pastime, but if times get tough could be an untapped source for the survival larder.
Rescue: Every vehicle you own should have a rescue knife secured to the steering wheel with a lanyard of some kind. The characteristics of a good rescue knife include a rounded or sheepsfoot type tip, a serrated edge, and possibly a glass breaker in the end of the handle. The serrated edge makes short work of seat belts and the rounded tip adds safety when under duress or injured. Keep this secured to the steering wheel so it is always within reach and not flying around the interior. There are several good one-handed opening rescue knives available if that style suits your needs.
Brush Knives: After the Schumer hits the fan you will be in need of a few good brush knives. From constructing hides and clearing shooting lanes to harvesting food and stripping logs. First off purchase a couple of machetes. 20” or so will suffice and set you back less than $20 a piece. Next you can’t go wrong with a Kukri. They will do what the machete can’t, namely cut thicker, harder stock as well as double as an excellent draw knife for debarking and shaping logs and the like. The kukri also works wonders as a cleaver when butchering small game and fowl for the freezer. “Cold Steel” carries both the machetes and kukris at affordable prices and they are superbly made.
Camp/Utility Knives: Knives under this heading are generally in the 6” to 8” range, made of high carbon steel with a flat grind for strength. Don’t get a blade with too high a Rockwell rating as you will be sharpening this knife a lot. A thick, stiff spine is needed as this knife will be used for everything from pounding stakes to shaving [fire starting] fuzz sticks. A Rockwell rating of 54 to 58 would be ideal. Also one of the baked on finishes that are widely available would be in order for this workhorse.
Fighting Knives: A true fighting knife is inherently designed differently than most other knives. First let me say, any knife can be a fighting knife in the hands of a desperate man or woman, but some are better suited than others. A well thought-out fighting knife has a few definite attributes. One is the handle, it should be well fitted to the hand and of a material that allows a strong purchase when held. Next the weight; it should be light enough to be fast in the hand, but heavy enough to cause impact damage when hacking or if a less than lethal technique is required. The length of the blade is usually 6” to 10”. A shorter blade will be fast but lack the heft for deep penetration and a longer blade may be slow and unyielding. It will be your choice as to blade configuration. There are those who will opt for the double edge dagger style and those who swear by the single edge. It’s our call. One thing I cannot stress enough about the fighting knife. Do not use it for anything but fighting. This knife should be dedicated to one job, riding on your hip next to your handgun. If when you should ever have to use it you do not want it dulled from clearing brush or chipped from digging roots.
Personal/Pocket Knives: Personal knives fall under a separate heading. This will be the knife/or knives you carry everyday. Mine is a one hand opening tactical folder, a three bladed stockman, and a Leatherman wave. Yours could be a neck knife, a belt knife or a pocketknife. You may like a folding knife in a sheath or a two bladed trapper. Personally I have dozens of pocketknives from several different knife makers. Buck, Case, Gerber, CRKT, Cold Steel, Browning, etc. all ride with me at different times. This leads me to another suggestion. Pocket knives make excellent barter items. If my services were rendered I for one would accept a nice Case Trapper over a few pre-1965 quarters any day. It just makes good sense to stock up on pocketknives now for future use. If you frequent flea markets, garage sales, and the like you can come by these gems at very reasonable cost. Look for brand names such as Case, Winchester, Buck, Camillus, etc.
Tactical Knives: In 1982 Spyderco introduced a new knife design called the Clipit. It was unique in the fact it had a hole in the top of the blade so it could be opened with one hand, a two step serrated edge and a metal clip that allowed it to be attached to a pocket, belt, etc. Today almost every knife maker offers a version of this design. I urge you to acquire at least one of these knives and become familiar with its function. There is truly a no more practical, and tactical blade configuration out there. To be able to clip a blade almost anywhere and open it with one hand as fast as a switchblade, with out the legalities, makes this my number one suggestion.
Sharpening: Now that you have a basic understanding of your cutlery requirements we need to address how to keep them sharp. First buy a Norton Tri-stone cradle. This unit consists of three India stones. One course, one medium and one fine. With these stones you will be able to sharpen almost anything. Next purchase a diamond whetstone and a diamond tapered rod for touching up your serrated blades. The diamond whetstones come in handy folding versions that are perfectly suited for your bug out bag or glove box. I suggest you purchase John Juranitch’s book or video called The Razor’s Edge. This man is a true expert on the subject and you will learn his time-tested secrets. Also, get in the habit of carrying a couple small 2” by 6” sheets of 320 or 400 grit sandpaper in your wallet. These are very handy for touching up a dull blade at virtually no cost. My final suggestion on sharpening is to acquire a good 10” to 12” butchers steel. Many knives that seem dull do not need to be resharpened on a stone, but simply stroked on a steel. If you were to look at the microscopic edge of a dull knife you would likely see the edge is simply rolled over to one side. If you were to lightly stroke the knife down the steel as if you were trying to shave a thin sliver off, you could straighten the edge back into serviceable function.
Miscellaneous: Finally I suggest you acquire a good quality multi- tool and/or a Victorinox Swiss Army knife. They are indispensable. A full sized hand meat saw as well as a cleaver. A dozen or so box cutters, a couple scalpels in sterilized packages and a straight razor. (The Bic disposable razors will run out fast.) Finally, one single and one double bit axe, a good hatchet, and a splitting maul. These are my suggestions to get you started, but you may have other ideas as to what you may need for your particular situation. Remember, the best knife is the one in your hand when you need it.

JWR Adds: There is a trade-off between quantity and quality in acquiring cutlery. I’d rather spend $600 and buy a dozen Cold Steel or CRKT knives instead of just one custom-made knife for the same money. In survival planning there is great value in redundancy, to allow for eventual loss, theft, or breakage of tools, and to provide spares for barter and charity. Having fairly inexpensive spares also means that you will have a knife when and where you need it. For example, here at the Rawles Ranch, in addition to a full-size hay cutting scythe, we also have five inexpensive hand scythes that cost a total of $30. Likewise, we habitually keep both a modestly-priced tanto style Cold steel or CRKT folding knife as well as a Leatherman tool in each of our vehicles and in each of our G.O.O.D. kits. But please don’t take the emphasis on quantity to an extreme. Be sure to avoid the “bargain” mainland Chinese junk. You need cutlery that is dependable.

Press Awareness Increases on the Nascent Real Estate Market Collapse and Credit Implosion

In the past few days, I’ve had readers forward me links to several very disturbing articles on the declining real estate market and what appears to be the opening stages of a full blown global credit implosion. First, I read this: Mutually Assured Mayhem: Wall Street is on edge, scrambling to buck up Bear Stearns and avert a domino-effect debacle. Then came this very telling piece: Bear Stearns Meets Possums in Georgia as Foreclosures Increase. The key quote in the article: “No lender wants to own real estate, but at the same time you can’t just unload these properties because you would send home prices into a free fall.” My advice: Be prepared for free fall. It is coming, and probably fairly soon.

Then I was forwarded the link to this article: Banks told to show subprime leniency. This is a very alarming development. If bankers are intentionally ignoring their traditional credit worthiness fundamentals, then this is indicative of massive underlying imbalances. Cue the the Wagnerian music. This is going to have a dramatic ending, folks. And it won’t just be the coastal residential real estate contrapreneurs and the banksters that will suffer. Stocks, bonds, and the insurance industry will be shaken. Inevitably, even the dollar itself is at risk. I still stand 100% behind the article on derivatives that I wrote last year. My advice is unchanged: Diversify into tangibles! And if you are going to buy any land, make sure that it is productive farming or ranching land in a safe retreat area.

Letter Re: How and Why to Get Physically Fit

Jim:
Hello again from a very wet England. I’ve been reading with interest the articles on physical fitness and would just like to add my two penny-worth.

Cross country skiing is generally considered to be about the best form of aerobic exercise, inasmuch as it works pretty well all the muscles. The Nordic company do a ski machine that retails new around $700.00, but second hand they sell [on eBay)] for peanuts.

Here is an example of one currently on that well known auction site. GBP 15.00 is about $30.00 – a very small price to pay for the ultimate exerciser. Admittedly, they take a little while to get the technique, which is probably why you see so many of them for sale, but they are superb. I would recommend everyone with an interest in post TEOTWAWKI fitness look at them. Oh, and they’re adjustable, so every family member can use them, and at these prices, get a couple, for spares – I’ve got several stowed away ready to export to our new GOOD location and one in use right now.

Keep up the good work. Very best wishes. – Michael

Odds ‘n Sods:

Surprise, surprise: Retail Food Prices Jump Five Percent in 2nd Quarter We also read Consumers paying higher food prices as corn prices soar , and Biofuel demands keeps agricultural prices high, OECD-FAO report

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Some strange summer weather in London, England.

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Our friend Tom at CometGold.com recommended this article: Cioffi’s Hero-to-Villain Hedge Funds Masked Bear Peril in CDOs. Tom’s comment: ” ‘Move along, nothing to see here…’ (Insert footage of Detective Frank Drummond from Police Squad! standing in front of an exploding fireworks factory).”

Two Letters Re: Recommendations on Glock Spares and Upgrades

James,
When I was a police officer I carried a [Model] 1911. In 1992 I was hired to instruct, among other things, firearms for associate degree police science students. In that year we bought 13 Glock M-17s. It is my estimation that those first Glocks in inventory have put 90-to-110 thousand rounds downrange in the associate degree and the police academy. We have broken five trigger springs and have had three front sights fly off. There have been one extractor break on the 17s, however, three broke on the M22 (.40 S&W). Having five Glocks in inventory here at the Teutoborg forest, I would buy three trigger springs and swap them out every 20 thousand rounds or so. When you get a Glock, pull the slide off and put a drop of your choice of adhesive on the bottom of the front sight. For some reason the engineering of the Glock calls for the front sight to be held in by a mere plastic peg/wedge. If you have Trijicon or Meprolight [tritium] sights it is good to use the same technique. Those sights are retained by a nut. We have also had those also fly off.
A trigger bar would be another worthwhile investment. Glock parts are stunningly inexpensive. A kit of most internals and extractor assemblies would cost merely 30 dollars or so.
You cannot say that about the other weapons available.
I own SIG, Beretta, Springfield Armory, Colt and Walther auto pistols. I seem to shoot Glock. – Mr. Oscar

 

James,
Wow. I disagree so thoroughly with what Teddy Jacobson says about spare Glock parts I hardly know where to start. He obviously really, really likes the Wolff hardened guide rods, and the silicon recoil springs are sounding excellent. But I’m pretty sure Glock has never nickel plated any of their extractors.

And what about the rest of the weapon? If you read Glock Talk for the last seven or eight years you’ll discover that every single part in a Glock can break. Can. But other than the usual extractor, ejector and firing pin (the heavily stressed parts in most weapons) the standard trigger return spring is known to fail. The gun will still function, but the trigger won’t reset on it’s own. Many Glock users will replace the part with the New York spring set.

Parts for the Glock are so cheap and so widely available that I recommend that people get the full set to guard against not only breakage but also loss [during maintenance.] If you ever had a part go sproing! during assembly/disassembly, then you know what I mean.

Mr. Jacobson may have worked on 15,000 pistols, and I’m sure he’s a far better pistolsmith than I am, but he didn’t fully answer your question. – Catshooter

Letter Re: Some Results From the CDC’s Asian Avian Flu Preparedness/Education Budget

Hi Jim,
I’m a regular reader and 10 Cent Challenge contributor. I just wanted to pass on a little info that struck me as very unusual. I live in Louisiana, too close to New Orleans unfortunately. In my mailbox on Saturday, I received a 32 page publication from the Louisiana Dept of Health & Hospitals. It is titled “How You Can Be Prepared for a Flu Pandemic” Individual & Family Handbook.
What do they know that we don’t? The state spent $663,594.40 publishing 1,658,986 copies of this Handbook under a grant support from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).
This is about the number of households in the state as of the 2000 Census, so I assume each household will be mailed one. I intend to wait about a week and take a poll of my fellow workers to see if anyone received and/or read the publication. My gut tells me most will simply pitch it with the junk mail and not
even read it. The book is very basic, but it does make an attempt to raise awareness and encourage preparedness and educate on a subject of which most people are ignorant. The KISS principle, I’m sure. If nothing else it could be a good tool to help persuade the “blind” to consider the value of preparation-especially skeptical spouses and close family members. Maybe you have seen this handbook or something similar. Here is a link to the publisher. (Item # ps92230)
Keep up the good work. We appreciate all that you and the family do to keep the information flowing. Thanks and God Bless, – GMac

Odds ‘n Sods:

Remember that there is now just one week remaining for the $500 Interceptor Body Armor (IBA) vest special from BulletProofME.com. July 12th is the deadline. Anyone who has shopped for body armor knows what a great deal $500 is for a new Interceptor vest. Don’t miss out on this deal. OBTW, I recently received another recommendation for the company: ” I thought you would like some more feedback on your new advertiser, BulletProofME.com. After extensive searching for a vest supplier last year I bought one from BulletProofME.com. Because I had never purchased a vest before I had a lot of questions, and Nick answered them all. I was so pleased with my vest that my wife also just bought one, and received it yesterday.” – L in Colorado

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In reference to the recent discussion of crosscut saws, Michael W. mentioned The Crosscut Saw Company, in Seneca Falls, New York. They stock both newly manufactured one- and two-man saws, as well as some very scarce “New Old Stock” saws made by companies that went out of business decades ago.

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In a post 9/11 world, it doesn’t take much to get tossed off a plane

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RBS sent us the link to this amazing video clip of redneck style catfish fishing. You just hold the bait in your hand…

Jim’s Quote of the Day:

“All of the government’s monetary, economic and political power, as well as its extensive propaganda machinery, will be enlisted in a constant battle to drive down the price of gold – but in the absence of any fundamental change in the nation’s monetary, fiscal, and economic direction, simply regard any major retreat in the price of gold as an unexpected buying opportunity.” – Irwin A. Schiff

Notes from JWR:

Happy Independence Day! I pray that God will continue to grant us liberty in our land, for generations to come.

Please continue to spread the word about SurvivalBlog. It is in your own best interest to do so. Why? Every friend, neighbor, and relative that gets motivated to prepare constitutes one less individual that will come begging on your doorstep, come TEOTWAWKI+1. I would greatly appreciate it if you added a SurvivalBlog graphic link to your web site and/or e-mail footer. Our goal is to double the SurvivalBlog readership by the end of 2007. Many thanks!

Today we present another article for Round 11 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The writer of the best non-fiction article will win a valuable four day “gray” transferable Front Sight course certificate. (Worth up to $2,000!) Second prize is a copy of my “Rawles Gets You Ready” preparedness course, generously donated by Jake Stafford of Arbogast Publishing. I will again be sending out a few complimentary copies of my novel “Patriots” as “honorable mention” awards. Round 11 runs for two months, ending on the last day of July. Remember that articles that relate practical “how to” skills for survival will have an advantage in the judging.

Are You Preparing Without Physical Fitness? How and Why to Get Physically Fit, by Flhspete

Introduction
The more physically fit one is overall, the better your odds are you will survive WTSHTF.
Or, maybe you don’t believe that survival preparations should include physical fitness.
U.S. military forces emphasize solid fitness in part because the higher the fitness level, the more an individual can maintain acceptable performance levels while under stress. Police SWAT units emphasize high levels of fitness for the same reasons. Organized units like these are highly effective also because they conduct rehearsals of established SOPs until it is ingrained to the point that they are able to perform under any conditions. They are able to train at high levels of performance seamlessly because they are capable of keeping up physically and mentally. They also have each other to depend on while operational making them even more effective. Maintaining a solid level of fitness is important for civilians as most of us are preparing with the free time available in our schedules. It is important to identify where you stand in physical fitness. Ask yourself, am I fit? How fit is fit enough? Who will be there to assist me when TSHTF?
When visiting the SurvivalBlog web site, consider how much of the material and advice provided requires you to be in good shape in order to take advantage of it.
I’ve assisted and encouraged others to improve their physical conditioning for decades. During yesteryear I promoted fitness primarily for healthy living. The reasons these days are for healthy living and potential survival scenarios. Living ‘healthy’ during a non-survival scenario is one thing, living healthy during a survival scenario is quite different. Fitness doesn’t just happen. Fitness is accomplished by adopting good habits of exercise, nutrition and rest.

Step One: Assessment
Assessing your level of fitness requires only that you be honest with yourself in several physical fitness categories including your present fitness level; your weight status; age; diet/nutrition; and your overall state of health.

Present Fitness Level: Ask yourself what you can do today in terms of sustained heart rate while active. If you are already active then this should be easy to answer. If not currently active (or haven’t been in the short term, i.e.: within 12 months), then you probably have a good understanding for where you stand and are capable of daily/weekly exercise routines not too far off from your previous workouts. If you haven’t been active for 12 months to 24 months but previously were active, then you know what you are capable of, you just have to start and make it routine again. For those beyond the 24 month time period, you fall into one of several categories spanning a range from former solid fitness to those who have never been fit. Either way, you have been away from a fitness routine for too long.
Weight Status: Are you overweight, underweight, or at (or close to) where you should be? Take this into consideration when deciding what course of action(s) you decide to take. If you are overweight today, you could be significantly trimmed down by your next birthday. Whatever your particular case is, when going from non-active to active, you will start to lose body fat and become lean. Just assess where you are and be cognizant of how your body will react. It is all important to keep in mind that your body will change and that you will need the proper diet/nutrition to recharge your batteries between workouts. Refueling with the right foods will payoff big when you go for the next workout. If you are not overweight but have never committed to a fitness program and feel it is unnecessary, consider this: my sister went for her annual physical. She is 50, mother of 3, is not overweight, and looks good. The physician advised her that she was obese. Huh?
The doctor’s explanation: you have no muscle and therefore you are obese. My sister has never done anything physical, ever. This may be an extreme example, but illustrates the point that inactivity and not being overweight don’t add up to capable of handling the rigors of a post-WTSHTF life.
Age: Don’t let age fool you. It’s deceiving. I currently exercise by training/running long distance races (10 mile races to marathons), weight lifting, boxing, biking, and recreational swimming. I started wrestling when I was 6 years old and continued competing for 15 years and it still pays off. I have a small farm that keeps me moving constantly otherwise. I also have a full time occupation so I don’t workout daily. It is unnecessary. I bother to mention this because with all of the above exercise and while I averaged 15 long distance races a year for the last four years, I am constantly amazed at the older men/women who beat me (45 yrs old) to the finish line every race and I’m in the top 15 – 25%! Age definitely slows one down in terms of intensity and volume but that’s it. Age is deceiving so never judge a book by a cover regarding fitness/self defense. If you consider yourself ‘old’ and have never been fit (or out of it for quite some time), it is never too late and you will probably surprise yourself at the results. If you are young and never been committed to a fitness program, don’t wait. Find something(s) and go for it. Make it a habit and the health benefits will stay with you for a lifetime.

Diet and Nutrition: Assess what you are eating and how you feel. Eating fast food? Too many carbs? Sweet tooth? Living on coffee and cigarettes? Or, are you already eating a healthy diet? Either way, the new stresses added to your daily routine in a survival scenario will cause your body new stresses. You will either keep up or break down. It really depends on your present habits. An individual who is fit and maintains a healthy diet will be able to make the transition from living in the present day to a survival mode relatively easy. Adrenaline will carry the day for a brief time. But after the adrenaline subsides, what’s left in the tank and where is the energy required to keep up coming from? I know many over the years who have maintained poor diets but had excellent workout routines. They were mostly the younger generation. It always catches up with them. They usually become injured/hurt, sick, and/or are tired…but then they come back after a rest period and the cycle repeats itself. If you have poor fitness and a poor diet, you are advised to alter both. The body wants good clean fuel, not items containing too many carbs, items made with hydrogenated oils, trans fats, a diet loaded with sugar (sodas, desserts, snack(s)…). Also overlooked is hydration. Re-hydrating is critical. Once you begin to exercise, you have to replace your fluids. Not doing so will result in cramping, tiredness, and/or can result in heat exhaustion if not replacing fluids while exercising. Watch the sports drinks as some have lots of sugar. I always dilute my quarts of Gatorade 50-50 [with water]. Too much sugar can prevent the hydration you are seeking. ‘Emergen-C’ is a product I use daily to keep the immune system strong. It contains numerous vitamins and supplements in small packets mixed in water. Particularly good is the chromium, sodium, several antioxidants, vitamin C and low sugar content. Some final words regarding overall diet and fitness are: everyone has time to eat right. If you believe you are eating ‘right’ but are under/overweight, then your diet needs improvement.
Overall State of Health: Take the four assessment categories above and rate yourself overall. With the exception of age, you should be in control of the other three categories. While modern medicine has extended, saved, and aided our lives, could you get by without the convenience of it? If you find yourself not in control of your fitness, weight, and diet, you need to get control of each. If you score low in each of the categories and are overwhelmed by what appears to be too much at once, take Henry Ford’s advice: “Nothing is particularly hard if you divide it into small jobs.”

Step Two: Getting Started and Motivated
I found that to identify a realistic fitness program, it’s important to know that person’s motivation, goals, attitude and background regarding physical training. Rate yourself in each category. Not everyone has time or ability to invest in what it takes to climb mountains, run marathons, bicycle 100 mile routes, or carry a 60 lb ruck sack with battle weapon in hand over an extended obstacle course. That’s understandable. However, everyone should make time to ensure that they can do the arduous tasks that await us in a survival scenario. Your motivation in this regard is to increase your fitness level and therefore increase your ability to survive. Your goals need to be realistic. Most of us are not trying to qualify for the Olympic Judo Team. From a strictly survival perspective, ‘realistic’ fitness means different things to different people. Consider the answers to some commonsense survival questions: Just how arduous will it be? How much time are we talking? Will I be able to drive to my retreat? Will I have to run or walk long distances outside of my retreat? If forced, how much stuff can I carry and for how long? If threatened, will I defeat the attacker(s)? Can I carry/drag that 125 lb. deer I just shot to my retreat? How far can I push that bike I loaded up with supplies and while carrying a weapon, water, and ammo?
Only you can answer these types of questions. Identifying now your limits regarding stamina, endurance, strength, hand and eye coordination, and reflexes will certainly give you a good feel for where you stand in regards to survival fitness. It will also help fine tune your survival plan by forcing you to be practical. A likely money/silver savings will result by not wasting it on items that just don’t fit into your plan.
SurvivalBlog patrons already know that their survival depends on various factors including the location of your retreat (or staying put), your level of preparations, and the duration and type of WTSHTF in your area. Often overlooked is your fitness level. When going from ‘normal life’ to a ‘survival life’, it’s going to be stressful and require a lot more personal energy. Procrastinating fitness until the day you need it is risky. Getting ‘fit’ after it kicks off will be impossible. The best you can hope for at that point is that you get lucky, don’t get hurt, and/or are not too exhausted to survive when it counts. Keep in mind that if you are lacking physical fitness, the possibility of placing a burden on your family-retreat group when you can’t keep up will cause even more unnecessary (and avoidable) stress. Obviously, I’m not referring to elderly family members or those with illnesses.
A crucial key to success is what motivates you. If you are in the business of fitness, you are really in the business of motivation. If not motivated, then there is nothing anyone can do for you. If motivated, the sky is the limit. It’s up to you.
Getting started requires that you just select an activity. Once you determined what you plant to do, get some good advice and training partners to share the load. Go online for advice or subscribe to a magazine dedicated to that activity and identify beginner, intermediate, advanced, and expert workout routines. Then, make a suitable schedule and get started. Mixing activities is ideal as it keeps you mentally fresh and your body doesn’t get used the same activity. Furthermore, mixing activities challenges your body more and therefore reaps added benefits. Your fitness program most likely will change from time to time as your fitness increases and you take the next step in those activities. After time, you will discover that your body will ‘crave’ the workout and it’ll become difficult for you to ignore that. Competing in amateur events or joining a club which sponsors events will help define goals. Being around like minded fitness people also provides a pool of knowledge that will assist you in attaining your goals. Pushing yourself and testing how you hold up under ‘game time’ conditions is one of the joys of being active and gives you confidence. Keep in mind that being physically fit has a carryover effect where one becomes mentally tough along the way. Working out with others is always beneficial as you push each other to be on time and not waste time. Your workout friends also become good friends. Along the way, you learn what you’re made of and that’s an important part of knowing that you will survive.

Step Three: Which Activities? Where to Get Fitness Information?
I’ve identified above the fitness activities that I participate in and maybe none of those appeal to you. Some people can’t get themselves to get fit in the ‘traditional’ sorts of ways. No problem. Those of you that fall into that category, I encourage you to take on activities specific to your threat profile. Any type of martial arts will keep you fit and provides a useful skill. For those participating in martial arts, I encourage you to incorporate ‘Empty Hands’ training. This involves the integration of empty hand skills with firearms skills.
One thought regarding martial arts training (and generally speaking regarding being fit and armed) I have often overheard that “ I have a gun(s), what do I need xyz training for?” Because, all weapons skills are physical in their nature. They all depend on your ability to move decisively, with balance and coordination, and at times with power. Just like you will need in a survival scenario. Maybe it won’t involve firearms but imagine yourself carrying water (weight = 7.8 lbs per gallon!), gardening daily, and/or hunting for an extended period of time. It’s hot or freezing outside. The fitness will pay off. These skills (and fitness levels) have to be developed. Training takes time and precious few of us have it to spare so make the most of your training time.

For those looking to multi-task and have dogs, training in Schutzhund will challenge you and canine, and both of you will get fit. Schutzhund is training for canines (and handler) in tracking, obedience, and protection. The canines trained for this are mostly German Shepherds but also include Rottweillers, Dobermans, and Belgian Malinois, Giant Schnauzers, and Bouviers. It seems that a Rhodesian Ridgeback would be particularly suited for Schutzhund but I’ve never seen one at a club. If you are ‘dogless’, consider adopting and he’ll remind you that he wants his exercise too. Not all dogs are suited for Schutzhund so be aware that the canine needs to have drive, agility, and intelligence.
Instead of listing numerous activities and providing levels of workouts ad nauseam, listed are tried and true sources of information to help you get started and/or enhance your current fitness program.

Crossfit.com
In my opinion, this is the best approach to overall fitness. Incorporates what is referred to as ‘Interval Training’. Provides a different workout daily (including a rest day) that is designed for all types. Focus is on intensity, varied exercises. Daily workout may be only one exercise [i.e.: run a 5k.], other days, three exercises are on the schedule. If you don’t have weights at home, access to weights will be necessary. No, you do not need an entire gym full of equipment. You can get by with a few dumbbells, plates, and a bar. Garage/yard sales sometimes give up this stuff for free just to get rid of it. The Crossfit.com web site has full video clips of each exercise for demonstration purposes. The web site offers substitute exercises for each workout. They offer nutrition advice, seminars, and an affiliates list. Lots of good stuff there!)

rrca.org
Road Runners of America. Running tips and coaching for all levels, calendar of events, links for local affiliates/clubs, nutrition advice, news, shoe reviews.
runnersworld.com (and their corresponding magazine)
I subscribe and it has much to offer all levels of runners. They have a very knowledgeable staff.

TitleBoxing.com
Title boxing has been around for a very long time. They have all the supplies needed to keep you fit using just a heavy bag or equipping yourself with an entire array of training items. Heavy bag training is an excellent choice for overall fitness (and stress reduction!). It also gives me a break from running and weight lifting, two things lots of folks just can’t get into. I subsequently created my own workout that is only 15 minutes. But believe me, 15 minutes is enough. Heavy bag training will build overall strength, power, and stamina. From head to toe you will improve fitness since you use your legs as much as arms while hitting the heavy bag. Title also offers videos/DVDs and books to illustrate how to train with the heavy bag. Huge advantage is that you don’t have to join a gym, drive anywhere, and is an all-weather, day- night friendly workout.

Paperbacks:
NEANDERTHIN, by Ray Audette.
Excluding the appendix and recipes, only 130 pages. Taken from the cover is this description: Eat the foods your body was designed to eat and have the body you were meant to have!
How to become a modern day Hunter-Gatherer and give up the addictive foods and habits that have kept you unhealthy and overweight.
How a high-calorie, high fat diet can actually make you leaner.
Becoming Neanderfit: a five-week exercise plan to complement your new diet.

PROTEIN POWER, by Dr. Michael Eades, and Dr. Mary Ann Eades.
Taken from the cover is this description: The high protein low carbohydrate way to lose weight, feel fit, and boost your health. I’ve adopted these eating habits and the description is accurate.

Combatives Hand to Hand Combat, Dept. of Army FM 21-150. For the individual seeking to increase his/her fitness via martial arts type drilling, supplement it on the cheap with military training manuals. Copies of these manuals are available at CheaperthanDirt.com (only $6.97); used book stores with a good military manual section; and/or many military surplus stores. Other titles available in military field manuals are: Hand to Hand Fighting, Karate, Tae-Kwon-Do, US Army Special Forces, ST 31-204 and Close Combat and Hand to Hand Fighting, US Marine Corps, FM 0-7.
Good luck and stay fit. – Flhspete

JWR Adds: Keep in mind that reading books on martial arts is no substitute for actual hands-on training. Instinctive, reflexive “muscle memory” in hand-to-hand combatives only comes with lots of practice.

Odds ‘n Sods:

From ABC News (by way of Matt Drudge): Secret Document: U.S. Fear that a Terror “Spectacular’ is Planned for this Summer

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Adam in Ohio sent us a link to an animated cartoon on YouTube, about Post-Peak Oil Preparedness. Adam’s comment: “It’s too close to reality for most of us.”

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Commentary from securities market analyst Tony Jackson: Myth that could undermine credit derivatives.

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I just heard that JRH Enterprises (one of our most loyal advertisers) has on sale a couple of scarce original PVS-14 Gen-3 night vision units, normally $3,600 for just $2,595. These can be used as a handheld, weapon sight or head mount. With a full one year warranty. Only two of these are available, first come first served.