5 Functional Movements Every Survivalist Should Master(Before It's Too Late)

Functional Movements > Pumps

I used to think that the gym was all about looking lean and showing off gains; but that's the furthest from my current mindset. Truth is, you don't need washboard abs when things collapse. What you WILL need however, is the ability to pull yourself up, haul weight, move heavy objects, land and get up safely, climb, and run. While the world can be your gym, it isn't built like a gym. When things get tough, your survival will depend on what you can actually do outside of the gym, not how nice your form looks in a mirror.

Pulling Your Own Weight

Not metaphorically. (Although we will get into that another day) Literally pulling your own weight. If you can't pull yourself up, you're not ready for much. Pull-ups, rope climbs, and heavy rows build the real-world strength that most people avoid.

How to train it: -Dead Hangs

-Rows

-Pullups (on rope for added points)

-Anything really that builds grip and back strength

Pull exercises will help you climb, but will also help you yank yourself or someone else out of danger if need be.

Getting Off the Ground -- Fast

Fall, get up, move, repeat.

That's life in a nutshell, furthermore, it's survival.

You need to recover from impact and react quickly.

Above all else, I find burpees and plyometric push ups to be the best exercises for this, hands down.

If you'd like more in depth drills and training for this, feel free to reach out and we can go over a plan that works for you. :)

Carrying Heavy Shit

Biceps Curls < Farmer Carry

If it doesn't feel awkward and heavy, it's not enough.

I'm not saying to avoid maintenance moves to lift more, but make sure you're incorporating a HEAVY carry in your workouts.

Farmers carries, weighted stair climbs, sandbag walks, and backpack marches are all really good ways to make sure you're able to move the weight in a functional way.

Want to test your real-world strength? Carry a quarter of your bodyweight for a mile. That's your new warmup.

Climbing / Crawling / Navigating

It isn't just about showing off or getting the views anymore, there are times where going up, getting through, and being able to plan a route is essential (Ask me how I know).

Most terrain isn't flat and predictable. Don't train like it is.

Train bear crawls, play on monkey bars, and do some hip mobility flows.

Another tip would be to learn basic parkour-style movements.

Sprinting / Distance Walking / Direction Changes

Although most people view running as a last resort, it still might end up being the one thing standing between you and your safety.

That being said, you need to also have the agility to run in unpredictable environments. Suddenly stopping, cutting, dodging, and recovering lost footing are all equally as important as your ability to run.

Work on sprinting in intervals, lateral shuffles, and box jumps.

Going fast and being out of control are two things that should never exist together. Please make sure you're ready where it counts, and don't push yourself past your ability during training. The goal here is to be injury free.

As a matter of fact, none of this is for show.

When shit hits the fan, the last thing you'll care about is your forearm pump.

We really all should be able to move in normal, functional ways, and use that as a motivator long before worrying about numbers and aesthetics.

This is the real definition of "nobody is coming to save you".