So many professional trainers are quick to remind us that our conditioning is generally the weakest link in the chain. Proper fitness levels will ensure our survival and retain the capabilities required to defend yourself and provide for your family or Tribe. Your self worth and mental clarity can also be improved with proper nutrition and exercise.
For myself this rule is excruciatingly relevant. My youth was spent in high velocity sports and heavy contact exercise. Once I reached 40, my body started to break down rapidly. It took a few surgeries to get some things worked out to the point and can begin to work out and retain some body mass without damaging myself further.
I first tried Crossfit as an option and it really did improve my capabilities quickly. The down side was when I changed instructors I found that the new instructor didn't warm up as well as the fist gal that started my class. I hurt my neck and back, which required a very long healing process to get the damaged vertebrae joints to reduce in size and not get agitated with use. When I took the Vehicle Operations course, I couldn't feel my left leg very well and fell a few times trying to double time into cover. The only saving grace was the fact that all my youth training taught me to fall well (into grass burrs).
Fast forward to December 2014 and I have surgery to release some trapped and damaged nerves in an extremity. I get released 1 1/2 months later and immediately begin trying to get back in shape. Regular exercises are very tough due to the cuts I had in very sensitive areas. Luckily Rucking is not hampered once I get everything strapped up. I'm signed up for some VERY rugged long term training in mid March and I'm expected to be capable of rucking my kit several miles as a requirement for the scenario.
It's so much easier to keep a handle on your physical condition than it is to build it back up. I'm seriously struggling to get it back into gear. 40+ year old dudes don't quite get ramped up as fast as we used to. It sucks to hit the treadmill instead of the trail, but in the winter we must choose to do the right thing.
Embrace the suck. No matter what happens, I will be in fighting shape by the time prescribed. Failure isn't an option.
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