Training for the worst day of your life / personal self defense

[crofter]

badmotorscooter wrote "The experience and skill needed to hit a moving target or when moving yourself is critical in a self defense situation. Shooting stationary targets will not prepare you for this! Not easy to train for, but it is necessary, without it you are not proficient! The majority of shooters do not train with moving targets or shooting on the move..."


During the 4 day handgun class at Frontsight (an entry level class), shooting on the move and multiple attackers is included. The range you train on for that is very safe, and you are one on one with an instructor during that portion of the training. This simulator puts your situational awareness, ethics, and all the firearm skills you have learned to the test.   ~crofter

 

[badmotorscooter]

That is awesome crofter. Unfortunately many "shooters" have not qualified from a self defense course. And one time training is not the same as regular practice.

 

[Qxxx]

The worst part is I found the mouse droppings "after" I had van almost fully packed. Then I got out the high-intensity flash and started looking around, and found a lot of poop. So pulled everything back out and started cleaning. 

Then set traps for the past week, but no triggers. Don't know how they got in or where they went to. Duh. So finally I've decided to start move things back in. The space in the van is too damn small to want to share it with tiny bounders. 

Someone said a good idea is to place food but not traps, just to see if anything shows up. So I'll start doing that for a while, while I'm on the road. Don't want to step in a trap in the middle of the night, .

 

[vanbrat]

We got a free rebuild RV that had a real rat problem. Emptied it totally and plugged in one of those high freck noise thingies. Don't know what they are really called. It came with RV still in package, but no label. It did the job, also had a bowl of moth balls out for a few weeks. no problem since. Of course WE did not use or even go inside for a few weeks as we did this cause yuk and we got busy with jobs and stuff.

 

[Qxxx]

I once used a signal generator connected to amplified speakers to get raccoons out from the crawl space under the domicile. Set the volume and frequency to something that hurt my ears. It worked. But I've been trying to get on the road .... 2 weeks ago already .... so that and moth balls are out.

Hmmm ... that might make a good defensive weapon, a loud tone with directed speakers to blast an assailants's ears, almost as good as a laser in the eyeballs.

Crofter will be happy to know my knees have been getting a real workout, up and down the stairs, too many times to count, even though they're bad enough that I can't even run across the street.

So giving the thread back to the workout people. I'm about done killing my knees. Have to save them for some hikes when I get to Death Valley.

 

[Patrick]

I have a dip/pullup stand in my house, on the poarch.

I think it would fit in a sprinter van.

 

[Qxxx]

I have some small dumbbells I take along on the road for a bit of upper body work (although several people have pointed out, the guy what's driving the van is the dumbell). You can certainly do pushups and probably pullups without needing an actual machine. Maybe a bar tied to a tree like a swing.

Then I do a lot of general walking in the desert everyday. Not overly intense, but does provide some continuing exercise when on the road. Then I also go to places with nice hikes, Death Valley and Joshua Tree NP. Ryan Mtn in JTNP is great hike with wonderful views, as well as the Lost Horse Mine 6-mile loop. I spent 5 weeks in the PNW last summer, and great hiking everywheres. Lots of places to hike, east or west.

 

[crofter]

Happy Monday!! and time to report in for those training.

Thanks Q for ideas on making your workout van friendly. Sounds like the cardio fitness (and fat burning) portion is hiking/ or speedwalking/ or running depending on the condition of your bod at this point. I do a somewhat fast walk about half the pace of the runners. One thing I like to do is figure out a route to run/ walk/ hike with a mileage goal and a time goal. The mileage goal keeps me motivated over time and is a little triumph to celebrate along the way. I actually celebrate every mile I do to continually encourage myself. I also celebrate crunches in sets also for self encouragement. My current goal for cardio is one hour plus my mileage goal. I burn 200 to 300 calories on cardio.

The weights can provide upper body workout, I use a smaller dumbell weight at 8kg, so include two of those, one for each hand.  Include pushups, planks, crunches and curls or dips in there also for core workout. If you have a stability ball that is great for the planks and crunches to keep you off the ground. I can do curls off the van in either of the back doors. The weights workout is also one hour, and I burn about 200 calories here. I use rock music to keep motivation flowing, and to speed movement from one exercise to the next. The weights workout (include sprinting here) increases your metabolism for about 38 hours, and increases your muscle mass for more calories burned when at rest.

For additional legs, there is the lowly squat which some will be unable to do. Can add weight by holding a weight on your chest while doing them.  Some do lunges here, can add weight in your hands, but tough on knees if you have knee problems. I do single lunges with weights while holding onto a chair back or railing. I also do a small knee exercise with bands, where I am slowly and gently working the knee three ways, standing, with the band anchored to something. 

So for equipment to bring along in the van, 2 small size dumbells totaling about 35 pounds (you may want kettle bells here), one stability ball stored on the bed when not in use, one pair running shoes for sweaty workouts, running pants with side pockets, heavy sweatshirt, one gym membership for showers and workouts in towns. Do we need to bring anything else?

Which is better, cardio or weights?  I do both in equal amounts.   ~crofter
https://www.bodybuilding.com/content/fat-loss-training-wars.html

 

[crofter]

crofter's Monday report:

workout
24 miles totaled, 6 hours of weights, worked on strengthening my knees forging better connection with the major leg muscles with small knee movement bands exercises and also using leg curls and leg extensions. Increased repetitions and weight during weight training circuits and crunches.

diet
Still using the Keto model. I included a salad this week made of cucumbers and tomatoes with garlic and creamy ranch type dressing, for water weight elimination and to boost vitamin C. Also ate some red peppers for low carb source of vitamin C.  Everyone around me is sick, but I am still well.  Still no weight loss with Keto but no weight gain either. On the down side, Christmas day was a difficult day to avoid carbs, and also a day without a workout. The day after Christmas the gym was packed, and I had a great workout.    ~crofter

 

[Qxxx]

Well at my age and with too many things blasted over the years, I'm reduced to limited exercise possibilities. Blown out knees, hip, and shoulders (both dislocated in the past), plus recurring back issues, rules out crunches, heavy weight lifting, running, pushups, pullups, etc. So it's mainly hiking (using knee braces) and walking which is the primary thing anymore. Swimming is not something I like to do. One reason I moved where I am is because of the little hills behind where I live, so the walking builds up a fair amount of sweat and some heavy breathing. Plus I walk very fast.

Hard to imagine that Keto plus your level of workouts and you're not losing weight. Something seems ain't right here.

 

[crofter]

... not losing weight. Something seems ain't right here.

I know. I'd complain but I have it so much better than many others. I am quite grateful that I feel so good after a workout - keeps me going that and rock music.    ~crofter

 

[Qxxx]

crofter, maybe you're not losing weight because you are gaining muscle mass. Just a guess, but I remember some years ago, I was doing 7-9 hour long hikes in the Colorado mountains every weekend for months, and never lost a pound. Very strenuous, usually above 10,000' with 3-4,000' elevation gains.

Here is a chart of calories burned for walking at different speeds. I figure my walks every 2-3 days or so are burning about 300 calories. Not enough to lose weight but mainly for keeping up some semblance of non-couch-potatoism (aka fitness).

https://www.verywellfit.com/walking-calories-burned-by-miles-3887154

 

[Dingfelder]

Could very well be. I remember once when I got myself very fit (I go in and out of that) and looking pretty ripped. I was looking forward to trying on again a pair of pants I hadn't worn in a couple of years, because I had lost so much fat around my waist.

Still couldn't fit. I had built up too much muscle in and around my lower back.

Weight should definitely not be held out as too important a measure of success. Many athletes would qualify as obese because they simply weigh too much for their height.

 

[Dingfelder]

Still using the Keto model. I included a salad this week made of cucumbers and tomatoes with garlic and creamy ranch type dressing, for water weight elimination and to boost vitamin C. Also ate some red peppers for low carb source of vitamin C.  Everyone around me is sick, but I am still well.  Still no weight loss with Keto but no weight gain either. On the down side, Christmas day was a difficult day to avoid carbs, and also a day without a workout. The day after Christmas the gym was packed, and I had a great workout.    ~crofter

If you were using a commercial salad dressing, those things are usually pretty bad.  The wrong kind of oil almost always (soybean) and sugars too, as in the usual high fructose corn syrup, honey, or even the crafty "natural flavorings," which can be straight-up sugar.

 

[crofter]

If you were using a commercial salad dressing, those things are usually pretty bad.  The wrong kind of oil almost always (soybean) and sugars too, as in the usual high fructose corn syrup, honey, or even the crafty "natural flavorings," which can be straight-up sugar.

Oh but I made it myself. How could it be full of stuff I did not put in it? I suppose anything is possible. BTW, I never eat soybean oil because of the things Monsanto company has done to soybeans. Turned a miracle food into true frankenfood.  But this conversation will have to continue over on the food thread.    ~crofter

 

[Dingfelder]

You must be young!   :dodgy:

Strength is actually the last to go.  Many older people are quite strong ... you will even find younger people speaking respectfully of "old man strength."  And they aren't generally prone to respecting old people at all.  You can be strong for quite a long time even after most every other physical attribute has either diminished so much as to not be worth mentioning or left you entirely.

I'm a hair short of 60, FWIW.

 

[1shemp]

So what did you folks decide to do in an emergency?Other than go on a keto diet.

 

[crofter]

@shemp What to do?  Call for backup, fight or flight. A reason for training is to build and maintain cardiovascular fitness and muscle memory in the practice and execution of your chosen discipline. As with everything else, we each have individualized approaches to staying safe. This thread is about training and practice, reporting the week's result. 

For me, the past couple weeks have involved a lot of driving, and I have squeezed in 21 miles per week of walking and some weights. Also centering and experiencing more peace in my life. What are your training goals for the worst day of your life?    -crofter

 

[Qxxx]

Still figuring the worst day of my life is the day I die (hopefully of old age), I try to get in some exercise to keep the blood moving. For anyone in the Q area, I found the little hills across Tyson Wash from the LTVAs have made some good exercise over the past month, 2 to 3 hours every 2-3 days. The tall one has a nice flag on it. Only ever saw 2 other hikers, but lots of putt-putts. (tried to find Popeye's Point, but no good idea where it is, lol).

 

[Qxxx]

Strength is actually the last to go.  Many older people are quite strong ... you will even find younger people speaking respectfully of "old man strength."  And they aren't generally prone to respecting old people at all.  You can be strong for quite a long time even after most every other physical attribute has either diminished so much as to not be worth mentioning or left you entirely.

I'm a hair short of 60, FWIW.

I recall they say that moderate weight lifting is really good for old timers, into their 80s and 90s. And given your scale, that makes me a long hair...