Fitness IS a survival skill

Last week, a climber fell 20 feet in Linville Gorge. His injuries caused life threatening internal bleeding, and he needed blood, fast.

The blood he needed was in a parking lot, 1.5 miles and 1,000ft of elevation away. There was only a rough trail between them- no ATV and no helicopter that could make the delivery. Will Soper, a fellow climber, EMT and SAR volunteer, answered that call. He made the delivery in just 31 minutes and absolutely made the difference between life and death for that patient.

When I talk about fitness being one of the the 5 Pillars of Prevention, this is what I mean. It is one of the most underrated survival skills — not because you'll break any records, but because it gives you an extra margin. It's a capacity to stretch a little beyond- to move faster when you need to, carry a bit extra weight, and keep making good decisions when your body is under stress.

Most of the time, that extra capacity isn't glamorous. It looks like hiking out a little quicker to avoid a storm, carrying a partner's pack after a sprained ankle (without spraining your own), or still having enough energy at the end of the hike to set up camp with a clear head. This edge is not what makes headlines, though your adventure partners will definitely appreciate it.

But every so often, it looks exactly like this — someone's fitness was the difference between life and death for a total stranger.

Build the margin 𝘣𝘦𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦 you need it. You never know whose life might depend on it (often, its yours)

Read more about the rescue HERE

Learn about the 5 Pillars of Prevention HERE

How I stay adventure ready...

It isn't fair to ask my body to jump from a mildly active daily life — hikes with friends, climbing at the gym, mountain biking on weekends — straight into a 5-day backpacking trip carrying 35lbs, and expect it to hold up without pain or injury. One easy way I keep my stabilizer muscles strong for heavy loads is bringing a sandbag on my hikes. 30lbs now feels normal to my body, so adding another 5lbs or so on a trip isn't a stretch — it's just business as usual.

Weight training strengthens major muscle groups- which improves overall capability doing things like scrambling over boulders, lifting kayaks and carrying gear. It improves core stability which helps protect my back when something unexpected happens. And, it helps me target specific muscles to prep them for a specific activity, or to prevent muscle imbalances from repetitive movements.

I play. A lot. I climb trees, play hide and seek, tag and more. Play gets me out of my head and into the present moment- and asks me to move my body in ways I might not normally move in my daily life- doing things like climbing, dodging, ducking, and sprinting. After a good play session with friends or students, I always feel lighter and more nimble. And the best part is, it didn't even feel like a workout. 

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