The Post-Apocalyptic Workout List

The skill list has gotten a bit unwieldy, so I've organized it by Basic, Intermediate, Advanced and Elite Tasks.  What qualifies as Basic or Elite, is in the eye of the beholder, and in this case that eye is mine.  Some things I have a hard time wrapping my little civilian brain around. 

That's not to say that all Basic Tasks will be completed before I move on to Advanced Tasks.  It depends on time and the resources available to me.  If one of the following is within your area of expertise,  you're in the Southern California area and you're feeling charitable, send me an email.   

My current eight-week plan can be found here.

THE BASIC LIST:

• get leaner (disencourage cannibalism)
• get stronger
• do a pull-up/lift bodyweight
• get faster (outrun zombies)
• basic first aid
• CPR (adult, child & infant)
• be prepared (emergency food, first aid, water)
• be prepared (tools, booze, radio)
• basic construction
• cooking over campfire
• basic mending & sewing
• growing food
• storing food
• purchase bike
• bike safety & maintenance
• orienteering 
• fire safety
• basic veterinary first aid
• learning to drive a manual transmission
• relaxation techniques/yoga
• swimming/holding breath
• knot skills/making rope

INTERMEDIATE TASKS:

• advanced first aid
• be able to run with a Daisy the Wonderdog strapped to me
• figure out way to strap Daisy the Wonderdog to me
• gun safety & maintenance
  
  
• load & fire handgun
• load & fire rifle
  
  
• load & fire shotgun
• metalworking/welding
• rock climbing
• woodchopping  
• sledgehammering  
• soapmaking  
• farm animal keeping/care
• horseback riding
• archery/crossbow skills
• starting/building a fire sans matches
• motorcycle riding
• marathon walking
• hand-to-hand combat/self-defense
• building rudimentary shelter
• foraging/identifying edible plants
• gather/purify water
• diplomacy
• group disaster training

DISCLAIMER!

Comments

[nightblind]

rope/knot skills would be good. seriously. did someone already say this?

[zozos]

What about rope/knot skills? Also learning a little something about plants....medicinal uses and such? I'm thinking everyone should have some type of martial arts skills......or maybe I just watch too much TV. :-)

[zozos]

What about rope/knot skills? Also learning a little something about plants....medicinal uses and such? I'm thinking everyone should have some type of martial arts skills......or maybe I just watch too much TV. :-)

[regis]

two suggestions:
1. sailing. no fuel needed, and you can get away from most (non-swimming) zombies. also, you can look awesome and get a good tan while training.

2. basic mechanic skills -- fixing car, motorcycle, and marine engines.

[Captain Legion]

Small engine repair
Fire Safety (what if a fire starts in your post-apocalyptic abode? how would you put it out?)
Marathon Running/Walking - There's a lot of country to walk when you run out of gas. At least 25km a day worth.
Electrical wiring - Tons of batteries or generators, nothing that fits. Also can't buy a lamp to replace a broken one. Also: Robotic Menace?
Moat digging
Lock picking
Bludgeon using
Barricading
Boating - the threat may take you out to see. A small sailboat could be salvation.
Looting - Be honest. I see a zombie, I'm throwing something through a window.
Dry walling - Just a practical skill set.

[Johnny Hazard]

If you wanted to gather up all the weapon-wielding eggs into a single basket I would suggest either Sayoc Kali (Filipino knife fighting but transferable to anything you could imagine) or Kendo.

IF one were to find a decent place to hole up and decided on gardening you might want to pick up basic hydroponic skills since you might be underground.

[Fiefdom]

I imagine you would have to sleep lightly and be ready to wake and grab your weapon at the drop of a hat. Perhaps you could set up some kind of random alarm that would wake you at night, then you would execute a series of actions within lets say 30-60 seconds. For instance you could load/check shotgun, turn on a light (torch or otherwise), and don a Kevlar vest (or perhaps a facsimile). Mainly the idea is just to work on your reaction time in a crisis.

[the slackmistress]

@fiefdom: While I understand your point, I would consider that in elite training.

Also, I do have to live in the real world, one where I have a husband and a dog and work three jobs (to pay the bills) and picket (as I'm a WGA member) and I'm adding this huge project to the mix; waking up in middle of the night and loading a shotgun (which is somewhat moot as I can't afford one with my $50 a month budget - firearm training is one that I'm going to have to rely on the kindness of friends to help me out) is a recipe for real disaster. While I plan on testing some of my physical limits, I will not put my family in danger.

[Caroline]

This probably says something about me, but this is a serious comment: the ability to brew beer/make wine/create some sort of drinkable alcohol. Once you get yourself settled, and you have the "create fire" thing down, and you've built shelter, and found food, and beat back zombies... well, I don't know about you, but I am pretty sure after all that I could use a damn drink. I have a regular "Office Space" job, and I usually can use a drink by the end of the day. And I just am stitting at a desk. No zombies (lawyers, but no zombies).

[Caroline]

Hey, plus you could use the alcohol for medical purposes (cleaning cuts, etc) ... so that would be my other suggestion: knowledge of basic, on-the-fly medical care.

[Caroline]

oh wait... just saw you have first aid on your original list. O.K. - well, alcohol could be useful for that.

[Rus]

Hopefully none of this is a repeat:

For Daisy the Wonderdog, would a baby carrier work? Thinking of course of the ones mothers use to transport their wee ones.

A baby sling could work as well; if you're on a budget ( who isn't these days? ) then you might be able to make one yourself:
http://www.ida.net/users/stace/sling.html

For basic firearm familiarization, you might consider a class. Something like the NRA Basic Pistol.

These guys out in Torrance look ok:
http://www.besafeguntraining.com/firearms-courses.htm

Knot skills / rope work has been mentioned, but bears repeating. Useful for clearing debris ( look up "timber hitch" ), shelter ( as in tying down a tarp ), food ( snares )... the list goes on.

[GameCat]

It's a popular game amongst my friends and I to imagine that, with a click of the fingers, everyone except ourself in a given situation is zombie-fied, and to talk through our short-term survival strategy. Probably a good mental work out. You never know when the zom-pocalypse will come! I'd also say that, should you *not* be the sole survivor, having some serviceable management / teamwork / diplomacy skills will be hugely important. How many times have we seen otherwise strong survival teams torn apart by bickering?
Oh, on that note, learn another language? Learn to sign? Communicating without zombie-attracting noise would probably be useful.
Oh, and knowing enough about biology to pretend you might be able to cure the zombie-disease would probably stop you getting thrown to the proverbials.

[Green]

Firstly, I would be happy to send you the book I have on basic infant/child first aid if you'd like. It's actually from my friend Brandi, who I hear you know.

Secondly, may I suggest yoga? I am not at all a fan of yoga, but did take classes for three months and about a month and a half in, found myself able to do both pushups and use stomach muscles I hadn't known I had.

Thirdly, this is a very cool idea. I may link to you on my blog, if that's okay with you.

[Sean]

Great list. I just wanted to point out a back-of-the-napkin analysis someone did a while back on the likely status of the power grid in the event of a full-scale zombie infestation:

http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/mzombiepower.html

You'll definitely need to bulk up if you are going to be schlepping generators and jerrycans of gasoline around while carrying a chainsaw and a 12-gauge double-barreled Remington.

[Complete Geek]

How about some basic marksmanship? I saw being able to load and fire a handgun/shotgun, but from how far and can you hit a moving target?

Also, I think outdoor survival skills would be a must. Identifying edible plants and building a rudimentary shelter when trekking through rural areas could be very handy.

[Complete Geek]

I love this idea! May I suggest basic marksmanship, ie the ability to hit a moving target.

Also basic outdoor survival skills would be a must when trekking through the wilderness.

I know how to make soap. I can write a free ebook if you want

[mccrum]

Welding will be very useful, as long as there is electricity or gas for the generators. Basic metalworking skills (think minor smithing, soldering and the like) will be useful, especially when we're back in the bronze age. So be sure to include small things such as needles and thread in the emergency kit. 500 needles and safety pins will go a long way in trading if you do it right and they are very compact.

Also, I see many things having to do with rope and thread (tying Daisy to you, archery, horseback riding), you'll need basic rope skills for this, both knots and making rope. If you need to look up what a bowline is or have no idea why a sheet bend is better than a square knot, you'll need to find someone who does. How else are you going to secure the evil local sheriff to leave as bait for the zombies, secure your boat for a quick getaway or simply haul your pack up the cliff after you?

[Chris Kreitsch]

Everyone is so into this, how cool. I would like to point out two things, 1) Realistic requirements ie Basic hand to hand vs. advanced martial arts. 2) Doing this without going overboard and end up holed up in the mountains waiting for the apocalypse and missing really cool drinking parties and movies. Besides, you also have to accept the possibility that you'll wake up just long enough for the horde to break your door down and feast on your entrails. I think practical preparation is brilliant but with a sense of practicality. No I am not harshing the buzz, knowledge is power and it never hurts to plan a little just warning about going overboard.

[kmeelyon]

Not to be a total party pooper, but i was working towards doing full pull-ups last year. I was doing negatives which are what a lot of people recommend to build up the strength to do full pull-ups. One day, I guess I did one too many, and that was the end of most of my upper body training for a good ten months. Rotator cuff tear and an AC joint injury. Ouchers.

Now I'm happy just to be doing girl-push-ups and bicep curls again. I was in pain for the better part of the year. So just be careful. For me, pull-ups are no longer one of my goals. I was feeling pretty super buff before the injury.

I wonder if one of Daisy's goals is to outrun you? ;)

My goals include doing more things I'm bad at or scared of, like singing more in front of people. Hmmm.

[Chris Kreitsch]

I wish to assist in the intermediate department. Magnifying glass or a magnesium rod (like flint and steel but easier and hotter) for fire without matches.

[eli skipp]

totally want to help with some of this! i know how to weave fabric, make rope, knit, crochet, makes and sew clothes (with and without a sewing machine), i'm well versed in the most useful of sailor knots (including a hangman's noose... you know, if necessary), i'm excellent at CPR and the Heimlich, i know had to use both an Arc Welder and an Acetylene torch welder...

honestly name it and i'm your girl.

[Zombie Caveman]

Survival cooking.
i.e. cooking a rack of lamb on the manifold of the pink mini or anything of the like

[Tonic]

Why not put your dog to work for you? More extensive training than 'sit, come, lie down, stay'. Dogs can be useful for flushing game, tracking, or keeping watch. Not sure what your breed is or its particular characteristics. You could also jog with your dog so you can share the exercise time.

[Belinda]

If it gets me a spot in the bunker, I will make the soap, keep the farm animals, perform basic veterinary care, train the horses AND teach you to ride them.

Wow, I never realized how much of my particular skillset can be found in "Little House On The Prairie" reruns.