I was speaking with another martial artist recently, and we began to talk about what was really relevant for survival. After some discussion about martial arts techniques, what really works and what doesn’t work so well, we came to the conclusion that there is a lot more to survival than just self defense in the most common definition of the word. The founder of the Jujitsu system ZenBudo-Ryu said at the opening of one of his books that “Survival is everything – all else is trivial.” This is a very strong and observant statement. Because when it really comes down to the most base desire – the survival instinct will trump almost anything.
Now I am not a “survivalist” like they show on Doomsday Preppers – but I agree that in our everyday lives there are certain skillsets that can really have an impact on your ability to survive the challenging situations that life can throw at you. Here is what we came up with:
- Camping and Outdoor Survival – land navigation, making fire, finding or making shelter, finding and preparing food, etc. in good weather and bad. It would seem that there is always a chance that you will need to spend time outside your home exposed to the elements. It could be that a hurricane or tornado ripped through your town. Perhaps there was flooding. Maybe you went on a day hike and got lost. There are many situations that could leave you out in the cold, and its probably a good idea to be able to survive that.
- Basic Shooting – pistol, rifle, shotgun, bow, spear. Whether for self protection or to obtain food, the ability to take down prey or an enemy from a safe distance makes sense. Understanding the basics of these weapons also makes sense in many situations.
- Unarmed Self Defense Skills – especially the basics. The core ability to defend yourself efficiently against another human. As we know, being physically attacked can happen anywhere at any time. These days you can be in a mall, at the movies, at a political rally, or at your local ATM machine.
- Warrior Mindset – which can come from warlike situations or from other extremely challenging physical and mental challenges like the Tough Mudder and Spartan Race, or Crossfit, or Mountain Climbing, or Skydiving and other things with an element of danger. You never know your limits until you know your limits. Being physically, emotionally, and mentally challenged beyond what you think are your current limits can be life changing in a positive way. You may be much more than you think you are. At the very least you will know what you can withstand – and that is knowledge a lot of people do not have. It can help you take on any challenge.
- Reading. Knowing things. General things. History, Geography, Earth Science, Finance & Investing, Basic Electronics, Languages, Gardening, Psychology, and other things that give you a more complete and realistic view of how the world works. Being well versed in as many subject areas as possible is always a weapon in your arsenal. There have been several times in my life where I had no experience in completing the task ahead of me – but I had read about it, and had enough knowledge to get me through. The mind is a wonderful librarian. It can store what you have learned forever – just waiting for the info to be accessed when needed. Especially when survival is at stake.
- Armed Combat Skills – close combat with weapons – I include knowing how to use a knife in this. Sometimes things just get too up close and personal, and using a projectile weapon to stop danger at a distance just isn’t possible. Sometimes you are attacked by surprise or must confront another living being that is threatening your survival. At these times I am thinking being able to fight using a weapon will give you a clear advantage.
- Personal Protection/Bodyguard Concepts/Skills – in other words – how to be a protector of others and be aware of dangerous situations. It isn’t always about you! Sometimes it’s about being the protector of others. That is a different skillset than protecting yourself. It requires other strategies and tactics. But being part of the survival of a family or group might demand these skills.
- Driving Skills – how to react in an emergency, how to control a skid, how to drive fast on a complex road, how to drive off-road, the basic components of a car, how to drive multiple types of vehicles from a vespa to a forklift to a tractor to a sports car to a pickup truck to a half ton truck to a motorcycle to a jetski to a boat. Transportation in its many forms are part of every day life. Most of us use our car or motorcycle on a daily basis to quickly transport us from one place to another. But in an emergency situation you may need to be quickly transported by a vehicle that you are not familiar with, and it would be bad if you were unable to operate it.
- Swimming and Water Survival Skills – the world is two thirds water (or more) and you should probably know how to navigate it and survive your exposure to it. Swimming is a form of transportation when there is a lack of mechanical assistance. There is also a need to know how to survive when exposed to water for long periods of time. We cannot breathe in water, so keeping your head where the oxygen is seems important to me. Knowing how to maintain buoyancy and travel distance in the water while maintaining body temperature and avoiding dangerous forms of nature will be key.
- First Aid and CPR – basic first aid skills, stop bleeding, ensure open airway, treat wounds, treat shock, perform CPR, make a sling and a splint, etc. These skills could be for yourself or others in your family or group. With the fragile bodies that we have, there is a chance that it may be injured. Cuts, lacerations, punctures, broken bones, and infections are all possibilities in both daily life and in a survival situation. Knowing how to quickly and effectively remedy these survival threatening situations should be basic knowledge.
I had a friend and student say that they didn’t know they had to be a special forces, navy seal, secret agent to be able to survive in everyday life. And I agree with them – you do not. There was a time when information and training on each of these areas was not readily available. The only places you may have received such training was in the military or government. But that is no longer the case. All of this info and training is easy to come by and relatively inexpensive – when you consider that the cost of not knowing what to do may cost your life!
Make a plan to tackle one of these at a time. Seek out those who are already experts in one or more of these areas and learn. It could save your life and the lives of those you love.
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