4 out of 4 stars
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As a fan of zombie and other post-apocalyptic television, games and books I've often seen the repercussions of people who aren't prepared for a world without power and safety. While I've seen plenty of guides on what weapons to use against zombies and what tools, food and equipment you should have in case something terrible happens, I've never seen a book entirely focused on fitness. Proper Exercise Primes Preppers for Disasters by Dan Vale is a short (39 pages according to Amazon) guide that explains how and why you and your family should be in good shape for any potential disaster.
When I think of preppers I typically imagine folks with a fallout shelter, loads of food, solid walls and various forms of weapons. What Dan is quick to point out, however, is that it's important to be prepared for any sort of disaster, even extended blackouts or natural disasters (images of Katrina quickly came to mind). This is an excellent point - when our power goes out for even 15 or 20 minutes and the backup generator has issues we find ourselves frantically hauling buckets of water up from the basement due to a sump pump suddenly not working. As someone who has been out of shape most of my life, I can definitely understand how exhausted I get after even 20-30 minutes of this! Times like these make me even less confident about life or death situations; if a family member needed me to yank them out rushing waters would I be strong enough to do it? Sadly, the answer is probably no!
Proper Exercise Primes Preppers for Disasters begins by talking about the positives of exercise itself - aside from confidence, looking good and not getting winded from walking up a few flights of stairs, exercise releases feel-good endorphins. It also really helps with a good night's sleep and Dan points out that, especially for those of us who work from home, it's a good excuse to go outside. Dan then explains that "even a minimal amount of exercise is beneficial"; it doesn't take hours a day to get in shape, even 20 minutes here and there throughout the week is far better than nothing at all. Next, Dan explains that "all prepper family members should be physically fit". Here he goes over various types of exercises, sports and other things families and couples can do together, as well as the importance for elderly family members to exercise cautiously. Like the saying goes, Dan says, a family chain is only as strong as its weakest link, and no one wants to be the feeble or obese family member who needs help getting out of a bad situation.
From here, the rest of the ten chapters discuss the importance of a good exercise routine and making exercise a habit, how to decide what a "physically fit body" is to you, the importance of safety and being careful not to overdo it, being careful in hot or cold weather and other related subjects. Throughout the book Dan gives specific tips, like dressing in layers when it's cold outside and then staying somewhere warm until you feel a bit overheated, then gradually getting into exercise outdoors so the heat generated from exercise can take over. He also explores what various groups suggest for weekly exercise goals and that "a good diet is as important as exercise".
While the book is most effective as an extended pamphlet for those who are new to the idea of exercise or who want to show other family members information about the importance of getting fit, there was some new information in here I hadn't seen elsewhere. I also appreciated the way the author presented this information - it isn't just for the sake of looking good or feeling confident (although those are benefits Dan mentioned), it's also about being prepared for terrible potential circumstances. The most motivational reason to exercise I've ever heard came from this book - who wouldn't rather be the one helping others in an emergency than be the liability that makes someone else risk their safety to help. While I wouldn't recommend the book for folks who already exercise, it's definitely a good starting point for those wanting to get started or, for folks like me, people wanting to get back into exercising again. The book was also well formatted and edited overall, I found only 4 errors and all of them were minor. My rating of Proper Exercise Primes Preppers for Disasters by Dan Vale is 4 out of 4 stars.
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Proper Exercise Primes Preppers for Disasters
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