Survive: 4 Reasons Not to Join a Gym

Staying in shape is actually pretty important when it comes to your own safety and security. No, we’re not talking about avoiding a heart attack, a stroke or high cholesterol/blood pressure/whatever else that gets high, but being fit, able to lift your own bodyweight and get out of sticky situations using your own strength and body.

The western world in general, and the US in particular, has a weight problem. There’s no denying that, and it’s getting to be a major security issue, both for society and you personally. Overweight cops and security officers aren’t capable of doing their jobs as well as cops and security officers who are fit and who can actually move more than ten paces without getting winded in the process, and that obstacle (read; your big, fat gut) can put both you, your loved ones and/or your job in jeopardy.

Guess what the number one problem for most people is. Done? It’s getting to the gym. A gym. Any gym. The answer? You don’t need to get to a gym, you don’t need expensive equipment, and you don’t need a lot of extra time to actually get in, and stay in, shape.

It’s perfectly possible to get by and stay ripped without a gym membership (that you probably wouldn’t use anyway) and without spending a ton of cash on a home gym or silly late night TV rotating thingies. Yeah, you know what I’m talking about. This is also our number 4 reason:

4: Save money by not joining a gym

… means you can spend that cash getting together a better BOB (bug-out-bag) or that Gerber survival tool you’ve been drooling over. Chances are you won’t use that gym membership anyway, and that tool will do you a lot more good in the long run. However, a survival tool without the muscle to back it up isn’t worth anything at all, so here’s number 3:

3: Your own opening hours = more time to get it done

Sure, there are 24 hour gyms out there. The problem is that they usually cost more than usual, and we’re back at number 5. Getting your work out done on your own means you can keep your own opening hours, deciding when and where you want to do your work out. If you’re in security or law enforcement, you know as well as me that it’s not always possible to plan out a sensible day, with shifts and split shifts and doubles and night duty, on call duties and whatnot else. Which brings us to number 2:

2: Working out, even while you’re on duty = time & money saved

Getting the motivation up to go to the gym when you’ve already clocked out isn’t easy. Going home and saying hi to the couch is usually much more tempting – we know the feeling well. Working out while you’re on duty is possible, however, and what could be better than getting ripped while you’re still clocking up the hours? We’re not talking about going all out here, drenching yourself in sweat and whatever else, but simple, easy (though not necessarily lightweight) exercises that you can get away with either by your desk, or by the side of your patrol car. But hey… don’t you need a personal trainer and all that stuff if you ever want to see some results.

1: You can get good results without the gym. Seriously.

Yes, yes, we hear your shouts of “how” and your frantic scrolling to get to the answer. We’re getting to that.

The simple answer is to have a plan (yes, we do go on about that), some professional guidance and a regime that fits both your schedule and your form. All those are actually simple – the first two is just a matter of finding materials that you can use on your own (yes, we have a suggestion), and the last one is simply you keeping up with what feels like your limits and your capacity. That’s all it takes. It’s not rocket science, after all.

Our Suggestion?

You may have noticed the “TacFit” banner on the right hand side there… That’s because we like tacfit, and unlike other “reviewers”, we’ve actually watched all the videos, tried the exercises and read the material that goes with it. Check it out, both for your own safety and security, and for your loved ones. And your boss. Your boss will appreciate the effort.