Have you been stuck at home with nothing much to do? Life is too short to be bored. You may not know, but there are more things you can do without going out. One that is worthwhile and will be of good use in the future is learning survival skills.
Although some of these practical skills may be learned indoors, these are best mastered outdoors for safety purposes and the natural setting that resembles the wilderness. Now, head on out to your yard for a survival learning mission:
Knot Tying
Knots are essential for many things. You could use it to secure food packs, put the parts of a shelter or makeshift tools together, or even keep a bandage on a wound. Knowing how to undo or release yourself from knots is also practical in the worst case that you are held captive by ill-willed people.
To practice, you could use any rope that you have on hand. The following are the most useful knots you could learn:
- Square Knot — This knot is also known as the reef knot because sailors use it to tie down a boat’s sail when it gets windy. It’s done by twisting the ends of the rope and pulling them together. The ends can then be knotted once more before tightening. This knot, which is easy to undo, is typically used to keep a bandage on an open wound.
- TautlineHitch Knot — This knot is specifically for holding a tent to the ground. This is done by making a turn around one of your tent’s legs. It’s also the equivalent of making a “Q” shape with the rope’s end with the remaining length. Coil the end of the rope two times around the opposite line. Then, make another “Q” shape behind the first one with the remaining length of the rope. Pull the end up from underneath and tighten the loops together. The loops you have created should act as a bolt to a screw that could tighten or loosen around your tent’s foot.
- Bowline Knot — This knot, which has a loop that can be grabbed, is used for fire or flood rescues. This is done by first creating a tiny loop on one side of the rope’s length and then inserting the opposite side underneath the loop. The same end is then crossed against the free line. After which, it is inserted into the same loop initially created. Tighten the knot making sure to leave a loop underneath and that an adequate length of the rope remains above it.
First Aid
Many injuries involve exposed bloodstreams and dislocated joints or bones, which you don’t necessarily have at the moment, and so physically practicing the first aid for these is impractical. What you can do, instead, is watch videos that demonstrate the correct procedures. You can learn how to apply a bandage around a broken arm or leg, a bleeding hand or head. Also, you can learn how to deal with common outdoor injuries like insect bites, sprains, burns, or frostbites.
Building Stamina
To survive in the wild, knowing how to protect yourself isn’t enough. You also have to develop agility and speed to mobilize your body and escape potential harm. Achieve this by engaging in cardiovascular and muscle-building exercises. Regain your balance by performing core exercises. You don’t need expensive equipment. Make do with water-filled plastic bottles, stone markers on the ground, and a yoga mat.
Learning How to Shoot
Knowing how to shoot a gun may come in handy in situations requiring you to hunt for game or defend yourself from an assailant. Learning shooting skills involves hitting targets and knowing how to handle, load, and unload a gun. Otherwise, you can harm yourself. To make your yard safe for shooting practices, make sure to hire a company that specializes in building shooting ranges.
Creating a Makeshift Shelter
To protect yourself from the elements at night, you have to know how to build a temporary shelter and use the available materials around you. For practice, use scrap materials like tarpaulin or old posters. What’s important is you can build a durable teepee made of sturdy tree branches. Also, to add a layer of protection around your dwelling, you could learn to create a fire using natural materials like tinder, flint, and steel.
You never know when you might go on an offroad trip and run out of gas along the way. Or worse, you can be stranded on a deserted island. If this ever happens, you can expect that food is accessible only if you know how to look for it. You might encounter a territorial predator, but you cannot call for immediate rescue. No place in the world is ever safe, but you can take measures to dodge danger wisely.
