Carrying a Person to Safety

A hero is someone of distinguished courage and ability, admired for his or her brave deeds and noble qualities. Assuming you have the courage to attempt a heroic deed, you then need to develop the ability to be able to complete it successfully.

Courage is a great and noble attribute to possess. But without the ability to save someone, you’re more likely to risk your own life, as well as the life of the person you’re trying to save.

Carrying someone to safety is no easy task. It takes strength, endurance, and technique.

We’ve seen it in the movies a hundred times, but this is a situation that could realistically occur in real life as well. You could have to carry your spouse if they sprain their ankle on a hike, or put your own life in danger, rescuing someone from a burning building.

Brute strength will definitely help with this task, as will proper technique. If you can carry someone safely and remain injury free yourself, you’re more likely to succeed–both strength and technique play a role in that.

Muscular endurance and mental toughness will be important as well. Who knows how long you’re going to have to carry this person or the dangers you’ll face in even attempting to do so? You’d better be able to withstand the pain that your body is going to go through–no matter how long it takes and whatever the dangers you encounter in the process.

The keys in successfully completing this mission:
- grip strength
- lifting strength/power
- muscular endurance
- lifting technique

For lifting power, we’re going to focus on “Cleans,” one of the best exercises for building explosive, athletic power. We’ll be using lower reps, with a greater rest period in-between each set.

To build our strength, muscular endurance, and mental toughness, we’re going to be doing an especially hard conditioning workout. Due to the fact that most of our lifting strength comes from our legs, we’re going to be focusing on lower body exercises. But we’ll also add in some pulling and pushing exercises that will help us lift and carry the victim.

POWER
Cleans
- 4 sets of 3 reps

The Carrying a Person to Safety Workout
30 repetitions for each exercise unless otherwise stated.
1. Farmer’s walk – 60 seconds total
2. DB deadlift
3. Lumberjack Press
4. Front Squat
5. Sumo deadlift high pulls
6. Walking lunges (each leg)
7. Partner carry – 30 feet 6x (switching off)