Two Misunderstandings About Survival Skills Practice

When it comes to survival training and Survival Skills, you are constantly told to get out there and practice. However, before you revert to a couple of very famous sayings when it comes to practicing any skill, let’s clear a few things up. The phrase, “practice makes perfect” is only partially correct. I will explain in a minute. There is also the old favorite saying about “muscle memory.” Again, not entirely true.

Survival Skills

Practice Makes Perfect

Really? Is anything or anyone ever truly perfect? When you are talking about practicing survival skills, there is no possible way you could ever be perfect. Don’t get me wrong. You can certainly be more skilled than somebody else with little to no experience, but perfect is a pretty strong word. For one thing, imagine you are practicing a particular skill the wrong way. How about the idea of practicing with one particular tool. We will use your favorite knife as an example. What happens if you do not have it? Is the skill you practiced to the point of perfection any good to you now?

The key is to practice the skill in stressful conditions. If you want to hone your fire making skills, try doing it in the rain. It is virtually impossible to prepare for every scenario that could happen in a survival situation, but learning to compensate in stressful conditions will help you in the long run. You must have a skill set  you can fall back on that has been practiced in normal and stressful conditions the right way.

Muscle Memory

Okay, let’s just say it…does a muscle have a brain and therefore a memory? Not quite, but it is a proven fact you can train yourself to perform a certain skill. Take for example NBA players. They practice those free throw shots to the point that they rarely miss. However, there are times they do and you will make mistakes from time to time in your own training. One valuable tip you should act on is to seek help from a qualified instructor who can help you fine tune your skills.

Practicing your survival Skills is extremely valuable, but let me stress how important it is to practice with the tools you will likely have with you in a crisis. When you are out shopping for your survival gear, pay particular attention to what you are buying. Don’t waste your money on gear meant for one time use. You will need to use it over and over during your practicing sessions.

Craig Caudill practices with his survival tools all year round sharing his knowledge at Dan’s Depot and teaching at his Nature Reliance School.

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