Fitness in Airsoft/Milsim

So I have gotten myself back into the gym for about 8 months or so now. I have been working out o So I have gotten myself back into the gym for about 8 months or so now. I have been working out off and on for most of my life. Back in the day I was even preparing for a bodybuilding competition but had to drop out due to an injury I sustained in the gym.

I was always, push harder, more weight, do more sets, ect. This resulted in several injuries but in my youth I never thought about it. Did I get big? Yes I did. Was I healthy? Probably not as healthy as I thought I was.

So how does this have anything to do with Airsoft or Milsim you ask? Well it’s simple really, airsoft/Milsim is a physically demanding activity. Between the gear, heat, and activity level if you’re doing it right you should be exhausted when you leave the field. Your tank should be empty. The key to outperforming your enemy is to simply have more in your tank than they do. How do you do this? You work out with both cardio and strength training

Recently the light switch turned on in my head. It only took until I was 52 years old but hey it came on. Now in the gym I still push hard and work myself but I’m not trying to push massive amounts of weight. As an example back in the day I would do 5 sets of 10 reps per exercise and workout from 8:00 A.M. until Noon four days a week with free weights and another two days a week just on cardio.

Now I workout four days a week with moderate weights, for 3 sets of 10 reps per exercise. No more than two body parts per day and I also throw in 20-40 minutes of cardio each day.

What have I noticed as far as a change? Well I am gaining back just as much size if not more than I did before. Also my cardio health has increased greatly. Injuries are far fewer and my fat loss has increased. My body is responding very well to this new routine and I feel a lot healthier than I ever did.

I guess my point in all of this is that you don’t need to kill yourself in the gym to make improvements. I went from 4 hours a day to 1.5 hours a day for my workouts. I stopped worrying about how much weight I was pushing and focused on form and effort. This has paid off on every level for me. Get to the guy even if it’s for an hour a day three times a week and you will see a difference.

I am down to 210# from 227# without altering my diet. I have cut back on portion size but that’s it. I have also increased my muscle mass quite a bit. I’m 52 years old so if I can do it anyone can. Listen to your body and it will take you far.

See you on the field