[aargee]

Originally Posted by COUGAR

All we did was marching

Me too. I remember watching the NCC guys doing the same all the time. During Independence & Republic day, these guys are enrolled by default for marching. When I was working, I met some guys who were NCC in the past & they used to tell us they'd been camping during their school days. I'm not sure if our school supported.

[StarVegabond]

Originally Posted by StarVegabond

First aid skills for self and others

Spent two days in the hospital since yesterday, giving company to one of my relative who has been diagnosed to have an appendix in his stomach.

i learnt how much less i know about the first aid, medical terms, administering the first aid, injections and drips etc.

i wish one should never be required to use these skills, but it is very essential to know these skills.

[mjothi]

I am a Rajyapuraskar Scout.

Have been in NCC too.

Originally Posted by COUGAR

All we did was marching

Yup, we use to do march fast in those Marina beach roads during Independence and Republic Days. It was really tiresome, but liked the attentions and its a different type of fun

During my scout days I had St.John Ambulance medial certificate for Juniors. They basically teach you the first aid methods etc. and issue certificates for those who pass. This is valid for a limited period. I think in my case it was till the age of 15 and then I did not continue after that.

Originally Posted by aargee

Me too. I remember watching the NCC guys doing the same all the time. During Independence & Republic day, these guys are enrolled by default for marching. When I was working, I met some guys who were NCC in the past & they used to tell us they'd been camping during their school days. I'm not sure if our school supported.

Our school had regular camps. Both in Scouts and NCC. My fav spot - Tonakela near Avadi. Thats where I learn my first tent pitching lesson.

[Samurai]

Originally Posted by StarVegabond

How many of you have attended NCC or Scouts/Guides programs when you are still a student ?

I was in scouts for a year in highschool. But they didn't teach us much apart from some knots and songs.

But NCC changed my life around:

Originally Posted by Samurai

When I joined National college (NCJ) for my PUC (11th-12th grade) in 1984, it was one of the super-nerd colleges in the city. They abhorred any deviation from conformance, and their single point agenda was to make you an Engineer or Doctor. They even had an excellent Arts department which aimed for IAS and other civil services careers. The most ignored set of students were the B.Sc students, who had missed out on becoming Engineers or Doctors, and looked only towards an unexciting and uncertain future.

However, I enrolled into NCC, and this decision was constantly berated by parents, well-wishers and lecturers as a distraction that would cost my career. The NCC unit I joined had some top-rated senior cadets who were just awesome. Those guys did something nobody had done before, they inspired us. Two years later I had something that most of my non-NCC nerdy classmates didn't have, an all-round personality. My interest in martial arts and fitness training was kindled during this time.

According my mother, the most important thing NCC did was straighten my back. Until then I was walking with a hunch thanks to 12 years of carrying school bag.

First time I was asked to push-ups in NCC as a 15 year old, I could do just 3 military push-ups. About 5 years later, I could do 100 at one stretch, later I could do 135 at a stretch. Even now I can belt out 60+ despite being nearly 50% heavier and a little out of practice (more like twice a week).

YouTube - Basic Exercise Plans : How to Do Military Push-Ups

Keep in mind, even the last pushup should be in the same form, no sagging body or half hearted movement. Some people keep their arms in one position and keep moving their butt up and down, I don't know what that is called, definitely not a pushup. Most people can't do 1 military pushup, think about that.

Anyway, the practice of military pushups is the most important thing I learnt and sustained from NCC. It can single handedly build the core of your physique.

Then I learnt crawling, climbing walls, shooting, camping, tent pitching/maintaining, camouflage, battlefield techniques, using map/compass, etc. But most of these are lost now thanks to lack of practice. I also learnt command/leadership skills since I was an Under Officer, first JUO, then SUO.

Originally Posted by StarVegabond

This is a thread created to sensitise members about "Survival Skills", which might come handy anytime, anywhere, while on a travel or be home alone.

The trouble is you can't sustain the skills unless you practice it regularly. It has to become a state of being, if not it will fizzle away.

Originally Posted by KRRaj

Nice Thread. wanted to join NCC when I was in school, but as I wear glasses, I was rejected. We should all be physically fit at the very minimum.

Strange, I don't remember this as a criteria. May be there were too many applicants.

Originally Posted by Cooleo

There's a lot that one can learn from the idiot box nowadays.

For the rest, we have the Internet.

You can pick up trivia from TV/Internet. Skill has to be learned the hard way, by practice.

[deky]

While I was working on a cruise liner, there were a few courses that were a must do.
1. Survival at sea
2. Basic first aid
3. Fire fighting

They all help in surviving any untowards incidents that may occur at a given time. The workshops for the above were pretty interesting and did make a lot of sense.

But what I realised over a period of time being at sea, that though these techniques are essential, but what is more essential is to train your mind and heart to be calm and collected at any given adversity. The idea is to think clearly and take quick decisions. A muddled up or a tensed head always ends up taking the wrong decision.

[Wolfheart]

Originally Posted by Jaguar

Thats an impressive list you have got there. But for a person living in a city how many of these would be really necessary? Many of the items would be required only for people who do regular treks into the wilderness alone or without proper guides.

Remember the Mumbai floods, hurricane Katrina or the Taj hostage situation? As safe urban environment can turn into a hell hole in a matter of minutes.

Originally Posted by Cooleo

There's a lot that one can learn from the idiot box nowadays.

What with shows like "Man vs Wild" and "I Shouldn't be Alive" on the Discovery Channel.

Yes! I learnt to eat bugs and raw fish! Once you get over the yuck factor the bugs actually taste like peanuts.(The bugs were roasted and served by a vendor in Thailand)

Originally Posted by KRRaj

Nice Thread. wanted to join NCC when I was in school, but as I wear glasses, I was rejected. We should all be physically fit at the very minimum.

Is that true? I think that's unfair 'cos atleast 30% kids in school have glasses.

[vivekiny2k]

For all those who "just" did marching, I guess you did not do it right. Marching in harsh sun is tough. But tougher is marching following orders, at exactly the same pace, and discipline so tight that you can't even scratch your neck, forget about getting a break to drink water. It is tough.

We once prepared for a dumbbells demo on independence day by an over enthusiastic PT instructor (not that I am complaining). Just staying in discipline was the tough part. I remember for those 15 days we did not get a single minute of rest (we were in a boarding school). from 5am to 11pm, we were practising if not in classes studying, or in mess eating food.

back to survival skills, I think expecting to survive in jungle is a different thing, but it's important to be able to survive in urban crises. presence of mind, physical fitness (mostly to escape, climbing being the best), knowledge of safety equipments, emergency response techniques etc come to my mind.

[Samurai]

Bumping an old thread to add another survival skill...

https://youtu.be/PZ-ebqcJo_s

[am1m]

Neat thread!

Originally Posted by Samurai

The trouble is you can't sustain the skills unless you practice it regularly. It has to become a state of being, if not it will fizzle away.

You can pick up trivia from TV/Internet. Skill has to be learned the hard way, by practice.

+1 to these 2!

I have some small familiarity with a couple of adventure sport activities through some friends who make a living as professionals and through some low-level, amateur, weekend participation.

A physical skill, especially a life-saving one, unless practiced regularly and internalized like a reflex, will not be really useful when the actual life-threatening situation arises.

Unfortunately a lot of participants are used to learning online, and while that's certainly great for getting initial info and finding out new techniques and equipment that is available around the world, thinking one is prepared by just watching videos or shows like bear grylls would be like preparing for a Ranji match by only watching cricket and never actually holding a bat or ball!

Life saving skills must be practiced regularly, as a team, and simulating the actual conditions of emergency/rescue as much as possible for them to have a good chance of success during an actual emergency. And even then, things go wrong because of several other factors on the day.

The best life-saving skill is practicing safety in all aspects of the activity and avoiding situations where you will need a rescue in the first place. Walking near a jagged coastline, on a rough day, a bunch of us were discussing how we would save ourselves if we happened to slip on the wet rocks and fell in. The only experienced person with us, a sailor with years of sailing practice and some awesome solo journeys in the open sea quipped, "Just don't fall in!"

[Samurai]

When this thread was last active, I was 41 and I couldn't swim. Few years later, with some sustained effort, I learned to swim in the apartment pool. Now I know enough to swim to the nearest bank.

[Jaguar]

Nice timing!

I learned a new life-saving skill today - CPR and using an AED.
This was part of the First-Aid training for employees. The sad part was that the turnout was very poor. Reflects on how much people value these things.

[akshaymahajan]

Originally Posted by Jaguar

Nice timing!

I learned a new life-saving skill today - CPR and using an AED.
This was part of the First-Aid training for employees. The sad part was that the turnout was very poor. Reflects on how much people value these things.

Was this a certification?

[Jaguar]

Originally Posted by akshaymahajan

Was this a certification?

This was more of a one day awareness program. The trainer was telling that their regular training is 3 days long. They follow St John's/ American Red Cross method of first aid. I can share the training company details if you are interested in knowing further. I am not sure if they provide training to individuals or it is just for organisations.

[DCEite]

I have learned one valuable life saving survival skill. And I urge all men out there to get that skill too. Shying away will not help you, rather having this skill would mean you can survive in any country any state any city where you are alone without your partner (Wife/Girlfriend/Mother).


Its called cooking.

And it need not be complex. "One Pot" cooking is a technique in which all the ingredients are cooked in the same vessel (Be it the pressure cooker/Kadhai/Pan etc.). And one pot cooking can very well take care of basic day to day north Indian dishes(and I suppose some south Indian dishes too).

I learned this skill while I was onsite alone in the middle east around 4 years back. Back then, the only option for me was to cook myself in my studio apartment, or rely on roadsite eatries to feed me. I choose the cooking way.

I believe cooking is a very underestimated skill and its not only essential for the lady of the house, but for the men also. Infact, I would suggest kids also start learning fireless cooking from early age, so that later on when they are adults they master the art of cooking well.

[condor]

Some interesting tips in this link:

https://bigglobaltravel.com/trends/l...L5KScT7i3jzLSA