Headed West again for elk this September, and need to " Tune Up" the old Carcass..Just wondering what info you guys can offer up on exercizing for the High Country, and some dieting tips for chiseling 10 pounds from the body. It aint like I aint hunted Elk and Mountain Whitetails, but just thought I would try to get some new insight..perhaps some things I havent incorporated into my normal workout routine..I am all ears! :help:
I like the body for life regime. Lost 70lbs on it. You dont need to do the shakes....just take the 6 small meals a day routine and run with it. Really you can splurge quite often and still drop weight pretty quick. You'll need some weights for strength training (every other day), and some form of cardio, be it running, biking etc....you can impliment it into any of them.
Good luck!
As far as work outs go you'll get a bunch of replies all with different thoughts. For me personally I avoid steady state cardio (jogging), jogging sucks and it's boring.. I do a lot of interval training 2 to 3 months ahead of the season. These consist of hill sprints, farmer walks, tire rolls, and sled pulls. Interval training is basically go all out of 10 to 30 seconds, taking a 30 second to 1 minute rest and doing it all over again. My main focus on theses is to get the heart rate up and metabolism pumping. Ever wonder why long distance runners are usually small and sprinters are usually more muscular, interval training is a large part of this. Elk hunting takes as much strength as it takes cardio endurance.
As far as diet try the paleo (caveman) diet . If you can't kill it, pick it, or grow it don't eat it that simple.
P90x. Even if you don't do the program as it's intended the plyo, yoga and cardio will shed that 10 lbs in the first 30 days.
Dude,
Here's my advice. Get in the best shape you can because it still ain't good enough when you're at 10,000+' and the the elk are walking the other way. Looking forward to humping the hills with you at Denton unless you can make it to Sawmill.
Vinny
Nothing better than hiking hills to get in shape to hike hills, but mountain biking is really worthwhile, too. Riding on trails gives you the interval training mentioned earlier without having to think about it; it just comes with the territory. The hillier the terrain, the better. If you can invest some time and effort on the bike, you will lose weight and get in shape, but I am talking about at least 45 minutes or more, 5 or 6 days a week, at an intensity that will make you breathe hard and make your quads feel it.
Don't get old! (hasn't worked for me though)...
1+ for P90X
I recently started Insanity and it is an incredible leg and cardio workout. If your joints and heart are good, it would be tough to find a better and more complete elk hunt exercise prep.
Hey Old Man, not much you can do with that old body of yours except have Pat carry a tank of oxygen and a drag rope! :goldtooth:
In all seriousness, the P90x routine will have you therein no time. Tony's program ain't fun but intense and easy to follow.
I've used the p90x and agree its a great workout with the best part being you can do it at home in a reasonable amount of time. However, for me I try to train like I hunt so I try to hike as much as possible starting with a light pack and working my way up. Somedays with no pack. Of course I always carry my bow and some judos/blunts and shoot constantly. That helps you to forget how far your hiking and how tired you are:)
Though I live at 4500', every time I head up to the High Country the lack of air just about kills me. The best thing you can do is get in good shape and then come three days early to 'try' to acclimate yourself to the environment you'll hunt. You might also think about planning a hunt at 7500'-9000' instead of jumping out of the truck at 10,000'.
Last week-end the kids and I worked on our diet, S'mores over a campfire!! :campfire:
Mix up your routine, some cardio, some weights, take awalk with a pack on, ride a bike. As far as eating just do portion control and you will be ready to go, worked for me last year!! :thumbsup:
Last year I lost 60 lbs before my elk hunt last year. I went from 254 lbs to 193 lbs in 7 months. We hiked in 10 miles and were in the back country at 11,200'. When I got to Colorado I was 193 lbs when we started the hunt and 184 lbs when we left the back country and got back to town.
I was on a low carb high protien diet. I went to the gym 5 days a week and concentrated on arobics. I used a stair stepper 30 minutes a day to try to get my heart and lungs in shape. It worked great for me. I carried a 70 lb pack in 10 miles and out 10 miles. We put on between 3 and 6 miles a day hunting.
I was 57 years old and will be 58 before the hunt this year and heading back to the same place. After the hunt I made the mistake of thinking I could eat what I want because I was so skinny when I was done with the hunt. BIG MISTAKE! I have to loose another 35 lbs again. I am doing the same routine I did last year, only this time I am sticking to the diet and excercise when I am done with the hunt!!!!
Oh yea I almost forgot, I also cheated, I got prescription diet pills from the Dr. Modern chemistry it is a miracle! Ha!
I just might be going chase Elk this season so I better start training myself. Good info gang.
Thanks everyone, great pointers! Vinny You know I will run with ya at Sawmill and Denton anytime! As for you, Tim, "Old Man"?? Holy crap! I aint that old!! How old are YOU, anyway?..I have been very fortunate over the years to have mountains close to home, and use them every chance I get..I will look into the P90X routine..Keep the info coming, as I am sure everyone can benefit from it! :scared:
Hell, do like I did and move to elk country and it wont be that big of deal physically to go elk hunting. Just kidding, even living at over a mile in elevation, when you double that elevation, it can still be a butt kicker if you don't train for it. One good tip I heard was to get one of those thin plastic bags from the produce section of the grocery store and wear it over your head as you workout to simulate high altitude. Good luck!
Diet with enough protein so you don't lose muscle. Run backwards up hills.
Instead of a plastic bag do like some guys I work with do, get an old gas mask and run with that on :scared: It helps moisturize the skin too! Looking forward to seeing you at both shoots.
Gas Mask?? Plastic Bags?? :scared: :saywhat: I aint trying to kill myself, just chiselin' and refinin'....haha
Scottie, ride a bike hard, treadmill or walk between them at least 60 minutes each day. add the weights concentratre on the core muscles. Works for me approching 90# down as I type. This work out will also help you help me drag my deer to the tractor.
Me
I havn't had the opportunity to elk hunt yet, but I will pass off advice for the diet I got from a master gunnery sgt. We were doing a ton of field excursions due to an up coming deployment, he said eat like you are going to eat in the field, if you dont plan on making protein shakes and such in the field dont make your conditioning diet based upon them. In a nut shell the last few weeks before you go eat the things you will be eating on your trip, so you know what the diet will do for you energy wise and how regular(weather you will crap to much or not enough) your body will be with the hunting diet.My 2 cents
If your trying to lose a little weight, don't forget that calories are king. You have to eat less than you burn. There are several good web based and phone apps that help track your calories. I use "my fitness pal" and when I stick to it, it works. It counts "net calories" so the more you exercise, the more you get to eat.
Good advice. I'm one of the p90x crowd, though it's very similar to Gym Jones, Insanity, CrossFit, etc.; just weighted a little differently toward a mix of targets. All work well if you keep after them. If you hope to pack your own animal out, though, you also have to train to carry weight--more than you intend to carry. I work up to ~100 lbs of sandbags and weight plates in a backpack and use that as part of my interval training. It gets the small stabilizing muscles working with the large muscles, and that needs to happen. Do this, and carrying a 65-70 lb quarter becomes very viable. Also, watch your joints; they don't strengthen as quickly as muscle. And, depending on your age and flexibility, you might want to spend more time on yoga or dynamic stretching than the standard routines. One injury can sabotage a whole lot of work. Done that...
p90x workouts and running - and then p90x with a pack on - I'm doing it with about 25 lbs. in my pack right now.
While others have talked about eating right and different workout routines. i ma going to talk about hydration which is just as important as food if not more. A friend of mine who is an ER doc has a protocol that they recommend we give to all family who come from North Carolina to visit us here in the front range. That is to have for an average height and weight person 64oz of fluid over 8 hours so every hour either 8oz of water or 8oz of Gatorade. Vary this based on your height and weight difference from average. I found this has worked well for visitors and they can function fairly well during the trip.
The other was y of saying this was to have the 3 C's clear, copious and continuous when you pee.
QuoteOriginally posted by oxnam:
1+ for P90X
I recently started Insanity and it is an incredible leg and cardio workout. If your joints and heart are good, it would be tough to find a better and more complete elk hunt exercise prep.
what if your heart is fairly good but the joints are shot?
QuoteOriginally posted by BOHO:
QuoteOriginally posted by oxnam:
1+ for P90X
I recently started Insanity and it is an incredible leg and cardio workout. If your joints and heart are good, it would be tough to find a better and more complete elk hunt exercise prep.
what if your heart is fairly good but the joints are shot? [/b]
Industrial size bottle of Ibuprofen is in order then
Alot of good suggestions here. I would recommend moderation in whatever routine you choose.
My knees are shot so most of the aggressive floor exercise is out, I do stretching for flexibility, bowflex 3 times a week for about 40 minutes, mostly moderate weight and higher reps.
Mountain bike when the weather permits a couple times a week.
I am fortunate I live over a mile high so my normal routines, mowing the lawn, yard work, etc. keeps me in pretty decent shape year round.
Diet nothing special, stay away from the empty carbs and again moderation on alcohol, sweets and portion size.
See ya' in September.... :thumbsup:
QuoteOriginally posted by BOHO:
QuoteOriginally posted by oxnam:
1+ for P90X
I recently started Insanity and it is an incredible leg and cardio workout. If your joints and heart are good, it would be tough to find a better and more complete elk hunt exercise prep.
what if your heart is fairly good but the joints are shot? [/b]
You will have to modify. This can mean not jumping as high or maybe not even leaving the ground but powering up to your tippy toes. Instead of making hops forward and backward, you take a little step. Everyone's body is different so make any adjustments neccessary to protect whatever structural weakness you might have. There are probably some exercises that will be completely out of the question. So for that amount of time, do something different and then join right back in once they finish that specific activity.
I am prone to shin splints so good shoes and extra padding on the floor go a long ways to keeping me exercising and pain free. If they get tender, I don't push it and do whatever it takes not to stress that part of my body.
In just a few short weeks, I have significantly improved my muscle and cardio capacity. It amazing how doing nothing is pretty detrimental to our bodies and how long it take to recover from periods of inactivity. So regardless of work out programs, most of us could do a much better job of doing something.
P90X is great for muscle development but I think if falls short in the cardio improvement compared to Insanity. A mix of both is fantastic.
I did a 3 week backpacking hunt last season. The one thing more than anything that I could feel the wear and tear on was legs. If youre carrying a backpack, or even a daypack, you will feel it in your hip flexors and legs. Squats, lunges, leg press, and lots of walking and some running will help a ton.
As far as diet, the more processed carbs, sugar and grains you can cut out of your diet, the more fat you will get rid of. Lots of meats, veggies and fruits. Dont be too afraid of fats, as they are essential for energy as well.
Another area to focus on is your back. Hiking and climbing can make your lower back sore. Strengthen your core. Abs,back, chest and legs.
you dont have to be a super athlete, but the better shape youre in, the more stamina you'll have. Keep hydrated, and while on the hunt make sure you fuel your body. I was at 178 when I got there, and 164 when I got home, and that was eating 4-5000 calories a day. Im 48 yrs old.
Dont over train and hurt yourself,even getting too sore will set you back. I walked a lot with my pack on, 40-55 lbs to train, did the treadmillat the gym at full incline and walked to train my legs, as well as the other exercises I mentioned.
P90X works for a lot of people, but its not for everyone.
Enjoy the journey. The anticipation and preparation as much part of th hunt experience as any of the rest of it.
One other note. While we all train our selves to be physically ready, there is one aspect to elk hunting that is hard to train yourself for, and that is mental toughness. Staying motivated when game is hard to find, when weather, and that mountain start to beat you down, when you have 3 more miles to go, and only enough in the tank to cover 2. You need to be mentally tough. ANd trust me, it sounds a lot easier than it is.
I dont know how long youre planning to hunt, but if its a week or more, dont be afraid to take a day off to rest your body.
okay here is something that can become a big deal, when faced with a shot situation on the elk you have trained so hard for you are going to get a spike in adrenalin this will increase your heart rate you will need more o2 so you will breath harder. Now add in the effects of elevation and over exertion to the shot and we have problems. So include your bow and some shooting into some training session along with hunt clothing and the throw in some pressure. some thing like this
Full hunting gear
run in place 1min
ten push ups
sprint 20 yrds to target and back
pick up bow
draw bow hold 5 secs
let down
repeat 3 sets shoot at end of set 3 at a 5" vital zone 20yards
if you miss repeat if a kill your done
Well put all of you. There is no tired like "elk hunting" tired.
It will push you beyond everything you have physically and mentally. Especially when packing meat.
I have a love/hate relationship with it and sort of fear/dread/enjoy the pain. On the bright side, it motivates me to work out and train in the off season.
When I hit my limit of exursion, I picture in my mind's eye that ridge we climb every morning and gut out a few more reps.
I personally like Crossfit scaled down 40% or so. My brother loves P90x. I think any interval training regiment that is whole body is fine.
Ive really enjoyed this thread. I really need to get out and do more physically but it never seems to happen. Ive had 2 back surgeries and 1 scope on each knee and Im about 60# overweight. I really need to come up with something to get this weight off and be in better shape for this coming hunting season.
I just got in from a 13 mile mountain bike ride in the desert. Believe me, riding will get you in shape if you put in the time. I hike and hit the weight room, too, but cycling, especially mountain biking, works legs and lungs and will get you in shape for taking on elk country. My legs are still burning from today's ride.
I did insanity last year and was amazed at the results, it really helped. But having a bad knee and bad back, made me cautious. So I modified the routine and did excersizes my body could handle. Instead of jumping or bending over I did an excersize that didn't hurt :) I noticed the biggest improvement was from the squats. Plus getting to bait bears helped aton, it's like elk hunting backwards, statr with a ton of weight in and not much back out :) I'd better get at it, no bear tags this year :(
Squats are fantastic exercise but notorious for causing injuries from bad form. Rippetoe's "Starting Strength" is a good place to start. For cardio, google "Tabata intervals" and check out the discussions about it on piratesofarchery.net.
One great weight loss motivator I've found is to calculate what it would cost me to cut 10-15 lbs from my pack--hundreds and hundreds of dollars...