As the title says, we have 3.5 months until elk opener...How many times last year did you sit down after a getting your butt kicked by the mountains and wish that you had hit the gym harder/ran farther/worked on getting better food (fuel) into your body instead of all those pizza's?

Still plenty of time to get started or pick up where you left off. I know I know, one foot in front of the other can get a guy through any hunt...but how enjoyable is that? Own the mountains, or the hills behind your house or wherever it is that is your hunting grounds.

Enhanced physical condition=enhanced mental condition. Im a firm believer in strong body strong mind.

So....what are you doing to better yourself in preparation for season?

Keeping up with my cardio regimen that I started 2 years ago, along with weight training and pack workouts.  I lost 40 pounds for last years elk hunt and I can't begin to describe how much it helped and made my trip so much more fun. Good luck to everyone hunting the country!

Gabe

Congrats Gabe keep it up! As hunters I don't think we have ever truly arrived, even the highest levels of athletes. Think about it, the elk/deer/bear/sheep you are chasing doesn't own a lazyboy recliner, or a couch, a nice bed and hasn't ever tasted a mcdonads cheeseburger.

Every day the animals we pursue are out there getting stronger, smarter and more adept at avoiding confrontations with us! The more we can do to just avoid falling further behind only helps.

I am down 45# from the end of last elk season, have been hitting the gym pretty good and running (I hate running) and also been doing a few scouting trips/bear hunts breaking in boots, trying out my new sleeping bag etc.

Leg and cardiovascular workouts are very important, but I also hit upperbody 2-3 times a week as I believe in whole body training. Now if I could just get rid of the soda pop and dairy products that would help immensely!

I'm trying to shoot everyday, even if it's just 5 good arrows w/broadheads.

My new TallTines is by far the best bow I have ever shot, the arrows are flying beautifully with either my VPA 3 blade heads or the new Cutthroat single bevel heads I have.

Pretty awesome to watch a perfectly tuned arrow arc through the air, I can't wait to see that flight with a big bull waiting on the other end!

lots.  pretty much training across the board, and improving on my diet.

personally I had an awakening recently.  our annual blood draw and wellness test at work did not go as hoped.  my cholesterol was up slightly (not to a bad stage but still), and while I lost weight this year my body fat pct. went up 6%!!  apparently I lost a good bit of muscle.  looking back, in my workouts I admit they were almost all of the running/hiking variety as I fell in love with trail running.  I haven't been working upper body at all.  and to make things worse, in preparing for runs I was taking in too many carbs.  just figured I could eat worse quality if I kept my calorie count intact.  all of that added up to a very bad year health wise for me.

im on it.

I want to add to my above post, when I first read that prognosis I was like "must be an error", but im not so sure.  I do realize gaining 6% in body fat is a HUGE increase, but looking back since I changed my lifestyle to be healthy four or five years ago ive felt physically on top of the world.

a few months back that sorta went away.  couldn't even tell you why, but I just wasn't and haven't been feeling it. the scale was still showing progress, but a look in the mirror wasn't substantiating that at all.  so I think it is probably accurate.  

this news is now a couple weeks old.  ive I believe fixed these problems and honestly feel better than I have in a while.  onward and upward.

The Wild Diet and Exercise program, it goes along with what my body has been telling me for a few years now.

Working on my pack list and getting together a few new items. My son and I are going for 1-3 days in. Out just at lunch if we can for more fuel and shower.

Building a couple more selfbows to get ready for the hunt. Working hard on my shooting, I need more consistancy which probably goes along with a good anchor.

Cleaner diet...kind of a Wild Diet meets Paleo and cardio 3 days a week via biking. I am also rolling at Jiujitsu school 3 days a week for at least an hour a go.

I am hunting goats in BC. I need to drop weight, up my VO2 max and suffer some now so I won't suffer as much then. Good luck everyone!

Nothing   :(    :rolleyes:

I started running a few weeks ago, working my way up to 3 miles. I am going slow using a GPS watch as a trainer. Also started doing a Kettlebell workout for strength of the whole body. I'll start hiking with weight here soon.
Its harder mentally but I remember that mountain kicking my butt a few years back.. oxygen lack of oxygen...

Never too late to start! I believe this saying holds true with fitness as well-the best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago....The next best time is today!

I'm building a 320# draw bow so I can stand in the bottom of the valley and shoot those big timberline bulls.  Going to use 180 grain arrows to extend the range.  Plus, they will be 50% EFOC.

I'm swinging the kettlebell, sprinting, and doing a variety of high-intensity workouts with plenty of squats, pullups, pushups, deadlifts and turkish get-ups. Shooting regularly, of course.

Got my gear list dialed in and my entire pack, before food and water, is just a hair under 15#.

I'm ready... but I can't go this year. Still, pays to be ready for next season!

Pete

 

"ATHLEAN XERO" program for me. I'll be going up high in the north this year and next for a couple weeks at a time. need to get my fat but into "athletic" shape for our mountain ranges.

Working overtime to buy elk hunting toys! Got my new Dryad LBX limbs in today, going to get a Kifaru pack when rmsgear get them in. Already bought water purifier, stove and new sleeping bags and pads for me and the wife. If and when it quits raining down here and snowing up in the mountain's we will go hiking at altitude.

wishing I could go    :(

What am I doing? Wishing I could hunt Elk.

Recovering from knee surgery, just finished up with physical therapy and am starting weight training and cardio workouts. Been shooting my bow a lot too.

I get up at 4:30 am to work out on the elliptical machine while watching Elk hunting videos (no sound on the TV as to not wake the wife) that really gets me going on the maching. Then after work I shoot, shoot, shoot.