Are you "fit" to hunt?

[LoneWolf73]

I am now and getting fitter. I am 54 and back in December the Doc said my blood sugar was heading to diabetes stage. Before that the Doc had put me on high blood pressure meds and then high cholestrol meds so the diabetes was a third strike. I started the gym in January at 264lbs(5'10"). I go Mon thru Thru for 2 hours. 30 min tread mill, 30 min lift weights, 30 more min tread mill, and 20 minutes excerising in the sauna. Then I go home and after some food run 2 miles at noon in the Alabama heat. Down to 240 lbs now with some beer belly to work off. Hope to get down to 220 by Jan. Doc has cut my blood pressure meds in half and my blood sugar is back in the normal range again. Just got back from Elk hunting in Colorado 8000 to 11000 ft. One day hunted/walked 11hours. Covered alot of ground and found some Elk and Moose. Glad I have been working out or it would not have been so good. Long term goal is to get off meds and be at 199lbs. Excercise....It is worth it!

[Clint B.]

I thought I was fit enough to hunt until this Monday, now I'm just fit to be tied. I'm sitting here at my pc with with a back belt on & dosed up with Fexeril & Valium (Doctor prescribed, of course) recovering from lower back spasms. I've gotten a bad case of this every 3-5 years or so, since I was 25 years old. It comes on when I least expect it. For those who have suffered from lower back spasms, you know how deblitating it can be. In the past, I've usually gotten back to normal in a few days, but this time it seems to be taking more time to heal. So, this time I've resolved to drop some body weight, do regular back stretching exercises & more walking on a year round basis. Meanwhile, I'll soon be logging off to lie flat for a while.

[bawana bowman]

P90X works great. I've dropped from 246lbs down to 170lbs since June of 2008. Lost it all in less than a year, and have been doing P90X to maintain my weight and regain muscle. Just can't seem to finish a 90 day series. Every time I get going, I make it through 30 or 45 days then something always happens to stop me for a week or two so I just start over.

The program is great for getting fit or maintaining  fitness, I lost my weight first by cutting out everything that contains High Fructose Corn Syrup, eating less than 1 1/2 pounds of meat a week, less starches, and fill up on veggies.

I expect to be able to set up my tree stand as fast as I did in my twenties this year. Getting around is a lot easier than it was prior to June of 08, and the blood tests are all normal now.
Shooting is also easier and I'm back to drawing 90# if I want.  

Oh Yeah, I'm also 54 years old.

[30coupe]

I'd love to find a program for a 56 year-old with a prosthetic knee! All of these fitness programs look great and probably work great as well, but nearly all of them contain running, jumping, jogging, twisting, and/or squatting. All of these, along with lifting over 50 pounds are on the list of things I'm not supposed to do. I do need to get fitter and thinner, but I need something different. I looked at the information for P90x, Crossfit, and Pace. All of them progress to and through activities I am no supposed to do.

My artificial knee has allowed me to return to the woods and streams I love, but I'm going to have to walk and bike my way into shape I guess. I am intrigued by the elliptical idea, as it looks like something I could legally do and up the intensity level without doing any damage. The greatest challenge is fighting off boredom with most low impact programs.  Finding time with my busy schedule is another challenge (maybe excuse) that I have to overcome.

[Mr.Magoo]

Listen up ladies! (I'm channeling R. Lee Ermey.)

P90X is a pretty good program (I've gone through it.)  You're not going to get big and strong doing it; yes you'll get stronger if you're a newbie, but it's not a strength program.  It's more like morning PT (calisthenics) minus the run and adding some dumbbell work.  Watch your diet and you'll see results.  Yoga's going to kick your butt.

I've been doing Rippetoe's "Starting Strength" for about 3 months now and it's a great program.  Bill Starr's 5X5 is also good.

As for crossfit ... type "the truth about crossfit" into google and read if it's for you or not.

Lots of free workout info./routines on the web.  Almost anything that gets you off your butt is good.

Airborne All the Way!  Carry on.

[Canyon]

Dave I am two days older than you and although I havent put on the weight (that is simply genetics) I am not in the shape I want to be in with an Elk Hunt coming up this week. The stairs I run up and down at work are probably my only saving grace.  

I am about to start a workout regimen with my Detectives who are  on the SWAT team called Crossfit. My son in the Army beleives it will Kill me. These guys had done the P-90X with mixed reviews but love the Crossfit routine.  

Best of Luck/Semper Fi

[Duckbutt]

Learn to eat whole foods and follow a crossfit style workout regime.  Scale it to your reality but try to follow the basic approach.

I don't go to a Crossfit gym and that "truth about Crossfit" article doesn't reflect my experience with the program.  I only follow the daily workout posted at Crossfit.com.  P90X is probably very good but I don't like diets or workout "programs" and really don't want to dance in front of the TV.  I think it is focused more on getting "six pack abs" than making you a mountain goat.

Crossfit.com has been a life changer for me.  If you take the deadlift, back squat and barbell overhead press (the Crossfit total), I've added about 250 lbs to that total in 8 months.  I ran 3 miles on Friday in less than 22 minutes.  I haven't gained any weight, still 165lbs like when I started.  I work out about 4 days a week and the average work out lasts 20 minutes.  That is my truth about crossfit.  It can be very simple, very affective, very primal and very worthwhile.  Sounds like trad bowhunting to me!