Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Elk Hunting Staying in Shape for Hunting?

Evereyone knows that for Elk hunting a man has to be in the best possible shape,especially after you get that critter down.

What do you guys do to stay in or get in shape for hunting.Does your work keep you fit or do you Workout/Run/Walk etc.

Jayco

I'm approaching 62. Don't do anything except work around the place here. I skin/quarter my own elk, load it on the mules and pack them out myself and can still walk up most hills faster than most youngsters. I'm only 5'-6' and weigh 150 lbs, if I'm wet.

I am following a workout in a book I picked up a while ago called the Navy Seal Workout by Mark De Lisle. It is a combination of running, swimming plus numerous stretches situps, pushups,pullups over a 5 day period. Then I hit the gym for a Body Pump session 2 days a week. Got the kids doing the Seal training with me and they are only 12. Figured with no weights it would be a great workout for them. Been on it for about 3 months and they love it. So do I and getting real good results. Plus watching my food intake with as much natural foods and trying to stay away from the bad stuff Like Hydrogenated fats of any kind. You would be surprised what foods has that stuff in it. 7 months to go but i'll be ready! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />

I lift weights at least once a week. I'm building a house now so all the up and down ladders and scaffolding is a bit of a workout too. If I'm not as busy I work out 3 days a week and try to add some cardio type stuff like stairclimber, hiking in the hills, or riding my bike up hills.

Elk hunting isn't my only athletic activity. I ski when I can too. This year it was a whole two times and I had to go to Colorado for that. Normally we have snow here and I go between 10 and 16 times a season. It's really hard on you to get out of shape and then do strenuous stuff. You're just begging to spend a couple days so stiff and sore you can barely walk and you might even get injured so I just stay fit year round.

The leading cause of weekend warrior injuries like torn ACLs and such is weak muscles. Muscles are the shock absorbers that protect things like ligaments that have no elasticity of their own. A pretty fit guy I know tore his ACL and needed surgery because he decided to jump on a trampoline with his kids one day. The problem is that Tom is really fit from the waist up. He spends all day working on transmissions and stuff over his head while the car is on a lift. He only walks on flat floors and so his legs don't get a full range of exercise like climbing would give him. Weak quads and a torn ACL, including weeks off of work were the result.

I don't like down time or surgeons (except that cute ENT surgeon that did my nose the first time) so I'm gonna avoid them if I can.

I think SteelyEyes has hit on a key. The goal should be overall fitness. For that a combination of strength training, cardio, and stretching combined with a good diet is important. I am a big believer in the value of strength training. Particularly core training of the legs, back, and abdominal muscles. I generally hit the gym 3-4 times a week this time of year. I do 30 minutes of cardio alternating between an elliptical, bike, and stair machine. I then lift weights for about 45 minutes and spend another 15 stretching. Once nice weather gets here I'll shift some of my workouts outdoors. I particularly like riding my bike. As we get closer to hunting season I'll emphasize climbing muscles on hills and the stair machine. In any workout program variety is important. Change stimulates muscle growth. If you do the same thing all the time your muscles will adapt and gains will be slowed. Staying dedicated to a workout program makes such a big difference, not just for hunting, but in your life. I've always been active but I got serious at 40 after having surgery on a ruptured disc in my back. Now at 47 I'm in the best shape of my life. I still play softball, bike, hunt, ski. My blood pressure is down, my cholesteral is down, I can take my shirt off when on my boat and feel good about it.

Jeff

Going from WI to Montana this fall. This is what I am doing. M,W,F 30 minutes on the Nordic-Trac. T,Th 30 minutes of weight bench working arms and legs 2 cycles. Each day leg lifts and crunches. As the weather gets nicer, I will start riding the bike instead of the Nordic-Trac and mid summer will add stair-stepper to build legs for climbing.

I will be 50 next month, am 5'11" and weigh 210'.

Fast Ed

Round is a shape, right? I agree you should be in the best shape possible but that varies from individual to individual. Heck, I am 55 years old, beat to heck and back physically and 35 pounds overweight but I still go elk hunting. I work out as much as I can before I go but go I do and usually get an elk too. You do have to get to the top of the hill sometimes but you do not always have to run to get there. As the guides in camp say about me, "he is not fast but he stays at it and never gives up". Yes be in the best shape that time and ability allows but don't miss a hunt because you can not run 10 miles with a 50 pound pack. Like I said, round is a shape! JMHO TM

I would suggest riding a bicycle/light weight lifting to start, however watching your diet is very important. I have never enjoyed running or jogging, to much impact for me. Being a health nut of sorts, I ride a bike 5 days a week at least 10 miles if not more depending on weather and lift weights (actually a bowflex) 3-4 days a week. I also try and hike a couple times a week with a weighted pack.

My work plays little part in keeping in hunting shape as I mostly sit behind a desk. I used to go to the gym several times a week and do strength training and the stair climber and elliptical trainers. I found that when I actually got to the mountain it still kicked my ass. Now all I do is walk, with a weighted pack. Big thing is to not overexert yourself during the hunt. It isn't a race.

I see lots of guys come back empty handed but man they cover a lot of ground.

Having been a gym rat for the past 26+ years, I would say that the most important thing is to find some exercise you enjoy and don't over do it. It's important to keep the experience positive, or it's really easy to quit.

I've been hitting the hill climbs on my bike lately. Good for stamina, leg strength, and burning a bit of fat off...although I've yet to see the last one.

At 70 years of age a lot of types of conditioning is out. But even after a heart attack eight years ago, I do work out at the YMCA three times a week for three months before the hunt. Basically, it's the Nautilus equipment and the Stairmaster. I start out easy, and increase the intensity gradually up to about three weeks before the trip. Then I decrease everything and just try to maintain what I have. I don't want to come up with an injury just before the trip. If I had to limit myself to one thing it would be the stairmaster. For me it's the most valuable exersize. 20-25 min. on that thing at mid range will get me in great shape for climbing the mountians. This will be the third year in a row that I have done this type exersize, and my conditioning is much better than on my first two trips. I try to get to Montana, at altitude, a couple of days early and scout and walk as much as possible so that when hunting does begin, I can find enough air to breathe. No amount of exersize at sea level in Florida can cure that problem!!
I may not get there as fast as you youngsters, but I will get there! A friend out there that I hunt with says that I won't walk over as many animals that way, and that has been my experience.

Great thought's here. Having a cardio workout is critical. strength training too. I used to love running but had to stop before I hit forty as it was tearing up my joints! Now I hike, stay active and runs stairs. I really think running stairs (stair master second choice) is probably the "best" workout if you're going to do just one. After all, most elk hunting is just hiking a series of what God think's of as "stairs"...grin. Unless, of course, like a few you have a ranch in the middle of elk country...

Muck and rod concrete for 6 months prior to each elk season. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

I do 45 minutes on a machine called a Gauntlet (now called a Stepmill) by Stairmaster. It duplicates an escalator, but with multiple speeds. I do this Mon thru Thur in addition to upper body weight lifting. On Fridays, I blow my legs out with an intense leg workout including leg press, hamstring curls, quad extensions, hip adductions & abductions, lunges, squats and then finish with calves. I've noticed a HUGE difference in my stamina.

I've got an update for you. First post said I was 5'11" 210 lbs. Since then I am still 5'11", but now weight is 201 and total cholesteral is 163. I will be 50 tomorrow. I am shooting for 195 by the time I hit the hills.

Do a combination of cardio-vascular and weight training as an all-around program. Work on legs and lungs specifically a couple of months before the trip.

Fast Ed

Here, I'll make it easy, follow the Body-for-Life Diet and make a goal out of every workout to push yourself a little harder.

Putting 30min in every day on the machine you have at home will look good to the Doc but get you no where even close to the shape you need to be in to hunt hard.

I start every May with this diet and work out plan. It makes you healthier and you gain a lot of caridiovascualr strength and stamina BUT!!!! you have to some how replicate what you are going to hunt like with the work out. SET GOALS AND YES ADD WEIGHTS to your program.

You are basically doing an athletic event with hunting this way so take it seriously and push your self hard.

What are you going to do if HUGE BULL shows up in another canyon and you gotta get there NOW?

Trust me on this one, I've lost 60+ lbs. with it and no one can touch me on the mountains.

It feels good when everybody else is sucking wind and you feel like you are just getting started.

Good Job Fast Ed! Keep it up.

I"m not trying to degrade anyones workout plans with my statements, I'm just trying to help. I tried doing simple stuff a year or so ago and it helped but not enough by a long shot.

I'm just trying to help by adding an edge for people and their workouts. I've had 3-5 times more results with thist workout/diet plan now than I ever had.

FYI: Regular crunches are bad for 40+ year old men, major back issues can come from them. Stick to a Valeo ball crunch routine or something controlled like an abb machine.

PLUS, if you don't work your lower back out with doing crunches also you are pretty much guranteed to throw your back out with a pack on because your abbs will be too strong for your lower back to counter the strength.

"SUPERMANS" are a great work out for lower backs.....if you want to know what to do just ask.

All I do is chase my 2 kids around the house, and my wife occasionally. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

It's about all I can do at the moment...

Before hunting season I try to do some walking for about a mile each day to get the stamina up. Does pretty good for here in the NC mountains (elevation is 2100 feet or so...)