Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Elk Hunting Getting in shape for elk hunting

Hello All: I've never been elk hunting, but I am planning on some next year. I was seriously injured in a car accident (drunk driver) in April and have not been able move around much (road hunting this year). My physical condition right now is pathetic, but I hope to start changing that soon. Elk live in big country that require a lot of walking. So, what do you guys do to get/keep in shape to make elk hunting more enjoyable?

Run stairs, road march with ruck, do elliptical, ride bike.

Better do bike first if physically able to lessen mpact on joints.

Since you've got a year to get ready, it's a good time to start.
I'd discuss what you want to do with your doctor first. If he approves, I'd start walking in my hunting boots. After you can do a couple of hours at a good clip, on the level, I'd look for some places with some slopes and graduate to those. It might take a while to get to this. Depends on what condition you are in when you start.
I wouldn't push much, especially at first. See how it goes. Remember that the tendions and ligaments get stronger much slower than the muscles get stronger. Consistancy is more important than pushing yourself to do more.
After 2-3 months doing slopes, I'd start wearing a pack.
I'd start out, again, if your doctor approves at 20-30 mins and gradually work up to 1-2 hours over a 3-6 month period.
If you've got rough trails to exercise on, all the better, once you work up to them.
If you live where the country is completely flat, then stairs, etc. are better than nothing.
Be consistant. Every other day. Don't try to diet and gain condition. Back down if it gets painful. Be patient. Real strenth takes a long time to develop. It's worth it. E

All good advice from Eremicus. I would add that you should start to build cardiovascular fitness 4-6 months prior to your hunt. I used to run year-round when I lived at elevations from 5,000-6,000 ft, but my knees started to give me trouble about five years ago and I switched to a mountain bike. I try to do at least 8 hours of quality cardiovascular workouts each week. I recommend that you use a heart monitor and try to stay in the upper 5-10 percent of your cardiovascular range for 90% of your workout.

Sit in a tub of ice water while someone shovels snow down the back of your neck?


Been reading McManus again, sorry.

Besides the walking, running, hiking thing consider something like P90X to work your core body and muscles.

The hell with all that stuff.Just rent a horse.

Can you rent a horse with a microwave, big screen TV and cup holder?

I've seen the P90X routine mentioned before on the 'Fire.
What execises do you do on the P90X routine?

P90X:

Good old curcuit trainIng doing lots of pushups, pullups, situps and dips.

Throw in lots of dumbbell work for curls, presses, raises and rows.

Do some stretching, yoga to even out your tone.

Do moderate cardio.

It works because you work very hard and eat a whole lot less.

Do this:

Wake up at the butt crack of dawn. Get dressed to work out- but over dress, just like everytime you go hunting Start walking up hill until you are panting good and starting to sweat. Stop to remove a layer or two of clothes. Continue walking up hill until you remove another layer of clothes. Start to walk down hill now resting and cooling off- put a layer of clothes back on. Stand in one spot on one leg for 15 minutes, then switch legs. Put another layer of clothes back on. Start walking uphill again until you start to sweat. Remove another layer of clothes. Continue this routine for 3 hours a day 2-3 months before season and you will be so use to it it won't effect you

Hemi

First off I am glad you are recovering nicely. These idots that drive drunk push my buttons to say the least.

I agree with everyone on here especially the ones that say take it easy at the start. You can cause you an injury that will set you back by over doing it. A bike, or walking on a treadmill set up at a 10% grade for 30 mins 3 times a week is a great way to start. Believe me your body will tell you if your doing to much to soon and well also tell you when its ready for more abuse.

I live at altitude and have been playing a lot of golf this summer, only occasionally riding the cart and drinking beer (not that I don't enjoy that part) but carrying my bag. After two days out I am pooped, the years catch up quickly. Really work on the cardio and some squats or lower leg specific stuff will help. You will be tired no matter what you do, but working out will help. I may have to try it sometime.

Like you, I am going on my first Elk Hunt next year. I don't have 2hrs plus to walk with packs etc.

Since you have been injured , you need to get the advice of your physician before you start training.

I am going to do some hard cardio and circuit training. You can knock this out in about an hour. 3 days circuit and 2 days cardio (elipticals and treadmill).

Build & tune up the core muscles, Legs, Back and stomach. Start off slow and work your way up.

Remember, connective tissue at the joints weakens considerably faster than muscle, so you want to get those tuned up first before really going at it to avoid any injuries.

Good Luck and I hope you get a big Elk.

JM.

+1 on the heart monitor (and Doc's OK for working out!)- start at 60 to 65% of your maximum heart rate and maintain that for 45 minutes. Do it 6 days a week - after your body starts building up the 'infrastructure', in a couple of months you can ramp it up .

I'm doing Crossfit , but for different reasons than elk hunting. I've been doing it for about a month and am seeing dramatic changes in my strenghth and stanima. I just hate working out alone and I like seeing everyone sucking as bad as I am at the end of the workout. The workouts are scaled to your ability so if you can roll of the couch you can do crossfit.

Talk to your Doc to make sure you are cleared and then do what you can to start and work up from there whatever you decide.

I"ll add a couple things that helped me. Cardio as mentioned cannot be forgotten, as cannot be forgotten while hunting, fueling the engine consistantly or it'll run out of fuel...

3 other things I do that help a lot if I can get time to do them. I do leg extensions up to 75 pounds max generally, and I do them till I burn bad....
I had some issues when hunting of soreness in the lower leg, the coaches locally I talked to showed me something where you are on a step, starting with a light weight and on one leg only, basically ball of the foot back is haning in air, go as far up and hold for a second, then slowly as far down as you can, hold a second. Reps of 5. Switch legs between reps... I'll say this... Don't start(if you are me..) with a 25 pound weight and a grin... it'll make you pay... 10 was plenty.
The last thing, while I walk the bleachers with a pack, or walk the track wiht a FULL pack, IE 70-120 pounds, when doing bleachers without a pack, I like to do some of them sidestepping up and down... I end up having much LESS knee area pain on the surrounding tissues than if I don't do this sideways bleachers... it is slow and sucks, but reminds me in a minor way of blow downs....... that i avoid if possible.

Always talk to your doctor first. Always.

I like to use a treadmill and do incline intervals. I have worked up to 60 minute workouts where I walk some of the time at 4mph at 6% grade and do intervals of 3 minutes at 3.6mph at 12 - 15% grade. Then back off at 4mph/6% for a few minutes, then back up to 15%. Repeat over an over allowing the first 2 minutes for warm up and last 3-4 minutes for cool down at flat incline.

I do this three times per week (never on consecutive days) to avoid use injuries. I get on an elliptical trainer and do basically the same thing on days between treadmill workouts.

You also need some type of resistance training. I do weights and core excercises with stretching. Any personal trainer should be able to put you on a reasonable program for your fitness level. Just remember to change it up every 4 - 6 weeks...even if that means hiring the trainer again.

Note: Get a woman trainer. In my experience they are better at understanding and dealing with injuries and aren't into trying to bulk you up as quickly as possible. They are also better at using excercise that use the whole body rather than simply concnetrating on one muscle group (i.e. biceps). Whole body excercises will get you in shape faster than working individual muscle groups.

Lots of good advice but I would add 1 thing. Stretching. And more stretching. Okay, that's 2 things. Much better to have the hammy's and quads stretched out before you go than to force stretch them going up and down hills once you get there.

Good advice from the guys above. Being in great shape and keeping warm and dry will make the hunt very enjoyable. My first elk hunt was in 2007 in NW Montana, and I can tell you if I had been in better shape we could have gained ground on a very nice heard of elk who ventured into an area with few roads, few hunters, but we could not keep up a good pace.

Be in the best shape of your life. You need to be able to hump it just like in boot camp.

I am already preparing for a 2010 drop-camp in Colorado and am already a member of a local gym, but hiking in real-world conditions is ideal. I just picked up a new pair of boots I am going to use hunting White-tails this year to get broken in. A few months from our trip next year I will start hiking with "weight" in an old back pack.

I live at an elevation 600 feet above see level. Out west the high elevation, jagged rocks and blow-down timber sucks the life right out of a flat-lander.