Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire More thoughts about staying in shape

Absolutely spectacular day yesterday. I hauled 25 assorted high school students to the Texas Hill Country for a ten-mile hike over steep and rocky terrain. A rare day; lows in the thirties when we arrived early am, highs in the 60's and a cold to cool wind blowing all day

I think this is twenty-seven years in a row I have done this, its an annual event, this time a couple of young and swift student-teachers out front, me as usual being the sweeper, me trailing the group kids strung out in-between , me carrying maybe 20 pounds of stuff, mostly extra bottles of water plus a basic first aid kit.

Over the years this has become sort of an annual fitness yardstick for me, I mean all the other faces have come and gone over the years, I have been the only constant and I don't hike much, certainly not up and down over rough terrain.

I began this annual trip at starting age thirty-three and now I'm sixty.

All of the above being a long preamble to the fact that I was stunned at how easy I breezed through it this year, even at my age. Easier than I can recall, maybe even easier than me in my thirties.

OK, I started bicycling to work and did a couple of long bicycling expeditions starting four years ago but that didn't do it. Been lifting weights for more'n a year but that didn't do it either.

What's been different this year is two or three times a week on the treadmill at the gym, progressing slowly, being real careful not to ruin my knees. After five months into it I'm only up to 4.4 miles an hour, incline level set at "2", for thirty minutes at a time, somewhere between a fast shuffle and a jog. If/when I can do 30 minutes at 5 mph up a level 2 incline I'll start running out on the street and take it from there.

In the meantime, just working up to 4.4 mph for thirty minutes on a treadmill made that ten miles carrying 20 pounds a breeze, did the whole thing in 3 1/2 hours at an easy pace, wearing my usual Crocs yet.

I never woulda thought that moderate exercise on something as disconnected from reality as a treadmill at the gym could have such real-world benefits. This has obvious implication for hunting season for lots of folks.

Birdwatcher

I hate treadmills! I'm glad mine broke 5 years ago.

I am almost 67 and go two miles on a tread mill 4-5 times a week. Boring, yes, but I can keep up ith those a lot younger.

Break it up with time on the Stair stepper as well. Keep those hands and arms off the bars though. If you can’t then to need to slow it down.

I laugh at all the soccer moms and old fat guys like me that run on the tread mill or stair stepper holding or leaning onto the front of the machine or the bars at the sides while having the machine turned up to high at the highest angle.

The trick is to use the one at the gym, you'd be amazed at what the presence of a few 20-something in shape women can do to your motivation Better yet when she's on the treadmill in front.

Pretty sure I could get an actual woody when working out at the gyms in Austin, some of those college girls are just awesome.

Good for you, birdman. I was in a hell of a lot better shape when I lived in Colorado. Need to make an effort to get more active.

Deer season kicked my azz this year. I climbed one ridge that afterwards I honestly wasn’t sure if I was gonna [bleep] myself or die first. Lol.

Staying in shape is just a matter of doing it as long as your frame stays intact. I spent my whole life working on my feet, and while it wasn't particularly labor intensive, the last two places of employment required covering a lot of area by walking. At the place I worked from 40 to 50, 6 miles a day was fairly standard. I never thought much about it.

The next job I had, from 50-58, didn't require as much walking but you were on your feet all day and walked maybe 4 or 5 miles a day.

Around age 56 or so, I noticed my feet and knees starting to complain even though I still had plenty of stamina to put in a days work and continue with other activities after working hours.

I'm pushing 62 now and still have quite a bit of stamina, but my knees and feet will only tolerate so much before I grab 2 Aleve and sit down.

It's a nuisance. There's things I want to do and have the energy for, but the old skeletal system won't tolerate it,....and it's not something that can be improved on without going to extreme, very expensive measures.

I have a treadmill and an elliptical machine in my home gym/toy room and do 1/2hour on each 4-5 days followed by free weights and kettlebells. This enables me to hike in the hills 2 days/week. I think the cardio is important but training for strength, especially the core is equally essential. I quit running and skiing to save my knees 10 years ago and they are still functional. At 70 I can still hunt the mountains at a moderate pace w/ a light pack. Running on pavement can be destructive. Have fun, you can have more fun if you are fit.


mike r

First thing is to lose that beer belly.

This statement reminds me of a thought I came up with a few years ago when my boss went skiing and was not in good condition.
He wanted to have fun but it was too much work. I thought, Fun that is not fun is not fun anymore.

I have the hardest time getting myself to work out inside. We have a treadmill and I have my bike on a trainer, but damned if I can find the motivation to use them.

If I can just get myself to walk the dog up this hill



and to the ridge about which is a ~3 mile loop, it keeps me in 1/2 decent shape and in a much better mood.

I fealt a lot better than expected hiking this thing last weekend.

The thing about a treadmill is we ain't talking hours, just minutes. I aim for thirty but if I'm gonna be late for work even fifteen or twenty will get ya a workout. My daily goal is simply to stay in as good a shape as I am now, if I can get better so be it.

Before I started I went to a serious hole-in-the-wall runner's store owned by a retired Military guy and not the chain outlets staffed by vapid millenials, I spent $130 on a seriously padded pair of running shoes a size larger than I woulda chosen.

For the first four months on the treadmill to protect my knees I moved at a fast shuffle. Doesn't matter, I was still pushing my envelope. So far, AROUND my knees get sore the next day, not inside my knees, so I think that's my tendons working themselves out. To give 'em a break I never do the treadmill thing two days in a row.

I wouldn't want a treadmill at home, the big chain gyms have gotten really good, this past year lifting weights I found out I could still pack on muscle at 60, plus all that working out, not to mention being in the same place as perspiring young women, really does elevate testosterone which affects your whole day. Leastways that's been my experience.

Guys,remember-round is a shape,
I too find the knees don't take long hikes/workouts as well as before.

It's called work! Lol.

At age 68 I have lost 60# over the last 1 1/2-2 yrs. just taking the dog for a 1 mile walk every day. I try to work in a 2-3 mi. walk once or twice a week. My blood sugar and blood pressure are fine, a1c readings have been right where the doctor wants them.

When I was a kid I'd hit the slopes when they opened and ski until the lifts shutdown. I didn't understand why the old guys would be hanging out in the bar after a few runs.

Now I understand

That said last season was one of my best in years. Got in more days of skiing that the previous years combined and after a few days I found I could ski harder and get in quite a few more runs. Now if I can just put in some real pre-season training I should be able to really enjoy this season.

Modern skis are also a huge plus, they're almost like cheating.

Hitting the mountain skiing or boarding is a real eye opener no matter how old
You are. The next couple of days after will be fun, especially if your sedintary or just out
Of shape. I have had many mountains kick my ass...... Mt. Baker and Whistler is where
I enjoyed receiving the pain. God I love those mountains.

Cool! The lifting I do translates pretty good for hauling loads uphill, or dragging deer. I'm in the East, though. If I were out West, where distances were further, I think I'd have to train for it!

I'm good for a few longs runs, then my quads start burning. Dropping 2000 vertical feet on a double black dimond just kicks my azz and I'm good for at most two of those in a day. I enjoy skiing with the kids, but need to be in a bit of shape to keep up with them.

Trade for Randonee gear, put on some skins and climb the vert. Some conditioning required. Earn those turns and beat the crowds. You do live in the ski mountaineering capitol of the world.


mike r