Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Backpack Hunting HIIT workouts

Running is still possible but I see the writing on the wall and my knees don’t like it as much as they used to. Started to experiment with these type of workouts for a couple months. Do you fellas have any specific routines you like( and by like I mean hate) to do in particular?

Sweatily yours,

MM

I do standing sprint intervals on my spin bike in the winter.

Anywhere from 1 min sprint standing/2 min sitting recovery to 1/1 suffer feats.

5 minute warm up, ten min moderate cool down.

I also do long zone 2 rides, which are pretty much the opposite of intervals.

Mixing it up is good.

Wifey has a spin bike, I hate it. That being said the standing sprint interval is a really good idea. Throw in push up, inch worms or planks in between sprint sets.
Thanks!!!
Mm

PS

Tried doing Turkish stand ups with a 50 pound bag of salt I covered in duct tape to make sure it doesn’t rip open. Gonna do step up with it too. Those stand ups are no joke, good functional exercise.

I sprinkle in some HIT type workouts, but these are definitely not a substitute for aerobic exercise. If running doesn’t feel good, hike- it’s more specific to hunting vs running anyways.

When I do sprinkle inHIT workouts I usually steal them from Crossfit wods, there are literally 100’s of them out there. You can pick the wod that fits what you want to workout and what equipment you have.

I was reminded of this post last night as I was speed walking past the HIITS gym. One of the customers I asked as he walked across the lot said they are required to wear masks when they work out. Good grief.

Anyhow, running is high impact as it gets.
I'd try a variety of lower impact cardio and strength training alternatives to see what you like.
I talked to a young gal yesterday who runs.
Right now she travels town with a bike.
I need to get mine tuned up and start using it this season too. If it's fitted right and you use clipless shoes, you'll get every bit the benefits of running while allowing your knees to heal. You'll be able to enjoy the scenery and cover more miles as well. I've been speed walking with a pack all winter. It's very enjoyable and low impact. The only major injury was when I foolishly jumped off of a wall in the dark.

I've had lots of knee injuries in my youth and have studied proper form, nutrition and natural healing over the decades. Many of my students have benefitted from consultations and continued their physical fitness progress.

The main principal is to take supplements and a diet that supports joint and tendon repair. Then build strength of those tissues gradually. Last is forming new lower impact workouts that will allow you to achieve your goals. There's a number of exercises for this too.

When I was in my late 50's I arrived at same conclusion. I started experimenting with various tools to estimate my workload, calories burned and the like. I found that walking on a treadmill at 10% grade provided me with greater workload indicators than did running on level ground. As I hate treadmills like most, I only use them in nasty weather when I cannot go outside, the rest of the time I walk outdoors. I use a pack with sandbags added or more resistance as hunting season comes closer. I keep track of my miles and elevation when hiking and compare with previous months and years. I wear high quality shoes, to protect my knees and ankles. All I can say is that it works for me.

Jumping rope is great.

I have found rowing to be a good HIIT workout. I do 5-6 500 meter sets, trying to keep each under 2 minutes. My knees are done with running. Rowing, lifting and walking for me now at 52.

Built into a 5 mile hike:

10 - HIIT sprints.
4-stride count. (one-one-thou-sand)
30-45 counts ea.. (1-1.5 minutes ea.)




GR

As said above HIIT workouts are great sprinkled into a training regime, but I don't think they are substitute for time on your feet.

If your cup of tea is backpack hunting, it's the long game that's important. Hunting 12+ hours a day, multiple days- you need definitely want to add some longer stuff to your training- long day hikes, backpacking, shed hunting, etc- you don't need to run ultra marathons, but you do need time on your feet- if it's the terrain you hunt, all the better.

Two long days back to back, close to half of it on snowshoes- practice makes perfect

One of my routines, but not lately.
Mountain or road bike up the steepest long hill with low traffic and no curves ...(blind curves.)

Do laps.
Use a heart rate monitor and stop watch.

It's best to get accustomed to it and then challenge times, speed and or max HR vox after building up to that zone.

Always start very hydrated.
B vits good mineral.suppliment that has little or no calcium and a quality Mg.
High fat meals.
Co Q 10 with a fatty food.
Progress is measurable.
You can spin for aerobic or crank hard out of the seat for strength.
This beats running for lower impact to save joint and sinew damage, ie. Shin splints.

The latest workout routine is backpacking with building supplies, groceries, or anywhere that I can multitask my practical goals with exercise. When I get to a hill, sometimes I jog it, then get the HR back down, etc.
This helps me know what my current limitations are and when I need to increase weight. It's easy enough to set the packs on a scale at home.

Maybe there's something that can be gleaned from this.

Year round I like to mostly strength train with barbell and kettlebells, with a mix of HIRT (high intensity repeat training) kettlebell work as well. Then on off days I mix in cardio work like walking, jogging, rucking. As I get closer to a sheep hunt I will increase the rucking weight and intensity a couple times a week to make sure my hips and feet are ready.

Here’s some info you may find interesting. Apparently with running or rucking with light loads, aerobic capacity is favored.
But as you get into heavier rucking loads, strength becomes more of a limiting factor than aerobic capacity.

“Researchers found that when ruck loads exceed 40kg (typical military combat load):

-Unloaded run performance does not seem to be related to ruck performance.

-Run training alone has little impact on ruck performance.

-Strength training alone improves ruck performance.

If you have to choose between running and strength training, you should choose strength training to improve your ruck performance for a typical military combat load. There were a couple of other interesting findings though.

-Strength training combined with a running program resulted in greater ruck performance than strength training alone (or running alone).

-Heavy ruck training transferred performance benefits to light (but longer) ruck events but not vice versa.

-If participants engage in a strength training program and a run training program, there is little benefit from engaging in ruck training more than once per week.”