Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Backpack Hunting 2023 - Fitness / Workout thread

It'll be a best case scenario for water availability too. It simple doesn't get any wetter in that country than it is right this second. Might help your logistics a bit....

Let me know if you find any big elk sheds or see any big bulls....grin...

yeah I'm about as far from a desert rat as could be; we figured early April and the water situation just might help keep a couple of Montana guys alive

looks like we'll have some snow to contend with higher, but we're used to that

I'm checking in a day early as I'm flying out this evening to Phoenix. 30 miles this week (4 of those miles snowshoeing) and should be adding 8-12 miles tomorrow depending on what time we get started. Should be a big week next week

Still doing the bodyweight stuff; I'll reassess at the end of April- hoping the hamstring is fully healed by then. Thankfully it doesn't seem to be aggravated while hiking!

See you guys next week.

I've had a ton of injuries in the last few years, shoulder injury, knee injury, lower back, you name it.

I'm 64 and I did all the dumb things that get you hurt in the Service, except getting shot. It seems like each injury caused compounding injuries.

My wife bought a weight machine last year, and I need to build upper body strength, core, legs and not reinjure. I walk 3 miles per day. Should I add weights in a backpack or a weight vest? Knees are pretty bad due to a lifetime of running, and a bad fall in Iraq.

Can anyone help me how to restart?

A Monday - Friday schedule?

Or point me to a good website?

Rinse and repeat for me the past two weeks. I'm sticking with those split squats.

Good luck with the recovery and trip, mtw. I'm curious what you think about that SO pack.

Did some lifting and stairmaster today. Still no booze and feeling great.

David, I am not qualified to give advice on exercise but it sounds like you are already active and have equipment at home. If I were in that situation, I would contact a NASM trainer at least to start. I was able to get consultation just from buying protein powder for my wife (I rarely use the stuff). I don't know that NASM is the end all be all though. Or maybe check with your physician, especially with the knee condition, if they seem well versed on exercise?

On a side note, I've become a big fan of Dr. Gabrielle Lyon's podcast. No specific exercise advice, but she's had various researchers, trainers, and doctors on her show. They've discussed the latest on strength training, health, longevity, etc. Some big studies and not just bro science. She does a lot of work with former military, especially special operations guys.

The one thing that I have taken away from Dr. Lyon is the fact that we need more animal protein as we age. And we need to focus on strength training. I still do a bunch of Zone 2 cardio, but upped my strength training the past several months.

Jason

One year ago I ran one mile and was down lame for a week. This week thanks to the help of intermittent fasting greatly improving my health I ran 100 miles in one week. The regiment included running 4 days with every other day off for recovery. At 55 years young I'm feeling amazing. Next stop will be the mogollon rim in Arizona for some 8000 ft elevation training. The training will consist of rucking with an 80 lb pack for 10 miles 4 days a week, push ups, sit ups, pull ups. At the end of that week it's north bound to participate in the Spartan beast competition

Yesterday's work out was High intensity interval training......5 sets of full out sprints, push ups, sit ups, pull ups

I made it out alive

We found out in the Mazatzal's that other than the AZT trail, the other trails get little or no maintenance. Our section on the AZT went as expected, as soon as we veered off (to complete a loop) it was basically hiking off trail. Occasionally a small sign of a trail, but miles and miles of no sign.

The navigation part was actually fun, busting through dense brush- almost all covered in some sort of thorn- not so much.

We did see some nice country that not many others have. 80 miles (16,000') in 5 days. I'm at 551 miles for the year, so on track for 2023 miles.

The SO Flight I've had for three years, lots of miles with it. It's a great backpack pack with loads up to ~ 50 lbs, so doesn't see any use for hunting, but for the vast majority of backpacking (other than hunting) it usually gets the nod.

Sounds like my type of trip, minus the thorns! Thanks for the pack info.

Walk a golf course 5 days a week after work. 25 pound golf bag and 6 miles a trip. Not a flat course either. I know it's not a scenic mountain workout, but it gets me in shape. Right now it's nice, but when it gets 105 out, it's a workout. Played division 1 college baseball and try to stay in shape, but the weight room and running quit when I was about 22. Got burned out on that. Chasing grouse and Quail in the fall gets the steps in for November and December whitetails and mulies. I feel I get extreme, but you elk and sheep guys are on another level!

I don't play regular golf but have gotten back into disc golf with my kids. Just bought some kid-specific discs a couple days ago. Extra steps don't hurt.

Pretty decent week for me- 35 miles (585 for the year), the majority in snow (we got a pretty decent dump earlier in the week); got both my bodyweight workouts in- won't lie- missing lifting at the gym. I'm going to give the hamstring a full month, then gently roll into lifting the weights again.

Gobblet kb squats, sled drags, stairmaster

I just started using the stairmaster again last week. Haven't used it since last year.

Gym today:

Split squats
Deadlift
Stairmaster
Zone 2 - 45 minutes on stationary bike, 30 minute walk

I'm going to change things up a bit starting today. Gym days (3x per week) will still be focused on weight lifting, but only one long set to failure (decreasing load as needed). Going to cut the Zone 2 bike time down to 20 minutes, then end with HIIT using Tabata timer.

No change for days outside (3x per week). Shooting for at least 45 minutes at Zone 2.

One day off.

Meat, beer, and ice cream for fuel.

That's a regular part of my diet...along with pretty much anything else I see. Those are staples though....foundational....

It seems like most here are doing very well. The cortisone shot in my hip has done wonders, but I missed a lot of days. Weight is coming down, ( i have sworn off the chocolate chip cookies). Hit the 300 mile mark a couple of days ago, and still pushing for 1,000 again. I will be 78 in a few months, and want to stay active. Temps here will hit 100 this week and we will be heading back north.

Pretty good week for me; 38 miles (623 for the year)- most of the miles this week in the snow

Still sticking with bodyweight stuff (twice a week), hoping to get this hamstring healed fully- did a half Murph one day and then a 5 rd
30 situps
30 pushups
30 lunges
10 pullups

I said I wouldn't do it again, but a buddy (same buddy I did the trip w/ last year) convinced me to do a 5 day snowshoe trip across the Bob Marshall, we head in Thursday. Last year's trip was a total suffer fest (and suffered a weird ankle area injury that had me limping the entire last day!), hoping the snow is better this time and the blowdown less.

my training buddy- Tiny Elvis