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

That was actually taken with my phone! The lighting was weird and I think that it messed with the camera auto settings.

It was late afternoon and I had just completed my hike. I was thinking that elk should be up and moving in that area but hadn't seen any until I rounded a bend and there they were. The other side of the ridge has active logging.

I'm still doing M,W,F in the gym, T, Th, Sa outside, and Sundays off. Unless there's some special trip, and I swap days around. Today will be my off day, and Sunday will be outside doing something strenuous.

I recently listened to some sports physicians and trainers talk about joint wear and back injuries. One said that he has patients that think they got back injuries from sports activities but they actually did the damage gradually with dead lifts. The other said that heavy weights and numerous sets has been the standard for building muscle but is the most damaging for joints, which seems obvious when pointed out.

It sounds like research is moving towards ways to build muscle with the least damage possible to other structures. Listening to those guys has made me reconsider some of my gym exercises. I'm not looking to build big mass, but maintain overall fitness and improve longevity.

Some suggest exercises that focus more on muscle stretch under load than just heavy weights. And getting muscles to failure quickly instead of spending hours in the gym with long rest periods.

It's interesting stuff.

Did about 20mins on the bike and arm/shoulder workout today

Let's see 5/8-14 43 miles w/ 3 days bear hunting, no bears sighted despite a lot of leg and glass work- that's the way it goes sometimes

5/15- 5/21 34 miles (809 miles for the year). Still on track to hit my goal of 2023 miles, God willing I'm preparing for my 9th Bob Marshall Wilderness Open this coming weekend, route appears to be just over 100 miles. Our snowpack is depleting quickly so may be one of the rare years I'm not on snowshoes much. While we always deal with high water at the end of May, looks like even more than normal this year. With three major rivers to ford (one has a stock bridge, the other two- no bridges whatsoever) it's a crap shoot if we'll be able to finish. The two years I didn't finish were due to high water- fingers crossed!

I've continued lifting twice a week- same 5x5 @ 70% of 1RM routine, so far so good- hamstring hasn't squawked.

The best "workout"!

20mins of stairmaster then another 35mins on the treadmill rucking with 45lbs.

Back off the booze until hunting season

Agreed- if a guy could hunt year round in the mountains, you'd be in shape year round

Did a 20 mile bike ride along the Firth of Forth, very scenic.

Did a hike in the Highlands near Glencoe, really nice trails here.

Heading out tomorrow up the Swan Range for the Saturday morning start of the Bob Marshall Wilderness Open; this will be my ninth year running I've toes the line. Creeks and rivers are swollen, so we'll see how we can get. Our route chosen route is ~ 110 miles- river crossings will be the crux, as they are most years.

See you guys next week!

Bet you have the arms of Michelle Obama.

Feel free to act like a retard in the elk forum

And I bet you're as buff as Barak.

If you cannot spell Barack…..just use Hussein.

Burns is gonna be ticked you moved on to Jack Handle so quickly.

I predict it’s just a rebound!

LOL, whatever O'Tool.

Walked up to the Old Man of Storrr today.

Did the loop at the Fairy pools today, then visited the place where Talisker is made.

Yea.......I just walk some of my own property.

Hit the 400 mile mark last week, still trying to catch up on my loss, when I hurt my hip. I need more weight work.

I'm out and safe, but very sore. Well we got rained on hard day 1 which furthered swelled the already swollen streams; I got swept on one of the fords in the afternoon- wet up to my neck- not fun! We made 32 miles that day, hiking until near midnight. It rained most of that night, but thankfully quit just as we were getting up. The South Fork of the Flathead was rolling hard, but we had a stock bridge that we could take advantage of- no way to cross on foot without this bridge.

We would have needed to ford two more major rivers to complete the route, but not bridges to assist us. It pained us, but the writing was on the wall- we weren't getting across the next two rivers. We bailed at Meadow Creek in the afternoon, with another 20 miles under our belts.

Looks like we have a dry stretch of weather in the forecast, so I'm seriously contemplating going back and finishing the second half of the route.

74 miles for the week, closing in on 900 miles for the year.