Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Backpack Hunting Is there a better way to get in shape?

For hitting the hills, is there any better way than just going and doing it? I have tried different workouts and they are great for keeping the lungs stretched a bit and shaving the spare tire, but it seems the only real way to get in "mountain shape" is to hit the mountains.
Hit the hills both Saturday and Sunday. Here is some pics from Sunday with the kids. Took the MR packs and went in search of sheep. Found 46 rams taking in some sun, was a good day in the hills. Casey

Great pics and a big amen brother. That's why I hate living down in the flat lands again, nothing comes close to doing it. I'm not a runner and never will be but love just humping around.

Hard to beat muddy boots. Especially with the family.

Ovis, my man, you are not foolin' me! You HAD to get to the mountain, 'cause it's in your blood. You managed to combine it with an outing with the kids to give you wife some free time, with the goal of...................wait for it................payback booooootay!

I know I'm right, 'cause I BTDT!!!!!!!!!

Nice pic, thanks,
Don

Too bad she is working night shifts! The wife was sleeping all day so it was "everyone out of the house or else..." Any excuse is a good one when it comes to going and chasing sheep for a day, and heck, it is less than a 10 mile drive from the house.

Nothing beats getting out there.

Agreed... I hit the gym pretty regular, and the first hump or two every spring always makes the legs feel like Jello.

I know all about Shift Work too. Buy the Old Lady a box of earplugs, and remember to wake her up on time (with coffee)



You did know its Spring Bear, right?

The funny thing is, I've sat and glassed that exact hillside quite a few times myself. It's not a bad spot for bears at all, especially here in a couple weeks.

Any sign Ovis?

Ohhhh... So THAT's where Huson is?

I've already seen one cinnimon so far this year. Too late in the day to make a stalk...

Yep, you've got to hit the mountains to build the muscle, tendon, and joint strength you need for hiking. I try to alternate between longer hikes with a lighter pack for endurance and shorter hikes with an overweight pack for strength. I do like to mix it up with mountain biking because I usually get better cardiovascular results mountain biking than from any kind of hiking.

Yeppers, thinking about bears. Usually don't see much movement in this area till mid-May.

I'd agree that the best way to train for the mountains is to hike up 'em but unfortunately most of us can't do that on a regular enough schedule to get in "mountain shape."

I think the next best way to go is do local hikes with a weighted pack. I take my dog to the local state park for his runs (it's big) and we do a 3.2 mile circuit with a few hills. I load up 30 lbs. of sand bags and water bottles in my pack and do that 2-3 time a week. I've only been doing it for a month but I can feel a difference already and I've lost three pounds. I go to the gym year-round but I think the weight in the pack really burns the calories.

On my hunting trips I normally lose 5-8 lbs., gotta be careful or I'll waste away to nothing before the season!!

Almost forgot, excellent photos!!!!

The answer is NO, there is not.

I run, I bike, I hike, but there is nothing like walking up and down uneven surfaces (read hills) to get into shape for walking up and down hills.

you can run all you want, and it will help you with whatever aerobic activity you have planned.


but if you wanna play basketball, nada beats getting on the court with the stop and go and cutting to get you dialed in

if you want to hump hills with a pack, the best way to prepare is hump hills with a pack.

even then ime, it's hard to fit in 8-10 hour training hikes, so I try to substitute intensity for duration. i.e. heavier pack, going straight up inclines I would normally sidehill or switch back and not using trekking poles, at least on the way up.

I also practice coming back downhill as fast as possible. it really smokes the quads

I've been loading 40#'s and hiking hills. I'm going to bump up to 50# and do some steeper hills here in the next few weeks.

We have a 2.5 jeep road around our place with some elevation changes. Been loading a 60lb bag of rock salt and walking the loop in the evening. The eliptical seems to keep the blood moving, but nothig builds the shoulder and core like a pack and some vertical feet.

Well, you guys are just showin' off now. Making me feel wimpy, I guess it's time to bump up the weight.

The mix and variety are great ideas, but if you are not getting enough intensity out of walking with a weighted pack, dial up the weight to 75 lbs plus. You can do hyper-intensive Tabata intervals when you really put the weight to your legs and core. I aim to break 100-120 lbs by late summer, and I weigh 165...I haven't found anything else quite as effective. Loading up your smaller stabilizing muscles seems to be the trick.

Ovis, I live in Evaro. I'll buy you a beer in Huson or Evaro anytime.

What's a Tabata interval?