Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Backpack Hunting Getting in shape for BP hunting

Glad to hear you found something that works for you Jeff. Keeping in shape as we get older is a much different game than when we were young. Some don't get to even do that if their injuries are too far along.
I understand most of our special forces warriors are forced to retire in their 40's, if not sooner, from such injuries. E

We have a multi variable definition (fitness) as applied to a multi variable activity, (backpack hunting) performed by an infinitely wide set of human variables, ages/weights/injury history/health. I was a comm major but my spidy sense says that there's going to be a lot of right answers.

Does a guy need cross fit to backpack 3 miles with 1000 feet of gain, carrying just 40 lbs? If there's no static how/where/when/load to carry/altitude/alt gain-loss, then there's no static fitness basis. Hell, even if those were known variables, what happens when a guy you can thrash on the trail simply works within his skill set and takes twice as long as you? He's plodding and maybe, happy. Maybe he should have his wilderness access denied for insufficient masculinity.

I don't think using the basis of huge gain, huge distance, massive pack scenarios make much sense, in particular considering the OP. Offering the 1%'rs fitness "must" do workout regimen isn't going to be much help. While noting that tons of people are doing these hunts without must-doing cross fit.

A ton of in field state of mind and physical well being will come from the choices made rather than the prep work. Drinking sufficiently, often enough. Eating properly and frequently. Not pressing the pace, choosing favorable routes, resting, permitting enough time for the hunt not to be pressured by time/load/distance. Companionship or lack of it depending on one's frame of mind. Quality of sleep, quantity of sleep. Since I have screwed up and continue to screw up any number of the above I can attest that poor decision making can take a fit dude and ring them out. Other guys cave in mentally not having really used up their capacity. I've been both those guys at one time or another.

Some people simply don't have the time in the day to get to a proper cross fit class. I'm sure it's awesome. I bet I'd love it and benefit from it. It might get me in the best shape of my life and it's not going to happen because of time. Yet, I'll be way out there this fall and managing to do it on what I can accomplish in a YMCA 3 days a week for about an hour a throw at lunch time.(I'm 41 for a baseline)

There's nothing new under the sun. You need a combination of cardio endurance, muscle strength and muscle endurance in proportion to the scale of your hunt. Everyone benefits from quality, light gear. Do a pack-on sample of the hunt you are going to try (after training up) and see if you are fooling yourself. Lastly, don't tell sweet lies to yourself.

Col, you certainly don't need crossfit workouts to be able to backpack hunt, as certainly many have done so and have never even heard of either. What you DO need crossfit and a dialed in Paleo/Zone Diet for is to prevent becoming a worn-out old, sickly mofo 20yrs before your given set of genes dictates for that to happen. Old people typically don't ramble around with heavy packs, ask a few retired SF types about that one.

You are correct. Crossfit is basically what Division one college athletes and Tier one door-kickers have been doing for a couple of decades. Crossfit founder Greg Glassman merely repackaged and highly refined what world-class athletes discovered a long time ago. His genius is his insight that Olympic athletes and grandmothers' training need differ only by degree, not by type, and the resultant concept of scaling the workouts while maintaining appropriate load and ROM.

You got time to step out the door into your garage? That's what I do. I'll readily admit the time spent learning to do all this stuff was/is extensive but when I started I had no other choice. It has been a wise investment. I'm a retired SF medic and I work with guys with similar backgrounds. I'm more fit than 98% of 'em. We are not talking about guys who started out as couch potatoes either.

Really we are not that far apart.

When out for an entire day hunting I will stock up on carbs for the energy they provide. However, on a normal day-with an hour workout most often thrown in-I go more towards protein, some fat, and fruits and try to eat small 4-5 times per day. Presently I'm on a Canadian Blueberry kick. They are the best and I can eat a pint daily while they are available. Today for example after working out I had another peach and banana along with some iced tea. Then not that long ago two hard boiled eggs. Gave one yoke to the dog. Apples are my main snack, but I can easily eat 4-6 hard boiled eggs per day. Usually two yokes.

Tonight will be Deer chops and a sweet potato. 12.5grams of protein mix before bed.

Love pasta, but it doesn't take much for the weight to come visit when I'm not doing something that burns extended calories.

The guy working within his skillset and "scaling" the hunt accordingly is probably also smart enough to augment his fitness with appropriately scaled Crossfit workouts.

You bring up the idea of a "static fitness basis". I promise you I will start another thread and propose some "standards" that we should all strive for. These fitness threads are an ever-recurring theme but I don't recall anyone putting forth a standard.

TAK, I have nothing but respect for anyone who served regardless of branch and that is irrespective of their continued fitness.

However it's a bit myopic to place a brand name on a regimen and then label it as "THE ONE". There are mountain peoples of the third world all around the globe living nails tough their whole lives without any work out regimen beyond their taxing daily lives and living to old ages. The people in the high Andes have no clue what cross fit is and aren't giving up 20 years of functional body use. Phurba the sherpa in Nepal probably doesn't have a TV. I'm not saying it's not an effective program but the body is what it is. Weight, resistance and cardio are what they are and they can be employed in a number of ways with great effect.

Best workout is much like best caliber. It's mostly a debate about preference rather than merit because there's no unbiased basis to determine "best".

What most young guys can't understand at least yet, is that once most reach a certain age the linear progression of getting stronger with exercise flattens out. You can work it, but the gains will not be as great.

Max heart rate goes down, lung oxygen exchange is not as efficient, etc and the ability to get stronger diminishes. However, again an example of how supposed guidelines are sometime false: The tell me at 68 my max heart rate should be 220-68=152 Well they were correct. I peaked out around there, until my Daughter wanted me to trail run with her and do some Dash's. OK, I start running again. I start carrying a pack up hills again for endurance. Now 4 months later I max out at around 174 to 180 before I have to take a break. The guidelines were set for what they consider normal, but normal today is not what many are capable of or what normal should be.

Addition: Another side of the coin. Once past a certain age and 50 would be a good average, have your testosterone level checked. With a low or low normal reading and in otherwise good health the addition of testosterone gel can do wonders for not only your strength and body response to exercise, but also mood. I don't apply it daily, but usually three times per week and the effects are obvious. Requires a prescription and some medical monitoring along with being expensive if your insurance doesn't cover, but in my case well worth the additional costs.

Oh, I'm seeing just fine. Describing Crossfit as foundational in supporting/enhancing human movement isn't near sighted, it is visionary.

There is a way to define ultimate fitness, it is called the Crossfit Games, and they were won again decisively by the same guy and gal who one last year. They each pocketed 250K for their efforts. No P90X'ers showed up to pocket the money, no ball sports types. No elk hunters did either but this guy seems to be doing okay:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9eDsfbaVGno&feature=relmfu

TAK,

It's myopic, BIG TIME. What does it mean that some cross fitters won a cross fit championship? Did they win the Iron Man? The ultra marathon? Swim the English Channel? Climb Everest? Maybe those are the foundational measures for fitness? Can they hold their breath for 3 minutes? No, fugetabout it, their weak. Did any of them actually conduct a mountain hunt?

Will they live longer than a Japanese monk or Indian Guru? What are we measuring? Absolute athletic capacity? Defined by what? X number of reps or max lifts? Is there any proof that workout wonderkinds actually produce superior backpack hunting performance? Better than a non cross fitter who spends as many hours per week at fitness? Ever seen really fit young men done in by their elders in the field? How many hunters are interested in a full time job at being fit? How many have the time? How many REQUIRE that to be effective mountain hunters? How many Cross Fitters maintain their regimens indefinitely? Want to bet it's about the same as those who commit to any hard core fitness regimen indefinitely?

You have a love affair with it, i understand it and I respect the effort that kind of fitness requires. But to use the winner of a cross fit game as evidence of the basic nature of the "best" hunting fitness regime for ALL hunters is way out there past a stretch. I have no doubt that committed cross fitters are exceptionally capable. I have immeasurable doubt that cross fit is necessary let alone "best" for hunting training considering all the non fitness components of the hunt; mental toughness, pain tolerance, diet, sleep, altitude.

Successful pack hunters have been that way forever because they have chosen to be fit, as one of the components of their success. That was the case before someone slapped a label on a workout and sold it. It will be the case 30 years from now when cross fit has been replaced with a new brand, complete with DVD and celebrity endorsement.

Interesting article on carbs:

http://www.diabeteshealth.com/read/2007/04/24/5143/why-eating-too-many-carbs-makes-you-fat/

Right or wrong, but like I said when I eat pasta and pile on the carbs, I put on weight and most of it is fat.

You're right Col, I'm duped and its all a fad. Fellow dupes are US Navy SEALS. They got in EARLY. No 2 in last years Crossfit games was an active-duty SEAL. I've been in both the east and west coast MARSOC gyms. No hammer strength crap, just fast ropes hanging from the ceilings, barbells/bumpers, med balls and C2 rowers. It's good to have other dupes to hang out with.

If you want to get in shape, you'll want to work on your musculature. Cardio is good for your arms and legs. If you want to get rid of your belly fat, try "The Truth About Six Pack Abs." I've been using it for the past few months and absolutely love it. I wrote a review of it here.

Last post.

This isn't the Olympics. It's not the most powerful man contest. It's not a triathlon and it sure as hell isn't a special op. It's not about who has this kind of ridiculous hour quotient to spend in gyms or any sense of who has the biggest sack or who is the most ultra fit, whatever that means.

It's about being fit, appropriately, to pack hunt. To say to anyone that to be fit to pack hunt the mountains you have to cross fit, well, I chose to call that myopic. But to be more clear, it's utter bullshlt. To be fit enough for this activity there are many workouts that will succeed, no best. This isn't about who is and isn't a seal. There have been thousands of great mountain hunters who were never seals and never cross fit, ever. That will remain a fact. And the average man who will make a reasonable commitment to cardio, weight and endurance will have handled 1 of 3 or 4 critical components of successful pack hunting in his bag. And he needn�t chase some artificial standard of what seals can or can't do. I can't do what they can do. I can however mountain hunt at great distances with heavy loads. And as I said before, I'm sure cross fit would be great for me, I haven't the time. I guess I have to quit hunting.

You labor under numerous false assumptions Colville:

1) Crossfit takes hours per day. The truth is the exact opposite. Using appropriately scaled main-page daily Crossfit WODS (workout of the day) combined the the Crossfit Endurance programming (this is mostly a lot of intervals, tabatas, etc. really quick stuff) most guys can do a sprint triathlon up to the middle distance stuff without injury and finish with a decent time. This equates to way less than half the volume/training time most employ. This probably isn't the way to be world class in any endurance event but it does get it done EFFICIENTLY. Most Crossfit workouts are so intense it isn't really possible for them to take a great deal of time. Most workouts can be accomplished in under 30min, including the warmup.

2) Crossfit is only for already uber-fit SEALS, world-class athletes etc. You apparently have a reading comprehension issue, as I already explained that Glassman's genius was in recognizing that geezers need to be able to perform the same movements as world-class athletes.

3) I have never said that Crossfit is the ONLY fitness endeavour you should be involved in. I've stated the exact opposite. Crossfit may not have enough barbell work, or enough distance running, to optimize a mountain hunter's fitness. Some periodization is likely optimal. I've opined that Stew Smith has the best year-long program. Powerlifting in JAN/FEB, then do Crossfit, slowly adding runs throughout the summer. Be in at least 10K shape by July. Then start back Crossfitting hard before hunting season, adding in some ruck marches. This should finish out your year/season. This sounds somewhat conventional but it isn't. The dynamic exercises done in Crossfit will toughen up joints/tendons etc like running and lifting alone will never achieve for most. This is called the neuroendocrine response. Look it up, it is the real deal. Periodizing all of this aids recovery and healing and avoids overuse injuries like running or lifting alone will produce.

You are right about Crossfit not really being anything new. Jack Lallane was the original Crossfitter, and his nephew runs a Crossfit gym in San Francisco. Jack made it to 96 and worked out the day before he died. Most of his nutritional advice was pretty close to today's Paleo/Zone diet, and his workouts looked a look like what goes on in most Crossfit gyms.

OK, Lucy. 'Splain it!

We have high school and college swimmers in the family here. The carbs they and other swimmers can consume and not get extry, is astonishing.

When we host a team dinner I am always amazed by the amount of pasta and garlic bread we have to make!

Age certainly has it benefits.
They are young with a high gear metabolism, then being swimmers they burn even more.

This is what happens when a swimmer quits the intense workouts and still eats the same. It only took 6 months.

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/olymp...orried-getting-shape-181002397--oly.html

Recipe for epic disaster, telling an injured out of shape person to go full bore with olympic lifts for cardio, brilliant.

This is exactly my beef against Crossfit.

And YES I did Crossfit, so I am qualified to speak from experience.