I'm a bigger guy too at 6'4" an 230 (need to drop about 15 lbs of gut butter) but when I used to lift heavy I noticed that it adversely affected my hiking. Muscle is heavy and while some is good, too much is just extra weight your frame needs to carry around. At some point it becomes a matter of diminishing returns.. I need more muscle to carry the more muscle I have. Also too much muscle will constantly be burning more calories causing you to carry more calories for recovery.
Weights for elk training
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tankgijohn72
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175# bear just about made me cry after 16 miles in 2 trips. But fortunately wife and coworker came out to help with the second load. I grew up hunting in the Midwest where packing out an animal is unheard of. This year is the first year I have ever packed out an animal, and I packed out 3 this year. I have spent some time backpacking and lifting for it. If I were to recommend 3 exercises to focus on it would be 1. squats 2. Dead lifts 3. Work on reducing the table muscle. Having had a pretty good year with multiple packouts I think this is the number one thing I need to work on to reduce overall stress on joints.
It may also be helpful to consider the different purposes of the training.
There are really two different aspects to begin in shape for a backcountry or mountain trip: Before you make the shot and packing out an animal.
For packing out, I suspect being generally fit, however you decide to get there, is all that is required. However, I train very differently for the purpose of being able to stalk and shoot. In British Columbia, we often do not get a lot of time to set up for our shots, so it is plausible to believe one could be on the move and need to find a stable shooting position within short periods of time.
For this I focus on interval training with the express purpose of quickening my heart rate during recovery. This will allow the shooting to control breathing and go from cardio exertion to stable shooting position more easily and quicker. This is the same type of training we do for scoring in biathlon. If you have a simple heart rate monitor, you can easily see yourself getting better at this. Once warmed up, do some type of exerted cardio for one minute and measure how many beats your HR comes down in 20 seconds. As you train, keep track of this number. Depending up[on you level of fitness going in, you will notice changes very shortly after your training regime begins.
You can also, measure how many breaths you need to take over a 30 second period. This number will also come down over time. Ideally you want at least a 20 beat per minute 20 second recovery.
Once the hunt begins I measure the speed of my movements by how quickly I can recover. If I am in good shape, I can move a little quicker. If I am not in good shape, I keep my movement slow enough that I can always slow my heart rate and breathing.
Good luck! Great forum!
There are really two different aspects to begin in shape for a backcountry or mountain trip: Before you make the shot and packing out an animal.
For packing out, I suspect being generally fit, however you decide to get there, is all that is required. However, I train very differently for the purpose of being able to stalk and shoot. In British Columbia, we often do not get a lot of time to set up for our shots, so it is plausible to believe one could be on the move and need to find a stable shooting position within short periods of time.
For this I focus on interval training with the express purpose of quickening my heart rate during recovery. This will allow the shooting to control breathing and go from cardio exertion to stable shooting position more easily and quicker. This is the same type of training we do for scoring in biathlon. If you have a simple heart rate monitor, you can easily see yourself getting better at this. Once warmed up, do some type of exerted cardio for one minute and measure how many beats your HR comes down in 20 seconds. As you train, keep track of this number. Depending up[on you level of fitness going in, you will notice changes very shortly after your training regime begins.
You can also, measure how many breaths you need to take over a 30 second period. This number will also come down over time. Ideally you want at least a 20 beat per minute 20 second recovery.
Once the hunt begins I measure the speed of my movements by how quickly I can recover. If I am in good shape, I can move a little quicker. If I am not in good shape, I keep my movement slow enough that I can always slow my heart rate and breathing.
Good luck! Great forum!
ohiohunter
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This topic can be take from several different angles considering body habitus and individual needs. I'm not a big guy IMO, 5'10 220 at the moment and running certainly isn't on the menu, light jog is more suiting.
These are not for everyone: Squats, clean +/- press, bench
But lots of others to consider. Fireman walk, deadlift, lunges, burpees (intense), leg press, gobble squat, front squat, overhead squat (awesome for core), air squats, tire flip, bent rows, any row, hack squat (im not a fan), Static and plyometrics, cardio cardio cardio, Inclined treadmill, bike, tabata, Hanging leg raises, supermans, planks, kettle bell work. etc..
Few things to consider. First and foremost is you, your assessment of yourself which will determine where you start and intensity. If you haven't been in the gym for 6mo or ever, don't kill yourself thinking you're hercules... its ok to do air squats, do 50 it might surprise you.
If you are new, or unfamiliar w/ an exercise research it before you perform it. Youtube is very much your friend.
Heavy isn't always better. Ask any dedicated lifter and they will tell you heavy weights will hurt you. If you go heavy all the time you will get hurt, kind of like the saying there are 2 kinds of riders (motorcycle) the ones who've wrecked and the ones who are gonna wreck.
These are not for everyone: Squats, clean +/- press, bench
But lots of others to consider. Fireman walk, deadlift, lunges, burpees (intense), leg press, gobble squat, front squat, overhead squat (awesome for core), air squats, tire flip, bent rows, any row, hack squat (im not a fan), Static and plyometrics, cardio cardio cardio, Inclined treadmill, bike, tabata, Hanging leg raises, supermans, planks, kettle bell work. etc..
Few things to consider. First and foremost is you, your assessment of yourself which will determine where you start and intensity. If you haven't been in the gym for 6mo or ever, don't kill yourself thinking you're hercules... its ok to do air squats, do 50 it might surprise you.
If you are new, or unfamiliar w/ an exercise research it before you perform it. Youtube is very much your friend.
Heavy isn't always better. Ask any dedicated lifter and they will tell you heavy weights will hurt you. If you go heavy all the time you will get hurt, kind of like the saying there are 2 kinds of riders (motorcycle) the ones who've wrecked and the ones who are gonna wreck.
royinidaho
Well-Known Member
All of this kind of stuff floors me.
For weight for elk or any other type of hunting, for me at my age, is about 1100 pounds of good horse or 950 pounds of really good mule, if you wanna go light.
BTW I'll be 74 in 17 days.
I remember the time, in the not too distant past, I could hump the mountains with the best of you. Now not so much.
For weight for elk or any other type of hunting, for me at my age, is about 1100 pounds of good horse or 950 pounds of really good mule, if you wanna go light.
BTW I'll be 74 in 17 days.
I remember the time, in the not too distant past, I could hump the mountains with the best of you. Now not so much.
JJMoody
Well-Known Member
I'm a little late to the party here, but Roy just pulled the ultimate trump card short of shooting em on the high side of the road and sliding them into the back of the truck. Stock is great, but I really like the idea of adding a bit of extra to the daily routine. It's good to be fit!! Three exercises is a great start. Short of being able to hike with a weighted pack in the mountains, I really like the idea of anything that really sucks to do for extended periods of time. Coming out of a college powerlifting program and then setting chokers on a logging crew REALLY will let a guy know the difference! Much of the success I've seen is just being able to gut out a long haul, focusing on one step at a time.
Squats
Burpees
Push-ups perfect form and slow on all of em for a long period of time. Bonus-- all can be done in your living room
Stock is great, but I really like the idea of adding a bit of extra to the daily routine. It's good to be fit!! Three exercises is a great start. Short of being able to hike with a weighted pack in the mountains, I really like the idea of anything that really sucks to do for extended periods of time. Coming out of a college powerlifting program and then setting chokers on a logging crew REALLY will let a guy know the difference! Much of the success I've seen is just being able to gut out a long haul, focusing on one step at a time. Squats
Burpees
Push-ups perfect form and slow on all of em for a long period of time. Bonus-- all can be done in your living room
Why would you practice squatting and burping? In order to go to a gym you have to go to town. I hunt horseback myself and work at keeping myself fit by doing it year around and I run to keep my wind good and the gut off. These mountains are steep and brushy and I just don't want to be one of those 60 year Olds that sit on a stump and look up the slope from the bottom. Cheers.
Squats
Deadlifts
Lunges
Is what I do, I've been on 2 sheep hunts in NWT and BC Canada. Put 1 foot in front of the other and be mentally prepared is the hard part. Do some sort of cardio, what ever your body will let you do. I'm 51, there are days that sheep hunting sucks especially when the weather is bad but the reward of killing a nice animal far out ways the agony of climbing steep mountains and carrying everything on your back for miles and miles.
Deadlifts
Lunges
Is what I do, I've been on 2 sheep hunts in NWT and BC Canada. Put 1 foot in front of the other and be mentally prepared is the hard part. Do some sort of cardio, what ever your body will let you do. I'm 51, there are days that sheep hunting sucks especially when the weather is bad but the reward of killing a nice animal far out ways the agony of climbing steep mountains and carrying everything on your back for miles and miles.
I like to keep my workouts constantly varied, functional, and executed at high intensity.
I bowhunt alot too, so if I had to pick 3 I would pick
Pullups
Squats (any variation)
Assault AirBike (cardiovascular superiority)
So many others to pick from though...
I bowhunt alot too, so if I had to pick 3 I would pick
Pullups
Squats (any variation)
Assault AirBike (cardiovascular superiority)
So many others to pick from though...
Variation is great.
Agree there are lots to choose from. But a great way to simplify.... whether it's a single workout or just the first part of a workout, or even to set up intensity.
One high intensity workout I like is a cycle of thrusters, wallballs and rowing. Kind of has a crossfit style to it except it's light weight. Something like 4 time through of 10-15 reps of 95# thrusters, 40 20# wallballs and 500m row at a 1:30-1:40 pace.
Could go on and on for different workouts, good to get ideas of what other guys are doing.
I live where I hunt here in West slope of the Rockies and I feel improving your wind is vital for enjoying the hunt. I run during the long winter season, the worse the weather the more I seem to enjoy it. I run sharp shod (cleats) and these grip an icy surface really well and often go in the dark Every year hunters my age (59) die climbing mountains because of poor health due to excessive weight and poor nutrition causing a heart attack.A friend of mine died like this...on the mountain. Besides,occasionally I will out climb a 25 year old and that's feels pretty good to me.
Holy crap! 4 rounds of a 500m row at a 1:30 pace would be within a second or two of my max effort 500 m row. Add in thrusters and wallballs and I would imagine the lactic acid buildup in your body would be absolutely astounding. Even 1:40 over 4 rounds is no joke. I like to row for calories too, slightly different feel to it and helps gauge your power output a little better that rowing for distance. It's always nice to embrace the suck in the gym so when you are in the woods your limitations are few.
backyardsniper
Well-Known Member
Embrace the Suck no truer words were ever spoken. That is the only way to do it if you need to lose a lot of weight you must embrace the suck. Ha ha. Well put bro!
Danehunter
Well-Known Member
Elk hunting ia a LOT about cardio fitness and some about strength to carry out 60 -70 lbs. of meat &/or rack. I live in the Las Vegas Valley and hiked a lot last summer. By early October in Nevada's northern Jarbige Wilderness at 9,000 ft. I had no problems with leg endurance and strength but some problems with cardio at altitude for a few days, even with NO2 Red tablets to help me. (From GNC, BTW.)
Hiking at least one hour with 30 to 40 lbs. 3 to 4 times a week is good but you must begin by April for a good training base. And you must have a framed pack that transfers the weight to your hips with a well padded belt. This is the key. Not using a frame and padded waist belt will eventually, over years, compress spinal discs and result in big problems. And there are guys with hereditary knee weaknesses. You know who you are. USE HIKING POLES, especially for downhills. Take Vitamin D and glucosamine/chondritin tablets for doing health.
Weight lifting should be for strength, not attaining max weights. (See below)
-> A good rule for weight lifting is to only use the weight that allows a s-l-o-w count of four or five for both positive and negative movement. (i.e. "One thousand one, one thousand two.." etc.) This is actually the rule for all weightlifting for all ages to avoid injury and build stamina as well as strength. Remember, muscles gain strength much faster than ligaments and tendons. That's why pulled tendons are a problem with weight lifters in a hurry to get big or strong. Jus' sayin'...
-> If you are over 50 and have been lifting for decades MAINTENANCE is the word, not gains.
-> Finally, to maximize time and results for cardio do interval training. Hiking in rolling terrain is good because you get cardio intensity going uphill and a relaxing recovery interval going (slowly) downhill. It ain't a race.
Eric B.
Hiking at least one hour with 30 to 40 lbs. 3 to 4 times a week is good but you must begin by April for a good training base. And you must have a framed pack that transfers the weight to your hips with a well padded belt. This is the key. Not using a frame and padded waist belt will eventually, over years, compress spinal discs and result in big problems. And there are guys with hereditary knee weaknesses. You know who you are. USE HIKING POLES, especially for downhills. Take Vitamin D and glucosamine/chondritin tablets for doing health.
Weight lifting should be for strength, not attaining max weights. (See below)
-> A good rule for weight lifting is to only use the weight that allows a s-l-o-w count of four or five for both positive and negative movement. (i.e. "One thousand one, one thousand two.." etc.) This is actually the rule for all weightlifting for all ages to avoid injury and build stamina as well as strength. Remember, muscles gain strength much faster than ligaments and tendons. That's why pulled tendons are a problem with weight lifters in a hurry to get big or strong. Jus' sayin'...
-> If you are over 50 and have been lifting for decades MAINTENANCE is the word, not gains.
-> Finally, to maximize time and results for cardio do interval training. Hiking in rolling terrain is good because you get cardio intensity going uphill and a relaxing recovery interval going (slowly) downhill. It ain't a race.
Eric B.
