Highcountry Hunting Workout

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Founder

Founder Since 1999
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So what do you other guys who like to hunt backcountry do to get in shape each year? Or do you do anything? I think some guys can just strap it on in July and go. That is what I have done in the past, but this year I want to be in better shape than ever before late June and July ever arrives.
I've been lifting weight and running. Have dropped from 195ish to 173. Do you all think the running really helps much when it comes to climbing the mountains?
My plan over the next month or so is to begin replacing my runs with more steep hikes when possible.
Do you think the loosing of body weight will be noticable on the backcountry backpack trips?

Brian Latturner
MonsterMuleys.com
 
Brian. I live at 7000 but I have found that training at 10-11000 ft makes a difference in the way i feel for a hunt whether u run or hike the high altitude is key with whatever u do nmbighorn
 
LAST EDITED ON May-19-10 AT 02:14AM (MST)[p]Brian I'm sure by now you've been asking yourself how I came to be the bad bad man that I am...lmao jk dude!!


LOL ok maybe not to that extreme but I agree with the post above me in that the mountains are the best gym for a hunter!! I run up and down canyons around my cabin a few times a week all summer long, make long hikes in the dark to get to areas to scout, split wood, ect...I focus on building my endurance up vs strength.

GO KOBE GO!!

~Z~
 
My guess is that you won't notice the weight loss unless you put the weight in your backpack. I would get a heart monitor with a chest strap do a VO2 test. Then when working out keep your heart rate right there at your VO2 max. You might also like I said keep the weight you lost in a back pack plus the weight that you expect to be carrying on your hunt. I would guess that when you drop the weight you have lost from your pack the day of your hunt you will notice it and make your hunt that much more enjoyable.
 
173 is to dang thin for you in my opinion.

I get under 180 and I feel good but I get wore out quicker like by day 3 instead of day 5......

I train year round.......I guess it is just my normal life style.

Lift, lap swim, hike, lots of floor routine like sit-ups, back muscle stuff, hip/butt work----snow shoe in the winter or just hike on snow covered trails in the winter.

I wear my pack most every single hike no matter the season.

Been doing a Zumba class here lately and it is humbling!! but the scenery is fabulous! ha

See ya on the mountain there 'Slim'....ha

Robb
 
Heck Brian! You dropped 22 pounds! Tell you what....pack your pack as if you were going out tomorrow....then add 22 pounds to it! They are right. You won't notice the weight loss unless you add it to your pack! But it sure makes a huge difference to your body!

Each person is different and this is what works for me.....I strength train year round but come late winter I start getting rid of winter squish much like you have done. I back off on weight and add more repititions to my lifting. I start running more and hike with a pack on at every opportunity. You should see the looks I get mowing lawn with my frame pack and bow strapped on! I am doing a new workout that is called Insanity and it has helped out my legs big time giving more strength and endurance. Very important when talking about the backcountry! I will continue to step up my cardio until the day I leave the truck headed higher into the backcountry! I also like to make sure my back is good and strong, insanity has helped with that as well.

Good luck buddy! Let me know how you fair!


Jared "J-Rod" Bloomgren

www.myspace.com/jaredbloomgren
http://www.camospace.com/Bloomgren

"Getting close to game undetected and maintaining self control while delivering a well placed shot are the true keys to bowhunting success." -M.R.James
 
I do pretty much same as the rest, run and lift year round and then closer to the seasons I carry a heavy pack up and down the hills. I found out the last year or two that a good diet is just as important as the exercise!

The biggest difference for me now and before I took getting into shape seriously is that before after a day or two of hard hunting I would be totally worn out. I still get tired at the end of a hard day hunting but by morning I feel fresh and ready to go again and can hunt hard for 5 or 6 days and not be worn out.
 
I run year round.....always training for the next full marathon or fund raising event. Running flat ground is nice, but I also like to run hills as often as I can to increase my endurance on steeper slopes. As a result, I've maintained between 160-165 pounds for the last 4 years since combining a strict nutritional program with my physical workouts. You're going to see a HUGE difference in packing heavy weight with your weight loss Brian.......and it's a good thing. Keep up the hard work!

BOHNTR )))---------->
 
I started diet and exercise december first at 3500 calories a day and 190 lbs. At that time I cut my coloric intake to roughly 1200-1500 calories a day. As of this morning I am 143 lbs. 47 pounds lighter and I feel GREAT! I started on the treadmill and as I would loose 5 lbs i would add 5 lbs to my packpack. I would increase my workout duration also. I would put the pack on and walk or jog on an incline. What a difference that makes. When I was doing my elk shed hunting this spring I could not believe how easy it seemed to hike,pack, and maintain my pace! I am 5 lbs lighter than when I got married 5 years ago and 20 lbs heavier than when i wrestled 8 years ago, but i feel just as good as I did then but look a lot healthyer!
What I am trying to get across in my rambling statement is you will notice a huge difference in all physical aspects! no matter elevation or duratin of your hunt. It is ver addicting to be in shape, loose weight, and control your body!
Congradulations on your weight loss and keep it up! Good luck!
 
I take a back pack and put a plate in in (45lb) and hike with it. You can't replicate that weight on your back,hips and shoulders.
 
I don't know if it's a good idea, but I think on my run today I'm going to wear a hydration pack and start out packing an extra 6-8 lbs. and work up from there.
I worry about running with a pack with weight on after screwing up the disc's in my back last year and having surgery. I think 6-8 lbs. on my back should be OK.

I think you all are right, need to train with something on the back and climb hills.

My goal was just to get under 180 lbs., which is the "recommended" weight for my height...5' 10", but I have been running a lot. Kicking the idea of a marathon around. Got up to an 8 mile long run, but that is nothing compared to a marathon, so......I don't know about that........ With my luck I probably blow out a knee right before hunting season.

Brian Latturner
MonsterMuleys.com
 
Another good thing to do is to get off trail in the mountains and do some sidehilling whenever possible with your pack. I have been hiking alot in the mtns. plus lifting,cardio,ab and back workouts and stadium stairs once a week. It all helps as I'm 58.
 
OK, just did about 5 miles with 8 lbs. on my back. Not bad. Will increase it a pound or so for each run.

I would like to hit the mountains more to workout, but it's just the time issue. Living in the middle of the city puts me about 40 minutes from the nearst mountian and to do that every other day is just tough. I have been doing a "long run" once a week. Maybe I will replace that from here on out with a hard mountain climb with a pack, but keep up my 2-3 runs per week of 5 miles. ??????????

I'm really going nuts waiting to go look for deer in the highcountry. Keep looking up there everyday, but they're still covered in snow.

Brian Latturner
MonsterMuleys.com
 
I do a hike near my house that is 1300 vertical feet in about a mile.I also run a few miles a few times a week. The mile climb is a much more physical work out. With the hike I'm using muscles I don't use while running. Hiking with the pack on at least once a week will put you in moutain shape.I personally get pretty bored with repetetion exercises, but they work. I can't tell you how many hunters I have talked to who have used running almost exclusively to get in shape for a hunt only to get their a$$ handed to them after a few days of hunting.
 
Brian,

I have done the Insanity thing as mentioned above. It is a killer, and the hardest workout that I have done (I have done the p-90x as well). I still can't get throught the second level workouts after the 60 days, but your legs are in shape.
What I do, and works for me is, I do Monday Wednesday and Friday (5:15am before work) I lift weights, and on the other days Tuesday and Thursday and Saturday, I do the 3 hardest Isanity workouts. I take Sunday of for rest. 2 Months before Bow season starts I put the pack frame on at night and go hiking with the kids in the hills behind the house. I use 75lbs. Ya it is heavy (I'm 5'8" and wight 165Lbs at 12% body fat), but my kids can't hike along ways but I can tell a big difference when I start packing the frame pack. I live in Utah so we are high allready. I think the key is a much hiking in the hills were your going to hunt is the key. The keeping in shape all year hhelps you recover faster and makes getting ready for the hunts alot easier.

BUGLEMN
 
I can't add anything to what has been written above and I too am a big believer in running to maintain cardio - especially hill work if your knees will allow it. If you haven't seen it, you may want to check out the latest edition of Field and Stream - Cameron Hanes has an article about getting in shape for elk hunting. In it he discusses the value of running (cardio) mixed with weight training. It may be worth a look - the guy seems to know what he's talking about (tongue in cheek). Good luck whatever you decide to do!
 
Last year, I just did a few hikes here and there and hit the weights steady from about 2 months prior to my August hunt @ 204lbs and though in better shape than the prior year (220 lbs), there is still PLENTY of room for improvement.

This year, I vowed that I would be in excellent shape and as part of the MM "Biggest Loser" challenge, lost 32 lbs or so (Down to 183 lbs). I was doing a Boot Camp training 2x per week and my own thing 1-2x per week to lose all that fluff.

Now, being more slender, I have opted to do my Boot Camps 2x per week and all while wearing a 50lb vest each time to simulate the weight I lost plus a little extra - I know now that I DO NOT MISS THE EXTRA WEIGHT!!

This weekend, I start the running portion of my routine with a 10k that I am going to push myself to do. After that, I will be trying to run with a weighted pack and get in hikes when I can with weight (Kinda hard to fit all this in with 2 almost FT jobs). Should be a brutal next 3 months, but the Utah Mountains will not be defeating me this year!


?-ERock-> ?
 
LAST EDITED ON May-19-10 AT 06:09PM (MST)[p]Brian, I can't believe you have become such a 'butterball'...LOL

Seriously, running might be y0ur detriment, it is really hard on your lower back, which is what is absorbing a whole lot of that pounding.

I do endurance bicycle rides and race during the summer, and I am down to within 5 pounds of what I weighed in high school. But it isn't so much the weight as it is the mental training endurance events force upon you. I know things might suck, they might hurt, but I also KNOW that I can work through it. Once you've wrapped your mind around doing 100-200 miles in one day on bike, with an average heart rate high enough to be considered a tachycardia in a normal person, I'm telling you- there is not one thing you can't do!

Now the downside is that bicycling by it's very nature can set you up for a weak core, but I work on that by mixing it up with swimming and yoga. Add to it some strength training for the legs and it explains why I am not afraid to tackle an elk solo.

PLEASEDEAR- Zumba??? ARe you serious???? hahahahhaaaaaaaaa....oh, I can just picture that one, buddy boy.

Pred
 
LAST EDITED ON May-20-10 AT 06:15AM (MST)[p]Now that you have lost the weight Build muscle!! Squats, abs, back, shoulders. I work out 4 times a week with my bowflex extreme and love it. I am 53 years old 5'11 and weigh 206 with about 23% body fat. My goal is to be 195 by July 1st. It's not so much about the weight because as you build muscle you will gain weight. It's more about losing inches. My biggest issue is cardio. I get winded easier now. We have an eliptical my girlfriend works out on that I need to spend more time on. My doctor is very happy with my health. 107/68 pretty good blood pressure.Great job Brian just be careful not to lose to much weight.Remember "Build muscle".
 
I'm 61, 5'8" and weigh 160. I don't push it real hard, but I do take walks, and back exercises. I live on a steep hill, it's about 3/4 of a mile down the hill, and 3/4 mile back up. I don't run, but I walk fast.

Lisa hit on a very important aspect. It's good for you mentally! Exercise impowers you for all the everyday stresses of life. It improves your outlook, and gives you a sense of well being.

Eel

"I was beginning to lose my stomach for guiding, finding that the hunted were often more noble than the hunter."
Jay Hammond
 
Brian, I was in the same boat as you. At the first of the year I decided I wanted to be in the best shape I could be in for someday I may draw my henries deer or buffalo hunt. I thought I was in decent shape until I helped a friend out with his henries deer hunt. I started running everyday like you and it has helped. Then a new gym opened in our town. It's called cross fit. This is the best workout I have ever done and the result are unbelieveable. You will see results not only in the mirror but in the field with in a few weeks! UFC fighter, Navy Seals, sports teams and many more train with this. Best thing is the workout is usually only 20 minutes or less. If you have one of these gyms in your town I would highly recomend it to all.
 
Hiking at the altitude you'll be hunting at is definately going to help, It's helps get your body acclimated to the lower oxygen at the higher elevations.
It's also something i neglect doing....... :-(






http://i764.photobucket.com/albums/xx290/slamdunk_04/E1x1BWINV1-2.jpg[/IMG]
 
LAST EDITED ON May-21-10 AT 01:39PM (MST)[p]OK, decided today to replace the run with a tough mountain climb. I just hit the Mt. Olympus peak above Salt Lake. Not sure how many miles or vertical feet, it took 1 hr. 42 min. Hiked nonstop all the way.
Feels GOOD!!! More rewarding than a long run.

Hope I make it back down and don't end one those people on the news.......

Brian Latturner
MonsterMuleys.com
 
My Germain short hair Kimber and I train year round for chukar hunting. This year I am training extra hard as I drew a Henry Mtns Archery tag.

Monday, Wednesday, Friday I am up at 7am. Eat breakfast and drink a protein shake. Run 2 miles and come back to the house and shoot 3 arrows in my back yard. Do 15 pushups. Shoot 3 more arrows then 15 more pushups.

Run 2 more miles, shoot 3 arrows, do 15 pushups, shoot 3 more arrows, 15 more pushups.

I finish it off with a bike ride/race with Kimber around Roy High School. Dang dog is fast but he pushes me to try and beat him back to the house. One day I will!! This work out takes me about 45 minutes.

With the snow melting, its gettin time to start running up and down those nasty hills we love and call the Wasatch Front!!


Mathews Z7
CX Maxima Hunter 350
Sure Loc Single pin
Grim Reaper Broadheads
 
OUCH, I hurt today. I over did it yesterday. But, I do think replacing running atleast once a week with a hard hike is the way to go with scouting season coming up fast.
It's just tough to break away for 4-5 hours to exercise.

Brian Latturner
MonsterMuleys.com
 
Sign up for a triathlon! The training for a Tri Is one of the best workouts for those lungs!
 
You should try the Lone Peak hike from Hidden Valley Park off Wasatch Blvd.

To the top it takes anywhere from 3hrs + with a heavy pack and if you still got daylight and energy to burn, take it over the top and down Bell Canyon. Good Times...and Close too!



?-ERock-> ?
 
I'm not an exercise expert, but I've been doing CrossFit for the past 18 months and can tell you that cardio health or endurance doesn't require long workouts.

You can build lung capacity and edurance with short 5-20 min strenuous exercise using heavy weights, doing pull-ups, sprinting short distances, etc.... I hunted idaho and wyoming last year for elk, didn't pre-season hike at all, just my regular CrossFit routine, and was able to hike as hard as possible for as long as possible.

I will say that putting on a pack and actually hiking cannot be duplicated, but with the time factor, short, high intensity exercise will get you in shape quickly. Weight loss is more dependent on your diet, I'm 235-240 lbs, 20% body fat, gotta little belly going, but I feel like I can hike anywhere I want, as fast as I want, for as long as I want.

Good luck with whatever you decide to do, just find something that keeps your interest. Remember that your body will need to rest and recover as well, it's as important as the exercise.
 
EROCK1313 - I'm definitely going to the top of Lone Peak this year. Been wanting to do it. I think a little more snow needs to melt off first though. Maybe in late June.

Brian Latturner
MonsterMuleys.com
 
I work out with weights about two days a weeks, and do cardio a few times during a week. The cardio usually involves a mix of "stairs" (in my house going up and down the stairs with a 50+ pound pack on), or going out hiking or possibly backpacking in the mountains. I find it necessary to do lots of hills and stairs to get in shape for backpack style hunting out West (I live in Virginia by the way). I'm in decent shape, 6'1" and about 185 pounds. The mountains out West still kick my butt though.
 
I generally hike where no one else either wants to go or is not crazy enough to go. Its an inescapable condition. When I was younger I played a variety of sports competitively and after college merely kept in shape by running, lifting and stairmaster. I thought i was in good shape until my brother who was a Navy SEAL had me run the Obstacle course in Coronado. I was gasping for air and all of my muscles felt like they were going to explode. He later introduced me to exercise that is more of a circuit based conditioning. The idea is that its similar to running the obstacle course in that while doing cardio you also force yourself to utilize a wide variety of other muscles in an endurance type fashion. For example, you would do 2-3 sets of pullups, pushup, and dips. then run a half-mile. you would repeat this process at least 5 times. So you would end up doing 10-15 sets of pullups, pushups and dips and running 2-3 miles. This is usually followed with swimming, cycling, stairmaster. If you have access to the mountains regularly (lucky bastages) than I would try to find steep inclines to hike with a weighted pack. I would personally stay off the trail as this doesn't simulate hunting conditions as a lot more balancing is required while off trail.

Lastly, probably the single best exercise for steep ascends is lunging. If anyone questions or believes their legs would not benefit from this I encourage them to lunge without stopping for 1/4 to 1/2 mile. Make sure to really stretch out the back of the leg. if you are able to go a half mile without problems then add some weight. I have had a number of friends tell me how easy this would be only to have them fall short of 1/4 mile and call me the next complaining about how painful it is to sit on chair. Getting to a 1/2 mile or more will have a major impact on your ability to go up steep country.
 
I did another mountain climb on Friday. Felt good when I got home, but yesterday and today my legs hurt again! Just like last week. That running down hill is so hard on the legs, just tears them up. I'm hoping that eventually I won't be in pain the next day. We'll see.

I'm just doing the 20-30 minute non-stop weight training thing every other day, running once to to twice a week for 4-5 miles, and then that tough climb each week. I think that's what I'm going to do. Hopefully it works and by the time I really start hitting the mountains with a heavy load, I can do it with ease.

I'll keep you guys posted on how it works out in my Hunt Adventure Challenge thread. Hope you guys do the same. Would love to follow your prep., scouting and hunting.

Brian Latturner
MonsterMuleys.com
 
Founder I would try to get more of the cardio in. That is what is going to help the most I would thing with going up and down the mountain. You can do cardio every other day.
 
I've been running 6 miles a day 4 or 5 days a week. Another part of my Summer prep for the Fall is lots of babysitting. I watch the kids extra and let my wife get away a weekend or two with her sisters for shopping. It seems to help my wife's attitude a lot when I want to be gone a lot in the Fall. This weekend I took a little backpacking trip with my 11 year old to test out what he will be capable of this Fall. It will not be long before he will out pack me in the back country.
 
Here are a couple of pics from the trail above my house.
6477img_1367.jpg


8168img_1368.jpg


8559img_1365.jpg
 
I thought I took my training last year serious for last years hunts and it paid off pretty well in teh mountains. This year I am going a different route. I have been in a bootcamp at the gym by my work for the last 10 weeks. Lots of circuit work focusing on cardio, legs and of course a ton of core work. The leg workout portion consits of prisoner squats, wall sits, pulling weighted sleds, walking lunges, running stairs with medicine balls above your head and oh did I say.... lots and lots of wall sits. My friend, who is doing it with me, and I went hiking the other day to test the results. Put about 45lbs in the packs and headed out into some good vertical climbs. We were both pleasantly shocked. Legs felt great the entire way, cardio was under control and the legs felt great the next day. I didnt' feel that good all last hunting season and I spent 58 days in the field chasing sheep and deer.
If you have any sort of gym by you that offers these bootcamps I would highly suggest getting into a bootcamp for 8 weeks just prior to the season. I would recommend minimum 3x a week.
 
Nvbucks

Where do you live? And what gym offers this boot camp?

I drew Phavant elk archery.

This is my work outs. Sundays I hit Weber St stadium rum 1 mile to warm up. then I hit the stairs one section is every step then back down same section over up again this time skipping one step at a time, complete both east and west sides. then 1/2 mile run. Then to the east side next to the stairs and it is sprints up the dirt hill 5 times. about 50 min. total

Mon - Fri its is mixed up with treadmill and stair stepper. I get about 40 min card a day. I also try and get some weight lifting in. Need to start on the hikes with weight!!!

buckshot
 
Hey buckshot....I live in Reno, NV and it is just a local gym and not a franchise gym. The bootcamp and the instructors are certified by the Parisi school. The class is about 60 minutes long.
You sound like you have a great work out going. The only thing I would suggest is breaking up the stair routine with some interval wall sits. Perhaps after you complete one side of the stadium, do 5 sets of wall sits at 1 minute time periods with about 30-45 second breaks in between each set and then when done with those get back on those stairs. As you build up more strength in your quads from the wall sits you can extend the wall sits to 90 seconds each or try 1 legged wall sits with your other leg extended out in front of you with your toe pointed straight up and your foot about 6-12" off the floor. Do one leg for 30 seconds and then move to the other leg. Also, I have found the extensive core work the boot camp offers is reall paying off with the weighted pack on. We do a ton of various crunches, plank poses, leg raises, etc.

Can't wait to see what the results are come actual hunting season this fall. My friend drew a mountain goat tag in Nevada this year so it should provide a true test.
 

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