Phys. Fitness for Hunting ???

[lve2143]

I realize I'm bringing up something that has been
discussed before. There was a very interesting post
last year about "getting in shape to kill" , or something
similar that I found informative.

Beanmans excellent ride over the mountain got me to thinking
about this, along with a CO Muzz tag on the way for a very
high altitude unit.

What do you guys do specifically to get yourselves in shape
for hunting ?? I like to run and bike, but some pesky injuries
have haunted me the last couple of years.

This becomes a bigger issue every year, as I'm not getting any
younger (i'm 42), and live about a foot and a half above sea
level.

I'd like to hear what you guys do. I'm always ready to learn
an new trick. And lord knows, you boys have shown that you have
them up your sleeves.

Larry

 

[bobcatbess]

Larry!!!

HERES WHAT YOU DO!!!

A WEEK BEFORE THAT MUZZ HUNT!!!

YOU GO ON VACATION!!!

GO CLIMB THE HIGHEST MOUNTAINS IN THE WORLD!!!

THEN WHEN YOU GET TO COLORADO IT SEAMS LIKE SEA LEVEL!!!

JUST RAZZING YOU!!!

ELEVATION CAN KICK SOME TAIL!!!

BUT I'VE NEVER EXPERIENCED IT!!!

THE ONLY bobcat!!!

 

[ClorideRUS]

LAST EDITED ON May-30-07 AT 07:42PM (MST)[p]Couple of packs of cigs a day & a 12 pack of beer. What the hell!!! works for me....

Just teasing Larry. Physical fitness needs to be a life force, being in shape for hunting is a welcome by-product. BTW, it's a little over 6K feet at my house. I always feel much better on the coast.

RUS

 

[Hooked_on_Coues]

eleptical, don't use the arm things. Get your balance and go.

I'm old too....

 

[lve2143]

Actually, Mr. Bess's plan would work. I just can't swing
it this year. Maybe next tag.

Rus, I believe you're kidding about the cigarettes.
I have my doubts about the beer.
Just a gut feeling I get.

I agree with your theory of physical fitness needs to be a
life force, being in shape for hunting is a welcome byproduct.

Damned wise. I'm just trying to take it to a little higher level
as at 12,000 feet, I'm gonna be sucking wind no matter what.

My dad smoked Winstons. He smoked a bunch of them. And when he
was 52 he had a hell of a heart attack. Despite the high school
learned CPR I performed on him, he didn't make it.

So smoking aint one of my issues.

Thanks guys. Got my running shoes out, and the bike tires aired
up this evening.

lrv

 

[archerman]

If you get yourself in great cardio shape down low you will be good to go up high. Just get up to your hunt area 3 days in advance and do some serious cardio by the 3rd day. Start kinda slow, twice a day and by day 4....opening day, you'll be pretty good to go.
Archerman - Archery hunting addict!

 

[bobcatbess]

YOU SEE Larry!!!

OUR BRAINS ARE STARVING FOR OXYGEN!!!

I GET UP AROUND 10,000-12,000 QUITE A BIT!!!

I AIN'T AS GOOD AS I ONCE WAS!!!

BUT I'M AS GOOD ONCE AS I NEVER WAS!!!

THE ONLY bobcat!!!

 

[lve2143]

Yes you are Mr. Bess.....

Yes you are.

 

[Zim]

LAST EDITED ON May-30-07 AT 09:38PM (MST)[p]I am 47 and I eat healthy year round, and run/bike 3-4 times a week year round. In between I play pickup basketball, hike, misc weightlifting & situps. Nothing die hard, just a good mix and constant activity of some kind. My running for instance, is only 2-3 miles per session. Biking maybe 10 miles. The month before I go for a hunt I get excited and push myself hard, doubling about everything. When I go to the grocery store I pretty much just shop in the fresh fruit & vegetable aisles year round.

You know what the funny thing is? The only time I eat what I term "junk food" is on my hunting trips. That's because fresh fruit/veggies don't backpack well. So I stoop down to high energy stuff like candy & granola bars, Mountain House meals, etc.

I live at sea level but generally run any other hunters into the ground when I go, including the locals. Makes hunting fun & easy.

A couple years ago I weighed 40 pounds more than now. I'd had cartiledge out of one knee and tore my ACL in the other 10 years ago. When I lost the weight my knees felt perfect, the same as in college. I will never go back.

 

[fisrtcoueswas80inches]

I stand 6'3 255 lbs. im 21 and a ex football all state player, bseball 2x state champ, nd a decent wrestler. in hs i could run a 6:30 mile. today, i ran a mile in 7:03. i usually start with mile and set a goal on time ( my goal today was 8 minutes, on pace to beat the required time for the 1.5 miles of the borderpatrol test by 1 minute) when it is fairly easy for me to reach my target goal i then move the distance up. it will be 1.5 miles in about 11:30. another asset that i have and i think is life saver is running the wash near my house. the soft sand really makes my legs work. i think for me it is more about conditiong my legs to carry my weight as well as my 40+ lb pack all day long. i will run as well as do weights. i will do bench, triceps, biceps ( for the girls) and many leg work outs. as long as my legs are in good shape come hunting season i can hang with most out in the hills.

biking is a good workout especially on an inclie for those who cant run/hike. as ling as your doing something you are improving your physical fitness. and im not talking 12 oz curls on the couch!
Casey

 

[RELH]

Casey;

The next time I jerk your chain, remind me to have my 45 Colt NM in my right hand for protection. You are a little bit bigger then I am and a hell of alot younger and in better shape.
If you are thinking about going into the U.S. Border Patrol, look up the book, "Unrepennant Sinner" by Col. Charles Askins. He was one of the old border patrol officers and some of the things he got away with will blow your mind.

RELH

 

[BradLantz]

I stay in pretty good health. Weight lifting 3 days a week, cardio 3-4 times a week and I'm an active 38 year old anyway.

Specifically for my elk hunts, which are DIY wilderness hike in hunts, normally with llamas, I start 8-10 weeks before my hunts doing 3-6 miles with a weighted pack of 30-35 pounds, wearing my hunting boots.

This will condition your feet to your hunting boots again, your shoulders to the pack straps, your lower back to the weight of the pack and your legs to the hiking.

I'm starting 7 weeks of 7 days a week cardio starting June 1st - the goal for me is to drop some body fat % and to lean up. Coupled with this I'm decreasing my sugar/sweets intake, and increasing my protien and carbs. I'll be burning a lot of calories !

I'm 5' 9" and 157 pounds right now, so I don't want to lose weight, rather I want to lose fat % and gain muscle, ideally keeping my weight at around 160 pounds.

A side affect of the next 7 weeks will be the prepping of my body for elk season.

 

[idabigbuck]

I'm 49 this year, and can't run anymore, at least not without hurting myself. (pulled muscles, sore joints). I go to the gym 5 days a week and walk the treadmill at a brisk pace and a steep incline. I keep my heart rate up high and breathing just as hard as when used to run. I lift weights 3 times per week. I will add more leg work closer to the season. I am not totally burned out the next day after a hard days hiking and climbing. The next day I'm ready to do it all over again. I believe cardio work is the key to quick recovery, especially coming from sea level.

 

[TFinalshot]

nothing beats healty food, good cardio, and time at altitude. I'd say, like others have said, stay in shape with cardo and diet, and then spend a few days at altitude before you have to hit it hard. You cant climatize with diet and cardio, it'takes time to get your brain adjusted to the lower O2 levels. . .

 

[feddoc]

I think Idabigbuck, Bradlantz, and Zim have some good ideas.....a little cardio, a little bit of weights and you should be good.

If you have a gym near you, look for some certified instructors. The two best organizations are ACSM (American College of Sports Medicine) and NSCA (National Strength and Conditioning Association). Others do not have the higher requirements to sit for the test and tend to have lesser standards overall. FWIW, through professional affiliation, I know many of the nation's NCAA and Pro strength and conditioning coaches and not one of them is certifed by anyone other than the two organizations I mentioned.

For cardio stuff, it doesn't matter so much what you do as long as you use your age predicted target heart rate as a guide.

220 - age = a number 220 - 40 = 180
take that number 180 and multiply it by 65% (117) and by 85% (153). Those two numbers 117 and 153 amount to your target heart rate zone...keep your heart rate within those numbers for about 30 minutes, 3-4 times per week and you will produce a volume overload on your heart...which makes the left ventricle more efficient at pumping blood.


Weight training can do the same thing, using the same guidelines, but will produce a pressure overload on your heart, still making the left ventricle more efficient.


The difference between the two (cardio moves more *oxygenated* blood) is what makes you less winded when hiking up hills.

 

[buncoboy]

Beat my self up with weights 5-6 times a week until I am too tired to walk out of the gym. Then I run 5-6 times a week until I can not run anymore. Then I eat very well and get a lot of rest so I can do the same thing the next day. Then I read and learn as much as possible, so that the brain gets daily excercise also. Do not neglect any body part. I practice discipline always to keep me in the right mental mode while hunting.

 

[lve2143]

Thank you, Thank you, Gentlemen.

Good advise. I appreciate the heck out of it.

Some of you ol'boys are bad-Axx's......

And I can damned sure appreciate that too.

You young feller's, get it while you can, cause I used
to think I was bullet-proof too.

If I ever was, it don't make a crap, cause I sure aint now.

fyi
lrv

 

[eelgrass]

12,000 ft? Since I live on the ocean here in California, I would have to say bottled oxygen!

Larry, congrats on the tag! I hope you get a big one!

Eel

 

[BeanMan]

Get your self a Jack Russell Terrier. Just keeping it happy will keep you in good shape.

I don't have time for weights but farm work keeps me fairly strong. I jog in the winter and ride bit mountain and road bikes year round. do a bit of skiing in the backcountry and some hiking.

One thing that hasn't been mentioned that I am fanatical about: Stretching. It will help prevent your back from being sore and keep away a lot of the other nagging injuries that plague us older dudes.

Beanman

 

[GrandpaNasty]

Plenty of prune juice to keep you regular and sex at least once a month to keep the stamina up. Worked for me for a lot of years and is easy on the knees, unless your my wife