New Year "New Season"

[les welch]

Hey Rokkers,

Just wanted to thank everyone for following along on "The Season" last year. Hunter and I had a banner year. From travels, time spent afield, memories, and harvests it was all amazing. Sad to see it go. Excited for the "New Season" though. I/we have bigger plans and hope to make the sequel even more lit up!

Robby and I are working together to get some things ironed out. We'll hopefully be doing some really cool things with some of our sponsors here. Please remember to support those sponsors when you need something. Without sponsors this site doesn't exsist.

I'm going to get this thread rolling today and I'll backdrop a few posts so everyone understands a little bit about me, where I'm coming from, and what we're trying to accomplish.

We'll encompass workouts, nutrition, food, gear, scouting, gear reviews, videos, etc.

If you have questions ASK!!! If you are thinking it, someone else is as well. I'll try my best to answer everything. If I miss something, send me a PM, and tell me I missed it. If you want me to review something specific let me know and I'll do my best to get it done.

Happy New Year, and let's get the ball rolling. September will be here before we know it.

Les

I'm going to add Sponsors of this thread below this. These are companies and people who are helping out with things so we can do some giveaways and different reviews along the way and other things. I'll add to them as more sign on. Thanks everyone!

Links below:

Les Welch (@les_welch_) • Instagram photos and videos
Rokslide
- YouTube



Sitka Gear
Kifaru International
Heads Up Decoy
Crispi Boots
Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation
MTN OPS
S&S Archery
Spot Hogg
Iron Will Broadheads

 

[ChrisC]

Is there a list of Rokslide's sponsors? I'm familiar with a few that post on here but there may be others in unaware of that I'd he happy to give business to.

 

[les welch]

Chris,

Check here.

SPONSORS

 

[les welch]

Is it September yet? Itching to hear that September song.

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[les welch]

Leaving 500 feet of elevation and going to 11,000 feet, then packing straight in isn't easy. Are you doing something to stay in shape year around, or do you wait until 30 days before season? #thereisnooffseason

This was my Friday night work out. 200 flights of stairs with 40 pounds in my Kifaru, and then 5000 m on the rower.


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[les welch]

As you know MTN OPS has been a big supporter of Rokslide, and they have agreed to support this thread as well. Pretty exciting to have them on board with this project!

 

[les welch]

For those who don't know me, here is a little background. If you know Aron, or listen to the Gritty Bowmen Podcasts, you've hear him say "I'm a fatkid". Well straight up, that's me as well. I was never "athletic" or worked out at the gym. On August 26, 2008 I got on the scale before work that morning. It said 229.2#, I changed mentally right there. I said never again. I was 33 years old.

I started eating less, and eating better. I gave up my 3 cans of coke per day. I walked during my breaks at work every day. That night after work I went to the Y and bought a membership. The girl at the front desk was really nice....ha ha...she said "Boot Camp starts tomorrow, you should sign up". She give me a very "light" version of what it was....I signed up.

The next morning was great, I worked my tail off. The fatkid was hurting, but dang it was fun. The following day I was a little stiff and sore, and a little slower along with a little less gung ho for the class. After working into the first 15 minutes my body loosened up and it was ok. Good to get through it.

Day 3, Holy Mary mother of God, WTF happened?? I could barely get out of bed. I couldn't brush my teeth, couldn't hardly bend over to tie my shoes. Was I in a train wreck and had amnesia about it? Shit hurt in places I didn't know it could!!

 

[les welch]

This was a Tu/We/Th class for 5 weeks. I made it through that class on Thursday. I was slow, everything hurt, but I did it. I had 4 days to recover before the next week, thankfully.

I progressed through that boot camp getting less sore and recovering faster each time.

My nutrition habits changed a lot, I was working out, and the scale was going down. In mid October I headed to WY with my dad for a DIY mule deer hunt. In 2007 we did a DIY antelope hunt in Wyoming, that was my first trip to the West. For the muley hunt I had already shed a lot of weight and was feeling much better than I had at any time that I could recall.

 

[les welch]

2007 antelope

2008 muley

To visit WY and be successful 2 years in a row, public land, DIY, on 4 animals (8 including my dad's) was amazing. To say I was hooked was an understatement.

 

[robby denning]

Les, seems you lost a few chins between that antelope and mule deer hunt ha ha ha. Been there myself in a previous life. Heard Aron tell Marc Smith on a podcast last year (after Marc got in shape) "you had more chins than a Chinese phonebook." I busted a gut at that one.

Thanks for doing this thread. It'll help a lot of people I'm sure.

you guys that want to follow this can click "Thread Tools" top post and subscribe. Then you don't have to keep checking back- you'll get notified.

 

[ElkNut1]

Way to go Les, looks like you made leaps & bounds since 2007! Rob, thanks for the tip on the Thread Tools feature, didn't know about that!

Les has been extremely helpful in the past with questions I'd had on fitness & is presently working with me on a lifting routine, you guys that are serious about whipping yourselves into shape or just staying in shape should seriously pick his brain, he's a wealth of info & is more than willing to help you out!

Les, I've seen you comment on drinking plenty of water on a daily basis, I try to do this myself but what is meant by "Plenty Of Water" -- Is a guys body weight taken into consideration or how does a guy know if he's drinking enough? Thanks!

ElkNut1

 

[les welch]

More chins than a chinese phonebook, yep I've heard him say that many times, crack up everytime.

Paul (Elknut), so yes it does vary per person. I suggest as a guideline 3/4 an ounce of water per pound of bodyweight. This can vary depending on weather and workouts, but it's a close guesstimate. I average about 150 ounces per day, and I get started immediately after getting out of bed. Body is dehydrated at that point.

Here is a neat little calculator to help.

Access Denied

I'm not sure what Access Denied means, the link still works for me. If it doesn't work for you just Google Bodybuilding.com water calculator.

 

[les welch]

The success fueled my fitness desires. In '09 I went on my first elk hunt. Backcountry Idaho, bivy style hunt. I researched and prepped gear all through '08 and up to departure date of '09. I was down to 175 ish pounds, I had a ton of gear, and I had a spot picked out. My Kiraru Longhunter was loaded like a gypsy wagon. Arrived at the trailhead early morning (still darkish), with elk bugling. Shouldered pack, grabbed bow, and we were off.

 

[les welch]

Loaded up


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[Osprey]

Excellent thread. Not sure if this will be added at some point but could you add your basic weekly work out routine and if it changes as you progress closer to the hunt? It always helps to see what others are doing whats working for them and/or what didn't especially for us fat kid tree stand hunters East of the Mississippi!

 

[les welch]

Excellent thread. Not sure if this will be added at some point but could you add your basic weekly work out routine and if it changes as you progress closer to the hunt? It always helps to see what others are doing whats working for them and/or what didn't especially for us fat kid tree stand hunters East of the Mississippi!

Yes, I will absolutely add it. It changes a lot for me because of my changing race schedule. I'll go over all of that in the coming days. Hopefully everyone will feel free to post questions, and what they do.

Tonight I taught a 50 minute spin class. It was comprised of 35 minutes climbing, 3 minutes of attacks, 3 minutes of sprints, 9 minutes of flat road. After class I did 150 bosu ball squats and 100 lunges.

Hopefully tomorrow I'll be trying out a new pair of boots, and some lifting.

 

[tim tarras]

Paul (Elknut), so yes it does vary per person. I suggest as a guideline 3/4 an ounce of water per pound of bodyweight. This can vary depending on weather and workouts, but it's a close guesstimate. I average about 150 ounces per day, and I get started immediately after getting out of bed. Body is dehydrated at that point.

Here is a neat little calculator to help.

Access Denied

I'm not sure what Access Denied means, the link still works for me. If it doesn't work for you just Google Bodybuilding.com water calculator.

I usually I drink between 90-100oz a day but....189oz of water a day! Looks like it was a bad week to have my office moved farther from the bathroom.

 

[les welch]

I usually I drink between 90-100oz a day but....189oz of water a day! Looks like it was a bad week to have my office moved farther from the bathroom.

Depends how you look at it Tim! Farther walk is more calories burned

 

[tim tarras]

Good Point.

 

[les welch]

This is the first elk I harvested. First night of hunting. Idaho 2009.

I'm putting this entire storyline in front of you all to show you where I come from, and how I got to where I am today.


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