A Midwestern Elk hunters training...

[big10hunter]

I live in the Midwest, and am planning my workout now to get in shape for my Elk hunt. This thread is nothing more than a way to pump me up and monitor my own progress. None of you know me, but we obviously share the same interests! I do not post to FB, so I am hoping this will work. I would enjoy having anyone stop in to post, monitor or join in. I've been putting this off too long and am going in the wrong direction. The scale tipped 228 today, i am 42yrs old, and I'm 6'5". That may not seem out of shape, but its in the wrong places! I used to be an athlete, bench nearly 300 lbs and have been on both Sheep and Goat hunts. I considered myself in shape, but this winter has been harsh to me. I am going to post progress here for my own motivation. If you want to add your own progress...awesome. I do not have goals, but I want to train everyday. I feel like it will be a success if i can post something i do everyday. i will accept heckling for days i miss. i am nobody, so im not trying to start something that everyone follows. i just really need to get into shape and am going to post my progress here.

My worst fear is nutrition...I eat terrible. I need to find good food to fuel me, and it has to be easy to prepare.

If you don't like this post please ignore it, and keep remarks to yourself. My own little version of biggest loser.

 

[ohhiitznik]

First thing you need to do is set up a few goals. That will help keep you accountable more than any of us strangers on the internet ever will.

 

[blb078]

I'm in the same boat as you big10hunter, from the midwest, although I'm doing my first diy hunt this fall. I'm 5'11" and 173lbs. Problem is about 10lbs is in the wrong areas. I've been starting on a treadmill, elliptical, and stationary bike. I do 4 days a week that way I give my body time to recover, maybe in the spring I'll step it up a day or two. I haven't decided if I'm going to do any actual weight training or not, everywhere I read people say work on endurance an legs, so I guess that will be my main focus for now.

 

[Slim Jim]

You're already heading in the right direction by putting a workout into your daily routine. Just step it up some when it starts getting closer to the hunt

 

[big10hunter]

I've done this before, but usually start in late spr or early summer. Now I'm getting older so I need to make it year round. I still have dreams of seeing my abs someday! I've trained for both a Goat and Sheep hunt. The Sheep hunt I ran circles around the guide. I know what I need to do, it's just getting motivated. It's -6F here today!

 

[Ross]

As noted develop a plan and set some short term goals. Be sure the routine built is something you can fit into your day and consistency is the key. Now is the time to get dedicated and build that routine, as you have 8+ months before most hunting seasons start. Good luck and as my wife says, "it is achievable"!

 

[WonkyWapiti]

As others have said come up with a plan and set goals, long term and short term to keep your motivation up. I'm in a similar situation to you big10 being 43 and had extremely lousy food habits due to my job and eating out alot. I finally had enough of having the extra pounds and I'll share what I've been doing. I started my new program after New Year's and joined the local gym. I meet with a trainer once a week just to push me and change up my program. After another month or so I'll probably go to once every other week with the trainer. I work out on my own the rest of the week. I log all of my calories that I eat every day and I have quit drinking all soda. I'm eating five to six times a day and am drinking a bunch of water.

Every week I send an email out to my hunting partners that I will be going to Alaska with this year and give them a weekly update with what I've been doing. This keeps my honest and motivated not to miss out on training. I've lost ten pounds so far and feel great. This has been working for me and I hope you find something that works for yourself as well.

 

[big10hunter]

Started the workout today. My knee was bugging me so i postponed the start. Starting weight 228. Worked on the elliptical and benched...it's a start. At 42 I can't just blow right into a full workout, gotta ease in.

 

[cody covey]

You may already do this but i just started keeping a workout journal about 10 weeks ago, that keeps more more honest than anything else. Its also fun to see where you started and how far you have come! Good luck.

 

[G Posik]

Big10 I hear you on the ease in to work outs. I tweaked my hamstring a few weeks ago, today was day # 3 of returning to running. At 42 (43 in April) recovery is tough. Like cody said keep a log of all of your workouts. It helps to see where you start and how you progress. I log all of my workouts, running, bleacher climbs and gym workouts. I look back and see some of my good workouts and try to always improve. Good luck with your workouts and elk hunting. September will be here before you know it.

Glenn

 

[jmez]

For you guys "tweaking" things. Get in a pool if you have access to one. No impact and the best workout you will get if you push yourself. I just got out after 1/2 hour swimming laps. You think you are in shape go swim some laps. Great exercise. I swim every wednesday. My break day from lifting and stairmaster.

 

[Ridge Runner]

big10hunter good for you hope all goes well. Just a comment, i question the value of the benchpress. I try to focus on functional lifting excercises that work multiple muscles groups. I think the value of 50 pushups far outweighs the value of benching 200 lbs. All I have ever accomplished benching is getting a bigger chest or hurting my shoulder. Currently one of my favorite functional lifts is a squat/Curl/Press whith dumbells at about 1/3 my body weight until failure. Follow up with pushups til failure and 20-25 air squats then another lift again followed up by pushups and squats. 15-20 minutes and I'm pretty well hashed. Finish up with abs adn 20-30 minutes of intervals on stairmaster or elliptical do this 3 days a week cardio at 45-1hr other days.

 

[big10hunter]

Just checking in. Worked out twice last week. Knee feels 90%. Gonna step it up today. Looked at some of the pics on the Flatlander thread, definitely motivation.
Weekends suck for eating and time to myself.

Maybe I need a training program like this... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bD4xwK13lGk

 

[Aron Snyder]

That worked for me and Ryan!

 

[Ryan Avery]

Hell, I might have to reenlist!

 

[big10hunter]

Lifted and did seal squats yesterday. Hit the stair climber today. Feels awesome to be working out. I do mostly high reps, but the goal is to be benching 300 by August. That is my only high weight goal, the rest will be lifting for fitness. I need to prove to myself I can get back up to that weight!

 

[WonkyWapiti]

Keep going Big10, good job. Myself, I have been packing my lunch to work every day and haven't had a single Coke which was my achilles heel. I also have been working out 3 to 4 days a week. This coming week I'm increasing my workouts to 5 days a week. I've dropped 15 pounds and am feeling great!

 

[SMITTY1HUNTER]

I'm a few years younger than you, 36, and have been in pretty good shape most of my life. I can actually lift heavier now than I did when I was in my twenties. With that being said, I have also injured myself a few times by not easing back into a routine after taking off a few weeks for whatever reason, one time sickness and the other I was hunting and not working out. Be sure to start off REAL slow. I know you have already said this I just wanted to reiterate the point. Bench press is always a good exercise but I kind of look at hunting fit and gym fit as two separate kinds. Yes, bodybuilders are in good shape but if you took most guys out of a gym benching 300lbs+ and threw them on the side of a mountain I'd bet they would have worked out a bit differently. Your diet is going to be focus #1. There's no sense doing cardio for an hour to burn a couple hundred calories and then eating a 1000 calorie lunch afterward if you want to lose weight. It's a math equation, and a simple one at that. Burn off more calories than you consume and you will lose weight, period. Obviously exercise has many benefits besides burning calories but there's no sense in putting in the work and not seeing the actual benefits in front of a mirror. Last thing, if you drink beer or soft drinks stop! Even a light beer is 100 calories. I really laugh when guys that work out and drink beer every day wonder why they aren't losing weight. Not saying this is you at all, just more than a few people out there that do. Good luck and keep it up!

 

[big10hunter]

Thanks Smitty. I am not dieting yet. for me it gets overwhelming to just cram it all together. My plan is to start working out and see what happens naturally. I have been trying to eat better though and intake more protein. I have eased into it over the past two weeks. Just started increasing the intensity this week. Tread mill broke yesterday, but I still have the bike and elliptical. I agree about the gym, I just have this personal goal to bench 300 now that I am in my 40's.

BTW enjoy your 30's! Everyone told me it would get tougher when I got older. I did not believe them. I am a believer now! Recovery is the toughest. I need to make it a year long effort from now on. Getting started hurts too much!

 

[blb078]

The diet will be my problem. The good thing is I'm only about 10lbs over weight, but cutting out things like oreo's in the morning or something like that will be hard. I wouldn't say I eat bad. We rarely buy soda and I might drink maybe 1-2 beers a week when I'm out w/my friends but it's the sweets that will get me.