And It Begins! Pack Workout!

Joined
Apr 15, 2019
Messages
73
Location
Gettysburg
PA guy here not much for steep trails nearby have been doing 65lb up,and down 16 flights of stairs without stopping planning on getting to 80lb up,and down twice. Hope its enough. I'll find out in 120 days

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IaTrent

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Nov 23, 2014
Messages
131
Those of you adding weight to your packs, are you carrying the weight at the bottom of the pack or getting it up higher somehow? I'm a new EXO owner and I see Steve talks about getting the heavier items higher in the pack. Just curious if you are all adding anything on the bottom to get the heavier items, sandbag, etc higher?
 

netman

WKR
Joined
Mar 30, 2018
Messages
764
Location
Indiana
I’m walking without a pack right now. I walk all the time. I’m headed to Montana for a month of scouting, hiking and camping in the near future.
When I get back I have a appointment at Mayo Clinic. Looks like I’ll be getting another heart ablation(PVC’s).
I want to get my heart in good shape before the surgery.
 
OP
E

ElkNut1

WKR
Joined
Feb 25, 2012
Messages
2,427
Location
Idaho
I ended up at 37.5# this morning for the 1st day! I did 3.5 miles of level in town stuff. From the start & finish it felt like I had no more than 20# in my Exo 3500. This thing is amazing how it distributes the weight. It's the best pack I've ever had on my back!

I put a couple of heavy longsleeve pullovers in bottom of pack on top of my 4 elk bags that are always in the pack. I added a 25# steel weight to that for my total weight, the pullovers keeps the weight off the bottom. When hauling out elk quarters I put them between the pack & frame & use the meat shelf to raise or lower quarter as needed. I will up weight to 40# on next trip.

Here's a photo of close to 100#, I like the weight higher up for best balance.

ElkNut/PaulPaul 2015 Five Point 24.jpg
 

Elk97

WKR
Joined
Feb 14, 2019
Messages
799
Location
NW WA & SW MT
I've got the pack at 30# now, hiking a steep power line road that switchbacks up the island. Get out about 2-3 times per week and will increase both weight and number of days per week as it gets closer. Uphill is a grind but downhill is harder on my knees. No matter what I do when I leave here at sea level and get to hunting altitude 7-9000' I'm running on fumes. Just hope there isn't any smoke this year.
 

5MilesBack

"DADDY"
Joined
Feb 27, 2012
Messages
16,174
Location
Colorado Springs
Wow! That much snow down there. About 2” here.

Yep, pretty varied down here. Just a couple miles south and only 1-2", and a few miles north and they got 19.5". If we'd gotten that much I'm not sure I'd have any trees still standing. Lost a LOT of branches with 1/2 dozen of those being big branches. Heck, we generally don't get even this much snow during the entire winter, let alone the end of May.

During the summer I'll load up my pack the way I hunt with all that water and stuff, and then I'll run and shoot the 3D and field courses.

100_4075.JPG
 

Btaylor

WKR
Joined
Jun 3, 2017
Messages
2,481
Location
Arkansas
Yall keep getting snow and we keep getting rain. Bout wore out with this mess. We still havent gone 7 consecutive days without rain since 9/13/18. I quit washing behind my ears cause I didnt want to get soap in my gills.
 

Bowhuntone

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Sep 25, 2018
Messages
136
Location
NH
Those of you adding weight to your packs, are you carrying the weight at the bottom of the pack or getting it up higher somehow? I'm a new EXO owner and I see Steve talks about getting the heavier items higher in the pack. Just curious if you are all adding anything on the bottom to get the heavier items, sandbag, etc higher?
I cinch bottom strap tight and put 2 25# dumbells on top and use the top strap to keep from moving around in my EXO.
 

ericF

WKR
Joined
Oct 4, 2016
Messages
631
Location
CO
Yep, pretty varied down here. Just a couple miles south and only 1-2", and a few miles north and they got 19.5". If we'd gotten that much I'm not sure I'd have any trees still standing. Lost a LOT of branches with 1/2 dozen of those being big branches. Heck, we generally don't get even this much snow during the entire winter, let alone the end of May.

During the summer I'll load up my pack the way I hunt with all that water and stuff, and then I'll run and shoot the 3D and field courses.

View attachment 101481

Our local paper in Fort Collins had an article today stating that in 72% of the days in the last 2 months, there has been either rain or snow. Definitely more than average, but I guess winter is trying to make up for the 50-60 degree days that occurred all through December to February.
 

Usi05

WKR
Joined
Jan 7, 2019
Messages
1,465
Location
Michigan
Good for you Paul!

Started December 28th with working out for my first elk season.

Started practicing calling in January (taken a back seat with turkey season)

Started shooting a new compound bow after years away on Feb 14th.

Started yoga last week.

Keep working at it!


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oake

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Mar 28, 2014
Messages
258
Location
Maryland
I've been pack training for about a month now. I only do 1 day on the weekend. Using 50# sack of corn in the Stone Glacier, going 4 miles.

I workout 5 days before work, alternating cardio - Mon, Wed, Fri with weights Tues, and Thursday. So far so good. We'll see how September feels though.....
 

Kerrbow

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Nov 22, 2018
Messages
141
Location
Tx
Man, you guys are animals. I started 2 weeks ago with #25 lbs in my packs and doing 2-3 miles. Not going to do extended backpack trips, just one or 2 nighters for 2 weeks. I live at 1800 ft and am 71 yrs. old. You guys pray for me that my younger buddies don't leave me on the mountain.
 

SoTxShooter

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Feb 10, 2018
Messages
155
Location
Texas
I told myself I’m going to start June 1st. I started early last year due to excitement, but then I started petering out closer to the hunt. So I’m gonna try and avoid that this year!
 

Car7x

WKR
Joined
Sep 23, 2017
Messages
349
Location
55331/59729
"You guys pray for me that my younger buddies don't leave me on the mountain."

Just hide the truck keys, or whiskey, they'll find ya.

I really hit the wall a couple weeks back. Hip flexor and adductor strain has got up into my belly so nothing for it but some R&R. My wife had been telling me to slow down, tired of hearing me whine about the aches and pains at 65.

...I don't listen much to her; after all, I married so much smarter than she did, right?

But now the docs weigh in and support that. I guess the lesson is that just because I can power thru it, doesn't mean I should do it. Paying some dues now for a lifetime of fun...So, it's going to suck. Now that I have the cash and time to do what I want, and a good crew of young family guys, I had been planning and training towards really hittin' it.

I only train with about 35#, mostly 3-5 mile dog walking loops, easy stuff. Elevation kicks my ass for the first 2 days. Even before I had to guard against over use or impact injuries, I didn't see a percentage in heavy pack training. It's a sufferfest no matter what.

But, I go right from drift boat flyfishing for smallies and muskies all summer to a little trout fishing, to archery elk to steelheading to pheasants and whitetails, then tele skiing, and about 2 hours in the gym 3-6 days a week year around when not outside. Light weights, pilates, was back in yoga but now all these grown ups are explaining that may be too hard on the affected area - 3 hand, 1 wrist, 4 shoulder surgeries, and that's just from the waist up. Got a lot of leg and foot stuff going on as well, just was recommended for cardio that I get on the bike or in the pool if I want to reduce the leg wear and tear.

So, like the T shirt I saw on another old guy in the gym - 'When all else fails, lower your standards.'

I'd rather be out there fat and winded (I live at about 1200') than not out there. Aging sure as hell beats the alternative, but it has been enlightening to see that it is no longer all determined by my mental state. To objectively see your capabilities diminish gives one plenty of opportunities for humility - and creativity.

All my life my activities - mountain sports and martial arts - have always required an objective assessment of training, and finding that balance between ready and injured (I'm clumsy). I'm starting to realize now the balance might be how little training / damage might be necessary to accomplish the basics.

How are you other 'master class' members dealing with this?
 
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