Cardio vs Strength Training

[Coach Chris]

@52 years and 6' 195# cardio for me, I spend most my time in Missouri/sea level, you can be strong as a mule but when your lungs are scorched on the mountain all that extra muscle is def not your friend

Unless you're a PED using bodybuilder "extra muscle" is not physiologically possible.

 

[5MilesBack]

Unless you're a PED using bodybuilder "extra muscle" is not physiologically possible.

Back in the early 80's I had a basketball coach that didn't want any of us to lift weights because he didn't want us to become "muscle-bound" as he put it. What a joke.

At 6'6" and 210-220, I have long lean muscles regardless of how I've lifted over the years........great for athletics, general strength, overall physicality, and elk hunting, but won't be winning any powerlifting or bodybuilding competitions anytime soon. I'm almost 54.

I stay active year round (more so in the warmer months) and don't really do anything special or extra for elk season. Any physical or cardio limitations on the mountain are made up with and overcome by attitude.

 

[GLB]

I am turning 57 in a couple of weeks. My workout focus is for a archery bull moose that I drew a tag for. I am 5’9” and weight 170 I have injuries that I have to nurse but always stay active. My workouts now include:

Bench press (high reps)
Kettle Bell Swings
Push ups
Kettle Bell hang cleans
Dips
Sandbag Turkish get-ups
I do these in a circuit with air squats in between each exercise.

Cardio days I do 3 miles with a 30 to 40 lbs pack in rolling terrain or 2 mile walk (no pack) with hill sprints (steep hill) and shoot my bows Longbow and Recurve on these cardio days.

 

[ljrunyanii]

Hunting is rucking
Everything you do requires a percentage of absolute strength. The stronger you are the easier everything is.
80% of your training should be strength endurance and endurance training (SPP)
20% of your training should be absolute strength and endurance strength training (GPP)

This is the philosophy that works for me.

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[Sportsman]

Back in the early 80's I had a basketball coach that didn't want any of us to lift weights because he didn't want us to become "muscle-bound" as he put it. What a joke.

That was the mentality back then. Many reasons I'm glad I didn't grow up in this era but I do wish I'd been a weight program in HS. I didn't learn to lift until years later and I'm a hard gainer but dedicated. Glad my daughter had four years of solid PT for Athletes in HS.

 

[mooretitan]

I think part of getting into hunting shape is to work hunting related muscles. Lots of people do the main lifts and cardo but when they get to the mountains they find themselves hurting. Think about all the body movements that you do during a day of hunting and most of the time with a weighted pack/gun. Yes focus on the basic cardo and main lifts but add in the odd movements that come with hunting in mountains of the west.
Get your back/butt/core strong. Strengthen your ankles/knees/hips. Increase general flexibility. I have watched guys that most people would say are in general good shape get destroyed hunting in the mountains

 

[chukar_chaser]

I am 40 years old. I entered a local challenge at the gym as I wanted to get in shape for the upcoming hunts. I was 180 at the start and finished at 160 and feel awesome. I do lots of weight lifting with cardio and will start hitting the hills with a pack in the next few weeks as snow allows. I think a mixture is what you need, but actually doing it seems to be the best way to get in hunting shape.

 

[BRTreedogs]

Hey y'all,

I'm an east coast still hunter getting ready to do my first Idaho elk hunt this fall. What do you think is more important from a training perspective? Strength training or cardio? Why? What types of cardio are best? HIIT vs long jogging biking etc?

It not one or the other you need to do both.
Just like eating. Balanced and rounded.

 

[Dalton berg]

I agree with both. Also get your pack on with some weight in it . Having that properly adjusted and making sure your comfortable with it is important


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[Drakester]

All good thoughts and contributions. If it’s not too late I’d like to add hiking on sand or gravel is a great addition to any training session. Fighting to stay upright on shifting surfaces is great for stabilizers and core strength. The fatigue is good for mental toughness.

 

[stump06]

I live in Ga and go to Co some. I remember the first time I went #1 the lack of oxygen at elevation (which after a day you acclimate to) and #2 and way worse for me was how much my calves got worked. Everywhere you walk is either up, down, or sidehill and your calves are always working. They were hard as a rock by the time we left.
That was my biggest takeaway. Cardio, core muscles and compound movements are key imo. Biceps won't help you on the mountain!

 

[wapitihunter72]

@47 I do daily cardio and strength training, Hike and shoot on weekends and always keep the lungs burning. Being from Idaho, I’d recommend lots of weighted step-ups to prep for the terrain. Best of luck.

 

[Afhunter1]

I’d also do some hand strength reps. Lots of things are easier with a strong grip: skinning with bloody hands, lifting quarters, etc

 

[deerkiller]

you need to do BOTH - you will get as much endurance gains doing weight resistance training with a plan and if you "over train" you'll regret it for maybe the rest of your life - take it from a 68 year old who knows, find YOUR pace and train away - long distance runners are setting themselves up for later misery just as much as body builders and power lifters - MODERATION in all aspects will keep you chuggin' along - Have an OPEN MIND

 

[Mosby]

I am turning 60 this year and IMO strength training is essential as you get older. Obviously, you have to do some type of cardio or your screwed at any age but lifting and core training is really important for older hunters. Aside from hunting benefits, It has a significant impact on diabetes, blood pressure etc.,

 

[Miahjera]

These are all great tips! Love reading what everyone else is doing on here.

I think one thing that is being severely overlooked though is lactate threshold and Vo2 max training. What this does is it gets your body used to extreme bursts of energy output and builds up your tolerance to go longer at harder efforts. This would mean intervals going as hard as you can for as long as you can while training. Definitely not fun, but very effective. It also forces your body to recover as quickly as possible which comes in handy when you're chasing an elk up the mountain and have to stop and take the shot within seconds. Here's what my workout looks like for the couple months leading into the season.

M - Vo2 max running intervals
T - upper body/core strength training
W - leg strength training with weighted pack
T - upper body/core strength training
F - Vo2 max biking intervals
S - LONG hikes with a weighted pack
S - recover/stretch

Obviously this isn't going to work for everyone, but this is what I have found to work best with my body. It works just about everything needed for a western hunt. And with a program like this, recovery is extremely important. Don't be afraid to skip a day or two if it's catching up to you and you can't fully recover. That's a great way to injury yourself.

I hope this helps, and good luck!

 

[deerkiller]

These are all great tips! Love reading what everyone else is doing on here.

I think one thing that is being severely overlooked though is lactate threshold and Vo2 max training. What this does is it gets your body used to extreme bursts of energy output and builds up your tolerance to go longer at harder efforts. This would mean intervals going as hard as you can for as long as you can while training. Definitely not fun, but very effective. It also forces your body to recover as quickly as possible which comes in handy when you're chasing an elk up the mountain and have to stop and take the shot within seconds. Here's what my workout looks like for the couple months leading into the season.

M - Vo2 max running intervals
T - upper body/core strength training
W - leg strength training with weighted pack
T - upper body/core strength training
F - Vo2 max biking intervals
S - LONG hikes with a weighted pack
S - recover/stretch

Obviously this isn't going to work for everyone, but this is what I have found to work best with my body. It works just about everything needed for a western hunt. And with a program like this, recovery is extremely important. Don't be afraid to skip a day or two if it's catching up to you and you can't fully recover. That's a great way to injury yourself.

I hope this helps, and good luck!

the "weighted pack" plan is all well and good IF the training individual has been doing that already - you start someone off walking inclines, hills, stairs at 55 or older that isn't used to that and you'll have injuries nearly for sure and they won't be easy to recover from - I am 68 y/o, been doing all sorts of weight (heavy weight) training and stairs, lots and lots of stairs since my 20's - I'm 18 mos. post bilateral total knees, two rotator cuff tears (complete tears), treated hypertension since early 30's, osteo inflammation cycles present for who knows how long, - IF you want longevity you'd better 1) get a good orthopedic surgeon to consult when needed 2) KNOW your body AND system 3) get AT LEAST 8 hours of sleep (good sleep) every night 4) learn to let yourself rest & recover when it's needed - I overtrained for YEARS, had quite a few trainers that were good friends but I refused to acknowledge that they knew more than me, backed off and paid closer attention and NOW, I won't be the first to the top of the canyon with an elk hind quarter in the meat pack but I'll certainly get there and be able to repeat the next day (and as needed) LISTEN TO YOUR BODY, nobody's the same …..

 

[Miahjera]

the "weighted pack" plan is all well and good IF the training individual has been doing that already - you start someone off walking inclines, hills, stairs at 55 or older that isn't used to that and you'll have injuries nearly for sure and they won't be easy to recover from - I am 68 y/o, been doing all sorts of weight (heavy weight) training and stairs, lots and lots of stairs since my 20's - I'm 18 mos. post bilateral total knees, two rotator cuff tears (complete tears), treated hypertension since early 30's, osteo inflammation cycles present for who knows how long, - IF you want longevity you'd better 1) get a good orthopedic surgeon to consult when needed 2) KNOW your body AND system 3) get AT LEAST 8 hours of sleep (good sleep) every night 4) learn to let yourself rest & recover when it's needed - I overtrained for YEARS, had quite a few trainers that were good friends but I refused to acknowledge that they knew more than me, backed off and paid closer attention and NOW, I won't be the first to the top of the canyon with an elk hind quarter in the meat pack but I'll certainly get there and be able to repeat the next day (and as needed) LISTEN TO YOUR BODY, nobody's the same …..

I completely agree. The plan I laid out above is for the 2-3 months leading into the season like I said, which is where we are at halfway through June now. If I were behind the ball and just starting now, there's no way I would jump in full boar. You gotta pace yourself, slowly ramp up, and like you said, listen you your body and RECOVER.

I also said this is what works for me, and may not work for everyone else. I'm 26 years old, so inherently my training methods are going to differ than somebody that's older than me, or perhaps even younger than me. I think it's really about experimenting with different methods and seeing what works best for you and your body. Sometimes you gotta train smarter not harder.

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[deerkiller]

the "weighted pack" plan is all well and good IF the training individual has been doing that already - you start someone off walking inclines, hills, stairs at 55 or older that isn't used to that and you'll have injuries nearly for sure and they won't be easy to recover from - I am 68 y/o, been doing all sorts of weight (heavy weight) training and stairs, lots and lots of stairs since my 20's - I'm 18 mos. post bilateral total knees, two rotator cuff tears (complete tears), treated hypertension since early 30's, osteo inflammation cycles present for who knows how long, - IF you want longevity you'd better 1) get a good orthopedic surgeon to consult when needed 2) KNOW your body AND system 3) get AT LEAST 8 hours of sleep (good sleep) every night 4) learn to let yourself rest & recover when it's needed - I overtrained for YEARS, had quite a few trainers that were good friends but I refused to acknowledge that they knew more than me, backed off and paid closer attention and NOW, I won't be the first to the top of the canyon with an elk hind quarter in the meat pack but I'll certainly get there and be able to repeat the next day (and as needed) LISTEN TO YOUR BODY, nobody's the same …..

I'm not trying to be contrary and I AM NOT trying to be a know it all because I'm far from that - Hunting is many different things to many different mindsets, IMO and IME if one treats prep for hunting season like training for the Olympics there enters the possibility of injury or worse, burn out before the season even arrives - OF COURSE "train" ! I'd be a big fat hypocrite to say otherwise but don't forget the ENJOYMENT of the entire thing from physical preparation to the peaceful relaxation of a good memory afterward, it's not a competition in any sense so "lighten up Francis" is all I'm advising......

 

[*zap*]

I think you get the result that correlates to the effort expended but the best efforts are expended thru the year with no real significant down time to speak of.....after a few years of that you can see significant results from a program that does not kill you but instead pushes you forward gradually. But keep in mind that conclusion comes for me and I am in the 'older' group.....plus I did not work any fitness program from 40-59 other than active work. Strength training is very important in my program.....hips and posterior chain strength is very important at my age and that is coming along rather well lately from adding specific exercises for that to my program. I start adding in rdl's next week. E-Z does it but do it and always be among the hardest workers in the room. Find the program you can work regularly for extended periods of time without burn out....include regular days off in that program. I do not agree with doing 1/2 what you are capable of more often, I do just under failure regularly in strength training.

It really becomes a lifestyle that incorporates correct nutrition and regular vigorous physical activity. If your nutrition is not on track your results will be reduced. Lean and strong is what I want.....