Fitness plan from Chat GPT

[Coach Chris]

Out of curiosity, what would you change

For my guides and big mountain sports athletes I program 2 full body strength training sessions per week, usually a Mon/Thurs or Tues/Fri kind of split.
Volume and loading parameters are dependent on what they're doing outside of the gym.

Running is great training for runners. As someone who trains runners it's my opinion that most people shouldn't run.

I would split the rucking up into 2 days.
Day 1 - Light to moderate load focusing on increasing time out and vert over the training cycles
Day 2 - Would be a fixed time out and vert focusing on increasing load over the training cycles.

I see no point in a core and met con workout at all. You would be better served hiking or even walking than doing a bunch of random BS in the gym.
If you are stuck where you can't get out for a hike or a walk then I would program heavy loaded carries, heavy sled drags and odd object lifts like stones or sandbags.

 

[Spoonbill]

Running is great training for runners. As someone who trains runners it's my opinion that most people shouldn't run.

Can you elaborate on why most people shouldn’t run? I have run on and off for a while, typically 1-2 miles as part of my workout when I would run. I’ve thought about adding it back in to a workout routine so curious as to why you advise against it.

 

[bozeman]

Rucking with a weighted pack vs running is the main diff for me. I truly enjoy running, but for training for an elk hunt, it is put the pack on and put in the miles. I will add; squat and deadlift have been extremely beneficial for me for both strength and ability.

 

[DuckDawg22]

Got one of those Wonderfold wagons to push the kids around in (~100 pounds when loaded and lots of wind resistance), doing 3-4 mile loops around the neighborhood every day has done more for my leg strength than any sort of "leg day" in the gym has, and my knees aren't killing me either. Sometimes all you gotta do is walk

 

[Coach Chris]

Can you elaborate on why most people shouldn’t run? I have run on and off for a while, typically 1-2 miles as part of my workout when I would run. I’ve thought about adding it back in to a workout routine so curious as to why you advise against it.

I spend a fair bit of my time doing gait assessment or reviewing gait assessments and strategizing corrective exercises and drills to address issues that are uncovered. This is on high level recreational and professional runners.

Day to day, driving around town, out hiking and biking, I see lots of people running.
It's remarkably rare to see someone running with good form.

If you're running to be a good runner then have at it.

If you're running for the cardiovascular benefits I don't think the risk of injury is worth the reward for most people. There are other activities that will get your heart pumping.

 

[Spoonbill]

I spend a fair bit of my time doing gait assessment or reviewing gait assessments and strategizing corrective exercises and drills to address issues that are uncovered. This is on high level recreational and professional runners.

Day to day, driving around town, out hiking and biking, I see lots of people running.
It's remarkably rare to see someone running with good form.

If you're running to be a good runner then have it.

If you're running for the cardiovascular benefits I don't think the risk of injury is worth the reward for most people. There are other activities that will get your heart pumping.

Thanks for the explanation, that makes a lot of sense especially regarding poor running form.

 

[Coach Chris]

Thanks for the explanation, that makes a lot of sense especially regarding poor running form.

You're welcome

 

[mtwarden]

Most studies show that you need to exercise each muscle group at least twice a week to realize any sort of noticeable gains so one day a week of lifting is not going to do you much good, better than nothing, though.

I’m pretty sure Jim Wendler would adamantly disagree—squats, bench, deadlifts and overhead presses just once a week (sprinkling in a few good accessory lifts in each workout).

 

[Poser]

I spend a fair bit of my time doing gait assessment or reviewing gait assessments and strategizing corrective exercises and drills to address issues that are uncovered. This is on high level recreational and professional runners.

Day to day, driving around town, out hiking and biking, I see lots of people running.
It's remarkably rare to see someone running with good form.

If you're running to be a good runner then have at it.

If you're running for the cardiovascular benefits I don't think the risk of injury is worth the reward for most people. There are other activities that will get your heart pumping.

I’ve observed this aspect about running as well. I live in an extremely active mountain town and see dozens or more of people running daily. The technique, gait, stride, knee angles, foot strike etc are usually terrible and often horrifically bad. I don’t necessarily think everybody who runs needs a track coach, but a little self awareness about how you’re doing what you’re doing the same way one might think about squat technique sure would go a long ways.

I personally haven’t ran for training or exercise in over 10 years and instead use hiking (training hikes, day hikes, peak bagging, fishing etc), skinning, supplemental rowing, and rucking (training hikes and backpacking trips) for conditioning.

 

[SawatchSasquatch]

For now. Chat GPT activly collects data and constantly updates itself it actually pretty amazing.

It’s definetly going to ruin hunting. I had a cold last week and messed around with char GPT, it was able to give me access points, drainages, mileages, even tell me where to camp in areas. It was pretty surprising to me. I could start asking it about a topic and keep going deeper and deeper with it until I had maps, routes and everything planned out.

This is interesting. I guess once enough of us do this and follow the AI overlord plans the animals will just adapt, but lots of good spots might get blown out.

I also asked GPT for a hunt training plan. The plan I’m sure is fine. 2-3 days running, 1-2 days pack training, 1-2 days strength and muscular endurance. The long back to back days running/rucking seems the most important to simulate needing to hunt hard again after being exhausted.

 

[dylanvb]

I created a whole plan from Chat GPT specifically for powerlifting and myself. I have seen increases in my own lifts since doing it. Chat GPT does work but I noticed the more information you input the more of a detailed program it will give you. I have only ever used a personal coach 1 time and it was more of a weight loss toning program and I did it to help out a friend with his business. They both work, but how hard can you push yourself? A coach will help push you further but you can achieve this on your own. Case by case.

 

[Marbles]

The ChatGPT plan is really just an idea of a plan, not fleshed out. The framework is too simple to be useful for someone who can spin it into something good, and the needed detail is too little for people who can't. It is slop.

Of course I would agree that strong legs and back are important.

I disagree that power lifting programs are relevant to elk hunting.

Packing a 100lb load of meat for miles is vastly different from a 3-5 rep squat set.

If you need to get stronger, then get stronger. 100 rep sets are still insufficient to count as endurance, so arguing that low rep sets don't apply, but 8-12 rep sets some are not still vastly different is not logical.

There are more points to be made, but I'll leave it at that.

 

[LongWayAround]

The ChatGPT plan is really just an idea of a plan, not fleshed out. The framework is too simple to be useful for someone who can spin it into something good, and the needed detail is too little for people who can't. It is slop.


If you need to get stronger, then get stronger. 100 rep sets are still insufficient to count as endurance, so arguing that low rep sets don't apply, but 8-12 rep sets some are not still vastly different is not logical.

There are more points to be made, but I'll leave it at that.

Cool bro.

You recently stated in another thread that your max squat is in something like the low to mid 200s. If I understood that correctly, you aren't in a position to talk about the validity of low rep squats and strength.

Real low rep strength is not the same as the requirements of elk hunting. Anyone asking AI for training plans is also probably not strong enough to be worried about low rep squats.

 

[Marbles]

Cool bro.

You recently stated in another thread that your max squat is in something like the low to mid 200s. If I understood that correctly, you aren't in a position to talk about the validity of low rep squats and strength.

Reaching a little there and stripping context. If we apply your logic, then you thinking 100 pounds is a heavy load means you really aren't in a position to talk about the validity of any training method for loaded movement in the mountains.

But, that is just mirroring back an invalid line of attack, so lets not start making this a dick measuring contest.

Real low rep strength is not the same as the requirements of elk hunting. Anyone asking AI for training plans is also probably not strong enough to be worried about low rep squats.

This is the same issue as before, moving iron is not the same as elk hunting period. Squats are not and never will be the same as carrying a heavy pack in the mountains. Iron is to build a functional foundation, and once the foundation is built, it provides diminishing returns for mounting hunting performance.

8-12 reps is no more endurance training (as it applies to mountain hunting) than 3 reps and implying otherwise is silly.

Even a 1 hour, 1200 rep set of full depth body weight squats is not the best application to endurance in the mountains.

To simplify:
-If you can take 200+ pounds from sitting on your heels to standing for a few reps without bouncing or drama, stop doing squats as your strength floor is adequate. You would be better off doing pistol squats, or putting a 150 pound pack on and taking a walk.
- If you can't, then train low reps until you can, then drop to maintenance.
-If you enjoy moving heavy things in the off season, go for it, but that is a separate hobby from hunting.

 

[dylanvb]

Cool bro.

You recently stated in another thread that your max squat is in something like the low to mid 200s. If I understood that correctly, you aren't in a position to talk about the validity of low rep squats and strength.

Real low rep strength is not the same as the requirements of elk hunting. Anyone asking AI for training plans is also probably not strong enough to be worried about low rep squats.

Oh careful there, Bench PR is 390, squat PR is 475, deadlifts are 525 and I ask chat gpt for programs. Not that these are by any means huge numbers but for someone who has never had a strength training coach I think I am doing pretty good for myself.

Western hunting has no correlation with single rep maxes. But single rep maxes help boost my confidence and mental state to push my self further in training for western hunting. I’m not here to say one way works better than the other, I’m just saying what’s helped me. Chat GPT is free and can gather good information to give you a solid program if you input the correct data.

 

[CentexTrapper]

I asked Perplexity the same thing a while back. I got very similar answer. Better go with an expert in mountain fitness.

 

[anonymous22]

For my guides and big mountain sports athletes I program 2 full body strength training sessions per week, usually a Mon/Thurs or Tues/Fri kind of split.
Volume and loading parameters are dependent on what they're doing outside of the gym.

Running is great training for runners. As someone who trains runners it's my opinion that most people shouldn't run.

I would split the rucking up into 2 days.
Day 1 - Light to moderate load focusing on increasing time out and vert over the training cycles
Day 2 - Would be a fixed time out and vert focusing on increasing load over the training cycles.

I see no point in a core and met con workout at all. You would be better served hiking or even walking than doing a bunch of random BS in the gym.
If you are stuck where you can't get out for a hike or a walk then I would program heavy loaded carries, heavy sled drags and odd object lifts like stones or sandbags.

While I disagree with the chat gpt of the OP, hunting is not hiking per se. Some of the loads can be unreasonably heavy depending on circumstance and how dumb the hunter is.

For example, if hunting alone, a quarter might be 70 lbs, plus gear from base weight. If you shoot something 5 miles away, that’s 25 miles at least of back and forth mountain hiking with a heavy load in one packout. It’s reasonable that you’d want to improve rucking. There’s also some guys that don’t do well lifting 70 lbs. (I’m averaging front and rear) (rear can be like 90 lbs.)

So strength and rucking endurance can both be reasonably seen as a factor and nutrition is a key common denominator of all fitness. You can’t out work a bad diet.

 

[TheWhitetailNut]

Switch to Claude.

 

[CMF]

Here's Grok's, with the same prompt as op.

"create fitness plan for elk hunting. 4 days per week. Include 1 day running and 1 day rucking"

Here's a practical 4-day-per-week fitness plan tailored for elk hunting. It builds the key physical demands: high endurance for steep, high-altitude hikes (often 5–10+ miles/day), leg and core strength for uneven terrain and pack-outs (50–100+ lbs of meat/gear), cardiovascular fitness, and mental toughness under load.

The plan includes:

• 1 dedicated running day (for aerobic capacity and efficiency at elevation).
• 1 dedicated rucking day (the most hunt-specific activity—mimics carrying a pack on trails).
• 2 strength/hybrid days (focus on lower body power, core stability, and full-body conditioning to prevent injury and support pack carrying).

Train 4 non-consecutive days (e.g., Mon, Wed, Fri, Sun) with rest or light walking/recovery on off days. Warm up 5–10 min (light jog, dynamic stretches like leg swings/arm circles) and cool down with 5–10 min static stretching + foam rolling. Hydrate well, prioritize protein-rich nutrition, and sleep 7–9 hours.

Progression Guidelines​

• Beginner/Intermediate: Start lighter/shorter; add weight/distance/time every 1–2 weeks.
• Advanced: Increase ruck weight to 50–70+ lbs, add hills/stairs, or extend durations.
• Aim for 8–12 weeks pre-hunt. Taper (reduce volume) 1–2 weeks before your trip.
• Use a backpack with hunting gear simulation (sandbags, water jugs, or weights). Wear your hunting boots.
• Track progress: heart rate, distance, or how you feel on hikes.

Weekly Schedule

Day 1: Running (Cardio Endurance – e.g., Monday)Focus: Build aerobic base and leg turnover for covering ground efficiently.

• Warm-up: 5–10 min easy jog/walk.
• Main: 3–6 miles run (mix flat + hills if possible). Keep conversational pace most of the time; add 4–6x 30-sec hill sprints or faster efforts for intensity.
• Optional finisher: 10–15 min brisk walk.
• Total time: 40–70 min.
• Why: Improves oxygen use at altitude and recovery between climbs.

Day 2: Strength + Core (Lower Body Power – e.g., Wednesday)Focus: Legs, glutes, and core for climbing, stability on sidehills, and pack carrying.

• Squats or Goblet Squats: 3–4 sets of 10–15 reps.
• Walking Lunges (bodyweight or weighted): 3 sets of 10–12 per leg.
• Step-Ups (on a box/bench, add dumbbells/pack later): 3 sets of 10–12 per leg.
• Deadlifts (Romanian or conventional) or Single-Leg Romanian Deadlifts: 3 sets of 8–12.
• Core circuit (2–3 rounds): Plank (30–60 sec), Russian Twists or Woodchoppers (20/side), Bird-Dog (10/side), Hanging Leg Raises or Crunches (15–20).
• Optional: 10–15 min light ruck or incline walk as finisher.
• Total time: 45–60 min.
• Why: Compound moves build hunt-specific power for steep terrain and heavy loads.

Day 3: Rucking (Hunt-Specific Endurance – e.g., Friday)Focus: Simulate mountain hiking with load.

• Warm-up: 5–10 min easy walk.
• Main: 45–90+ min ruck at brisk pace (aim 3–6+ miles). Start with 25–40 lbs; progress to 50–70 lbs. Include hills, stairs, or uneven terrain if available (treadmill incline works as substitute). Use trekking poles for realism.
• Finisher: 3–4 sets of 10 bodyweight squats or lunges (with or without pack).
• Total time: 60–120 min.
• Why: Directly translates to days of hiking in/out with gear and meat. Vary weight/speed/distance weekly.

Day 4: Full-Body Strength + Conditioning (Hybrid – e.g., Sunday)Focus: Upper body support, grip, and metabolic conditioning for all-day effort.

• Push-Ups or Overhead Press: 3–4 sets of 10–15.
• Pull-Ups, Rows, or Farmer Carries: 3 sets of 8–12.
• Box Jumps or Explosive Step-Ups: 3 sets of 8–10 (for power).
• Weighted Carries (farmer or suitcase with heavy dumbbells/pack): 3 sets of 30–60 sec.
• Core + Mobility: Plank variations, Side Planks, and hip openers (10–15 min).
• Optional short run or ruck finisher if feeling strong.
• Total time: 45–60 min.
• Why: Balances the body, improves pack-out strength, and adds metabolic demand.

Additional Tips for Elk Hunting Success​

• Incorporate variety: Once a month, do a longer "hunt simulation" (2–3 hr ruck + strength). Add altitude training (hills/stairs) or heat if your hunt area is high/hot.
• Recovery: Mobility work (yoga/foam roll) 1–2x/week. Listen to your body—avoid overtraining knees/lower back.
• Gear integration: Train in your hunting boots/pack. Break in boots early.
• Nutrition & Tracking: Fuel with carbs for long sessions, protein for recovery. Consider a fitness app or journal.
• Scaling: If new to this, shorten sessions and build gradually to avoid injury.

This plan is balanced, progressive, and realistic for 4 days/week while prioritizing running and rucking as requested. Consistency beats perfection—stick with it and you'll feel stronger on the mountain. Adjust based on your current fitness level, and consult a doctor before starting if needed. Good luck out there!