General Fitness Preparation vs CrossFit

[TheHammer]

Hitting the hills with a weighted pack! Box jumps and jumping on a trampoline for reps strengthening those lower leg muscles and feet, keeping tension on the tendons limiting opportunities for injuries. These are the 3 things for me that make the most difference in the mountains. I do box jumps to help with dead fall, hike with a pack on side hills and lunges down hill, currently pack is 76lb, would like to get another 20 before September just to make sure I’m pack out ready!. Honestly if you aren’t training in the mountains you are at a disadvantage, make sure that diet fits your needs in the mountains as well! Good luck to everyone on here.

 

[Poser]

Hitting the hills with a weighted pack! Box jumps and jumping on a trampoline for reps strengthening those lower leg muscles and feet, keeping tension on the tendons limiting opportunities for injuries. These are the 3 things for me that make the most difference in the mountains. I do box jumps to help with dead fall, hike with a pack on side hills and lunges down hill, currently pack is 76lb, would like to get another 20 before September just to make sure I’m pack out ready!. Honestly if you aren’t training in the mountains you are at a disadvantage, make sure that diet fits your needs in the mountains as well! Good luck to everyone on here.

You do have to be careful with box jumps and treat them with respect. Using them as a conditioning movement where you jump up, don't fully unload and then jump back down to the floor to "spring" off the floor is a recipe for disaster. Box jumps are an explosive movement that have more in common with a power clean or a push press than anything else. One needs to jump and then fully extend, standing erect on top of the box to unload the body and then step back down, not jump down.

I've been in a room twice now with people who have blown achilles heels, once at a Crossfit box and, more recently, at a gym where a HS football player blew his out. In both cases, they were jumping up and down rapidly, not unloading and fully standing erect. The risks associated with not treating the box squat properly are well documented yet the practice remains pervasive.

 

[TheHammer]

You do have to be careful with box jumps and treat them with respect. Using them as a conditioning movement where you jump up, don't fully unload and then jump back down to the floor to "spring" off the floor is a recipe for disaster. Box jumps are an explosive movement that have more in common with a power clean or a push press than anything else. One needs to jump and then fully extend, standing erect on top of the box to unload the body and then step back down, not jump down.

I've been in a room twice now with people who have blown achilles heels, once at a Crossfit box and, more recently, at a gym where a HS football player blew his out. In both cases, they were jumping up and down rapidly, not unloading and fully standing erect. The risks associated with not treating the box squat properly are well documented yet the practice remains pervasive.

I understand what you mean. But I’m kinda a redneck, I have a gravel pile next to my shop for grading my driveway and have the gravel setup as a “box” to jump onto, no fully unloading with that or you’ll end up on your face. Then I carry 2 batteries out of my superduty walking around my shop vs using kettle bells. Then take those same batteries and do step ups onto the lower “box” I made in the gravel pile. Then I get on my fat tire bike and pedal across my hay field (487yds) as fast as I can across and back without stopping. That’s my after work 15 minute workout. Then when I get home it’s trampoline n maybe swim in the pool if there is time. Every day now leading to elk season. The mornings (strength) and lunch breaks (pack training) are for other movements and preparations.

 

[Watrdawg]

I've been doing Crossfit workouts for about 10 years now. I'm 60. Before that I was in the gym doing a regular body building strength workout since I was 12. I wrestled from that age through High School and in the Army. So overall I've always been in pretty good shape. When I first started Crossfit I came to the conclusion that my endurance/cardio fitness was severely lacking. The first 3-4 months really kicked my butt. I still do both styles or workouts, Crossfit 4 nights a week and a regular strength workout the other 3. At lunch I'm rucking 3-4 miles with a 35lb weighted vest at least 3 days a week. One thing I can say for sure is that doing the WODS that we do leave me exhausted fairly regularly. Overall I'm in as good of shape as I was when I was in my early 20's and in the Army. I'm a flatlander and come November I'm sure I'll be sucking a bit of wind when I get to Montana for my hunt.

Whatever program you do make it a lifelong venture. Get in general overall good shape and then tailor/change your program to specifically help you perform at your best for whatever you may be doing IE; a mountain hunt etc. The main thing is you need a good base fitness level and then specialize from there.

 

[3325]

I know people singing the praises of Crossfit and I know people injured from it.

I’m sure the group dynamic is motivating and I acknowledge the benefit of coaching but I don’t believe things like box jumps or deadlifting 135 for reps for time are what I need to be doing at almost 58 years old. If you’re 25 years old, you might benefit from those things.

 

[Poser]

I know people singing the praises of Crossfit and I know people injured from it.

I’m sure the group dynamic is motivating and I acknowledge the benefit of coaching but I don’t believe things like box jumps or deadlifting 135 for reps for time are what I need to be doing at almost 58 years old. If you’re 25 years old, you might benefit from those things.

or bouncing deadlifts off the floor.,... if you can even call that "deadlifting" (deadlift = dead weight, not dynamic weight)

 

[mtwarden]

I think eventually backcountry hunters (BUT NOT ALL) will gravitate to an endurance based training regime with some sort of progressive strength training mixed in. Spending some time with a backpack on your back to further round things out.

Clearly not all

 

[lintond]

My two cents

Fitness is less about the ideal program and more about what you put into it. As in the perfect program won’t work if you don’t do it consistently or push yourself.

When I did CrossFit I was in my best shape because there was more accountability and I feed off the group setting. That has more to do with my laziness then the program being supreme to a MtnTough type program. If I go to the gym I’m really good at people watching instead of busting my butt.

Rucking is your best prep for hunting but I’d push it off trail if possible. Light/medium weight high pace off trail (hunting). Heavy weight slower pace on trail (meat haul).


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[strattonje2020]

Id like to see the vo2 max tested of a salty old logger. Those guys can walk for days! Lol

 

[mtwarden]

Id like to see the vo2 max tested of a salty old logger. Those guys can walk for days! Lol

Carrying a a 10 lb chainsaw (along w/ gas/oil, a small axe/wedges, etc) up and down steep mountains for 6-8 hours a day will definitely get you into “mountain shape”

 

[Alex P. Coltrane]

What do you guys think is more suitable for training for the back country…

Training general fitness in the gym with a couple days of running throughout the week and a ruck Saturday.

Or

CrossFit based workouts 5 days a week with a ruck on Saturday.


I was doing the MTNTOUGH program which I see as a basic general fitness program and running a couple days a week but have recently started to dabble into CrossFit some just feel like my cardio may be lacking due to it.

Also what do you guys think of MTNTOUGH? Has anyone done a season or two while doing CrossFit and then switch to something more like MTNTOUGH? What was the differences you noticed in the mountains?


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You’re going to get a lot of responses and opinions. Take it all with a grain of salt. Sound advice should make sense. Don’t go down any rabbit holes. They’re dark and dirty.
First, do what you enjoy. If that’s CrossFit, do it. If it’s running some days, swimming others, lifting others, do it. We continue to exercise day by day, month by month, when we enjoy it. We miss it if we don’t. Don’t fall into the trap of doing exercises you don’t like, because it won’t be as intense, injury risk is higher (because you don’t typically to these exercises) and it’s a set up for quitting and being disappointed.
Set very conservative goals. You will likely meet and exceed those goals—but keep on with conservative goals. Call it a mind game, but you will feel good every time you reach a goal. It’s positive feedback.
In terms of how you train, you’re best off deciding based off what you like to do, and can do. Let me explain: I grew up in amateur boxing, age of 9 onwards. I love boxing, circuit training—all of it. My workout consists of sit-ups (100 x 2), leg lifts (50 x 3) abdominal wheel (30 x 3), pushups (50 x 3), pull-ups (20 x 3), and box jumps with a 50 pound weight vest (15 x 3, or until I vomit—which isn’t too bad, because I quit at that point). Then I jump rope 3 min x 2 or 3, and work on a heavy bag 4-6 rounds, and slip bag for 3 rounds or so. I do this workout 3 times a week, sometimes 4. The other days I do squats and lunges, chest, arms and back. I hate running. Not part of my workouts. I kill it in the trails (Bob Marshall, Tetons, continental divide—they are challenging). I don’t run, and I have never had a problem in backcountry hiking and hunting. But, I engage my thigh and leg muscles, and my Achilles, multiple ways.
My point is this: You are going to need all muscle groups to go in the backcountry. So exercise all muscle groups. You don’t have to exercise all in a single day—splitting it up is fine. But, you do need strength and endurance/cardio. So, if you lift, add some sprinting, running, swimming, etc.
Putting a 50 pound backpack on, and running, climbing hills etc. is a fantastic workout. It also sucks. Like, I don’t want to see my hiking or hunting backpack ever again, sucks.
Personally, I think most people who do the 50 pound (or whatever weight) rucks do them for a few weeks, maybe a few months, and quit. Those who continue to do them every week are not human. Just so you know.
I don’t know if my post helps. But enjoy the journey.—every part of it. The day will come for all of us when we realize we just can’t make that hike again, or go on that specific hunt again. Here’s to all of us pushing that date as far into the future as possible.

 

[chukwithak]

I’ve been doing CrossFit for 17 years now. Started in ‘07. The thing about CrossFit is that within CrossFit are many different programs and styles of “CrossFit” competitive CrossFit training is completely different than general population CrossFit.

That being said, CrossFit is the most round for of fitness that one can participate in. You’re trained in explosion, endurance, strength, gymnastics, and zone 2. It will establish a base as many have stated the will prepare you to take on any modality.

Where you can change this is to tweak it to cater towards what you seek. I like to compete, but hunting is my primary focus. That being said, I follow EMOM company which is a program designed for competitors. It’s a ton of volume and high skill based movements. Where I tweak if for me self is to include daily endurance on monostructural equipment. I row/bike/run/skierg/echobike/swim for my morning conditioning and then strength/skill/metcon in the evening. My endurance becomes my focus as I get closer to hunt season.

I also incorporate Chadx1000 workouts every Sunday in a zone 2 just to work the heavy steps.

This last Sunday was every 10 minutes for 5 rounds, 100 stepups to a 20” box with a 50lb seed bag. In the remaining time bike erg maintaining z2 heart rate.

Just some thoughts.


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[180ls1]

Id like to see the vo2 max tested of a salty old logger. Those guys can walk for days! Lol

I mean, the body adapts to what you put it through. The blue collar guys on their feet all day have a significant advantage in that regard.

 

[JohnDough]

What do you guys think is more suitable for training for the back country…

Training general fitness in the gym with a couple days of running throughout the week and a ruck Saturday.

Or

CrossFit based workouts 5 days a week with a ruck on Saturday.


I was doing the MTNTOUGH program which I see as a basic general fitness program and running a couple days a week but have recently started to dabble into CrossFit some just feel like my cardio may be lacking due to it.

Also what do you guys think of MTNTOUGH? Has anyone done a season or two while doing CrossFit and then switch to something more like MTNTOUGH? What was the differences you noticed in the mountains?


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Train for the mission. If your mission is random, crossfit is a good place. If your mission is rucking cross country with a dead animal and a bunch of kit, then rucking trails is a good place. Crossfit is a high intensity typically 20min or less deal with a strength portion. I'd absolutely demolish my 68 year old Dad in the gym. But he cleans carpet, and can run that cleaning wand 14hrs a day, and would demolish me at that. Train for the mission.

 

[bat-cave]

Train for the mission. If your mission is random, crossfit is a good place. If your mission is rucking cross country with a dead animal and a bunch of kit, then rucking trails is a good place. Crossfit is a high intensity typically 20min or less deal with a strength portion. I'd absolutely demolish my 68 year old Dad in the gym. But he cleans carpet, and can run that cleaning wand 14hrs a day, and would demolish me at that. Train for the mission.

This is good advice - IMHO. I believe Crossfit has made me much more well rounded and forces me to work on weaknesses that otherwise are tougher to force oneself to address through other means (at least for me). I find that things like heavy squats + DB box steps ups and such seem to do more for me that rucking for example. I think there are many paths, but it's important to be well rounded and it's paid off in the mountains for me.

 

[mtwarden]

Anyone who is planning on hunting in the mountains should take the time to read through this thread imho

https://rokslide.com/forums/threads/muscular-endurance-for-mountain-athletes.371086/

 

[Marbles]

I decided CrossFit was not for me when I realized I out performed CrossFiters randomly doing workouts with them in the military. At the time I ran and all my strength training was push-ups, pull-ups, dips, and crunches/flutter kicks. I found it interesting and concluded that CrossFit must not actually training people well if I was able to out do them at their own game.

I think gyms are over rated, unless you specifically want to increase lift weight or muscle bulk. But for moving your own body, just use your body and keep it simple.

 

[wyodan]

Why not CrossFit 3 days and get your endurance the other 2?

 

[CMF]

Unless you live in the mountains, you can’t really prep for the mountains. However, doing something is better than nothing in most cases.

We're in the flatland so we go to a lighthouse on the beach and hike up and down the stairs with weighted packs. That is the majority of our prep. usually 30-45lbs. occasionally up to 65.

Hunting is an 80% mental grind...

 

[mtwarden]

Why not CrossFit 3 days and get your endurance the other 2?

OR why not CrossFit two days and get your endurance the other 5