Opinions on leg traing, please.

Steve B.

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I'm 52 and 20 lbs. overweight. I started the overall training a few weeks ago--joined a gym and am doing full upper body workouts (chest, back, shoulders, arms, abs) a couple times a week for about 45 mins., so far. Then I'm doing weighted pack "walks" (not hikes) a couple times a week, so far, doing about 3 miles on some fairly steep interval-type dirt roads (about 500' ele. change). I just moved up from a 45 lbs. pack to 60 lbs. which about kills me on the steep sections, mostly lungs, not legs.
I probably won't do a lot different in the gym in the next couple of months other than to just vary exercises and maybe split the routine.
But I'm not doing legs in the gym right now. Wondering what I'd be missing If I only did the hill workouts?

I plan to pack out deer or cow elk about 5 miles, low elevation type, solo.
 
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The journal of mountain hunting says 2 of the 3 most important lifts for a hunter are deadlift and farmers carry. I think added some full body or leg stuff at the gym would help but the weighted pack hikes are great too.
But doing anything will be better than nothing
 
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Why wouldn't you do the leg workouts? Total body strength is good, you are really selling yourself short by not doing simple compound lifts like deadlifts, squats, kettlebell swings, etc.

The weighted pack routines are great, just make sure you aren't overdoing them with too much weight. Things like Achilles tendonitis and plantar fasciitis can be the end result.
 

ljalberta

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I'm no fitness guru, but I can definitely say, squats are game changers. And as Jason said, the compound lifts are gonna give you the complete body strength which can help prevent injury out in the field.
 
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Steve B.

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I'm thinking long-term health vs. where to draw the line on pushing myself in order to safely handle heavy loads in the wilderness. I'm a little leery about all the super fitness stuff that is going on now and also the heavy lifting that some are espousing in order to be fit enough. And a little confused after watching a lot of interviews with the popular hunters and threads here where a lot of guys say that mental toughness is more important than anything and that just general fitness is all that is needed for a lot of hunting. That's why I mentioned my hunting. Its small in comparison to the high country stuff where 5-10k elevation changes happen with huge loads.

So, regarding my joint life and health, if I add squats and lunges and deadlifts to my hill workouts, am I hurting myself in the long run when I didn't have to?
 

bosox2850

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I'm thinking long-term health vs. where to draw the line on pushing myself in order to safely handle heavy loads in the wilderness. I'm a little leery about all the super fitness stuff that is going on now and also the heavy lifting that some are espousing in order to be fit enough. And a little confused after watching a lot of interviews with the popular hunters and threads here where a lot of guys say that mental toughness is more important than anything and that just general fitness is all that is needed for a lot of hunting. That's why I mentioned my hunting. Its small in comparison to the high country stuff where 5-10k elevation changes happen with huge loads.

So, regarding my joint life and health, if I add squats and lunges and deadlifts to my hill workouts, am I hurting myself in the long run when I didn't have to?

The only way you hinder yourself by squatting and deadlifting is doing them improperly. There are no 2 better lifts any hunter could be doing to prepare for a pack out. Both put muscle on the legs and lower back and upper back, your arms, grip, and posture are all improved. Don't buy into the squats are bad for you, only way they will be bad for you is if you don't use a full range of motion. Do them and you'll see a difference within just a few months of how much easier a pack is to haul around.
 
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You dont have to go heavy on squats. Use a plate or dumbbell held in front of you. When in the hills and weighted pack , i can tell you my hamstrings were barkin loud. Id mix in somethin for your hammies for sure
 
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Steve B.

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Yea, for a lot of years I did the bodybuilding thing and always did squats and deadlifts and I loved them. I did get hurt doing them probably from going to heavy for me. I know how great they are.....maybe I should have asked if the weighted hiking is a good substitute. I get the picture now and so it sounds like I should do both.....which I will. Thanks a lot everyone.
 

Baz59

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Feb 15, 2015
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I broke my back in high school playing football, so deadlift and squats are pretty much outta question for me. I do however do leg press. I feel like, for me, that its effectiveness is very similar to a squat but not as hard on the over body. It's not as effective core wise, but it's better than nothing.
 
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There are basically 3 types of workouts ( I am sure some here can argue this), Strength training (generally builds muscle mass), aerobic/cardio, and endurance. IMNSHO, they are all important. I was fortunate enough in high school to be trained by Bob Whelan. That however was decades ago, as like you I am now in my 50's. That training however, has lasted me a lifetime, and seriously benefited me through several injuries. I can't say that I have fully recovered from my injuries, but I can out perform 95% or more of the men in my age group. But before I get into workouts, I'd like to suggest that if your not already using a premium hunting pack, designed to haul heavy loads, then you should do so.

Strength training (isotonic strength training) Or better know as weight lifting, does exactly as the name implies, it builds stronger muscles, enhances definition, and can build , muscle mass. It should be obvious that the benefit derived can greatly depend on diet, as if your not taking in the calories and protein to build muscle, you can, well, lose weight, while still gaining definition (burn through your fat reserves). Most people do not utilize proper technique, i.e., they do not take advantage of resistance training when lifting. One such example is the bench press. Most people do the lift, even arching their back (poor technique and not compliant with competitive rules), then they let the weight fall back down to their chest, stopping it just before it lands on them. In proper technique you slowly raise the weight/bar, and slowly lower it; it's a controlled lift and decent of the weight/bar.

Aerobic/cardio, and endurance have overlap, but I am going to stick with separate definitions, Old studies indicated that to attain an aerobic benefit, one need to maintain an elevated heart rate for a minimum of 45 minutes. More recent studies put that at 30 minutes (if I recall correctly). You can do this in strength building by simply moving from one lift to the other with no breaks, no lallygagging... Your pack walks obviously do this also, as long as your going for30 minutes or longer.

Endurance training pretty much always includes aerobics, as your simply training to continue an activity or activities for a prolonged period of time, at an heightened rate. Pretty much what many of us do hunting. It doesn't build large muscle mass, although you can increase muscle mass from this type of workout. What it really does if your doing a comprehensive endurance workout is make you ripped and lean. But if you want to perform at your best (from a hunting perspective, you need a balance of all 3.

When we a re hunting, we are not walking on flat ground, as such to avoid injury our muscles need the strength to make adjustment to uneven terrain, slips... however if we don't have endurance to last the duration, those muscles will give out, sometimes when we need them most (to avoid injury). This is where that endurance training comes in. But keep in mind that avoiding injury takes more that just strong legs, you also need a strong core, along with excellent balance. From what you wrote, it sounds like your concentrating on strength training, in preparation for carrying out the meat of an animal. If your huffing and puffing your likely getting an aerobic benefit, but it sounds like your lacking on the endurance end of at this point in time. What I mean is that your not walking at an accelerated pace. Don't be discouraged, as it takes to improve. But I would suggest to through some jogging in there at least every other day, with no weight/pack, as you want to build up you wind, as depending on how far you want to go with with this, eventually work up to running bleachers.

Personally, I think that high paced endurance training is way underrated by most hunters. Okay, what do I mean. I mean that in pursuit of the animals we pursue, we often need to move at a pace that raises our heart rates for prolonged periods of time. But furthermore, when we go to shoot an animal, whether we are shooting a bow or a gun, we need to be able to hold steady to make a precise shot. The greatest benefit for doing this comes from high paced endurance training i.e., high aerobic endurance training. For evidence of this just look to our military special forces, many of which are stuck on ships at sea for months on end. Many of those ships are not equipped with weight rooms. In such cases, our special forces utilize a high paced aerobic/endurance resistance model to maintain total body fitness.

At 52, I know that you might not be looking at getting in top shape, but I do hope that this information is useful in determining a suitable workout.
 
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Steve B.

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Very useful, Bubblehide. Makes a lot of sense. I have a very good packframe and the weight on my actual body is comfortable, but very noticeable on my legs and lungs. The walks right now take about an hour, with about 50% of that somewhat strenuous and 25% I'm breathing so hard I can't take the time to spit. I intend to increase that. I have a windy road nearby that is a 18% grade for about a mile and that will be my ultimate test, to hike that nonstop with however much weight. Thanks so much.

sb'
 

mohawk32

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Learning to squat properly, and train properly, gives you a base foundation to make the hunting and hiking easier. There's no good reason to neglect it.
 

bbell

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It was a thread here on rokslide that got me looking into weight lifting programs. It was something about building strong hard muscle vs puffy mass. I am about 5 months into a program called Stronglifts 5x5. I really enjoy it. I feel I am getting a good overall work out. I am up to squatting 235lbs and started at 95lbs to work on form.
I am to the point now where I am not sure how much further I want to go. I don't want to get to much weight and hurt my self, but by only increasing 5lbs at a time it has been a really comfortable increase and still is. Would be worth a look.
Brandon
 
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It was a thread here on rokslide that got me looking into weight lifting programs. It was something about building strong hard muscle vs puffy mass. I am about 5 months into a program called Stronglifts 5x5. I really enjoy it. I feel I am getting a good overall work out. I am up to squatting 235lbs and started at 95lbs to work on form.
I am to the point now where I am not sure how much further I want to go. I don't want to get to much weight and hurt my self, but by only increasing 5lbs at a time it has been a really comfortable increase and still is. Would be worth a look.
Brandon

There is a 5x5 ap for iphone that will walk you through it
 

Ross

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I'll echo what bubble had to say, in that high paced endurance training is a great benefit for the mountain hunter. With so much pulling at us daily and weekly I mix in interval training weekly. 30 minutes at a killer pace will get you a great workout when you don't have time for a longer duration. As for legs with knee issues I focused on a lot wall squats, single leg bench steps with weight and leg presses this winter. Remember 50 is the new 40, no it is not! I don't like being 52 but that just means I have to be wiser with my workout time and to be sure I don't injure myself, because it takes forever to heal so I try to stretch daily and not do anything too stupid while in the mountains:)
 
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And I am going to to not only echo what Ross has to say, but emphasize it. You simply can not stretch enough. It should be obvious that stretching will greatly help reduce any chance of injury, assist in reducing any injury; and stretching on a daily basis will simply make you feel much better on a daily basis, especially at our age. Besides, you can easily add a couple core strengthening exercises into a good stretching program. You will also notice that, that muscle burn you feel the day after a good workout, will be greatly reduced with a good stretching program. Those old injuries you might have (I have several), will also feel significantly better, or not bother you, if your stretching on a daily basis.
 

ianpadron

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The only way you hinder yourself by squatting and deadlifting is doing them improperly. There are no 2 better lifts any hunter could be doing to prepare for a pack out. Both put muscle on the legs and lower back and upper back, your arms, grip, and posture are all improved. Don't buy into the squats are bad for you, only way they will be bad for you is if you don't use a full range of motion. Do them and you'll see a difference within just a few months of how much easier a pack is to haul around.


Yeah this^
 
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