Physical prep for season

[Aknight1111]

What kind of physical conditioning are you guys doing to prep for packing out an elk? Right now I am doing cardio on a stairmaster with a pack. Along with some lifting and core strengthening exercises. Just looking for some ideas.

 

[IBen]

Stair climber is not great because it totally misses the muscles used on the downhill. Walking backwards on it is ok. Most people get injured on the downhill. They get injured because those untrained muscles are easily fatigued.

 

[Mighty Mouse]

IMO the best way to prepare for carrying a heavy load on your back is to carry heavy loads on your back. Replicate the real thing as best as you can. If you have mountains nearby, go hike them with a loaded pack. If not, hike/walk wherever you can…use stairs, bleachers, or a step-up box to simulate uphill/downhill. If I haven’t carried a heavy pack in a while (as is my current situation), I start with a fairly light pack and gradually add more weight as elk season approaches.

 

[naneumranch]

When working around the ranch I wear a weighted vest ranging from 25-60lbs. Getting in and out of equipment works those muscle that are hard to get just working out on a stepper


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[5MilesBack]

Absolutely nothing. When the time comes to pack out my bull, I'll pack out my bull. Until then, my knees and back don't need the extra stress.

 

[Eric30]

Mark from the experience project has a great workout he posted last year. It hits your legs a ton and is a great cardio workout. The side steps over the box are a great exercise and I felt the difference on the mountain when it came to stepping over the awkward laying blow down with a loaded pack.

https://the-experience-project.com/marks-garage-workout-for-mountain-hunting/

 

[RemcoU]

Right now starting up the zone 2 training again and continuing with lifting.
Other than a few training rucks in the spring, the bulk of my specific training will be hiking/backpacking with a toddler on my back.
It has worked well for me the last few years

 

[hoosierhunter11]

Get on a program and adhere to it. Consistency is key. I have been doing Mountain Tough programming since last May and highly recommend it. I am 32 now and I’m in my best shape since I was 18. It’s a mix of strength training, cardio, high intensity intervals, and rucking.

 

[WeiserBucks]

Absolutely nothing. When the time comes to pack out my bull, I'll pack out my bull. Until then, my knees and back don't need the extra stress.

I'm on this train, bloody pack multiple times every year.

Dead elk don't come from a gym.

 

[CMF]

IMO the best way to prepare for carrying a heavy load on your back is to carry heavy loads on your back. Replicate the real thing as best as you can. If you have mountains nearby, go hike them with a loaded pack. If not, hike/walk wherever you can…

This
When we're home in MS at sea level, we go to the lighthouse and go up and down the stairs sometimes skipping every other stair.

 

[hereinaz]

It’s best to do exercises that are “one sided” so you have to balance you body with your core. Being gym strong is good, but mountain strong is completely different.

If you do squats, you aren’t working your core like the mountain works you over.

Gotta replicate the mountain type movements, which is up sis down or side to side carrying a load.

MTNTOUGH has good stuff.

 

[35WhelenAI]

Be careful, don't get the cart in front of the horse. I wouldn't worry about conditioning for packing the animal out, concentrate on conditioning for the hunt, lol. If you are conditioned for the hunt you are conditioned for the pack out.

 

[Whitetailaddict]

I have been training on the stair master with a 21# pack, last summer I was rucking with my pack with 50# in it.

 

[BigLou]

i had my rotator cuff rebuilt this week. does that count as physical prep?

 

[Marbles]

I'm building an aerobic base with running at present, 53 miles last week, and gym based ME. As summer comes on I'll add heavy pack work and heavy pack/steep hill ME. Also, start just getting out with a pack and rifle and trying to kill something legal come spring. The best training load is meat and fur, if only I was any good at getting it.

Proper prgressive "stress" results in the stressed parts becoming stronger. This includes the knees and back. Low flow tissues like tendons, ligaments, and cartilage respond slowly, but do respond. Injury comes from doing too much too fast. Avoiding stress is the road to weakness, stacking on too much is the road to injury. Balance is key. Too many people are scared of it. In the 1960s the consensus was that a human would die if they ran much further than a marathon, now we have 450 mile foot races that are not stage races. With enough time and slow progression, the body is pretty amazing in what it will adapt to.

 

[D_wit22]

Forward motion. Forward motion with weight is even better. I push mow my yard with my pack on. Get work done and get training done all in the same motion Get away from a sedative lifestyle if possible. Work hard at work or at home…all this helps

 

[LongWayAround]

I'm slowly working back into being a little more intentional about fitness. I'm pretty active anyway so I don't fall super far but I'm definitely not back to my preseason level.

When I've got a little more motivation, I row as much as I can stand on a Concept 2. I've never found anything that kicks my ass as thoroughly.

Once the trails aren't ice packed, I'll alternate trail runs, heavy pack hikes, and my usual gym workouts.

The idea of doing nothing until it's go time is ridiculous. Good for you, if it seems to work, but color me dubious.

 

[WeiserBucks]

The idea of doing nothing until it's go time is ridiculous. Good for you, if it seems to work, but color me dudubious.

I do nothing to prep and I'm successful. I'd be willing to bet that 95% of total elk killed annually are by people who haven't physically prepared.

I don't know a single person who physically prepares for hunting and I always end up helping them pack the critters they somehow killed without a minute of previous physical preparation.

 

[LongWayAround]

I do nothing to prep and I'm successful. I'd be willing to bet that 95% of total elk killed annually are by people who haven't physically prepared.

I don't know a single person who physically prepares for hunting and I always end up helping them pack the critters they somehow killed without a minute of previous physical preparation.

I would be willing to bet that 95% of statistics are made up.

I would also bet on a person who is physically active to be better able to put themselves in a position for success.

I don't know anything about you and your friends. Maybe your a bunch of construction workers who are active all day.

My point is that sitting on one's ass all day until it's time to go is not a long term strategy for success. I know it's a novel idea...

You may not have to be intentional about it, if your lifestyle already keeps you able bodied.

 

[WeiserBucks]

I would be willing to bet that 95% of statistics are made up.

I would also bet on a person who is physically active to be better able to put themselves in a position for success.

I don't know anything about you and your friends. Maybe your a bunch of construction workers who are active all day.

My point is that sitting on one's ass all day until it's time to go is not a long term strategy for success. I know it's a novel idea...

You may not have to be intentional about it, if your lifestyle already keeps you able bodied.

You're not wrong and that wasn't what I was trying to say.