Sheep-Shape: Your definition

[Stud Duck]

As I stated in another thread, my BIL and I are approximately 3-5 years out on an AK Dall Sheep hunt. Currently, he's speaking with outfitters and I'm acquiring the proper gear and gaining as much knowledge as I can about these magnificent animals.

All the while, I'm stripping every extra inch and pound from my body. I don't mind training, I've done it the majority of my life, but I have to have a specific goal.....a point when I say, "I can do this." I fully realize we can always get stronger, you can always lift another rep or go another 1/2 mile, but there is a point when you're ready and everything else is icing on the cake.

I currently weight lift 4 days per week, it's an entire body program that increases weight as well as reps; i.e., working with heavier weights for longer periods of time.

I do some type of cardio 4 days per week as well; walking and hiking for the most part, but will start jogging again shortly since good weather is here.

Anyhow......for those of you who have hunted sheep or are preparing to, what is your training regimen? What were you physically capable of doing or what do you want to be able to do when you stand at the bottom of the mountain and look up?

 

[CTobias]

Anyhow......for those of you who have hunted sheep or are preparing to, what is your training regimen? What were you physically capable of doing or what do you want to be able to do when you stand at the bottom of the mountain and look up?

You live in WV. It should be no problem for you to get in the mountains. All that gym time will certainly help, but nothing beats being able to go into the mountains with a 60lb pack on your back and head straight up to the top.

My real workouts are on the weekend when I head into the mountains with a full 10 day hunting load out and then some. The weightlifting and short cardio during the week just fills the gaps. I'm doing short workouts right now in the mountains. Short being two miles straight up, with roughly 3000' of elevation gain, and then back down, sometimes taking a different trail on the way down to add some miles under my feet and rest the knees a little. About every third weekend I will do a moderate hike of about 12-15 miles total, and try to pick a peak with as much elevation gain as possible. I will do one or two big hikes (20 plus miles) with a full pack before my hunt. There is no need to overdue it with the weight and potentially injure yourself before your trip. Do what your body can handle.

When I was in the lower 48 for work for two months I didn't have any real mountains. So I went to areas that had any amount of elevation gain and just put some miles in. I started with short distances of 5 miles with about 50lbs and then finished up before leaving with a 20 miler with 50lbs.

Train hard and hunt easy.

 

[Kodiak]

This is something I am interested in too. I stubbles on a sheep tag this year and am a bit unprepared. I am I decent shape and completed a Ironman 70.3 last year. For me I think I need to add weight training to the program. I think the added mucle would help with the elevation change and moving the weight. As CTobias said, nothing will replace hiking with a pack so I plan to get in the mountains as much as I can.

 

[AK Troutbum]

I absolutely agree with the above post, nothing beats training for a mountain hunt like mimicking a mountain hunt in your every day training. I train for mt. hunts using pretty much the same stuff/gear that I mt. hunt with. The only exception to this is, I don’t try and mimic the weight in my pack that I hope to be carrying off the mt. if I’m successful. It’s my opinion that training this way, with several thousand ft. elevation ascents and descents along with plenty of side hilling, exercises all the muscles that you would normally use for the real deal. It also significantly helps to break in your gear or break you into the gear you use, plus the views are much nicer. I’m lucky in that I can train, literally right out my front door, in the exact type of terrain that I will hunt in come fall. If mountains aren’t available to you and a gym is all you have, I suggest along with wt. lifting, throw your weighted pack on and spend an hour/day on the stair climber.

You’ll never really know if you’ve physically prepared enough until you actually start hunting, but if you’ve done everything that you can, and you have the “I will not be defeated” mindset (this is a big one that oftentimes doesn’t get the credit it deserves), you’ve put yourself in the best position to be successful, and with that and a little bit of luck, you will succeed.

Oh, and just remember, sheep really aren’t that tough to hunt or kill, there’s only 3 things that you need to do to be successful. Just don’t let them see you, smell you, or hear you.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Snyd]

Oh, and just remember, sheep really aren’t that tough to hunt or kill, there’s only 3 things that you need to do to be successful. Just don’t let them see you, smell you, or hear you.

So THAT'S how you do it!

 

[Snyd]

Skiing and snow shoeing in the winter along with stationary bike, squats and some other weight training and some other routines.

Sheep Shape for me this time of year revolves around 3 core elements... Hike, Bike and Squat. I also do some upper body weights to stay strong but nothing to crazy. Hiking is 1-2 hr trainging hike up and down a local hill with pack working up to 60+ish lbs before sheep season. Also we do recreational hiking throughout the summer for fun. Biking for me is rigorous cycling for about 45mins that includes some hill. I'm not a cyclist, about 45 mins is all I can handle before I get bicycle butt, but it's great quad pump and solid cardio workout. Squats... well what can I say. The lynchpin exercise. Makes you strong all over.

Don't overtrain! Get proper rest and recovery between workouts, sometimes less is more! Eat well!

Then there is the mental aspect. At some point on a sheep hunt the body says no and the brain has to say go even when IT says no! Like when your 5 days into it, tired, kill a ram late in the day and have a grueling grunt back to camp in the rain and dark in rough steep terrain. Or a 20 mile pack out with 2 rams to get out. It gets real at those times!

Go for it!

Down the road, in a gym far away

A young man was heard to say,

"No matter what I do, my legs won't grow!
"
He tried leg extensions, leg curls, leg presses too.

Trying to cheat, these sissy workouts he'd do!

From the corner of the gym where the big guys train,

Through a cloud of chalk and the midst of pain,

Where the big iron rides high, and threatin' lives,

Where the noise is made with big forty-fives,

A deep voice bellowed as he wrapped his knees,

A very big man with legs like trees,

Laughing as he snatched another plate from the stack,

Chalked his hands and monstrous back,

Said, "Boy, stop lying and don't say you've forgotten!

Trouble with you is you ain't been SQUATIN'!!"​

 

[jherald]

I hike up and down the mountains at least 4 days a week with a 25 pound pack mixed with lifting in the gym 4-5 days a week. I like to keep that lifestyle year round. When any alpine venture comes up, I'm pretty much ready to go.

 

[Stud Duck]

Down the road, in a gym far away

A young man was heard to say,

"No matter what I do, my legs won't grow!
"
He tried leg extensions, leg curls, leg presses too.

Trying to cheat, these sissy workouts he'd do!

From the corner of the gym where the big guys train,

Through a cloud of chalk and the midst of pain,

Where the big iron rides high, and threatin' lives,

Where the noise is made with big forty-fives,

A deep voice bellowed as he wrapped his knees,

A very big man with legs like trees,

Laughing as he snatched another plate from the stack,

Chalked his hands and monstrous back,

Said, "Boy, stop lying and don't say you've forgotten!

Trouble with you is you ain't been SQUATIN'!!"​

Spot-on.

 

[gbflyer]

A lot to be said about mental toughness. Ive got a friend who is 60 who goes nearly every year. Swings a hammer most of the summer. His training consists of cutting down to 10 cigarettes a day right before season.

 

[Matt W.]

I picked up this book at my local Library after hearing about it on a Podcast. Just the first two chapters alone contain a lot of good info....
Amazon.com: Training for the New Alpinism: A Manual for the Climber as Athlete eBook: Steve House, Scott Johnston, Mark Twight: Kindle Store

I think Sheep Shape is really dependent on who are going with and where you are going. I personally hate being the weak link, always want to be there for my hunting partner. My first sheep hunt I really let the guy down, IMO. Terrible feeling....

I think in Alaska you can get away with a few things to.. I can't imagine what hunting in high elevations would be like. I don't think I have ever been much over 8k.

 

[mtwarden]

if past years are any indication, I probably won't draw a sheep permit this year BUT if I do, I'll be going into it well conditioned

I agree with other posters, specificity is king- the more time in the mountains w/ a pack, the better- miles are certainly an indicator of progress, but just as important is elevation gain- to be an efficient climber, you have to climb; if you don't have a mountain, find a steep hill, if you don't have a steep hill, find a tall building w/ stairs, no tall buildings- a stair climber at the gym

my "typical" week usually consists of a couple of 4-5-ish mile trail runs, a couple 4-5 mile hikes and a couple of days in the gym- concentrating on large, compound lifts with a good dose of body weight assistance work and a long run/hike/snowshoe/ski on the weekend

you need to build a strong aerobic base to get mountain strong, this takes a long time and you don't want to rush the process too much- slow, but steady progress

like I said I probably won't draw a sheep tag, but I will be hunting deer and elk, both highly benefit from being in good mountain shape

 

[SLDMTN]

This is my opinion based off of my experiences but I believe the weighted hiking regimen is highly overrated. After participating in that madness for years and still getting stomped by my brother in law, I switched things up and for me it's been a 100% improvement.

- In the gym M-F in the morning
- I typically hike Lazy Mtn (4 miles round trip, 2956 elevation gain) 1-2 times a week, year round
- I run a 5 mile loop near my house once a week, year round
- In the summer I load my pack with a sandbag and mow my lawn, lots of elevation actually. This is the only weighted hiking for training I do.

Two quick notes: I hunt a lot throughout the year and I have my pack on almost every weekend. The only time I wear my boots is out hunting with over 40 lbs on my back. Other than that, I wear trail runners for everything which has made my feet and ankles stronger.

The above has been working for me, I feel like I get around pretty well in the hills. I'm 34 this year and I'd stomp my younger self in every aspect of the hunt, especially mentally.

 

[mtnrunner260]

SLDMTN makes a great point. Everyone will respond to aspects of training differently.
I come from kind distance running and some guys did better with lots of long slow miles while others did better with shorter faster stuff.
But experimenting and finding what you respond the best to is hugely beneficial.

 

[JFKinYK]

Whatever you decide to do, stick to it. And for the love of Ovis, don't get friggin' injured.

 

[BRWNBR]

Alaska sheep training in several simple steps

Get a stair stepper.
Hire someone who hates you.
Get a garden hose with sprayer attachment.

1. Get on the stair stepper with 100lbs in your pack, put a rock inside one shoe right off the bat.
2.give that someone who hates you a car atenna or two to beat you with.
3. Have someone spray you in the face with the garden hose. Works best if you can first load the hose with sand.
4. 7 days a week at least six to eight hours a day usually does it.
5. Throw hundred dollar bills into the wind.

You’ll be ready.







On a side note. Running has never helped me, weight training has never helped me either. Hiking with weight has always been the best for me but what I suffer with when I hit the mountians is living at a altitude several thousand feet higher than were I live. Once my lungs have caught up my body does just fine.

 

[SLDMTN]

Alaska sheep training in several simple steps

Get a stair stepper.
Hire someone who hates you.
Get a garden hose with sprayer attachment.

1. Get on the stair stepper with 100lbs in your pack, put a rock inside one shoe right off the bat.
2.give that someone who hates you a car atenna or two to beat you with.
3. Have someone spray you in the face with the garden hose. Works best if you can first load the hose with sand.
4. 7 days a week at least six to eight hours a day usually does it.
5. Throw hundred dollar bills into the wind.

You’ll be ready.

There's no sheep on Kodiak...

 

[BRWNBR]

There's no sheep on Kodiak...

Not anymore. They died off a handful of years back cause they are stupid and wouldn’t come down the mountian in the winter. I did meet an old timer once who remembered seeing one before they were gone though.
But I figure if you can handle Kodiaks mountians and weather.....Sheep will be a joke lol

 

[mtnhmr]

TBH; heart rate and interval training can be applied to any activity for maximum gain.

I feel fitness is more personal and dependent on how and where one hunts. For myself, I weigh ~180lbs and train for natural strength (i.e., push-ups, pull-ups, abs etc.), high heart rate runs (5km), and pre-season hikes/scouting. I would say I operate best when I interval hike (stop/start), although a little slower, I am consistent in the pursuit and infrequently winded.

As some have mentioned, the largest hurdles are not physical but mental; however if you know how your body will perform (stress testing) the mental piece becomes less of an issue. In activity we reach a point where we want to take a break or reduce the stress, if you can train yourself to push through what I like to call "limiting moments" you will see greater physical/mental gains.

Pro tip: Greatest strength comes from core/hips, let go of the beach muscle routine and focus on functional strength instead of defying gravity.

 

[Wapiti1]

Just to touch on the mental aspect. I firmly believe the mental game is at least 50% of being in sheep shape. Overweight guys with more money than sense shoot rams every year, and every year top athletes give up halfway through the hunt.

You have to be in good enough shape to plod on day after day whether it is flat or all uphill. You have to be willing to have sore feet, legs, shoulders every day. You have to be willing to smile when it rains/snows/gets socked in with clouds, and continually know tomorrow will be better even if it isn't. Above all, you have to be comfortable with with the idea of spending 10-12 days wet, smelly, and sore wandering the mountains of Alaska and never firing a shot at game.

If you have the mental game, your ass, big or small, will follow. I'll state that a full curl white speck in a spotting scope is super motivating, though.

Jeremy

 

[jmez]

Just go to the WOD thread in the fitness section. Look at MTWarden's posts. That's sheep shape.