Tactical/Backcountry Fitness

[dudesonzach]

Hey everyone. Tactical fitness guy here. Coming from a unique military-esque background, I am eager to see how I perform in CO during my first back-country elk hunt. I do a lot of swimming, running and rucking w/ calisthenics personally. I also cycle power lifting phases to maintain strength.

How has fitness benefited you on big game hunts?

 

[Mojave]

So?

Z Gen or Millennial?

 

[dudesonzach]

So?

Z Gen or Millennial?

gen fluid

 

[illbell]

Check out Cam Hanes book. That's how fitness helps you in the backcountry.

Run. Lift. Shoot.

 

[Bluecollarpursuit]

I can tell you from last years I learned a lot about myself. I have always been in shape, weight lifting, elevated cardio 4 days a week and daily walks with the dog. I was in disbelief at how winded I was walking 1mi up and down hills the first day. Even by day 4 of mostly just glassing I did an 800ft drop and then a mile hike around a point and 800ft back up to check a thick valley with a creek running through it. It took me 2.5hr. I vowed never again. This year I started training in June and focusing on long distance cardio at 12% grade. The first few days my heart was at a steady 189bpm. Now I’m a month out from my hunt and i am in the 150-160bpm range. Working a lot of hit training as well. Completely changed the way I work out.

 

[*zap*]

gen fluid

Gender fluidity is the ability to freely and knowingly become one or many of a limitless number of genders, for any length of time, at any rate of change. Gender fluidity recognizes no borders or rules of gender.

 

[BDRam16]

Gender fluidity is the ability to freely and knowingly become one or many of a limitless number of genders, for any length of time, at any rate of change. Gender fluidity recognizes no borders or rules of gender.

He meant generation fluid. He becomes whatever generation he wants.

 

[justinspicher]

As I have gotten older, I workout less than I used to. I try to walk every day, do a simple KB workout daily and rarely if ever stretch. I quit doing squats as a norm in my workouts as well. During my walks and workouts, I rarely work harder than I feel I need to, usually keeping my efforts within my ability to hold a conversation and I have incorporated rest periods more than in the past, usually at a 1:1 ratio. So far this has been a two year change from my previous style of workouts and it has really done wonders for me. I don’t hurt much anymore and feel better when I am in the mountains. Your mileage may vary…..

 

[dudesonzach]

I can tell you from last years I learned a lot about myself. I have always been in shape, weight lifting, elevated cardio 4 days a week and daily walks with the dog. I was in disbelief at how winded I was walking 1mi up and down hills the first day. Even by day 4 of mostly just glassing I did an 800ft drop and then a mile hike around a point and 800ft back up to check a thick valley with a creek running through it. It took me 2.5hr. I vowed never again. This year I started training in June and focusing on long distance cardio at 12% grade. The first few days my heart was at a steady 189bpm. Now I’m a month out from my hunt and i am in the 150-160bpm range. Working a lot of hit training as well. Completely changed the way I work out.

Good info. Thanks

 

[dudesonzach]

As I have gotten older, I workout less than I used to. I try to walk every day, do a simple KB workout daily and rarely if ever stretch. I quit doing squats as a norm in my workouts as well. During my walks and workouts, I rarely work harder than I feel I need to, usually keeping my efforts within my ability to hold a conversation and I have incorporated rest periods more than in the past, usually at a 1:1 ratio. So far this has been a two year change from my previous style of workouts and it has really done wonders for me. I don’t hurt much anymore and feel better when I am in the mountains. Your mileage may vary…..

Good info....I forget about KB's.. I'm a big fan of the stepper, which feels similar... working lungs and power at the same time (my take anyway... )
Thanks for the reply

 

[mtwarden]

https://www.rokslide.com/forums/threads/tough-hunt.242082/

 

[Flatlander5]

Check out Cam Hanes book. That's how fitness helps you in the backcountry.

Run. Lift. Shoot.

Run. Lift. Shoot. Hunt private ranches only.

 

[illbell]

Run. Lift. Shoot. Hunt private ranches only.

LMAO! well done. well done.

 

[jjohnsonElknewbie]

Last year I prepared for 7 day wilderness hunt by walking 3-4 miles per day. I also trained with olympic lifts 2x weekly- clean/jerk, power clean/jerk, snatch, power snatch, front and back squats. If squats felt crappy I replaced with deadlifts. My brother did similar and even though we're both in late 40s we were in the best shape in camp last year.

This year I've cut out the lifting as my shoulder has been bugging me again, but I'm still walking 3-4 miles 4-5x per week. I've also been carrying heavy pack every few times. Today we did 4 miles, and I stuck a 30lb. dumbell in my frame pack for a total of around 40lb. Actually made pretty good time on flat ground, but I was tired by the end of mile 4.

 

[ognennyy]

There's a very specific fitness I benefit from for big game hunting, and it's those exercises that involve simulating walking up a mountain. Lunges, box step ups, pistols (single leg squats), back squats, front squats. I do them in a HIT fashion most days, occasionally I do weighted very low rep heavy lunges, step ups, back and front squats.

Anything is pretty much, well... I wouldn't bother with for mountain hunting.