Weights and Cardio - your focus?

[Hoyts n Mulies]

Curious what some of you do for your workouts. I assume most mix some sort of cardio with some lifting but do you focus more on one than the other? How much time per week do you do cardio vs lifting?

I used to focus nearly 100% on lifting but found that it only results in less range of motion and leaves me more injury prone. Trying to find the right balance for myself and would appreciate any input you have.

 

[ssliger]

I alternate every week, 3 days lifting 2 days cardio. The next week 3 days cardio, 2 days lifting. Then on the weekends I try to go on hikes with my kids

 

[Ross]

December-June I will do 3 days cardio and 3 days weights. Once we get to June I will start to focus on more cardio 4 days a week and 2 weight days prepping for the hiking to be coming in the fall. Most of my workouts are 45-50 minutes per session. When shed hunting season hits I will hike one day on the weekend 4-8 hrs that day. Also each session I will stretch 5-10 minutes.

 

[justinspicher]

I am pretty simple. I run each morning, Monday through Friday from about 0610-0645. Depending on how I feel depends on how far i get. Some days it's a couple of miles, others it's around four. The weather also plays a factor in this.

After this I come home and wake up my kids and workout with them. We use a deck of cards. Push-ups, sit-ups, pull-ups, and squats.

I have a Crossfit regime I follow (iron major Crossfit) each day, Monday through Friday, unless work gets in the way.

Before I go to bed I stretch. I make it a point to do this.

I try to keep my workouts simple, which helps me from quitting.

I try and hike at least one day out of the weekend.

 

[carpssublime]

Like Justin i also follow a crossfit program, but tweak it a little to focus on what i feel is necessary for me to perform well in the field. The past two years i have incorporated hiking longer distances and that seems to help quite a bit. I've also started using a foam roller for recovery purposes the last few months. It hurts like hell, but seems to work pretty damn good.

 

[Aron Snyder]

I lift in the morning, but superset just about everything.

In the afternoon I do cardio, but will do both in the morning if the schedule is tight.

 

[G Posik]

I do cardio in the am. Run 3-4 miles on Monday & Wednesday. Tuesday is a hike with weighted pack. Thursday is a rest day, Friday wind sprints. Saturday is 6-8 mile run. Sunday is a rest day.

At lunch I go to the gym, this time if the year I do Monday, Wednesday & Friday weights. They are 10 sets of 10. Each set of 10 has to be completed in 1 minute. Then rest for the balance of the minute. Continue until the 10 sets are done. I do 3 different exercises and core. Monday is Chest press, leg extension & lay pull down. Wednesday is leg presses, triceps & calf raises. Friday is squats, shoulder presses & biceps. I will do the 10x10 for 3 weeks then do 2 weeks of 5x5 with heavier weight. Tuesday is cardio at the gym, tread mill, or some other. Thursday is a day off. I do core 6 days a week.

I am getting a stair climbing machine for the house after the first of the year and will be incorporating that into the mix. I also plan to get the battling ropes soon as that is an awesome arm/shoulder exercise.

Glenn

 

[justin davis]

I don't lift weights. that stuff is for the beach not the mountain. Mostly do body weight exercises like push ups, pull ups, dips, sit ups, etc.

I run and hike quite a bit. And think that's the most important because that what you do when your hunting.

And do crossfit with the wife once in a while when I feel like getting my ass kicked haha.

 

[Ricky]

This is also my daily routine to do weight lifting and cardio. I do first 30 minutes weight lifting and next 30 minutes cardio because both are useful workouts for me. In cardio i do running.
lakecountybootcamps

 

[5MilesBack]

I used to focus nearly 100% on lifting but found that it only results in less range of motion and leaves me more injury prone.

If you do more high rep/lower weight lifting you shouldn't have any issues with range of motion. If anything, this should help increase range of motion and condition your muscles for more athletic activities.

I absolutely HATE pounding pavement......or dirt for that matter. But I have no issues with running bleachers, hills, river bottoms, etc. I don't do it much anymore.....but I should. At 48 I feel more of my hunting ventures than I used to, but from a cardio standpoint I never seem to have an issue at 11k+ feet, and I supposedly have asthma.

 

[Hoyts n Mulies]

I appreciate the responses guys. I'm redesigning my workout routine and trying to get more of a balance. The older I get the less I feel that heavy lifting is benefiting me. I sit at a desk everyday so it’s important that I work on my flexibility.

5MilesBack – you’re correct about the reps and lower weight. I’ve also been trying to redesign my workouts around this theory.

 

[LaHunter]

My usual week is 5 days / week (Mon-Fri) cardio for 30 minutes each day. 2 days are on elliptical machine, 2 days on stair climber machine, and 1 day running either outside or on treadmill. This seems to save the knees, hips, and ankles. After cardio, I will lift weights Mon, Tues, Thurs, Fri.

 

[jmez]

I vary my workouts throughout the year. I do both cardio and lifting. I try to do both every day but it doesn't always work out. I think both strength and endurance are important for mountain hunting. Personally I don't feel that any sort of exercise is worthless. Some may not be activity specific but I've never went for a 5 mile jog while hunting nor have I ever lifted weights on the mountain. Doesn't necessarily mean they are worthless at home.

Right now I'm doing heavy ladder sets with major lifts. I will then sprint jog on a treadmill, use the stairmaster, or do some sort of circuit plyometrics type work. When I get tired of lifting heavies I will move to low weights and high rep sets. When I tire of that I will switch to super setting. When that gets old I will start circuit training. Sometimes circuits will be heavy weight with 4-6 reps and sometimes light weight with 30 reps. The closer to the season I get I'll focus on circuits with mid weight and high reps 20-25. Circuit will usually contain 5-6 different exercises and do 5 sets with as little rest as possible. I will still include cardio every day.

Most of my cardio consists of mountain biking weather permitting, otherwise swimming, stairmaster, interval sprints, crossfit workouts/plyometric type circuits. I never go for a jog/run. Not really built for that sort of activity.

I go the the gym every day and would get really really bored doing the same thing day after day. Change it up and make it up as you go. No exercise is wrong.

I also stretch every day, even if I don't make it to the gym I will stretch at home. The perfect break between sets with lifting is to stretch. I alternate between sets with stretching and abs. Doing this I can get in a lot of stretch time and 200-300 reps with abs adding no time to my workouts.

 

[Highcountry_Hellrazor]

Crossfit! It will always be a surprise what you will be doing.