What’s does your fitness routine look like to get in(and stay in) elk hunting shape?

[Extrapale]

I do crossfit. 4 days a week year round. I can get by with that.

Weighted pack training is probably better, or at least should be added.

Get your feet and legs in shape for steep country and side hills. Find a berm and walk it side hill. I have one near my house that is about a half mile long, and I hike it with the least supportive shoes possible. Helps with the foot, ankle, shin, calf, etc conditioning.

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[Shawn_Guinn]

I lift weights 5 to 7 days a week, run 3 to 4 miles 6 days a week. With some longer up to 10 mike runs on occasion. My weight lifting is more reps and moderate weight especially being 46 now. I look to keep my heart rate at or above 142 for the hour I workout. Working my core is key lots of dumbbells and kettle bell exercises. Best shape of my life though I’m pretty sure I could ruck like a demon in the Army back in my late teens early 20’s. I ain’t no slouch with a pack loaded with elk meat now.

 

[Dwight2180]

Carry a pack, go uphill, stretch. Don't neglect the mental aspects. Train in the rain, go for a ruck at bedtime, carry your pack weight in a sandbag on a shoulder, train at midday in full sun. Do things that are uncomfortable and train yourself to enjoy it.

 

[nnmarcher]

Everyone else has pointed you in the right direction, but whatever you do, don’t neglect conditioning your hip flexors. You could be the fittest guy on the mountain, but if you find yourself in jackstrawed timber that requires you to lift your legs higher than your normal gait would require, you’re going to fatigue quickly.

Also, keep your core strong and stretch a lot. When you kill an elk and have to take it apart, your lower back and hamstrings are going to be screaming (especially if your elk dies on the side of some steep hill or in another inconvenient place).

This advice sums up everything I was missing this year. Gotta strengthen the hip flexors a lot before next year. I also forget how challenging it is bending over for a couple hours while butchering an elk.

 

[Owens]

Maybe I missed it, but I didn't see where you mentioned your current fitness level. There should be a big difference in recommended workouts if you're talking Couch to 5k fitness or looking to fine tune for the mountains. If you get too aggressive on a plan your body isn't ready for you may not make it to next September (read injury). Consistency over time will get you there.

Personally, I run trails 4-6 days a week and do a general fitness/HIIT type class 1-3 days a week (depends on running volume). The mix varies throughout the year depending on whether I have a trail race on the calendar, it works out to about 10-12 hours a week. I actually do very little hiking with a weighted pack. But I get around just fine with a pack in the woods. I've been following this routine for the last 10+ years.

 

[NashNative]

So I’m finally in the planning phases of my first elk hunt next September. Super super excited. I’ve read about it, studied it, watched videos, listen to podcast, etc for a few years now.

Pretty much everything I can do short of actually going and doing it.

one unturned stone for me though is the fitness aspect. I know damn good and well I’m going to have to be in the best shape of my life for this to be an enjoyable experience and to up my small chance of success to a slightly better chance.

I plan on dedicating the next 11 months to doing everything I can to be the best I can be

I know this topic has been covered many times, but I like hearing from “real people”. I know podcast, YouTubers, instagrammers are technically real people, but y’all catch my drift.

what are your fitness routines like? HIIT training? CrossFit? Circuit training? Powerlifting? Rucking? All of it?
I want y’all to tell me more about what you do to be ready for the mountains in September as far as diet and exercise go!

Here's a solid example routine and random details below:

With your time frame DO NOT burn yourself out by going wide open tomorrow and thinking you can keep that pace. Workout hard and stay consistent, crank it up 12 weeks out and deload/active recovery 2 weeks out. Aim to peak when you get there this is what every stamina and strength based athlete in the world does. Do you really think nothing changes between 11 months and 3 months out of the Olympics/cycling/fight camp/triathlons/etc. The simple goal is to peak when you are there and not beat yourself down.

Crossfit is a great workout plan simply google "girl crossfit wods" these are standard bench mark workouts that are very difficult and used in every gym around the world. Unless you are an absolute animal SCALE THEM initially.

The main ingredient to working out is doing what works for you. If you dont like it chances are you wont be doing it for 10-11 months. If you find you like 5 particular corssfit wods, take them and mix mash them together changing rounds, weights, reps, etc.. the best workout is one you will do and push yourself. Many are not capable of pushing themselves solo this is why gyms are good they introduce competition. Its no fun getting smoked by the hot chick beside you.

Always keep time, you should be improving or changing to improve. Redo a workout down the road and try to beat your times.

Cycling is a great low impact cardio workout.

Rucking is as important as anything this is the "event" when you are out there.

A sample week for me:

Sunday- rest

Monday- Crossfit I like bar work so I do a lot of it-
5 rounds for time
Push ups 10
Pull ups 5
Over head 5 at 95
Bar Row 5 at 95
Overhead kettle bell lunge 30lb (60lbs) bells each hand locked out 10

Tuesday- Cycle stationary spin bike- I would start with a time goal like 15 mins then work up as you go.

Wednesday- ruck- start low work up ex- week 1- 1 mile 30lbs week 2- 2 miles 40lbs week 3- 3 miles 40lbs 4 miles 45lbs- Eventually you'll be doing more weight but longer distance. Rucking gets boring so do some variance on distance and weight. They are also hard on your body so don't do them but once a week for a while.

Thursday rest

Friday Crossfit- Notice I upped the volume and lowered the weight.
8 rounds for time finish a round then repeat.
5 overhead 75lbs so 40 overhead press
7 row 75lbs so 56 rows
10 push up 80 push ups
5 pull up 40 pull ups
3 dip so 24 dips
50 yard sprint so 400 yards

Saturday rest

Variation is what makes crossfit so good it prepares your body for anything. When you get 12 weeks out you would want to stop the cycling and only do crossfit 2 times a week and ruck twice a week. a longer ruck with avg weight and a short heavier ruck.


There are endless variations of workouts a lot of people do heavier weight and cap the time at 15 mins or 20 mins. Soooo many other lifts Just keep it interesting. If you want to take the guessing out of it join a gym or google crossfit wod. They post new ones every day. If you do something you're ahead of alot of the competition even if its not the "perfect" routine.

Everyone misses days it happens the key is getting ahead of the curve so missing a day isn't a big deal because your base level of fitness is already so much higher than others from consistency.

Good luck!

 

[Coffindaffer]

I really really appreciate everyone’s insight! Thanks guys!

 

[Danny Hoey]

Don't overthink it.

 

[Truaxdw]

If you need structure/ a Program to follow I would recommend taking a look at mountain tough

 

[LostArra]

12 months active lifestyle
Lots of walking all year along with barbell training, weekly HIIT session (bike, indoors or outdoors on hills).
Carry pack a few months before hunting season.
HIIT training as hunt approaches 2x week

No running. When I was younger I ran a lot (20+ marathons)
For me the injury risk/benefit ratio for running is not there after 55-60 yrs of age (I'm 68)
Even in my top running shape (2:50 marathon) I was much slower than even the slowest elk.

Flat landers like myself have to accept the Day 1 suck at altitude regardless of training. I actually hunt smarter though when I slow down.

 

[BRTreedogs]

So I'm not the most in shape small waisted guy. But here is what I believe is the most bang for your buck. Also remember anything is better then nothing and the more you do the better.

Legs, legs, legs. Anything you can do to build legs.
Hip flexers and calves are always my weak point.
Jump lunges, squats, step ups, biking. Etc etc. I try to crush my legs 2 times a weak.

Rowing machine is terrible but it does hit alot at once. Back, legs, cardio.

Cardio, the air is thin and the Elk are fast. How ever you choose to build cardio. The more you do the more it will help the amount of opertunity you have at animals.

Now I fail on core pretty bad. I just flipping hate any kind of ab workout. But I consistently do deadlift. Looking back to when I was softer and it helps carry a pack. And It 10 fold helps me when I'm quartering out a bull. I cannot even communicate how much a strong back has help with mt stamina and safety while working up an animal.

Pack hiking with moderate weight. 40 ish pounds. Work your way up to the most un stable ground you have available. This helps build the fast twitch stabilizer muscles. And most importantly I believe this is where you build ankles. And ankles can make or break a hunt.

Heavy pack occasionally. This is hard on joints.
You just need to do this enough so you know how it feels. 4 times a summer is plenty imo.
This will prepare you to get a physical feel for the weight but it is mostly a mental exercise.

This is also the time to figure out your pack.

Trust me. When your soaking wet with blood dripping down your back your not even gonna care how the pack is until you get back to the truck and say to yourself that fit was terrible.
It will be much more enjoyable if fitting your pack is more of an automatic thing.

Good luck.

 

[Fullfan]

100 miles a week on the bike, steep hill hikes w a 40 pound pack, step ups with a pack also. threw in 100 pushups a day this year also.

 

[carsonkeys]

Your fitness plan will likely evolve over the years, it has for me anyways. As a kid I never worried about it as I was playing hockey 5-6 days a week year round.

My first hunt as an "adult" I was spending several hours in the weight room everyday, was 240lbs with visible abs, and strong as hell. When I got to the mountain I couldn't find a single barbell and very rapidly got my ass handed to me!

After that, I added some cardio and got my ass handed to me a little less. Seeing "results" from cardio and no longer interested in trying to be as big as possible, I went to the other extreme. I decided to do mostly cardio with some weights. I loved how I felt hiking around, but suffered dearly as soon as my pack got heavy.

Now, I like to think I've discovered a happy medium where I'm strong and fast and have good endurance. If I didn't enjoy lifting weights, I would probably do this workout from mtn tough 3-5x/week and call it a day. IMO, it's the closest thing to a one-stop-shop I've seen and doesn't require living in mountainous terrain to be effective. It won't hit your stabilizer muscles exactly like a mountain will, but your legs, core, shoulders, and back will be conditioned enough to take the punishment for a few days while they adapt.

 

[justinspicher]

I am fortunate enough to live where I hunt. With that in mind I do a lot of walking with a pack on. It’s generally about 15-20lbs and I accumulate 30-35 miles each week. I’ll throw in some kettlebell work and split wood as well. I have stopped squatting and lunging for exercise over this past year as part of a personal experiment. So far my knees have been feeling much better.

 

[Gerbdog]

i have the benefit of being at 6000 ft but my daily / bi-daily is:

Run 1.5 miles - some sort of upper body - shoot bow
next day - Ruck 1.5 miles with 80 lbs - some sort of upper body - shoot bow

alternate all year long except weekends cause i like making a big breakfast

roll out of bed and get er done, rain snow or shine, hunting doesnt wait for weather and neither should your workouts

as someone mentioned, no need to over think it and its easier to stay in shape then it is to get into shape once your there

live an active lifestyle.... fishing, hiking, camping, skiing, just try and stay active for your other hobbies helps a ton also

 

[renagde]

If you like something structured and go to the gym, a program like MTN Tough offers is the ticket.

 

[Cameron.25]

I have done several of their programs but if i was to pick one, i would recommend the 45-70 heavy pack program from mtntough, if you can afford it and dedicate the daily time. It took me about 45 mins per day, 5 days a week minimum but i was already in shape so it may take longer if you are not fit already. Their 30-30 one is good but short and just not enough in my opinion. The 45-70 requires almost no equipment, just your pack, some cheap dry bags and some sand. It really kicks your ass and gets you ready. I did it last year right before season and gave it my all, and felt unstoppable on all my hunts. This year i was way more busy so i just tried doing my own thing with calisthenics, distance running, HIIT, pullups, rucking etc. I thought id pushed myself enough but i was wrong, i was definitely more prepared doing mtntough last year than i was this year doing it on my own, it was a noticeable difference. I will be redoing the mt tough programs this year for sure. Just an option that worked for me. The 30 day elkshape program is another i will probably try at some point and im sure it would also help get you ready. You have the right idea starting to prepare now, good luck!

 

[hunting1]

So I’m finally in the planning phases of my first elk hunt next September. Super super excited. I’ve read about it, studied it, watched videos, listen to podcast, etc for a few years now.

Pretty much everything I can do short of actually going and doing it.

one unturned stone for me though is the fitness aspect. I know damn good and well I’m going to have to be in the best shape of my life for this to be an enjoyable experience and to up my small chance of success to a slightly better chance.

I plan on dedicating the next 11 months to doing everything I can to be the best I can be

I know this topic has been covered many times, but I like hearing from “real people”. I know podcast, YouTubers, instagrammers are technically real people, but y’all catch my drift.

what are your fitness routines like? HIIT training? CrossFit? Circuit training? Powerlifting? Rucking? All of it?
I want y’all to tell me more about what you do to be ready for the mountains in September as far as diet and exercise go!

Clean eating, moderate alcohol CrossFit 4-days a week, running, hiking, or rucking 2-days. Lots of stretching. Even on days you are tired and sore or don't feel like moving, get up and take a walk!

 

[M-Wig]

I am in my late 30's and have worked out since my late teens. Weights 3-4 days a week and a decent amount of cardio. I can hike around all day with no issue at home (145ft elevation). Going in the mountains this year above 10,000' was rough. Got to the point where we could go 50 yards at a moderate incline before we had to stop to catch our breath. Never got tired, just couldn't breathe. Not sure there is any cure for that other than acclimation.

 

[shadow]

Another vote for MTN Tough. I had already lost 30 pounds going into starting the program. I had been biking, doing some kettlebell workouts, and rucking with a 50-70# pack. I thought I was in respectable shape but wanted to crank it up a notch. I was humbled very quickly. Honestly probably the best all around workout program I've tried, and was in the best shape when I hit the mountains this year. One thing I liked about it was it seemed it had a good balance on the areas you worked and everything built upon the previous week, etc... I did the no gear bundle thing and spent most of the time on the 30-30 program and made it about halfway through before leaving for my hunt. Peaked at about 54 pounds lost and was the most prepared for the mountains I've been.

It's all scalable based on your fitness level. If you got to the elite level on that program and wasn't satisfied you should be in the crossfit games or something.