Where to begin training?

[wtx]

Thanks everyone, I appreciate the input.

 

[TexDoc]

I'm going through MTN Tough pre-season backcountry right now (at week 5) and I started it from being out of shape and not doing much except occasional weight lifting. I recommend it even from a cold start, it will get you moving and if you listen to your body you will do fine, 4 weeks under my belt, and I'm moving better, 12 lbs lighter, and my stamina has already increased quite a bit. The program is not easy but it is effective if you put in the work. Just my 2 cents.

 

[wtx]

I'm going through MTN Tough pre-season backcountry right now (at week 5) and I started it from being out of shape and not doing much except occasional weight lifting. I recommend it even from a cold start, it will get you moving and if you listen to your body you will do fine, 4 weeks under my belt, and I'm moving better, 12 lbs lighter, and my stamina has already increased quite a bit. The program is not easy but it is effective if you put in the work. Just my 2 cents.

Planning to start that in the next two weeks or so. Been doing moderate cardio (hills on a treadmill for several miles) followed by some light weights just to get the body moving again. Feeling better just with that. Looking forward to the MTN Program.

 

[bgogden01]

Don’t over complicate the diet, but don’t underestimate it either. Eat whole foods, like things that grow, walk, swim and can be found in the back country. Reduce eating processed foods and oils. Your body will respond and heal from the training with the right inputs of good food.

 

[TexDoc]

Great advice...once you start eliminating junk from the diet its pretty amazing what the body can do.

 

[MallardSX2]

I know a lot of fat guys who shoot elk every year. Their slow and steady approach is actually pretty well thought out. lol

 

[TexDoc]

I know a lot of fat guys who shoot elk every year. Their slow and steady approach is actually pretty well thought out. lol

No doubt! But can they pack it out from 6 miles deep in the bush?

 

[wtx]

doc just told me to take it easy for two weeks due to Achilles tendonitis. Hate to give up everything I've build in the last 6 weeks but hunt is still 3 months out. Any suggestions on exercise to maintain but go easy on the Achilles? MTN TOUGH will have to wait a few weeks unfortunately.

 

[TexDoc]

(RICE) Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation! You can hang on to some of those gains buddy, just limit the intensity of exercise (maybe walk without a pack) for the recommended period and then ease back into it with stretching (gentle). You don't want this to turn into chronic tendonitis or a rupture.

 

[MallardSX2]

No doubt! But can they pack it out from 6 miles deep in the bush?

I dunno, I dont hunt with fat people.

 

[Idaho4x4Bronco]

doc just told me to take it easy for two weeks due to Achilles tendonitis. Hate to give up everything I've build in the last 6 weeks but hunt is still 3 months out. Any suggestions on exercise to maintain but go easy on the Achilles? MTN TOUGH will have to wait a few weeks unfortunately.

Unless you're someone who can't do anything without very specific directions, I wouldn't be spending my money on MTNTOUGH.

It's not cheap, and with Google and basic concepts of how to workout, it's a waste of money.

Personal opinion, no hate.

 

[*zap*]

6-12 weeks or so is nothing if your talking about actual fitness....maybe if your fairly young you can get by with that.

 

[TexDoc]

I dunno, I dont hunt with fat people

Unless you're someone who can't do anything without very specific directions, I wouldn't be spending my money on MTNTOUGH.

It's not cheap, and with Google and basic concepts of how to workout, it's a waste of money.

Personal opinion, no hate.

I have to disagree man, $150 for lifetime access is cheap for a well-thought-out plan that you only have to access on your computer or phone. I think the time saved not having to research all this and put it together makes it a pretty good buy. I completely agree that you could research and come up with an effective program but I'm not an expert in physiology or strength and conditioning, for me, it was money well spent. Again, just my opinion and I'm a little biased because I'm getting some really good results with it. If you have a program you put together that gets you ready for the mountains and elevation I give you much respect and good luck to you this season.

 

[Newtosavage]

Hello everyone. I'm 6 months out from my first backpack hunt. Training and diet are non existent at this time so curious where you guys would start on the health journey. I'm 6' 200# so don't want to lose a ton of weight but defiantly have some to lose. Already cut way back on the beer and don't eat a lot of sweets, but carbs are my weakness (tortillas, bread, pasta). The carnivore diet seems interesting, reading and listening about it now. Also looking at the MTNTOUGH program. I figure it would be better to start with either diet or exercise first so as not to die. Which would you guys start out with if taking the plunge for the first time?

After my back surgery in '17, I had to look at my prep for elk season as if I'd never started. I had nerve damage (still do) in my right leg, and it was very weak. So my wife and I started walking and then gradually added bleachers at the HS football stadium. At first, all I could do is walk up and down a set or two but after a few months I could jog up and down. Eventually after a year or so I was running 5 full sets (a "set" of our bleachers amounts to 10 trips up and down on both sides of the stadium with 1/4 mi. walk around the outside of the track area in between.

Still today I've found nothing better at getting me ready for the mountains. When you hunt the mountains, you literally climb stair steps every day all day.

When I trained for my first elk hunt I mostly ran (jogged) for the cardio, and that was good but what I learned is my lungs were fine but my legs were spent by the time I got to the top of every ridge.

By running the bleachers, I get both cardio and leg workouts at the same time.

I used to do more upper body strength work, but I backed off that since I found it didn't really do much for me on a hunt. I think a lot of guys do it out of habit or because they want to look fit, but frankly my legs are what get me around those mountains and what pack my gear and meat out. As long as they are strong and I can breathe, I'm good to go.

 

[TexDoc]

After my back surgery in '17, I had to look at my prep for elk season as if I'd never started. I had nerve damage (still do) in my right leg, and it was very weak. So my wife and I started walking and then gradually added bleachers at the HS football stadium. At first, all I could do is walk up and down a set or two but after a few months I could jog up and down. Eventually after a year or so I was running 5 full sets (a "set" of our bleachers amounts to 10 trips up and down on both sides of the stadium with 1/4 mi. walk around the outside of the track area in between.

Still today I've found nothing better at getting me ready for the mountains. When you hunt the mountains, you literally climb stair steps every day all day.

When I trained for my first elk hunt I mostly ran (jogged) for the cardio, and that was good but what I learned is my lungs were fine but my legs were spent by the time I got to the top of every ridge.

By running the bleachers, I get both cardio and leg workouts at the same time.

I used to do more upper body strength work, but I backed off that since I found it didn't really do much for me on a hunt. I think a lot of guys do it out of habit or because they want to look fit, but frankly my legs are what get me around those mountains and what pack my gear and meat out. As long as they are strong and I can breathe, I'm good to go.

Great advice! Train like you hunt. I have found it's very easy to err on either the mostly strength side or the mostly cardio side. One year I trained cardio like a wild man and handled elevation really well, when it came time to pack out heavy loads I was useless. Another year I trained for strength, almost exclusively and while I felt strong as an ox I couldn't move up or down the mountain without gasping for air. Have to find the balance for the places you hunt I guess. I agree with you that bleachers, hills, step up, anything that mimics hiking steep terrain is some of the best training you can do. I also like to throw on a ruck and carry weight every week or two just to simulate actual conditions and it lets me check my gear, boots, loadout, etc.

 

[Newtosavage]

Great advice! Train like you hunt. I have found it's very easy to err on either the mostly strength side or the mostly cardio side. One year I trained cardio like a wild man and handled elevation really well, when it came time to pack out heavy loads I was useless. Another year I trained for strength, almost exclusively and while I felt strong as an ox I couldn't move up or down the mountain without gasping for air. Have to find the balance for the places you hunt I guess. I agree with you that bleachers, hills, step up, anything that mimics hiking steep terrain is some of the best training you can do. I also like to throw on a ruck and carry weight every week or two just to simulate actual conditions and it lets me check my gear, boots, loadout, etc.

The thing I like about the bleachers vs. a stair stepper or step-ups is that I can go as hard as I want/can up those bleachers. It really allows me to push myself, or pace myself depending on how I'm feeling that day.

One more thing - I've decided that running bleachers when the heat index is hovering above 100 degrees is basically no different than hiking up a ridge at 10k feet. Same amount of effort/exhaustion when I reach the top. Once it cools off, the bleachers get much easier. But when it's summer here, holy hell they are a workout.

 

[kroppr77]

I’d really look into a PPL split now that we’re in the off season especially. You need strength and functionality to really be the base of anything. Squatting especially makes your body better at most things. I’d shy away from crossfit, because of the Olympic lifts. They’re not really made for high reps, and take a lot of unnecessary wear on your body. Not to mention most people can’t properly perform a clean or snatch, especially for 10-20 reps while keeping form discipline. I would supplement 1-2 days of cardio a week, upping it as the fall approaches. Look at it similarly as an athlete. You train towards your season every year, and try to improve every year. Before backpack hunting I trained and played football for a lot of years with plenty of high end, well known trainers. Any real movement things cross over as far as training goes, you just need to up your cardio for backpack hunting, especially low intensity. CrossFit is cool and all but you’re not gonna be at 160bpm the whole day when you’re in a backpack hunt. Even family I have in the army rangers do the same, cardio is supplemented and separate. You can go into it scientifically but composition and muscular change is hard without an appropriate rest between sets/lifts.
And as far as diet I go by the adage it’s 10% training, 90% diet to be as good as you want to be.

 

[Seeknelk]

Post in thread 'Single Best Workout to Prepare For Elk Hunting?' https://www.rokslide.com/forums/thr...o-prepare-for-elk-hunting.229595/post-2393719