Wondering what everyone’s favourite gym exercises are for mountain hunting

[persianrug]

Favorite? Scouting.

Most time spent? Stairs and calisthenics.

 

[NealMustard]

spending intentional time in the terrain of the animals that you hunt is the best thing to do. I don’t spend anytime in the gym for hunting sheep and goat.

In the winter I backcountry ski which strengthens my hip and legs significantly and decreases my risk of injury during the summer months.

In the summer I trail run in the mountains.

As far as cardio goes I’ve found that the most important part of it all is mental, and by that I mean the ability to pace yourself through long days. If I’m active for less than 4 days a week my ability to naturally pace myself decreases. My heart rate will be all over the place over the course of a ski tour or run. If I’m active most of the week then I can intuitively hold a heart rate and RPE for hours.

 

[Idaboy]

Stairs

 

[pnwsteelheader]

Scouting with a 25 lb pack, loaded pack training 1-2 times a month with 75 lb sandbag, barbell or dumbell lunges up and down my driveway as part of a general weightlifting routine.

 

[Brendan]

100% Best thing you can do is spend time with a pack in uneven terrain. As much as you can handle. The more easy volume the better getting progressively longer and longer each week as you approach the season but also making sure every 4th week or so you take an easier week to recover. (3 on, 1 easier but not totally off)

I've been mountain biking, training and racing, pretty seriously over the last 3-4 years. Never been in better cardio and endurance shape. Probably never been in worse mountain hunting shape since I started doing it.

I'm trying to get that fixed for this fall but mostly comes down to basic gym workouts (Total Body/Core plus legs with a focus on Squats, Deadlifts, and lower leg / knee rehab type stuff) and as much walking with a pack that I can find time for in addition to time on the bike.

 

[Choupique]

I like powerlifting type stuff. Squats, power cleans, overhead squats, etc.

Mainly, squats. Lots and lots and lots of squats.

 

[dpitt]

I agree with @Brendan. It is hard to simulate the variability in terrain you encounter with a loaded pack in a gym setting. The balance and stability portion is best captured by loading up a pack and hiking in terrain that mimics your hunting terrain in my opinion. That said, if weather is crappy or during the winter I am stuck to a gym I tend to like any squat movements and specifically back squats, front squats, and bulgarian split squats. I also think weighted walking lunges and box steps ups with a pack on work well.

 

[AlexG3]

Sled push and pulls. Walking backward on an incline treadmill helps with building your quads for descending mountains

Sent from my SM-S928U using Tapatalk

 

[Bcoonce117]

I hadn’t hit the gym in close to 10 years and just started back. Leg day leg day and leg day. And cardio are a must. Strong legs protect your joints. Also I’ve been recently addicted to row machine for 30 minutes. It’ll shred your body up.


Before I just would ruck, ruck stairs, cycling 4-6 times a week, and go hiking in mountains as much as possible.

 

[kad11]

Strength: Bulgarian split squats, trap bar deadlifts
Conditioning: higher volume KB snatches, sled drags