What is your workout routine for elk country high/low?

[Metzger]

What is your year round workout routine for diy elk hunting pack in/out? How long have you been doing it? What is your age?

 

[comfisherman]

I workout in the pre season with guys half my age, then hunt with guys double my age. In my mid 30s and hasn't failed me yet

Not a long term strategy unless I meet some 90 year olds quick....


Edit*

In all seriousness general health, add in stairs and some pack weight. Get those Cavs and quads ready for some up and down and them shoulders used to the same amount of Miles carrying a little bit of weight.

 

[Reelamin]

I live rural and normal daily life is activity. I intentionally chop 2-3 heaping wheelbarrow loads of firewood a day and other similar work without powered machines. Work out pretty simple three days a week. I do four sets of rep to failure on sit ups, sit ups with side twist, wide push ups, narrow push ups, curls, triceps, lat press down. Squats with 25# weight held to chin then immediately to 20" step ups with same weight. Finish with treadmill 3.4 miles in hour at 15% incline with 45# on pack frame. The other two days I just run the treadmill 6 miles with 45#. I wont claim I get five days every week usually at least three. Lets just say I'm closer to 60 than 55.

 

[scooterf79]

Could be the best line I've ever heard....

I workout in the pre season with guys half my age, then hunt with guys double my age. In my mid 30s and hasn't failed me yet

Not a long term strategy unless I meet some 90 year olds quick....


Edit*

In all seriousness general health, add in stairs and some pack weight. Get those Cavs and quads ready for some up and down and them shoulders used to the same amount of Miles carrying a little bit of weight.

I usually backpack a couple days a week year round to stay in shape then gradually get heavier with my pack weight a few months before elk season. I'll also do some other workouts too....running, lifting, focusing alot on legs.
I'm 43, went on my first elk hunt in 2018, started prepping for it in 2017 and have been at it ever since. I worked out before that just not as focused on endurance and backpacking.
Scooter

 

[myshootinstinks]

Walking or hiking trails. At 67 I'm particular as to the location of the kill, being aware of what might be involved in getting it out.

 

[Slick8]

Im 52 and have been routinely exercising about four years since losing 50 pounds. I've gained about 15 of that back but am in the best physical condition of my adult life.

Upper body workout with light weight on machines once a week.
Lower body workout with light weight on machines once a week.

Cardio of choice 2-4 days a week and usually combined with weights.

I typically do the treadmill or elliptical for 20-45 minutes and combine with a light HIIT routine and or pushing / pulling a weighted sled. As I get closer to the hunt I add some hiking with a weighted pack.

The sled routine is a very efficient exercise as it's great cardio plus it works out all parts of the leg, ankle to butt front to back and is excellent cardio. I was turned on to this by knees over toes guy on YouTube as great therapy for your knees.

I did an elk hunt last year hiking about 18 miles in 3 days of hunting and 1.5 of scouting. I was overall sore at the end with a little knee pain specifically hauling that elk down hill.

This year I did 35 miles in 5 days of hunting and a day of scouting at 8k gaining 800-1000 feet. I felt great top to bottom including hauling 90 pounds 2.5 miles down hill via a rugged canyon. My cardio could have been better but that's part of being a 52 year old flat lander.

Knee over toes guy.



Here's a good HIIT routine. This is an odd looking guy but a good workout. I don't recommend the jumping lunges as it led to some lower leg/ankle strain. You can sub weighted or unweighted traditional lunges for the jumping lunges. I also add some planks to this routine



.

 

[Teekerguy]

Check out MTNTOUGH fitness lab they have a great program for beginners all the way advanced it will definitely push you but it makes a huge difference come season it's called foundation and once you feel your in good shape they have a heavy pack program called HP20 that's awesome and thy also have one call the 45-70 but fair warning that's a savage program so I would recommend the HP20 first for the pack program

 

[memtb]

What is your year round workout routine for diy elk hunting pack in/out? How long have you been doing it? What is your age?

I certainly don't hunt as physically as I once did…..but, still try to have the ability if needed! I'll be 70 in a few days, and my hunting partner has as "bad wheel"…..so we've slowed down a lot.

I stay pretty busy and and do some physical year round at the home place, but also try to incorporate a little workout routine into my life.

My little routine is strictly done at home with a minimum of specialized equipment: Workout every other day

push-ups…..presently @ 45, goal is 50
pull-ups….. a bit wider than shoulders/overhand. - just started and embarrassingly only @ 4 presently
Dumbbell Preacher Curls….. 20 #, 3 sets in descending reps 15, 12, 10
Crunches….100
Indoor Bike…..Schwinn Airdyne 25 minutes using legs only - presently @ 6.7 miles in 20 minutes, 7.9 miles after 5 minute cool-down. Hoping to improve on this.

Obviously if backpacking is on your agenda……walking with a weighted pack would be a great asset! Weather permitting outdoor would be nice. If inclement weather…..a treadmill with adjustable incline!

I've been working out (inconsistentl) for a bit less than a year….hoping to stay with it, and improve in all aspects! A younger man would obviously work a lot harder than I do! memtb

 

[dave_halsey]

Shed hunting in the area you will be hunting! Gets you use to the exact terrain and gets you uphill and downhill miles on the boots.

 

[Hwy5076]

Totally agree with Dave_halsey

 

[memtb]

Shed hunting in the area you will be hunting! Gets you use to the exact terrain and gets you uphill and downhill miles on the boots.

A bit difficult for those that live a thousand miles from where they will be hunting elk!

For those living in elk country…..very good suggestion! memtb

 

[wats338]

My first big secret is being poor enough to have to DIY about everything. Manual Labor is more than the president of Mexico, which means every home and vehicle repair is discounted with sweat equity. I lift weights 3-4x a week and when the snow clears I'll try jogging a couple times a week for around 1-3miles a time. Rarely do I jog more then a 10k as that seems to be enough and beyond that starts adding up a considerable amount of time. I've been doing variations of that most of my life. Maybe in the past 4yrs I've started throwing 1 then later 2 bags of salt (40lbs ea) on a frame ruck and hiking a nearby trail that is something like 450ft over 1/2 mile climb. Sometimes venturing a bit further, but the 1 mile round trip works out to be about 25min which if in shape is a good prep. Never sit idle for more than 3 days max, 2 for the most part without hitting the gym, taking the dogs for a walk, etc. Also, good practice to develop hobbies that include moving your ***, from shed hunting, arrowhead hunting, rock hounding, or whatever else clicks.

I'll be 41 shortly, and have two younger boys, the youngest being only 6, so I figure I need to stay active for another 2 decades before I can let them take over. I don't want to be the dad telling my teenage boys "when I was your age" stories.

Also look into intermittent fasting (IF). It has been an enormous crutch for me during some of the downtimes or injuries where I don't slide near as fast into out of shape.

 

[aubthoma]

Just look up Liver King and follow his advice OR hit the hills as often as you can.

 

[comfisherman]

Just look up Liver King and follow his advice OR hit the hills as often as you can.

So dose levels of gear Mr Olympian contenders find excessive.

Doing a few hrs a week on a stair master or a local high school bleachers is probably better than whatever the liver king is.