speaking of sheep/elk shape

Colorado Bob · 03-06-2011, 01:26 PM

What I have found the hardest part of a backpack hunt---ie sheep/elk is going downhill. This is murder on my knees, quads, and ankles. Anyone have an exercise to help build up the legs to take the jarring? I find going uphill is much easier that the decent. CB

Muley Hunter · 03-06-2011, 01:42 PM

Walking downhill a lot.

salukipv1 · 03-06-2011, 02:49 PM

hiking poles?

take some glucosumine... everyday during a hunt....advil...

certainly resting/recovering prior to a hunt could also help, not working out right up to the date, let your body recover a bit prior to the hunt, perhaps a week or 2 before.

a lighter pack wouldn't hurt...and/or training with a pack with weight, or losing 10lbs or more before a hunt. less weight/force you can have banging on your joints the better.

good luck!

bigbulls · 03-06-2011, 03:13 PM

Most people when ascending a mounting will zig zag to keep from walking straight up the hill and making the climb much easier.

On the other hand when descending the mountain they tend to walk straight down to make the descent quicker. This is what kills peoples joints. Take an easy rout down the hill just as you did going up the hill. If you are packing out meat and are carrying even more weight then normal then you need to zig zag traverse the mountain on even lesser grade than when you ascended the mountain.

Muley Hunter · 03-06-2011, 03:43 PM

My answer might have seemed like a joke, but it's not really.

I used to be a powerlifter and managed a grunt hard core gym. I helped a lot of guys work out.

A powerlifter needs to lift weights, because that's his sport. Tiger Woods did lift weights, but mainly he played a lot of golf and developed the muscles he uses in his sport.

You can work out with weights to build the muscles you use going down hills, but if you want to build the exact muscles you use walking downhill. Nothing is better than working out walking downhill. You need to make it progressive like lifting weights. Start with easy hills. Walk down and back up. Try to do a little more each time. Then move to a steeper hill. Same thing. Down and up. To make the steeper hills progressive. Add a back pack and make it progressively heavier. By hunting season you should be in shape.

If you have access to a leg extension machine. Work out on it 2-3 times a week. It will strengthen your knees.