Getting into shape
08-06-2014, 05:53 PM
#1
Fork Horn
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2010
Posts: 386
Getting into shape
I'm on the high side of 50 yo. And doing my 1st elk hunt in CO. I've been riding my bike every night for an hour. Walking as much as possible. Trying to loose weight.
It's going to be tough from sitting behind a computer all day, to Elk hunting. But this is a once in a life time hunt for me, as I come from the east.
So I gotta make it happen !!
It's going to be tough from sitting behind a computer all day, to Elk hunting. But this is a once in a life time hunt for me, as I come from the east.
So I gotta make it happen !!
08-06-2014, 07:08 PM
#2
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Colorado
Posts: 9,557
Got any mountains you can climb? Hiking with progressively heavier back packs is good for what you'll be up against on an elk hunt.
Getting off extra weight helps, but not as much as leg and back strength, and aerobic fitness.
What season are you hunting, and what unit? DIY, or outfitter?
Getting off extra weight helps, but not as much as leg and back strength, and aerobic fitness.
What season are you hunting, and what unit? DIY, or outfitter?
08-07-2014, 05:10 AM
#4
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Oct 2013
Posts: 9,230
Start working on your core strength. Do planks, crunches, sit ups etc... The stronger your core is the stronger your back will be. Work on your shoulders and chest as well. Do as many push ups and pull ups as you can each day because you pack elk out on your back. Elk qtrs. will probably weigh between 60-90 lbs each depending on if it is a cow or a big bull. if you bone it that weight will decrease. Be honest and see just how far you can carry 90 lbs in a packframe right this minute. I've packed elk meat over 7 miles on my back to the trailhead. Think about that for a minute and be honest with yourself before you squeeze the trigger.
As soon as you can get away from the bike, start jogging. If you don't have hills around, use stairs. A football stadium is good for this. Work on both distance jogging (I try to do between 3 and 5 miles a day) and sprints. You may find you need to cover 100 yards really fast to get a shot and be able to shoot immediately. When you can, add weight to a pack or wear ankle and wrist weights. I also like to jog with the daypack I carry and my 7mm slung since that is how I'll be hunting. You should also jog in the boots you intend to wear hunting when you're in the shape to do so since boots will fit differently that sneakers. The time to find out if your boots will cause blisters is now and not on the hunt.
One other thing to consider is ducking, twisting etc... with a pack on. Elk can be found in some thick nasty cover and many times you can't walk upright but are moving around cover. You would be amazed how differently your muscles work depending on how you move.
Lastly, if you smoke, STOP NOW! Eat a good balanced diet and stay away from a lot of crap. Whatever you weigh right now, figure you're probably carrying at least 15-20 lbs more than you should if you like the average American. Trust me, when it comes to humping the hills for elk, every ounce will make a difference.
As soon as you can get away from the bike, start jogging. If you don't have hills around, use stairs. A football stadium is good for this. Work on both distance jogging (I try to do between 3 and 5 miles a day) and sprints. You may find you need to cover 100 yards really fast to get a shot and be able to shoot immediately. When you can, add weight to a pack or wear ankle and wrist weights. I also like to jog with the daypack I carry and my 7mm slung since that is how I'll be hunting. You should also jog in the boots you intend to wear hunting when you're in the shape to do so since boots will fit differently that sneakers. The time to find out if your boots will cause blisters is now and not on the hunt.
One other thing to consider is ducking, twisting etc... with a pack on. Elk can be found in some thick nasty cover and many times you can't walk upright but are moving around cover. You would be amazed how differently your muscles work depending on how you move.
Lastly, if you smoke, STOP NOW! Eat a good balanced diet and stay away from a lot of crap. Whatever you weigh right now, figure you're probably carrying at least 15-20 lbs more than you should if you like the average American. Trust me, when it comes to humping the hills for elk, every ounce will make a difference.
08-07-2014, 11:13 AM
#5
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location:
Posts: 6,357
I am 58 years old and am returning for my fifth elk hunt this October: 1st rifle season in Colorado GMU 75. We hunt at about 10,500' to 11,500'. I live in Texas, north of Dallas, and hence at low altitude.
The advice you have received is good. Do as much as you can . . . but don't do MORE than you can. You can injure yourself by overtraining or pushing yourself too hard. Young people can get away with this; old people less so. If you are training hard, make sure you eat right (plenty of good protein, drink fluids) and that you get enough sleep -- probably more sleep than you usually get when you aren't losing weight and training hard. Take some rest days every so often. I usually work out 6, 7, or 8 days in a row and then take 2 days off from training.
You need some strength for the elk hunting, but it really isn't maximum strength (e.g., maximum deadlift weight, maximum press weight, etc.) that matters but rather endurance. You didn't say how you were hunting (DIY, outfitted with horses to carry you close to your hunting spot, or what). If you hunt like me, you will have to walk a lot, while carrying your rifle, while wearing heavy hiking boots, while carrying a day pack. You'll get up early (say 4:30 AM) and not go to sleep until after dark (say 9 PM). While no particular effort you do may be as intense as an exercise you do at home, you will keep doing all the work for a long time each day and for 5 or more days. The first rifle season may be five days, but you are working before the season to set-up camp and after season taking out your camp and maybe packing out your elk. Also, the altitude tends to wear you out quicker (I'm not talking about getting out of breath . . . just walking and breathing normally takes more out of you at 11,000' than walking at sea level). So endurance.
I don't ever get in good enough cardiovascular condition to not find myself breathing hard and having to stop to catch my breath on some activities, like climbing an endless hill, at altitude. I just accept that and stop to catch my breath. It hasn't thus far interfered with my hunting and bagging elk.
The advice you have received is good. Do as much as you can . . . but don't do MORE than you can. You can injure yourself by overtraining or pushing yourself too hard. Young people can get away with this; old people less so. If you are training hard, make sure you eat right (plenty of good protein, drink fluids) and that you get enough sleep -- probably more sleep than you usually get when you aren't losing weight and training hard. Take some rest days every so often. I usually work out 6, 7, or 8 days in a row and then take 2 days off from training.
You need some strength for the elk hunting, but it really isn't maximum strength (e.g., maximum deadlift weight, maximum press weight, etc.) that matters but rather endurance. You didn't say how you were hunting (DIY, outfitted with horses to carry you close to your hunting spot, or what). If you hunt like me, you will have to walk a lot, while carrying your rifle, while wearing heavy hiking boots, while carrying a day pack. You'll get up early (say 4:30 AM) and not go to sleep until after dark (say 9 PM). While no particular effort you do may be as intense as an exercise you do at home, you will keep doing all the work for a long time each day and for 5 or more days. The first rifle season may be five days, but you are working before the season to set-up camp and after season taking out your camp and maybe packing out your elk. Also, the altitude tends to wear you out quicker (I'm not talking about getting out of breath . . . just walking and breathing normally takes more out of you at 11,000' than walking at sea level). So endurance.
I don't ever get in good enough cardiovascular condition to not find myself breathing hard and having to stop to catch my breath on some activities, like climbing an endless hill, at altitude. I just accept that and stop to catch my breath. It hasn't thus far interfered with my hunting and bagging elk.
Last edited by Alsatian; 08-07-2014 at 11:22 AM.
08-07-2014, 12:43 PM
#6
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: Onslow County, NC
Posts: 1,856
Now this is not my area of expertise but it has got my interest. Swimming may also help on days where you are just sore by taking a little bit off the joints.
Flags or anyone else familiar with diving and elk hunting can chime in. As a freediver I have done apnea training, could apnea training possibly help out in the high altitude scenario in becoming more efficient at using low oxygen levels? Think I found an answer: http://www.matthewdthornton.com/ApneaTraining.html
Flags or anyone else familiar with diving and elk hunting can chime in. As a freediver I have done apnea training, could apnea training possibly help out in the high altitude scenario in becoming more efficient at using low oxygen levels? Think I found an answer: http://www.matthewdthornton.com/ApneaTraining.html
08-08-2014, 05:41 AM
#7
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Oct 2013
Posts: 9,230
Now this is not my area of expertise but it has got my interest. Swimming may also help on days where you are just sore by taking a little bit off the joints.
Flags or anyone else familiar with diving and elk hunting can chime in. As a freediver I have done apnea training, could apnea training possibly help out in the high altitude scenario in becoming more efficient at using low oxygen levels? Think I found an answer: http://www.matthewdthornton.com/ApneaTraining.html
Flags or anyone else familiar with diving and elk hunting can chime in. As a freediver I have done apnea training, could apnea training possibly help out in the high altitude scenario in becoming more efficient at using low oxygen levels? Think I found an answer: http://www.matthewdthornton.com/ApneaTraining.html
But your concept is interesting. Plus your comment about swimming is spot on. Swimming puts much less stress and pressure on the joints and is one of the best cardio exercises there is. But elk don't live underwater so at some point you have to get out of the drink and get ready to hit the hills.
Last edited by flags; 08-08-2014 at 05:44 AM.
08-08-2014, 06:02 AM
#8
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Colorado
Posts: 9,557
I don't ever get in good enough cardiovascular condition to not find myself breathing hard and having to stop to catch my breath on some activities, like climbing an endless hill, at altitude. I just accept that and stop to catch my breath. It hasn't thus far interfered with my hunting and bagging elk.
What you can do is have a fast recovery when you're in shape. It only takes a quick stop of 10 seconds as you're climbing to catch your breath, and then you can go on. You can also do this for much longer when you're in shape. In any case. You'll be breathing hard. Especially, if you have a load of elk meat on your back.
08-08-2014, 10:09 AM
#9
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location:
Posts: 6,357
You won't ever get in good enough shape to not breath hard climbing mountains. I'm 71 now, and started to hunt elk in Colorado as a teenager. I've worked out hard all my life. I've huffed and puffed climbing mountains the whole time i've hunted elk.
What you can do is have a fast recovery when you're in shape. It only takes a quick stop of 10 seconds as you're climbing to catch your breath, and then you can go on. You can also do this for much longer when you're in shape. In any case. You'll be breathing hard. Especially, if you have a load of elk meat on your back.
What you can do is have a fast recovery when you're in shape. It only takes a quick stop of 10 seconds as you're climbing to catch your breath, and then you can go on. You can also do this for much longer when you're in shape. In any case. You'll be breathing hard. Especially, if you have a load of elk meat on your back.
