How do you get in shape.
 

Ok let this flat lander now how you get in shape to takle those mountains.

When you come from altitude of around 550ft to 9000 to 12000ft it takes a lot of extra effort.

Another thing you guys from the westren states do you guys have to exsercise much to keep your wind?

RE: How do you get in shape.
 

IMO, you can't get into "too good of shape", especially your lungs
I'd guess that altitude sickness is something you should be prepared for. Plan on drinking more water than usual and possibly check into medication for altitude sickness. I've seen guys lay aroudn camp for days in misery, due to altitude sickness alone.
Not as much as you flatlanders, but don't kid yourself, going from 6500 upto 10500 is not easy either. We need to prepare too, just not as much!:)

RE: How do you get in shape.
 

Do a lot of running. Especially endurance running. Run with a 40lb pack too.

RE: How do you get in shape.
 

Stair Climber with your hunting backpack. Increase loads upto about 65 lbs. Also, do lots and lots of hiking with your pack. Nothing in the gym can condition you for climbing hills like climbing hills does.


Finally, even for those of us who were born and raised at 7000 ft - there ain't no air at 11,000 - 12,000 ft.(why would you be that high anyway?) ; Nothing is going to help much at that altitude.

RE: How do you get in shape.
 

I spend a lot of time in the summer hiking to the high mountain lakes for fishing. I carry a 12 pound pack plus half a gallon of water, and the fishing stuff. the elevations are from 9200 feet up to just over 10,000. This keeps me in shape just fine for when deer season comes around and I am at 5-8000 feet.

RE: How do you get in shape.
 

I do a lot of walking and also ride the mountain bike. I plan on doing some hiking with my daypack also.

RE: How do you get in shape.
 

I haven't had problems getting in shape to hunt my mountain property that is at 9800ft. I also live a 5500. Not that large of a difference but I routinely hike mountains that take me upwards on 13000ft. I haven't had a problem. Maybe it is because I am just a 15 year old kid with a fast metabolism?

RE: How do you get in shape.
 

I wouldn't run with a pack. More like climb a long flight of stairs while wearing a pack as part of your workout. Running with a pack will eventually give you back and/or knee problems.

I do this for a workout. I climb a very steep, long flight of stairs as fast as I can while wearing ~30-40 lb. pack. Then I run 3.5 miles in hilly country.

I drink at least 4 quarts of water a day and take vitamin supplements and eat a pretty high protien diet. It makes a big difference in the way I perform. If I know I'm going to be in the backcountry for more than a couple days I eat and bring alot of fatty foods and some carbs.

RE: How do you get in shape.
 

I've hunted Colorado a few years for elk and the first year I suffered from a constant nagging headache from taking on too much exertion too fast. So now I do the following:

-Currently into walking farm roads that have hills and walk the first 1.5 miles at a fast pace to loosen my legs and then the 2nd 1.5 miles I run 3/4 sprints of telephone poles. Run one...walk one. I haven't run in a long time so I'm working up to it. Don't do too much at the beginning as you'll only end up hurting yourself and will be unable to continue.
-Tonite I start my summer hockey league (Once a week) and it's a great workout.
-Get on the stairmaster as it is a great simulation of climbing.
-Ride bike if you have one in order to not get bored with the same workout or put the rollerblades on. Varying exercise might help you stay with it.
-Treadmill, if it has an incline, start out with a slight incline and work up from there. Put on a pack and walk with the incline which I've found to be a really good workout and is the closest thing you can find to walking uphill with a pack on.
-Drink as much water as you can handle in the months before and continue drinking as much on the trip as you can. I also take an aspirin or two daily as I've been told it thins the blood out. Not sure if it helps but I haven't had any headaches since putting a little effort into it.

RE: How do you get in shape.
 

I hike into mountain lakes in the summer. I carry a day pack with food, water & raingear. I never felt the need to add the extra weight. I just try to keep the fork out of my mouth so I don't gain any extra weight.:D I walk around our small town to pay bills & pickup mail.

RE: How do you get in shape.
 

ironranger


The aspirin trick does work been doing it for the last two years makes a diffrence.

Thanks for all the input guys.

RE: How do you get in shape.
 

I am at the 4,000ft elev. and nothing here is flat and it would pay off if I had one leg longer than the other. When I walk on flat land I usually fall over till I get acclimated.:D Best thing to tell ya about how to get in shape is don't let yourself get like that in the first place. ;) Bobby

RE: How do you get in shape.
 

I live at sea level and hunt elk in SW Colorado above 10,000 feet. Nothing can compensate for the altitude difference except being in the best possible overall shape. It doesn't compensate for the altitude difference but you do benefit from being a bit less knackered at day's end, plus I think it helps adapt a bit quicker.

I used to teach PE in college so have applied some of those principles.
First increasing your overall physical working capacity is critical to be able to hump 7-10 miles a day at the altitudes I hunt at. I do this by a combination of strength and aerobic / anaerobic training.
Strength training conditions the major muscle groups to humping a rucksack and carrying a rifle all day long. I pay particular attention to the legs, butt and low back.

I use a circuit method of switching back and forth between upper and lower body exercises, thus rapidly forcing the blood from one end of the body to the other repeatedly. This is a very strenuous workout and should be eased into. I don't rest between sets to purposely create an oxygen debt (anaerobic training). This is a super workout for increasing heart stroke volume (amount of blood pumped per beat). It also significant strengthens the heart.

My cardio work is done using a number of different venues, running up hills, various cardio machines, etc. I primarily use interval training, i.e. pick an interval to go at a higher level of intensity followed by a rest period of lower intensity work. I work up to 45 minute sessions.

I also hike with a rucksack. I don't run with a ruck because that absolutely beats the dickens out of the lumbar vertebrae. I've had low back surgery and try to avoid high impact stuff.

I divide up my strength workouts so I do have of the muscle groups one day followed by a cardio workout then complete the cycle the next day finishing off the remaining muscle groups.

I shoot for doing four cardio sessions per seven days and two to three strength workouts in the same period. The last strength workout I don't work the legs, resting them.

I've settled into this regimen after trying several different programs.

Forcing fluids during the hunt especially at high altitudes is important. I’ve had a touch of altitude sickness a couple times, and both times I was dehydrated.

Don't try to wait until a month before the hunt to get in shape.
Regards.

RE: How do you get in shape.
 

Kinda related to my specialty (physiology). I have also presented several lectures on altitude related illness.

1. Start soon, don't wait. Start now. See a doc before starting any exercise program.

2. I think the first issue is to increase cardiac and respiratory efficiency. This will help eliminate minor symptoms of altitude sickness. It will also increase your level of fun by: helping to give a steadier hold on your weapon and help you get where you wanna go with less effort.

Aerobic training is the best way. Not the only, but the best. Start by determining your target heart rate. Take 220 and subtract your age. For example, lets use that 20 year old nephew. 220-20 = 200. 200 is your theoretical maximum heart rate. Take 85% of that max (.85X200=170) to get your upper limit of 170. Take 65% of that number (200X.65= 130) to get your lower limt of 130. In other words for a 20 year old his/her target heart rate should be between 170 and 130 beats per minute. If you keep your hear rate within that range for about 30-45 minutes, 3-4 sessions per week you will increase your cardiac and respiratory efficiency.

2. Unless you have a strong nephew or two to help lift that bull, you should also consider including some strength training as well. Too much info to post details here. Look for a good gym. Ask the managers if their folks are certified by ACSM (American College of Sports Medicine) and/or NSCA (National Strength and Conditioning Association). If they are not, keep looking until you find a gym who does have such certified instructors. Weight training will increase the efficiency of your heart as much as a similar level of aerobic training. Weight training places a pressure overload on the heart; aerobic training places a volume overload on the heart....both will increase cardiac efficiency. But, aerobics is a much better method for increasing respiratory efficiency. There is some theory which suggests that folks who lift a lot with their legs also increase respiratory efficiency. Probably due the the larger muscle mass involved here.

3. Regarding altitude related illness...you gotta see a doc if you have concerns in this area. Headaches at altitude are usually treated with plenty of water...gotta stay hydrated...and aspirin and getting to camp as early as practical.
Being in better shape aerobically is a plus here as well.

RE: How do you get in shape.
 

For me my excercise starts out with 3 days a week to the gym.I weight lift 45 min. work out with 225 lbs on the bench 3 reps of 15,then on curls around 40 lbs each arm 3 rep of 10,sit-up on a Horizatal at about 45% board 50,40,30,20, for my shoulders and abs I do vertical press behind the head of 180 lbs 3 reps of 10 and then run on the tredmill for 1 hr..I vary my speed from 5 mph to 8 mph and also the elevation usaly start at 3% grade then run it up to arond 8%.The last 10 minutes on the tredmill I sprint off and on,what you have to do is find your threshold and try to increase it every time.When I started out in January I could hardly run for 20 min.Now I can do about a 8-9 min mile.When I'm all done with that I have a cool down of 7 laps around the pool and on to the hot tub.
I may not be in the shape I was when I was 20 but I'm dam close.;)
Thats abou what I do till August rolls around then I'm to busy and don't have time.BBJ

RE: How do you get in shape.
 

I'm dizzy thinking about that

RE: How do you get in shape.
 

Ill pile on and also recommend that you wear a pack. I walk alot, sometimes a couple of miles a day and close to a 15 mile hike one weekend a month, and not on flat ground. But, put a treestand on my back, a days worth of food and water on my waist and a gun with ammo and I can't do 1/2 the distance.

My legs were doing all of the work walking around. When hunting I had to carry a lot of the weight with my shoulders and they weren't used to it. So I did two things:

1) Carry some weight when hiking. I do this by doing about 1/2 of my grocery trips (about a mile round trip) with my day pack. When you bring home a gallon of milk, some cans of stuff, etc. on your shoulders two or three times a week, that helps.
2) Move the weight down low. I carry a belt-pack (butt-pouch) with my cleaning gear, water, food, emergency supplies, etc. When I put the stand on my back I park the lower frame on the belt pack so the load is carried on the hips and the arms just have to keep it from falling over. That makes the hill climbing much better and I don't get all stooped over.

Other than that, there is no solution but sweat!