Getting into shape

[Bigbuckkiller]

What are some ways to get into shape for elk season? I need things that i can do with school and everything. I am willing to work hard i just dont know what to do. I want to be ready for elk season unlike last year. I was dieing. Please any info/suggestions are helpful. Thank you.

 

[Oak]

Go hike Mt Garfield 2-3 times a week. Try to improve your time to the top each time. Start adding a backpack mid-summer, and increase the weight as you approach hunting season. Don't overdo it and burn yourself out right away.

 

[noharleyyet]

....read more.

http://onyourownadventures.com/hunttalk/showthread.php?t=250197

 

[Wyodeerhunter]

I like to switch to a light beer around august

 

[Dinkshooter]

I like to switch to a light beer around august

Never figured you left the White Zinfandel.

 

[noharleyyet]

Never figured you left the White Zinfandel.

...this from catman.

 

[Bambistew]

I like to hike as often as I can, including as much vertical as I can do. I'll go up until I burn out, the hike back sucks, but builds stamina. I'll do 2-4+hr hikes 2-3 times a week. I usually start out with about 25lbs and work my way up to about 70-75lbs or so over the course of a couple months. I use a big water can, that looks like the old-school gas cans, it slips right in my Crewcab. I pack it to the top and then empty most of it for the trip down to save my knees.

 

[Bigbuckkiller]

Thanks everyone that helped.

 

[2rocky]

Wow you got in shape overnight? ;-D

 

[Deleted member 16014]

What are some ways to get into shape for elk season? I need things that i can do with school and everything. I am willing to work hard i just dont know what to do. I want to be ready for elk season unlike last year. I was dieing. Please any info/suggestions are helpful. Thank you.

I would add some back squats to whatever cardio-centric stuff you decide to do.

 

[BirdDogWebb]

Bigbuckkiller, I’m guessing you are much younger than myself, so that makes it a little easier for you to get in shape and stay in shape.

As mentioned, get you a pack and add some weight to it, go hiking preferably up and down hills. For starting out, add the weight to the pack to where you can comfortably carry it and then add 5 to 10 pound over that.

Set your goal for the distance you think you can walk and go
just beyond that distance. Always go just beyond what
you “think” you can do. If you have a gps, use it to measure your distance. If not, use your watch and time your “moving time”. Each session, go
the same distance and weight or just a little further and a
little more weight. Use your own judgment before increasing.
Never go shorter or less.

If you have a slight uphill grade walk backwards up it. Probably without weight or with very little.


Find you a short log or pole, tie a rope and drag it, walking forward and backward.

Find you a short pipe or pole, a pound or two heavier than your rifle, carry it as if you would your rifle. While doing any of the above.

Jump rope and running are great for cardio, (heart muscles and lung muscles).

Keep a log book of what you are doing -time, distance, weight. So you will know that you are increasing and not doing less.

A quick note, when you feel the burn in your muscles and you want to quit for a short rest, go just a little further before you stop. When you feel that burn, your muscles are being torn. Just think of muscles as being a fort. When the enemy attacks the fort you will rebuild it to be a little stronger to with stand the next attack of the same force.
Your muscles are the fort, the burning, is the fort being torn down. If you stop as soon as you feel the burn, your not going to rebuild for the next attack. The soreness you feel the day after are the cells rebuilding the muscles to be a little stronger (larger) for the next attack. That’s why you gradually increase the distance and weight. If you are hiking with weight or running and not getting sore the day after, your muscles (fort) have been rebuilt to with stand the attacks.
If you reach your goal, distance and weight, without getting sore, you have made a huge accomplishment.

In my opinion, your diet will be 70 to 80% of your results to be in shape.
Stay away from candy, soda, sweets. Eat food that is natural, vegetables, fruit, berries, meat(if it swims, flies or runs) dairy, nuts (almonds) and anything that is whole grain.
Read the nutrition value on the food you eat. It is listed on most everything in “per serving”, protein, carbohydrates and calories are the basics.

Protein is muscle. I try to take in my body weight in grams for protein. Say if a person weighs 200 lbs, take in 200g of protein.

Carbohydrate is energy. Eat high carb natural foods for energy, fruits, pasta(macaroni and cheese) anything whole grain, oatmeal, ect…
You can do a search on “high energy foods”.

If you need a quick energy boost to get you over that hill, try eating a little honey, lifesaver or hard candy.

There are calculators(on the net) to use to determine how many calories you need per day, based on your age, activity, ect. If you are burning more calories than what you are taking in you will run out of energy and your body will start robbing important protein from your muscles. Resulting in less muscle which will result in less distance travel and weight you can carry. It’s like filling the gas tank up half way and driving a thousand miles. It is not going to work.

Stay hydrated, drink plenty of water. Don’t wait until you are thirsty, that’s usually a sign of dehydration.

Good luck,
Take care of that throwing arm!

 

[bow hunter]

P90X is what im doing. my friend did it and said he puked the first day. it is intense!

 

[ElkNut1]

Bird Dog, great post! Most guys don't push themselves to that extent & that's why ones will suffer in the elkwoods over a 5-10 day hunt! I can see guys who are in decent shape already & are under 45, but once you get to that age & over, training is absolutely necessary to to keep up the pace required for diligent elk hunting! Guys will get out of their workouts what they put into them, simple as that! Start slow if really out of shape & slowly build up, always have achievable goals to avoid frustration & then put another one in front to achieve! One step at a time!

ElkNut1

 

[houndy65]

I agree with everything elknut1 had to say. I'm also doing the P90X and I'm in, I think day 27 and I've lost 17 or 18 pounds so far. I have not felt this good in a long time. We're planning a 10 day bowhunt this year and I need to go hard each day of that hunt. I'm 46 and I have always been in good shape, but not right kind of good shape. So at our age if we want to ride a bike or hike in 5 miles, chase elk around another 5 or 6 miles and then ride back out we better be in elk hunting shape.

Terry L. Zink

 

[Bigbuckkiller]

BirdDogWebb thanks for all that information and yes i am quite young, 15 to be exact haha, and i will deffinintly be doing alot of that stuff you were talking about. An for all you other guys talking about P90x i willl definitly be doing that also. I had to do that for weight this year and it helped me a ton. Thanks everyone!!

 

[Bigbuckkiller]

wieghts for my school