Pack Weight

[Tradewind]

I walk the stairs 2x day in the building I work in (10 flights). then add a small pack, abt 20 lbs to get my hips stronger. run, bike, lift on alternate days after work. Work in running short hills. I have found that getting my hips strong enough for the day pack and getting my cardio in good shape is the combination that works for me

 

[MinnesotaHunter]

All this talk about rucking.....I think I am going to head out for a run....

 

[TimeOnTarget]

All this talk about rucking.....I think I am going to head out for a run....

A ruck for me in about an hour..........

 

[MinnesotaHunter]

It was a good run. 5 miles, none of it flat, but only at a whopping 1000ft ASL.

 

[ccc23454]

i have found my hips and knees are more useful during season if my preseason has some heavy pack training hikes. load with water and bulk bullets gets heavy fast! the last thing you want to do is make your first time carrying a 100+ pound pack be on a mountain just before a nasty storm blows in and your trying to hurry! you also learn whats the hardest part to me: putting on and taking off a pack that heavy without blowing out your back. as a flatlander the extra prep makes a huge difference for me but there is no right way just mix up what your doing and then do some more of it even harder and faster next time.

C

 

[putm2sleep]

You have to run! Agree - mental toughness. Do it and do it right.
- will sometimes use the ol 50 lb bag of dog food - throw it in the MR and walk around up and down
Stairs and the house all night.
Must strength train too .
Get your heart rate up!

 

[WapitiBob]

I don't pack 100# even on the Internet.

 

[the nikster]

I am 6 feet 4 inches tall early in the morning. I weigh about 270 all day long. It ain't the pretty 270 either. I have a fairly active lifestyle. I work construction, golf when I can and hike when we go camping. Outside of hunting season I wear my pack less than 20 days per year and every time I put it on I reduce the weight as much as I can, every time. Except when I had the flu, I have been able to get everywhere I ever wanted. I have packed or drug out every animal I ever killed. (some REALLY sucked!) My point is, Don't get too wrapped up in conditioning the body. It will go where you tell it to go. Do you watch wrestling, boxing or MMA? Most injuries happen in training. All that said, if you drag your fat ass up on the divide you could be asking for trouble.

 

[Apparition]

I exercise 3-4 times a week all with a pack on, right now my pack weighs 70lbs, next week it will be 80. Do 2 miles up and down the hills here in PA. My biggest issue is coming down, I can go up all day (slowly) but man that weight pushing on my quads coming down steep hills gets me. I have 55 days till we leave, hopefully Ill put all that work into good use this year :-D

 

[orion23]

Training? whats this non-sense!

 

[mike123red]

45 lbs for 3 miles

 

[sbhooper]

I have one pack that is designated as a training pack. It has a 40-pound sack of sand in it. I generally just do a lot of walking with it and everything goes well in the field.

 

[Epfd217]

I still disagree with the argument for running. While you are correct that running is the most efficient method to of training cardio vascular health, it does very little to build strength. Once again, most people are willing to run 5 flat miles before they will run the same hill 10 times.

Cardio is great, but its far from the magic exercise. I know lots of runners will be wiped out after 20 body weight squats.

The best plan is a great nutrition plan, not a diet, and a well rounded exercise plan.

As far as the main question, I use the bags of dog food and some dumbbells for added weight.

 

[Rooster52]

I used to pack about 35 pounds of sand bags in my pack for my walk in the morning but anymore I just walk with no pack.

 

[Gellar]

I have work out ADD. I cannot do the same thing very long and change up part of my workout at least once a week. I believe I get better results doing it this way. I lift weights two or three days a week with lifts hitting all major muscle groups at least once. I do 15 reps for 3 sets on upper r body and 15 reps for 6 sets on lower body. I agree that intensity is important so I do two lifts at a time. For example I do 15 curls and 15 triceps extensions without rest. I have come to love/hate stepp ups. I use a 12 inch box and a 24" box and hold dumbbells in each hand. I do 15 reps with each leg on the short box and repeat without rest on the big box. On other days I walk/run 2-4 miles on trails at our state forest nearby.

One thing that I have not seen mentioned is how important diet is. I feel 100x better and get a much better workout when I eat good real unprocessed food compared to when I eat a box meal.

 

[HighDesertSage]

I have honed my exercise routine over the last few years to best reflect what best fits my outdoor needs. I have a huge advantage though because I live at the base of the mountains. I quit running because it hurt my knees and I don't feel it really helped me in the mountains. I have a hill behind my house that I can climb 2200' in 2 miles. That gives me more of a cardio workout that running ever could. I hike for 5 miles with a 30 lb pack 2 times a week, hike for 3 miles without a pack once a week (going for speed), lift weights once a week for my upper body, and every day I walk 30 min on my lunch, and 30 min in the evening with the dogs on the days I am not hiking.

One thing to note, diet is king when it comes to fitness. Diet will get the extra lbs off, not hiking with weight. If you show up out here for a hunt and have an extra 20lbs around your mid section, your recovery time will be greater, and your exhaustion will set in sooner. In all honesty, I have a buddy that comes out every year to hunt from sea level and all he does is diet his way to a healthy weight and does house chores. He does everything I can do without any problems.

 

[Canoe Country]

I keep it simple, 50 lb bag of rocksalt on my 4lb frame, on the steepest incline on my treadmill and try to go 3 miles and hour for 3 miles (1 hour). Its a great workout and pushes you hard.

I also run 4 miles and try to push my self hard for the last half mile.

I don't stick to one or the other but try to do one or the other 4 times a week, depending what I feel like.

 

[huntin24/7]

I used to run quite a bit preparing for hunts. While it's always important to have good cardio, I've worked way more on having strong legs and back than running. This is partly because running makes an old ankle injury hurt. Anyways, I've found that for me having strong legs and decent cardio is better than the opposite. A couple friends I've hunted with do well on the flat ground, but they really struggle with any elevation. This is after lots of tredmill and in town running. I'm sure running in the hills or in elevation would make a difference.