Whats your workout routine?

[rwlittle]

I will be enjoying my first ever elk hunt this Sept in Colorado and I have been reading on this forum that it is wise to get in the best shape possible. Just curious as to what your workout routine(s) are for getting yourself in the Elk-shape. Typically I work out about 2 - 3 times aweek with weights, run, and play about 2 hours of intense basketball every Friday night. I think i need to lay off of the 12 oz curls though.

 

[mslagle1]

Great question, I am in the same situation.

What unit did you draw for? when are you going? We got unit 33 and are going the first week in September.

Mark

 

[rwlittle]

Mark,

I will be going on the last week of Sept. We will be in unit 6 near the Rawah Wilderness. There are about 25 - 30 of us hunting out of cabins and yurts and a few of us may bivy out after adjusting to the altitude. With the price of gas being about $10 per tablespoon, I think I am going to fly there, rent a truck and meet up at the cabin. My first plan was to drive it, but that would be a looooong and expensive drive.

 

[bpnclark]

First I start off with a few 12 oz curls. Then I finish it off with a little Playstation. Then if I’m not too tired I get on the Dell.

 

[Dubya D]

I do an hour of cardio everyday during the work week and some upper body work after cardio.
I ride my bike on the weekends about 5-10 miles per day and try to shoot my bow every other day.

 

[Arrowslinger]

I'm biking 6 days a week with two of those days being races....lots of saddle time

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[rwlittle]

AS,

That will definately get you in shape!! I use to be a mt.bike addict years back, lived up in Mammouth Lakes for a summer and rode every day. Loved it. With the wife and kids, I typically have to limit my workouts to quick trips to the gym or jogging when the kids are asleep.


Dubya D,

sounds like a plan. I need to definately step up my cardio. Are you hitting weights with heavy-low rep sets, medium weight-medium reps, or low weight-high reps?

 

[Bulleye]

I am not elk hunting this year that I know of as least. But I run approximately 40 miles a month and hike. I would like to be doing 40 miles a week so I will be pushing harder soon. The summer weather doesn't help either.

 

[Family Tradition]

I do some stuff

Been in better shape in the past but I'm good to go, I think.

FT

 

[7mm RM]

My workout at lunch is 30 minutes on the stair machine, then 45 minutes of weight training, 2 nights of boxing/martial arts cardio class followed by 20 minutes of lap swimming. Try to lap swim on the weekends but sometimes do not have the time. I have full gym at work which is about 50 feet down the hall from my work area so I have no excuses and it is free. At night and the weekends we go the YMCA. But all this training is not going to help the elevation issue. I am pushing hard now that I am down to 18 weeks to go!!!

 

[Widux]

I don't have much of a routine --Get up at 5am-- feed horses and work dogs-then like today i ride horses for a couple of hours and chacked fences-then maybe walk to upper pasture to chack on cows-clear some brush or work dogs on blinds-alternately early am walk to get paper-one mile rond trip- then do waht ever is on Honey do list or go to river and fish-- tomorrow is skeet day and thurs is trap day--so will wal ka bit more in am-- i don't have much problem hunting- been doing it for 35 yrs in Ak and west US--OH yea I'll be 69 in Nov. Stamina and good hunting sense more inportant than being able run up every Mtn.

 

[wmidbrook]

Like Widux, I'm not in triathletic condition but I stay pretty physically active. Kudos to those who are...I try to do a lot of hiking. I hiked about 5 miles last weekend with about 2000 feet elevation gain--sometimes with a 40 lbs load (typically my 3 yo in pack uphill).

I'll work up to hiking Timpanogos before elk season starts which is about 7000 elevation gain and 6 or 7 miles each way. I'll be doing Mt. Olympus on the 4th of July again which is a 4,000 ft elevation gain and around 7 mile round trip. I've got some weekend bonneville cutthroat fishing holes which are almost a 3 hour hike in--almost 3000 foot elevation gain--I do that at least half a dozen times ea. summer.

 

[Dubya D]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (rwlittle @ Jun 16 2008, 03:38 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

Dubya D,

sounds like a plan. I need to definately step up my cardio. Are you hitting weights with heavy-low rep sets, medium weight-medium reps, or low weight-high reps?[/b]

Mainly low weight-high rep to build stamina...in a couple of weeks step up to medium weight-medium rep to build strength.

 

[suavegato]

If you will be packing in or packing meat out, I'd recommend about 2 weeks prior to your hunt, you load up your pack with water jugs (or something heavy), as heavy as you can, and hike with it on... I also wear my hunting boots when I do this to make sure they are broken in and or find the hot spots and work them out etc. If you go straight into the woods with a pack and haven't worn one for a while, your shoulders will hate you for it! Wearing it a few weeks ahead of time will get your traps in shape for the strap load.

Also, other than the basic cardio & stamina which will keep you hunting longer & harder, try to do exercises that will mimic what you'll be doing... hiking! If you have access to hills, just hike. That's the best way to prepare for, ahem... hiking! :-D And you can get your cardio in at the same time!

Then, anything else that will prepare your smaller muscle groups, "stabilizer muscles" and ligaments in your knees, ankles & core. Like the basket ball that you mentioned you play will do that well too. Running, biking, hiking, treadmill, Stairmaster etc. are all "straight ahead" exercises. You will benefit from doing something with random lateral movement, like B-ball, racket ball, etc. Anything that requires lateral movements, cuts, balance etc. That will really help with stability and help prevent twisting ankles & knees etc. Some good core work will also go along way, esp. if you will be hauling a pack...

And don’t forget to stretch, a little before your workout but more importantly, after your workout! I do a “cool down” stretch session and then when I can, I will stretch again ½ hour – 45 mins. later after I have completely cooled down. Flexibility is SO important for injury prevention, stamina & dexterity!

Last note I would add, ramp up now, start slowly and then pour it on hard core up until about 1 week before, then STOP! Don't do your workout 1 week before, just do A LOT of stretching, and minor “warm up” type workouts… when you workout, what you are doing biologically is creating micro fiber tears in your muscles by exerting them. When the muscle heals from that, it repairs itself stronger, to prevent the tears next time. Then, you work out harder the time, so it happens again, etc. That cycle is what builds up the muscles… That is also why it is recommended that you only work specific muscle groups, then others with 2 – 3 day intervals. That gives the groups time to heal & recover before hitting them hard again. If you lay off of the workout a week before your trip, all of your muscle groups will a week to recover, repair and be as strong as possible, before you go beat them up for days on end. Don’t go into your trip with them already torn up!

I know when I run on a regular basis, every other day or 3 times a week, then I lay off for a week on vacation or something, when I come back, I FLY on my run! Faster & farther than my normal run, cuz my muscles are fully recovered and healthy! The difference is night & day.

Anyway, those are MY thoughts on it,
Good luck.

 

[rwlittle]

Suavegato,

excellent advice. I will definatey follow your examples.

Thanks