A lot of self loathing and deprivation.
Staying in shape
I am sure there have been other threads on this in the past, but the forum has been a little slow lately. My question is, what do you guys do to stay in shape for the hunts during the offseason? I have been hitting the gym pretty hard this year in the mornings before work and going on walks in the evenings with my wife and daughter. I am hoping to go on a lot of hikes in the coming months. What do you guys do?
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I usually think about getting in shape for the hunts and go on a few hikes early, forget all about it, and go on my first hike out hunting. I then wonder why I didn't get into shape knowing this was coming and wallow in self pity that I didn't the rest of the year. Usually by the time rifle deer season comes around, I'm in the shape I should've been in August.
I'm running a Ragnar this Fri-Sat.
Last year I was pretty confident I draw a LE bull elk tag, and I didn't want my fitness in the mountains to become an issue. So starting in March I loaded up a pack with 50 lbs of weight, and starting rucking it 4-5 days a week, anywhere from 2 to 6 miles each time. Luckily my wife joined me for all of them (minus the pack) so it made it easier for me to stay active. I live in the foothills of Farmington and from my door I can walk right to some good hiking trails. In the peak of the summer I'd either go early, or just go to my local rec center to get my miles in. It was flat, but it was still time in with a pack on my back. So I did that from March right up until the day before I left on my hunt in mid-September. During that 6 months I figure I did at least a couple hundred miles with the pack on. It paid off on my hunt, as I did over 50 miles during that week of hard hunting, and my legs were okay the whole time. It really helped for my style of duck hunting as well and how I often take a boat ride, and then hoof it in to a hunting spot
I am 44 this year, and have just stuck with the habit since my hunt. It's been nice getting out regularly. I'm not a gym guy, and never have been. But I always enjoy time on a trail. My legs and back still get a bit sore sometimes, but where I've really noticed the difference is in my recovery, and my ability to bounce back and do it again the next day, versus prior to the training and just being sore for days after. Haha. So I just keep on strapping the pack on my back like a lunatic and hitting the trail or pavement 3-5 days a week. I get lots of weird looks, and questions about the pack, and I just tell people "I have a trip coming up..." Except for one time I passed a guy, and he said "What tag did you draw?" Haha
I am 44 this year, and have just stuck with the habit since my hunt. It's been nice getting out regularly. I'm not a gym guy, and never have been. But I always enjoy time on a trail. My legs and back still get a bit sore sometimes, but where I've really noticed the difference is in my recovery, and my ability to bounce back and do it again the next day, versus prior to the training and just being sore for days after. Haha. So I just keep on strapping the pack on my back like a lunatic and hitting the trail or pavement 3-5 days a week. I get lots of weird looks, and questions about the pack, and I just tell people "I have a trip coming up..." Except for one time I passed a guy, and he said "What tag did you draw?" Haha
I have access to a gym where I work. I try to work out 3 times a week.
I lift weights and ride a stationary bike in the winter--then transition to running and "at home" exercises in the spring (push ups, crunches, planks, hand weights). When it gets too dang hot in July, I'll transition back inside to weights and the bike. I actually started a fantastic bike routine last year that I found online--very short, great results. I highly recommend it.
I set the bike at a mid-level resistance--ride casually for 2 minutes, with a 20 second burst where I pedal as fast as I can. Do another 2 minutes easy, followed by a 20 second burst. Do a final 2 minute casual ride with a final 20 second burst, and then a minute or two of cool down on a really light resistance. It is an awesome way to improve cardio and leg strength, which are both really advantageous when hiking around. And it's only 60 seconds of hard work out! It's really awesome!
I lift weights and ride a stationary bike in the winter--then transition to running and "at home" exercises in the spring (push ups, crunches, planks, hand weights). When it gets too dang hot in July, I'll transition back inside to weights and the bike. I actually started a fantastic bike routine last year that I found online--very short, great results. I highly recommend it.
I set the bike at a mid-level resistance--ride casually for 2 minutes, with a 20 second burst where I pedal as fast as I can. Do another 2 minutes easy, followed by a 20 second burst. Do a final 2 minute casual ride with a final 20 second burst, and then a minute or two of cool down on a really light resistance. It is an awesome way to improve cardio and leg strength, which are both really advantageous when hiking around. And it's only 60 seconds of hard work out! It's really awesome!
Mostly just eating little debbie snacks and watching youtube hunts. I then head to the gym for a couple selfies, film a set of bench press for the gram then head out. #hashtagFillingTagsInMay
No seriously, my 10 year old boy finally got me to start exercising again. It's not super serious, but I found a free body weight workout online that him and I have been using. Turns out when you are fatter than you should be, a body weight workout can really kick your @s$.
No seriously, my 10 year old boy finally got me to start exercising again. It's not super serious, but I found a free body weight workout online that him and I have been using. Turns out when you are fatter than you should be, a body weight workout can really kick your @s$.
I’ve been doing this for a couple weeks now. 40 lbs in my pack so close to 50 overall with pack weight and miscellaneous hunting gear I never take out. Mostly just walking the dog with my wife 1 to 2.5 miles a day. I did recently take the pack to the gym with me and wore it on the stair climber for 30 minutes. That earned me some weird looks. The first couple days really sucked but now I’m pretty broke in on it.Last year I was pretty confident I draw a LE bull elk tag, and I didn't want my fitness in the mountains to become an issue. So starting in March I loaded up a pack with 50 lbs of weight, and starting rucking it 4-5 days a week, anywhere from 2 to 6 miles each time. Luckily my wife joined me for all of them (minus the pack) so it made it easier for me to stay active. I live in the foothills of Farmington and from my door I can walk right to some good hiking trails. In the peak of the summer I'd either go early, or just go to my local rec center to get my miles in. It was flat, but it was still time in with a pack on my back. So I did that from March right up until the day before I left on my hunt in mid-September. During that 6 months I figure I did at least a couple hundred miles with the pack on. It paid off on my hunt, as I did over 50 miles during that week of hard hunting, and my legs were okay the whole time. It really helped for my style of duck hunting as well and how I often take a boat ride, and then hoof it in to a hunting spot
I am 44 this year, and have just stuck with the habit since my hunt. It's been nice getting out regularly. I'm not a gym guy, and never have been. But I always enjoy time on a trail. My legs and back still get a bit sore sometimes, but where I've really noticed the difference is in my recovery, and my ability to bounce back and do it again the next day, versus prior to the training and just being sore for days after. Haha. So I just keep on strapping the pack on my back like a lunatic and hitting the trail or pavement 3-5 days a week. I get lots of weird looks, and questions about the pack, and I just tell people "I have a trip coming up..." Except for one time I passed a guy, and he said "What tag did you draw?" Haha
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I will usually swim for one hour and use a stationary bike for another hour six days a week. Sunday is my rest day. Monday's are the worst day, for some reason, to get back into the swing of things. I'm more mindful of what I consume - it freaking sucks. I wish healthy food tasted more like chocolate. . .
Hey... Round is a shape 
-DallanC
-DallanC
I go to the gym each day. But been slacking on cardio.
Working on the Murph Challenge right now.
Working on the Murph Challenge right now.
Honestly, just find something that’s physical you enjoy doing. Go golfing but don’t use a cart, play basketball or tennis, consistency is key.
for me, I enjoy lifting, so I do that 4 days a week, plus jiu jitsu 3-5 days a week.
for lifting, I do 40-60 minutes strength training,
10-15 cardio then finish with 20 minutes in the sauna.
for BJJ, I train drills for an hour then do open mat for another hour.
for me, I enjoy lifting, so I do that 4 days a week, plus jiu jitsu 3-5 days a week.
for lifting, I do 40-60 minutes strength training,
10-15 cardio then finish with 20 minutes in the sauna.
for BJJ, I train drills for an hour then do open mat for another hour.
I'm pretty pear shaped, helps with blending in the brush with the extra camo on me I think. Seems the elk n deer love a guy packing a Rockstar and 2 Ramen noodles a can of chili and a little stove for lunch...
There I was opening morning, at least 200 yards from camp stopped to eat my rashons and enjoy my Rockstar, ended up having to go #2 so I ran back to the trailer, ended up watching TV all day. Epic
There I was opening morning, at least 200 yards from camp stopped to eat my rashons and enjoy my Rockstar, ended up having to go #2 so I ran back to the trailer, ended up watching TV all day. Epic
I take a weighted backpack on the stairclimber all the time. Just make sure you also do it on the treadmill set to its steepest incline. The stairclimber is great but you’re always stepping up to a flat surface, which doesn’t represent the mountain very well. The incline treadmill is great to incorporate with it, as it works on your calves more and helps elongate itI’ve been doing this for a couple weeks now. 40 lbs in my pack so close to 50 overall with pack weight and miscellaneous hunting gear I never take out. Mostly just walking the dog with my wife 1 to 2.5 miles a day. I did recently take the pack to the gym with me and wore it on the stair climber for 30 minutes. That earned me some weird looks. The first couple days really sucked but now I’m pretty broke in on it.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
We need to get you an instagram page. I would follow!I'm pretty pear shaped, helps with blending in the brush with the extra camo on me I think. Seems the elk n deer love a guy packing a Rockstar and 2 Ramen noodles a can of chili and a little stove for lunch...
There I was opening morning, at least 200 yards from camp stopped to eat my rashons and enjoy my Rockstar, ended up having to go #2 so I ran back to the trailer, ended up watching TV all day. Epic
I haven't taken the pack to the gym yet, but other than that this is what I do as well. I usually do 25-30 min on stair climber and then transition to the treadmill. The gym I typically go to has treadmills that have really steep inclines as well as slight declines. I alternate between the incline and decline for about 20 min. I wear my pack while taking the dog on walks 2-3 times a week. We live on the eastern bench so we have some relative hills and we get in 2-3 miles on our walks.I take a weighted backpack on the stairclimber all the time. Just make sure you also do it on the treadmill set to its steepest incline. The stairclimber is great but you’re always stepping up to a flat surface, which doesn’t represent the mountain very well. The incline treadmill is great to incorporate with it, as it works on your calves more and helps elongate it
Ray winsI take a weighted backpack on the stairclimber all the time. Just make sure you also do it on the treadmill set to its steepest incline. The stairclimber is great but you’re always stepping up to a flat surface, which doesn’t represent the mountain very well. The incline treadmill is great to incorporate with it, as it works on your calves more and helps elongate it
Eff I hate the stair master so much 😂
I workout everyday. My routine basically consists of 12 oz. curls for however long it take to down sixer during the week days. On weekends I usually bump that up to 24pks of tall boys, so 16 oz. curls. I only curl cans and only open them with my trigger finger so that little death machine is in tip top shape for the killing season. If I think my cardio needs a little bump I'll get them out of the fridge myself.
I am a late night gym goer, 10-11pm is my jam. I lift weights and cardio 2 days a week, then I re-hab some problem areas and yoga with cardio the other 2. I try to make it on a hike every Saturday or Sunday especially with the kids.
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