** What are you concentrating on for the next hunt?**

[25contender]

I have always tried to work out through out the year in anticipation for the next hunting season. When I hit the age of 50 I totally changed my workout routine to work on areas of my body that have given me problems in the past. I still do a lot of cardio, endurance,and core exercises paired with some lifting. I started concentrating on my past damaged parts and it really helped out last hunting season.

Since I am almost always hunting by myself I am always concerned about hurting a old injury. The old injuries I worked and still work on were my ankles (I broke my right ankle years ago while jumping off a trailer) ,I injured my knee on a hunting trip back in the early 2000s but hunted on though it, and then I tore some muscles in my lower back while moving some logs on my property.
For over a year now during my workouts I have really targeted these areas with specific exercises and weight training. By targeting these areas last season I felt fantastic and more confident than when I was younger.

Any areas that you really concentrate on.

 

[Ricochet]

I hunted a unit in Oregon last year that has moderate to rough terrain. It was the late season and all of the elk were pushed into the rough terrain and private ground. I had studied the maps and noticed there was a large roadless area that was rough. The tag was a either sex elk tag. My friend and I dropped into the roadless area and busted elk the first evening. The next morning I shot a spike. My friend had a chance later on in the hunt and missed. We hunted that rough area the most of the hunt and we got into the elk alot. As the week went along I started to wear down. So I'm focusing on climbing hills and over all strength. I have already started eating better and I'm going to drop 40lbs. I had a great time on that hunt so I'm going to concentrate on flying up hills and getting to the elk. All I can think about is getting back on the hunt in better shape.

 

[BKC]

I tore my left medial menicus last Labor day playing paintball at my future son in laws bachelor party. Didn't know it was torn, i thought i had just twisted it. Finally went to the doctor and got the mri done, found the tear, had surgery last week and now just starting to walk on it. I have 5 months to get it strong again before I chase animals thru the woods. I managed to put on about 8 pounds over the winter so I also need to shed that.

 

[gonhunting247]

I have a Mt. Goat hunt this year, so everything needs work. Your right on about old injuries though, I've been concentrating hard on strengthening a knee without hurting it! It's had a lot of recurring problems so I really have to pay attention to it! As the other guys stated, losing a few pounds seems to really make a big difference too!

 

[Elkhunter96]

I've just started to do something different. Spent the last couple of years doing some running and lifting, but apparently not enough. Started a program kind of like p90x that I can do it hotel rooms when traveling for work and at home. So far, it's kicking my trash but already seeing some good results...

 

[Colorado Cowboy]

Will be going back to the gym on Monday after about 4 months layoff. Right ankle was really killing me and finally went to the Dr. After xrays he told me if he didn't know who the pictures were from, he would say the person wasn't walking! Had surgery a month ago. Removed bone chips, spurs and lots of scar tissue. Finally feeling a lot better. I'll start slow and see how it goes. My 72 year old body will need some TLC for awhile!

Probably need a new ankle in a couple of years.

 

[Sawfish]

Will be going back to the gym on Monday after about 4 months layoff. Right ankle was really killing me and finally went to the Dr. After xrays he told me if he didn't know who the pictures were from, he would say the person wasn't walking! Had surgery a month ago. Removed bone chips, spurs and lots of scar tissue. Finally feeling a lot better. I'll start slow and see how it goes. My 72 year old body will need some TLC for awhile!

Probably need a new ankle in a couple of years.

I guess we are like old cars. After years of hard running, we sometimes need to replace a part or two. Good luck on your rehab, and I hope that you do not need to have further surgery.

 

[25contender]

Are you going to rehab for your ankle. There are a some exercises that will help build up strength in your ankles. After I broke my ankle I worked with a trainer at the gym to get mine back in shape. Don't push to hard yet work out and stay consistent. You can strengthen up your muscles in your feet and ankles. You can do mobility exercises and stretching exercises to strengthen the muscles. Calf raises and the use of Bands helped me quite a bit. Once the pain was gone and the muscles were on the mend I started doing a little heavier workout using my body weight and a step.I then started using a calf machine with light weight and then heavier weights. Now I am up 4 sets of 25 reps, my weight plus my pack-weight on the calf machine. It took about 6 months to get to that point but I didn't push it.

Will be going back to the gym on Monday after about 4 months layoff. Right ankle was really killing me and finally went to the Dr. After xrays he told me if he didn't know who the pictures were from, he would say the person wasn't walking! Had surgery a month ago. Removed bone chips, spurs and lots of scar tissue. Finally feeling a lot better. I'll start slow and see how it goes. My 72 year old body will need some TLC for awhile!

Probably need a new ankle in a couple of years.

 

[Colorado Cowboy]

I've been working out at the same gym for 10 years. I have worked with a personal trainer there in the past and am considering it again. I start some physical therapy next week too, so I'll see how this all plays out. My favorite excersize is walking. I have a course that I usually walk in the am that is 4.8 miles and has lots of hills. I'll start that in a couple of months.

 

[woodtick]

I tore my MCL and LCL last fall deer hunting(long story short had ponies pack my butt back to the trailhead), After surgery and the rehab stuff they make ya go through, I'm doing Insanity to help with my stability issues and doing 4-5 days worth of heavy weight lifting from head to toes and I ride my bike to work 4 days of week thats about 15 miles round trip. It's time to transform my body into what it can be, I've got several years of good solid hunting left in my body and I plan being in the best shape of my life.

 

[25contender]

I am finally starting to feel like myself again after my surgery in January. I started to step it up some this week. Guessing in two weeks I will be at 100% again. It feels good to almost be back to where I left off.
This weeks schedule.
Monday cardio.sittups, hyper-extensions, battle ropes, and abs
Tuesday Cardio, Stairmaster 90flights and running 2 miles
Wednesday cardio, situps, hyper-extensions, upper body and arms with weights,
Thursday pack day 3 mile hike with 50lb pack
Friday cardio.sittups, hyper-extensions, battle ropes, lower body with machine weights

Saturday scouting for turkey season, Might camp out if the weather works.

 

[THelms]

Well between coaching basketball all winter with a major back injury, a viral infection, and a kidney stone in the last two weeks I've been sidelined. However, since my back healed the wife and I have been doing a lifting circuit in the mornings and running in the afternoons three days per week. On our "off" days we have been hiking a big bluff behind our house for time with "weighted" packs; 100 lbs. for me and fifty for her. With the snow gone we are also breaking out the mountain bikes for evening rides. Time to start hiking the hills looking for bone too. All in all a great start to getting back after it.

 

[25contender]

Glad you are recovering well. I am hoping to bump it up a little more in a few weeks. Surgery or injuries are not very fun at all!!

Well between coaching basketball all winter with a major back injury, a viral infection, and a kidney stone in the last two weeks I've been sidelined. However, since my back healed the wife and I have been doing a lifting circuit in the mornings and running in the afternoons three days per week. On our "off" days we have been hiking a big bluff behind our house for time with "weighted" packs; 100 lbs. for me and fifty for her. With the snow gone we are also breaking out the mountain bikes for evening rides. Time to start hiking the hills looking for bone too. All in all a great start to getting back after it.

 

[Dearhunter3450]

I am using treadmill with my pack. Three miles a day at a very brisk walk at decent incline. Start slow and speed up every four minutes. Then slow down for a ten minute cool off. Have 30 lbs in pack and slowly adding more weight. Reached forty this year so I'm starting to feel old ankle and shoulder injuries. Feel a hundred and forty lol!

 

[Matthoek21]

I tore my left medial menicus last Labor day playing paintball at my future son in laws bachelor party. Didn't know it was torn, i thought i had just twisted it. Finally went to the doctor and got the mri done, found the tear, had surgery last week and now just starting to walk on it. I have 5 months to get it strong again before I chase animals thru the woods. I managed to put on about 8 pounds over the winter so I also need to shed that.

Sounds familiar. I'm 41 and played college basketball. Last night at my sons AAU practice I thought I could still get up. Just reinjured my left medial meniscus. Probably going to have it shaved some more and cleared of any additional scar tissue. Suppose to draw for elk this year and now I'm nervous about being back in good enough shape. Wondering if I should just wait till next year. How'd your surgery and rehab go? A trainer buddy said I would be back in 6 weeks. He said he had no pain after his surgery...but this would be my second surgery on that meniscus. Not sure if there will be any left?? Let me know how it went.

 

[25contender]

Added some shooting back to the routine today after the workout. It felt good and shot 20 arrows at 60yds. Quit shooting on some good groups.

 

[BKC]

Sounds familiar. I'm 41 and played college basketball. Last night at my sons AAU practice I thought I could still get up. Just reinjured my left medial meniscus. Probably going to have it shaved some more and cleared of any additional scar tissue. Suppose to draw for elk this year and now I'm nervous about being back in good enough shape. Wondering if I should just wait till next year. How'd your surgery and rehab go? A trainer buddy said I would be back in 6 weeks. He said he had no pain after his surgery...but this would be my second surgery on that meniscus. Not sure if there will be any left?? Let me know how it went.

I'm 53, so i'm probably not going to be back in 6 weeks. I still have a little pain and a little swelling and it has been almost 3 weeks. I work construction so I have probably been overworking it. This is the first time that I have had any surgery deeper than skin deep. I just need to get the strength back. The few months i delayed before the surgery just made it that much weaker. I WILL be ready come September.

 

[Matthoek21]

I'm 53, so i'm probably not going to be back in 6 weeks. I still have a little pain and a little swelling and it has been almost 3 weeks. I work construction so I have probably been overworking it. This is the first time that I have had any surgery deeper than skin deep. I just need to get the strength back. The few months i delayed before the surgery just made it that much weaker. I WILL be ready come September.

Got ya. Yea I think I'm gonna make this happen quick so I can rehab and be on the mountain come September. I tore all three (ACL, MCL, and Meniscus) in same knee 11 years ago. That was difficult to rebound from. Hope I can get back quicker this time. Good Luck to ya on and off the mountain.

 

[ArmyArcher]

Crossfit will do more for an over all body workout that also focuses on lower body and core strength.

While it's not for everyone, they have workouts online you can pull up i.e. "the workout of the day".

Based on personal capability, you can tailor it by dropping weight etc... The biggest thing is form and many folks that have never done it can easily injure themselves by not doing the exercises correctly.

Not everyone has access to a gym that has the various resources to support the crossfit exercises.

 

[ScottR]

Be careful with Crossfit, it is not for everyone and it can do damage.

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