Daily workout suggestions for the busy schedule

[tdcour]

Alright, I need some suggestions on workout routines that will last around 30 minutes. I don't have much more time than that with my job being in agriculture, a 10 month old baby, and working on my M.S. in Agronomy. I live in flatland Kansas, so don't have hills to climb or anything like that. All I have is a treadmill and a weight set.

I'll be elk hunting in NM this year for the first time and need to be ready to haul something out if I am lucky enough to get something. I know cardio is in order with the change in altitude being 7000-8000 feet, but what about strength training? Do people do both during one workout, split the days for weights and cardio? I'm open to any suggestions that help me shed a few pounds, but more importantly increase my stamina and ability to hunt and recover game more effectively.

 

[ivorytip]

push ups squats and pull ups. do as many as you can of each then skip to the next then sprint. just use your own body to do your squats to get things going. after your sprint rest 1 min then get back at it. after 30 min you will be dead and you will see results in no time. when this gets to easy for you put on a 20 pound vest or throw your hunting pack on filled with your gear.

 

[woodtick]

I did insanity when I was really swamped with work and school. They last 35-45 minutes total.

 

[Musket Man]

Its hard to workout when you farm. When your working 12-14 hours a day who wants to workout after that. I kinda give up on it since Im going like crazy late spring to early fall. Usually trying to finish harvest or fall planting so I can go hunting. I think with what you do you are probably in as good or better shape already then the average guy with a non physical job that is working out.

 

[25contender]

You might want to get up and run before work. Its tough I know but I have been enjoying running every morning in the cool mornings. I still work out at the gym three afternoons a week but the early running is catching on.

 

[ivorytip]

mm said it right, no conditioning like farm and ranch work. thats an entire diff type of tuff!

 

[woodtick]

mm said it right, no conditioning like farm and ranch work. thats an entire diff type of tuff!

I'd agree but you better be bucking hay or moving pipe not sitting in a tractor or truck for 12-14 hours pounding coca colas and sugar donuts!!

 

[Fink]

I agree with IT.. Push ups, pull ups and sit ups will go a long ways. I usually do those every day, and will do squats with my pack loaded down with about 75 pounds. Some days I'll run a few miles on the treadmill, some days I'll put it on the steepest incline it has to offer, and walk for a while with my pack on.
In the next few weeks, I'll load my pack down, and hike around on the steepest stuff Eastern Missouri has to offer (about a 150' elevation change).

You don't have to be a world class athlete to hunt the mountains.

 

[tdcour]

I'd agree but you better be bucking hay or moving pipe not sitting in a tractor or truck for 12-14 hours pounding coca colas and sugar donuts!!

Unfortunately you are pretty close... Planting just finished up now it's spray season so I'm getting pretty comfortable in the cab... Biggest workout I get is moving chemical jugs now. Oh, and my poison of choice is dr. Pepper and peanut m&ms

 

[woodtick]

Unfortunately you are pretty close... Planting just finished up now it's spray season so I'm getting pretty comfortable in the cab... Biggest workout I get is moving chemical jugs now. Oh, and my poison of choice is dr. Pepper and peanut m&ms

Sounds like a deadly combo, I love peanut m&m's!

 

[Musket Man]

coca colas and sugar donuts

What are those? lol

 

[tdcour]

With a short workout, what are your main goals? Keeping heart rate up, numbers of reps, basically just getting out there and doing something? I played baseball all my life and our goals were to always gain strength and body weight, then run off the excess weight. We worked out pretty much for two hours everyday ay, so I'm having trouble moving to a different style of working out. I appreciate the suggestions everyone!

 

[Musket Man]

I think something like running would help the most. Strength is good but the biggest problem you will have hunting will be running out of breath, especially with higher altitudes. Do something that works your lungs and hart.

 

[woodtick]

I think something like running would help the most. Strength is good but the biggest problem you will have hunting will be running out of breath, especially with higher altitudes. Do something that works your lungs and hart.

I thought the same til I started having problems with plantar fascia and my IT bands getting tight, those I'm still fighting with, the IT band issue has been plaguing me for a while now. I'd suggest core strength over anything.

 

[quicknick]

10 squats, 10 burpees, 10 situps, sprint 200 meters. Get through 10 full times as quick as you can

 

[clacklin009]

I think something like running would help the most. Strength is good but the biggest problem you will have hunting will be running out of breath, especially with higher altitudes. Do something that works your lungs and hart.

MM is right, the lungs and heart will get better conditioning with basic jogging and you will be able to do a 5 minute warm up, 20 minute jog, and a 5 minute cool down. Don't try to push forward too fast. Your legs will feel it in the first week or two and they will build up the strength needed for heading into the field. After you have been doing this for a while I would try to add in some push-ups, sit-ups and some back exercises. These can be done at the other end of the day. If you relax before bed I've found it can be easy to do sets while I get ready for bed.

If you live close to a high school after your body is feeling comfortable jogging you can try running bleachers for the 20 minutes to help build the leg strength.

 

[Work2hunt]

I'm in a similar situation. Finding an hour plus to workout each day or even a couple days a week is tough. Would it be nice to lift for an hour and run for an hour...yes, but I've got to keep things prioritized. I just finished all 10 weeks of T25 and I am happy with the results. As advertised they are exactly 25 minutes and you get a decent amount of cardio, body weight resistance workouts, and some weight resistance workouts. For 25 minutes it is a good workout. I lost 22 lbs (192 - 170) by doing this and eating better. No doughnuts or bags of chips for me.

Not that I was in horrible shape to begin with but, I can definetley see the difference and some muscle definition I haven't seen in places now visible again.

 

[JasonGNV]

I used to be a gym rat, 2+ hours every other day with tons of supplements, different muscle groups etc.,etc...180lbs was the biggest I could ever get, started at 145lbs. Stopped working out like that 10 years ago. This last winter I hit 180 again but it ain't muscle this time, I run every other day now and do basic push-ups, crunches and burpees on off days. I have a pretty busy schedule and can't drive the 30-40 minutes to a gym and spend an hour doing what I can in less than 20 minutes at home. My main goal is to be able to do 3-5 miles hiking/hunting for the duration. It would be nice to be ripped again and WOW the ladies (dreaming) but....... Damn getting old sucks!
For a reference, I've averaged 165-170 the last 10yrs. I ain't no slouch so I blame it solely on AGE!!!!

 

[25contender]

I feel you on the age thing!! I will be 53 in August and the past few years I have felt the best I have felt in years before 50. I am like you I try to stay in shape knowing I will never be built like I was in my younger days. I try to do some type of exercise everyday. It might be the gym three days a week and running in the mornings before work. My favorite is just putting on a full pack and hiking with my nephew. I have been doing this for the past few years. If I miss a day I don't sweat it and during hunting season I miss a bunch of days because I am always hunting. After all hunting is what we do it for!!

I used to be a gym rat, 2+ hours every other day with tons of supplements, different muscle groups etc.,etc...180lbs was the biggest I could ever get, started at 145lbs. Stopped working out like that 10 years ago. This last winter I hit 180 again but it ain't muscle this time, I run every other day now and do basic push-ups, crunches and burpees on off days. I have a pretty busy schedule and can't drive the 30-40 minutes to a gym and spend an hour doing what I can in less than 20 minutes at home. My main goal is to be able to do 3-5 miles hiking/hunting for the duration. It would be nice to be ripped again and WOW the ladies (dreaming) but....... Damn getting old sucks!
For a reference, I've averaged 165-170 the last 10yrs. I ain't no slouch so I blame it solely on AGE!!!!

 

[thegarbrah]

I agree with IT.. Push ups, pull ups and sit ups will go a long ways. I usually do those every day, and will do squats with my pack loaded down with about 75 pounds. Some days I'll run a few miles on the treadmill, some days I'll put it on the steepest incline it has to offer, and walk for a while with my pack on.
In the next few weeks, I'll load my pack down, and hike around on the steepest stuff Eastern Missouri has to offer (about a 150' elevation change).

You don't have to be a world class athlete to hunt the mountains.

I'm going to agree with Fink on this, if you don't have time and you're finding that you are working from a sitting position for most of the day the best thing you can do is stretch and some sort of sustained cardio. I work in an office and it requires a lot of sitting, which is terrible for the lower back and leg muscles. If you google how the special forces guys train it is all combinations of calisthenics at different length intervals. If you can do a combination of push ups, pull ups, squats, burpee's, and crunches for an hour you will be in the best shape of your life, but it depends on the intensity of your workout and number of repetitions. Most important thing to remember is you've got to stretch. Before working out or hiking do a light stretch, in the middle of your activity increase the length and intensity of your stretch just slightly, and at the end double the time of your stretch (but keep it light and don't bounce around) and focus on breathing and getting oxygen to the muscles.

If you can follow this routine, an hour a day will be all you need for basic cardio traning. If you can find time to for a long distance hike (even with an incline on a treadmill) and log close to 10+ miles a week you should be good to go.