Exercise for elk hunt

[brent.wheaton]

I am trying to plan an elk hunting for the 2015 season in either NM or CO. I am concerned about training for the hunt. I live in Arkansas and do not know if walking the hills around my house is enough. Today, I walked 5.6 miles and have been averaging approx 4 miles daily. Is this enough?

 

[Umpqua Hunter]

I am trying to plan an elk hunting for the 2015 season in either NM or CO. I am concerned about training for the hunt. I live in Arkansas and do not know if walking the hills around my house is enough. Today, I walked 5.6 miles and have been averaging approx 4 miles daily. Is this enough?

You will have no problem at all……

unless you plan to run them down and lasso them.

 

[Topgun 30-06]

Put a pack on and keep building the weight up in it as you get accustomed to it. IMHO just doing what you're doing isn't enough when you get out there and start carrying a rifle along with water and the other things you'll be putting in a pack that are over and above your body weight. The more you can build up to, especially going up hill where you are really taxing your legs and cardiosystem the better you'll be when you go out west. It's a long way off until the 2015 season, but I would also suggest you get out there several days ahead of your hunt to acclimate to the high elevation, as nothing will get you used to that other than getting out there.

 

[brent.wheaton]

I have a weighted vest that goes up to 40 lbs. I have been using it as well. I started out at 20 lbs and I am now at 30 hoping to move to 40 soon. When I am done walking I do 20 squats with the vest on to finish my routine. I am completely drenched with sweat because of the heat and humidity. I have only been concentrating on cardio and not weight lifting.

 

[Matthoek21]

I am trying to plan an elk hunting for the 2015 season in either NM or CO. I am concerned about training for the hunt. I live in Arkansas and do not know if walking the hills around my house is enough. Today, I walked 5.6 miles and have been averaging approx 4 miles daily. Is this enough?

Nothing can prepare you for the altitude. I'm from Georgia and that's the biggest adjustment. Your training regiment is fine. Add a pack with weights and keep climbing the hills around your house. The one thing most people fail to let new western hunters know about is mental toughness. This works both ways whether your in shape or not. If you have it you will be ok, if you don't have it it will not matter how good of shape you're in. You will see what I mean when you get there. One last thing is to try and get your feet used to the steepness. Need steep incline and decline to help get your feet in shape.

 

[AT Hiker]

Squats, cardio, squats, weight training and squats...did I mention squats?

Put a pack on, along with boots you plan to hunt in, and start walking. Get off the pavement as much as you can.

Nothing will prepare you 100% for the real thing, but something is better than nothing.

 

[Timberstalker]

Give yourself time to acclimate where ever you go. Your lungs recover quickly, but sore legs take days to recover. What you are doing will definitely help, I would add some lunges in with the other things you are doing. It will help with your balance more so than just doing squats. Having good balance really helps in uneven terrain. I am only going on 3 mile walks and doing some P-90X right now, I will be ready for elk season by September. I also pace myself when I am out there, I don't need to run with the elk. I agree with the mental side of the equation too!

 

[tttoadman]

Getting in cardio and strength is one thing. Packing weight in a pack up and down steep hills is what really conditions your body to pack in the woods. Your feet and the way you walk will change as you get 50# or more on your back. You need to do a little of both and you will feel great the whole time.

 

[mnhunter]

See if you can get access to a local football stadium, and start working the stairs. Stay focused on your core as well, this is what is going to help you keep your ballance and prevent injury down the road.

 

[25contender]

Check out the getting fit section there are some good threads going. Cardio9 and core workouts have always done well for me. I also mix in weight training 3 afternoons a week. Like where you live it is hot here and I like to run in the mornings before the sun comes up. I also do one full pack+ hike a week with the boots I wear in the mountains this is important. Altitude you cant train for that but being in decent shape helps a lot. Mark

 

[buckykm1]

Being a Flatlander, the 1 thing that I do that helps me the most is my Elliptical, I try to get on it every other day year around, put the résistance on high and do about 30 minutes, and about 8 weeks before my Hunt, I go to every day, and put my pack on to.

Kevin

 

[Engideer]

It's nice to see a fellow Arkansan getting ready for the mountains. I agree with what has been said on here about getting ready, the weighted pack along with the cardio is a big help. Of course the first couple of days are tough anyway, just getting used to the altitude. You get used to it fairly quickly though. Good luck on your hunt!

 

[Live2Hunt]

What your doing is a good start. put some weight in a pack and go on long walks with the boots that you will wear on your hunt, gradually increasing the weight in your pack and the distance of your walks . Try to get yourself a high altitude training mask, they run about 100.00 bucks. Wear this mask during your walks, it will limit the amount of oxygen that you are able to breath in. These masks look goofy as hell but they work. I would also try to walk the steepest hills that you have available to you walk them with a good amount of weight in your pack. Just remember that killing a bull is only about half of the work the other part is packing out the quarters, unless you can get access to some stock. You are on the right track ..... Good luck to you on your hunt.

 

[mnhunter]

Try to get yourself a high altitude training mask, they run about 100.00 bucks. Wear this mask during your walks, it will limit the amount of oxygen that you are able to breath in. These masks look goofy as hell but they work.QUOTE]

There is merit in these masks, just be careful starting out, and if you aren't already in good cardio shape, you might want to discuss with a DR first.

 

[squirrelduster]

Great suggestions about training with a pack on.
My training consists of getting out and pig hunting a bunch before elk season. 25 pound pack and these coastal mountains will put the hurt on you.
I just got back from a scouting trip to Nevada and went from 9100 to 11700 and had no leg issues but the altitude certainly makes you slow your pace down.
Work on finding stairs and walk up and down with your pack. You will do fine.

 

[HiMtnHnter]

Great suggestions about training with a pack on.
My training consists of getting out and pig hunting a bunch before elk season. 25 pound pack and these coastal mountains will put the hurt on you.
I just got back from a scouting trip to Nevada and went from 9100 to 11700 and had no leg issues but the altitude certainly makes you slow your pace down.
Work on finding stairs and walk up and down with your pack. You will do fine.

Just be in good physical condition. Beating yourself up by carrying extremely heavy loads regularly is only going to ruin your joints quicker. . . There is a lot of truth to the poster above who said nothing can prepare you for the altitude. It WILL sap your energy. Make sure you come a day or two early to spend time at altitude basically doing nothing just to get acclimated. Bring high quality, high calorie food and have it on hand. Don't pass the point where you've over exerted yourself without replenishing calories and water. Avoid too much caffeine or too much alcohol at altitude (good advice anywhere I suppose). Focus on a workout routine that will maximize regular use of as many muscles as possible and strengthen core muscles. For example, doing correct deep squats (even without weight) will strength your legs and lower back, which is what you need to walk up mountains. Don't constantly cause damage to yourself by trying to carry extremely heavy loads all the time unless you want some knee replacements prematurely. Make sure your body can handle it once in a while, but for crying out loud take it easy on your joints! FYI, I used to operate by the same mantra, but have since wised up as I notice that crap starts to take its toll.

 

[squirrelduster]

Just be in good physical condition. Beating yourself up by carrying extremely heavy loads regularly is only going to ruin your joints quicker. . . There is a lot of truth to the poster above who said nothing can prepare you for the altitude. It WILL sap your energy. Make sure you come a day or two early to spend time at altitude basically doing nothing just to get acclimated. Bring high quality, high calorie food and have it on hand. Don't pass the point where you've over exerted yourself without replenishing calories and water. Avoid too much caffeine or too much alcohol at altitude (good advice anywhere I suppose). Focus on a workout routine that will maximize regular use of as many muscles as possible and strengthen core muscles. For example, doing correct deep squats (even without weight) will strength your legs and lower back, which is what you need to walk up mountains. Don't constantly cause damage to yourself by trying to carry extremely heavy loads all the time unless you want some knee replacements prematurely. Make sure your body can handle it once in a while, but for crying out loud take it easy on your joints! FYI, I used to operate by the same mantra, but have since wised up as I notice that crap starts to take its toll.

Great point about the joints also very good comment about the food and water. I did notice that I needed to eat more at altitude than down here at sea level. I went through 2000 calories of food and 100 oz of water over the 8.74 miles. Almost double what I normally consume on a hunt here at low elevation.

 

[mnhunter]

Take a look at this link. I am by no means indicating that you need to be in as good of shape as Army Rangers to hunt elk, but they have some really good information regarding injury prevention, warmups/stretching, core exercises, etc.

http://www.benning.army.mil/tenant/75thRanger/content/PDF/RAW%20Handbook%20Final%20v4.pdf

 

[25contender]

I'm not going to disagree about over doing it with heavy pack weight but you do need to do some hikes at weight. Especially with the boots you are going to wear. You need to know how your feet are going to do with your boots socks and weight. There will be nothing worse than tearing your feet up packing at weight. I have seen the results of this and it isn't pretty.

 

[Matthoek21]

I'm not going to disagree about over doing it with heavy pack weight but you do need to do some hikes at weight. Especially with the boots you are going to wear. You need to know how your feet are going to do with your boots socks and weight. There will be nothing worse than tearing your feet up packing at weight. I have seen the results of this and it isn't pretty.

I totally agree with this statement! It isn't pretty.