CrossFit and hunting

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I'm just wondering how many people follow CrossFit programs to train for hunting. I come from a Crossfit background and have owned 2 different CrossFit gyms. While I owned them, I was head trainer and programmer.

Just curious. Thanks!
 

marktole

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I've been doing crossfit for about five years, but can't say I've ever used it to train for hunting.
 

ChrisC

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I got a membership a few years ago to prepare for a blacktail hunt on Kodiak. I felt great for the first hour or so, but the hunt was for a week. Was it better than doing nothing...sure. Was it my best option...absolutely not, not by a long shot. It trains you for short and intense, not for a week-long grind.
 
OP
T
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Never power cleaned or did a muscle up in the woods. If I wanted to be good at exercising I'd do crossfit.
As a former CrossFit owner, I've noticed a strong military presence in my gyms. Alot of military people choose CrossFit because it increases thier "GPP" or "general physical preparedness." Although soldiers are not doing muscle-ups or power cleans on the battlefield, many feel that it is a very viable training protocol for the unpredictable situations they may face.

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I sent twenty years in the military and didn't feel like crossfit did anything for me. It's like anything else, works for some, doesn't for others. I've got nothing against it, I just believe that if you want to be good at something, than do that something. Not everyone can live in the mountains, I get it, but I don't see how crossfit correlates to being in the mountains.
 
OP
T
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I sent twenty years in the military and didn't feel like crossfit did anything for me. It's like anything else, works for some, doesn't for others. I've got nothing against it, I just believe that if you want to be good at something, than do that something. Not everyone can live in the mountains, I get it, but I don't see how crossfit correlates to being in the mountains.
I don't want to imply that a pure CrossFit program is the perfect training method for mountain hunting.

I think that the GPP you get from CrossFit combined with sport specific training would be the best method of training for hunting in the mountains.

For example, 3x CrossFit per week and 1-2 days of sport specific training per week. Sport specific training would consist of hiking with heavy loads.

This would be better than purely a sport specific training regime because it's more likely to avoid overuse injuries. You also would be prepared for the inevitable encounter where you have to "haul ass" to a certain point on the mountain to intercept an animal.

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mtwarden

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I run in the mountains four to five times a week and strength train twice a week (occasionally something that approximates cross-fit) that seems to do a pretty good job come fall :)
 

D_Eightch

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I train crossfit because i enjoy the challenge. People knock it all the time, but its fun as hell and you meet a great group if people (in my experience).

I think it's going to prepare somebody a hell of a lot more than sitting on the couch or a typical bro routine...
 
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I mix it in , its a good change up along with what im doing . I just cant stand the gymnastic type movements.


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wyodan

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I do some Crossfit. I find it makes working out much more fun. I enjoy the competitive aspect, wish there was still something similar around here.
 

Brock A

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I do it 3 to 4 days a week. Mostly for overall health.

Hiking with a backpack can't be beat for training for a hunt.

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Crossfit makes you good at Crossfit. If hunting involves hiking with a pack, then hiking with a pack will best prepare you for hunting.
 
OP
T
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Crossfit makes you good at Crossfit. If hunting involves hiking with a pack, then hiking with a pack will best prepare you for hunting.
That is logical, but many athletes in many sports train with methodologies outside of thier sport to prepare for thier sport.

For example, football players and track athletes spend alot of time lifting weights in the weight room even though when they are on a football field or track there are no weights to be seen.

A football team that plays football and lifts weights will beat a team that just plays football everytime.

I would argue that CrossFit AND hiking is better training for the hunt than just hiking alone.

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JWP58

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Never had to walk on my hands during a hunt, and I stopped throwing myself on the floor and getting up really fast when I stopped playing football. I do however occasionally need my rotator cuffs and lumbar discs while hunting. So no.
 
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OP
T
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Never had to walk on my hands during a hunt, and I stopped throwing myself on the floor and getting up really fast when I stopped playing football. So no.
I would say handstand walks aren't within the realm of normal CrossFit and I agree they won't help you hunt.

But, getting on and off the ground is an essential life skill regardless of if you CrossFit or not, hunt or not. Doing it very quickly can help build cardiovascular endurance which will help on a backcountry hunt.

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Longshot

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i feel the cardio/recovery and overall body and core strength helped me immensely on my last elk hunt.
 

jmez

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I belong to a gym and do it 5 days a week. It is good exercise and depending on the programming should give a pretty good mix of functional strength and cardio conditioning.

It simply gets a bad rap because it has a cult like following. I'm not into that and I do Crossfit but don't consider myself a "Crossfitter." It also isn't any sort of new or revolutionary fitness program. Some guy simply had the brains and desire to patent a name and sell it to the masses. Good for him.

Before I joined a Crossfit gym I did interval training on my own. Not really a whole lot different than what I do now. We did a ton of that type of training when I was wrestling in the late 80's 90's.

Many ways to "train" for the mountains. What you need is some physical strength and endurance. It really doesn't matter what means you use to get that. There are a multitude of ways to improve your conditioning and any type of exercise that you do is helpful.

The passive aggressive literal comments from both sides are childish and stupid. That crap belongs on Archery Talk.

Not everyone is independently wealthy, can spend 8-10 hours a day every day hiking in the mountains with a back pack and having a live elk herd at your disposal to practice shooting your arrows at year round in an outdoor situation. See how that works?
 
OP
T
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I belong to a gym and do it 5 days a week. It is good exercise and depending on the programming should give a pretty good mix of functional strength and cardio conditioning.

It simply gets a bad rap because it has a cult like following. I'm not into that and I do Crossfit but don't consider myself a "Crossfitter." It also isn't any sort of new or revolutionary fitness program. Some guy simply had the brains and desire to patent a name and sell it to the masses. Good for him.

Before I joined a Crossfit gym I did interval training on my own. Not really a whole lot different than what I do now. We did a ton of that type of training when I was wrestling in the late 80's 90's.

Many ways to "train" for the mountains. What you need is some physical strength and endurance. It really doesn't matter what means you use to get that. There are a multitude of ways to improve your conditioning and any type of exercise that you do is helpful.

The passive aggressive literal comments from both sides are childish and stupid. That crap belongs on Archery Talk.

Not everyone is independently wealthy, can spend 8-10 hours a day every day hiking in the mountains with a back pack and having a live elk herd at your disposal to practice shooting your arrows at year round in an outdoor situation. See how that works?
Great perspective! I have a similar background. Before starting CrossFit, I competed in strong man competitions and supplemented my endurance training with running and biking. I was in excellent shape. CrossFit didn't make me fit

What drew me to CrossFit is that it it had a clear definition of fitness. An increase in fitness is an increase in "work capacity" over "broad time" and "modal domains." Work capacity can be measured and defined with a physics equation. Work equal force multiplied by duration or W=FxD.

CrossFit combined with sport specific training is an excellent way to get in shape for a hunt. Especially if you don't live near a mountain.

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