Workout goal for backpack mountain trip

[Widerd]

Long time lurker, first time poster here.

I’m preparing for my first diy backpacking elk trip in Wyoming and am working out every day. Here’s the question. What is your personal goal as far as physical fitness to be ready for the hunt. Being able to run 6 miles? A 5 mike pack with 100 lb pack? Tough mudder ? Being able to complete 2 hr CrossFit beatdown? 12 pack of beer in 1 hr?

I’m goal oriented so having a mark to shoot for helps me. What is your mark?

 

[justinspicher]

I try not to make hunting a chore, or working out a chore. If I do, I won’t do it. That’s my goal.

 

[big44a4]

I’d set a time for walking on incline treadmill at X speed say 1.5-3mph without holding on with your hands. Or try at X setting for time on stair master same no hands. No matter what you do you will think about getting better for the 2nd trip. Can never be in “good enough” shape.

Also get out with a loaded pack and do some hiking or walking whenever you can. I still lift weights in addition so steady state and intervals for cardio. Tabatas are great test for any exercise.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[cnelk]

Core and balance, along with quads and hamstrings

This was a daily trek last year for me in Wyoming

 

[austinphps]

I started the Mtn Tactical Back Country Big Game Hunting program last week. It's an 8 week program you are supposed to do the 8 weeks prior to your actual hunt, but this is the only time frame that I have 8 weeks with no interruptions, like vacations, so I figured why not - I'm hoping it knocks off some weight and gets my legs into shape.

So far I like it, and after 1 week I can feel my legs are already stronger - It's a good mix of hiking with weight, running, and LOTS of step-ups with weight. I would check it out.

My plan is to finish the 8 weeks and then start it all over again. I'll be able to get 7 weeks of it done before I have to travel for work.

 

[amp713]

Load your pack with hiking weight and go up and down the football stadium stairs until you can't.... time it and beat it next week. Use the gym for overall "inshape"ness.

 

[Widerd]

Load your pack with hiking weight and go up and down the football stadium stairs until you can't.... time it and beat it next week. Use the gym for overall "inshape"ness.

Ha. Its like you have been watching me. I feel like an idiot with the football team watching me but it smokes me for sure

 

[Phaseolus]

For me I hike up and down Mt. Garfield, 2 miles up, 2000 vertical a couple of times a week. I also ride a mtn bike nearly year round. Then there is fishing in the bottom of the Black Canyon which is one nasty scramble of 2000’ or better. I guess you don’t have mtns to play in for exercise?

 

[Widerd]

For me I hike up and down Mt. Garfield, 2 miles up, 2000 vertical a couple of times a week. I also ride a mtn bike nearly year round. Then there is fishing in the bottom of the Black Canyon which is one nasty scramble of 2000’ or better. I guess you don’t have mtns to play in for exercise?

no Mountains here. Just small hills.

How long does the Mt Garfield hike take you

 

[S.Clancy]

Long time lurker, first time poster here.

I’m preparing for my first diy backpacking elk trip in Wyoming and am working out every day. Here’s the question. What is your personal goal as far as physical fitness to be ready for the hunt. Being able to run 6 miles? A 5 mike pack with 100 lb pack? Tough mudder ? Being able to complete 2 hr CrossFit beatdown? 12 pack of beer in 1 hr?

I’m goal oriented so having a mark to shoot for helps me. What is your mark?

I try to do a long hike before the start of every bow season. Last year it was 24 miles, 5000+ elevation gain, about half off trail. Started at 5:30 am, finished at 5 pm. If I can finish this and still be functional the next day, I'm fine. Hike changes every year. Since I actually like training year round, this is more mental than anything. Plus its very fun!

 

[ChukarUp]

You can’t beat real life simulations... hiking with a weighted pack in the hills. If you don’t have hills, I’d agree with stadiums. I’m fortunate to have steep mountains walking distance from my house, so I’ve never done stadiums, but due circumstances I have had long stretches of treadmill only, with weight and at full incline. Not bad for the overall fitness level, and better than nothing if it’s your only option, but man, the downhills can kill you after all of your training has been on flat or uphill.

As for goals (I’m the same way), I think if you can comfortably run 6 miles a couple times a week, then that is a good foundation...with hills too if possible. If you can push yourself to 8, 10, or a half marathon, that may be overkill, but you will be that much more comfortable on your hunt.

Last year for my elk hunt I ran 6+ miles regularly, road biked a couple times per week building up to the goal of 100+ miles, hiked countless hours with 25-35 lbs, and mixed in some light dumbbell workouts.

When that translated to packing an elk out...60-80 lb loads, my cardio and overall fitness was strong. My legs could feel the weight difference though for sure. So, heavier weight while hiking would have served me well.

I’d recommend listening to some good hunting podcasts during the long workouts. It will go by faster, and you might even pick up some tips. Hunt Backcountry is probably my personal favorite. Good luck!

 

[leprechaun]

24x24x24 challenge: Drink 1 beer every mile for 24 miles, must complete within 24 hours. And no, you can't do a 1 mile loop 24 times, you have to carry the beer.

Just kidding... but some people really do it....!

If you aren't already doing a lot of hiking I wouldn't recommend jumping into doing stadiums with a loaded pack. If you already are in decent shape it might be fine, but I have seen plenty of people injure themselves very quickly by trying to push through the wrong kind of pain. If you have access to any kind of trail I think just walking as many hours as you can on that is a good way to start, then bump up the weight on your back. Bikes are great for low impact knee strengthening.

Something to keep in mind, your knees don't know or care if you are ripped or if you have a giant beer belly. All they know is how much weight they have to carry. Every pound you lose off your body or pack weight will make things easier for you.

ETA By all means once you are in the groove nothing can touch actually hiking with a weighted pack. Just don't go from zero to 45+ lbs!

 

[Beendare]

Personally,
I like it when I can hump the hills at a pretty good clip with a 40# bag of rock salt.

You literally can't be in good enough shape for an elk hunt in the Rockies. Straight backpack trip is a lot easier.

 

[Superkodiak38]

I am currently doing metabolic chains, wall ball shots, dumbbell bench and bent over rows ( I will switch out the wallball's for goblet squats every other work out) reps are 5.6.7.8.9.10.9.8.7.6.5 = 80 reps. Time yourself and try and beat your time each week.

I do 10 min treadmill warm up and 30 minutes after. Once my pack gets here I will be loading it up and hitting local trails. I also want to do a 2-3 dayer ( 30-40 miles) to shake out my gear.

 

[robie]

I find a stairwell that is 10+ stories, the taller the better.

50lb pack, 1000 feet up 1000 feet down in an hour, no stopping. I do that one day a week and then run the stairs one day a week with no pack. The rest of the week is my normal workout routine in the gym.

I'm in Houston so part of the challenge is the heat/humidity as summer wears on.

I've got a 12 story stairwell with no ventilation and it gets brutal. Hotels are good but no breeze.

Altitude kills me but I do what I can while living at 73 feet elevation.

 

[ncstewart]

http://exomountaingear.com/wp-content/uploads/Backcountry-Hunting-Training-Plan.pdf

Not done it personally yet but something to look at anyway.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[pods8 (Rugged Stitching)]

I started the Mtn Tactical Back Country Big Game Hunting program last week. It's an 8 week program you are supposed to do the 8 weeks prior to your actual hunt, but this is the only time frame that I have 8 weeks with no interruptions, like vacations, so I figured why not - I'm hoping it knocks off some weight and gets my legs into shape.

So far I like it, and after 1 week I can feel my legs are already stronger - It's a good mix of hiking with weight, running, and LOTS of step-ups with weight. I would check it out.

My plan is to finish the 8 weeks and then start it all over again. I'll be able to get 7 weeks of it done before I have to travel for work.

I did this program prior to last fall and highly recommend it. I will start off by saying I absolutely didn't get 100% of it done, too much real life in the way but probably did 70% (90-100% of the first 3 weeks). But getting as much in as I could was my goal and to feel stronger each time (which I did) was my reward from it (in reference to the original poster's question) and that made me very happy going into the mountains. The results spoke for themselves to me, I felt much better/stronger this last year and it was a factor in my success for sure (speed I could move and also being able to continue day after day). Knowing I'll feel better in the mountains is the light at the end of the tunnel for me.

Get what you can of it in during your travel time to maintain, hell I flew with my frame overseas during a 9day trip and was the weird guy in the hotel gym. I personally opted to prioritize the step up workouts followed by the weighted hikes when time was short, I'd drop the running and mini event if tight on time. I wanted my legs/core to get the most they could. My experience in the past is running doesn't really do much for the legs once the steep stuff comes into the picture and as for cardio I'd crank on the box stepping sessions and had my heart pumping/sweat pouring just fine.

 

[pods8 (Rugged Stitching)]

http://exomountaingear.com/wp-content/uploads/Backcountry-Hunting-Training-Plan.pdf

Not done it personally yet but something to look at anyway.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

My buddy sent me this a while back, definitely some similarities to the MTI program (prior trainer their iirc). I didn't care for the tire dragging aspect in this one, I'm sure it works fine but I'll stick with the MTI one. 40lb box stepping, 75lb hikes, and various core routines fit my style more.

 

[MtnOyster]

I do bleachers at our high school in the mornings about 3 months before I go on my trip, ill do 60-90 minutes up & down bleachers 6-7 times then 2 laps around the track over and over, start with 25 lbs in my pack after a month go to 40 lbs, I dropped 20 lbs of body weight by doing that and never changed my diet.

 

[bz_711]

Being in shape is great an all...but too often guys focus so much on fitness that they are not even close to being prepared mentally for the hunt...and drop out early because it's nothing like they envisioned.
If you can do anything relatively strenuous for 1-2 hours...you should be good. Make sure your boots fit good all day, get your pack on with some weight...but most importantly prepare for long hard days in the mountains, particularly those days you see nor hear nothing, nothing at all and swear there are no elk in the entire state...mental fatigue will end the hunt 10x faster than physical fatigue.

Good Luck, enjoy the journey...and share your story/pics!