Conditioning

[snake]

So....I am on week 7 of the Insanity workout and I have been hiking with a full pack and running as well. I can run 8 miles straight without a break and can haul a full pack several miles. Does it sound like I'm doing everything right to be in shape to hunt the mountains?

[cnelk]

You're doing great!
Send me your cell number so you can come pack out my elk...

[snake]

You're doing great!
Send me your cell number so you can come pack out my elk...

Hahaha. I don't know how great I will be once I hit the mountains. All of this is taking place for me on flat ground. The ground lays about like a piece of paper where I live. I may not do you much good.

[ElkNut1]

Jacob, sounds like you are doing just great! Yes, you will have to acclimate to your new elevations but after a couple days you will be doing just fine, congrats on your efforts dude your hunt will be much more enjoyable & much less tiring!

ElkNut1

[snake]

Thanks. I'm going to keep working out even harder than I have been. I want to be ready for anything that the hunt can throw at me. I figure that it won't hurt to be in "too good" of shape, even though I don't think I'm to that point anyways. Either way though, I'm amped up and ready to go. Come on Sept. 12th!

[bnsafe]

Jacob, I moved from mo a few mos ago.
as far as conditioning you should be good. just keep in mind when you come to a steep hill you wont be able to walk up it without feeling like you havnt done a thing. last year I packed in 6 miles or so and did great, wasn't even winded. when I got to where I wanted to go I had to climb a 600 ft ish hill to get to the public land I needed to camp on. it absolutely beat me mentally. I got up it but would got about 30 ft then stop had to stop an breath for awhile. it took forever, and I hunted poorly after I got there cause I frankly didn't want to have to pack a cow off that thing. so what im saying is, you will do great just don't think you will be able to run up an down the mnts so prepare yourself mentally as well. with that said im 42 so if your 22 disregard everything I just said and go run. lol

[ctdad]

I also live in flat low elevation. Ten thousand feet is humbling. Go slow the first few days of your hunt and you'll acclimate pretty quickly. Keep working out. You'll still get worn out but you will enjoy it. I took a friend who wasn't fit once. He didn't enjoy it

[snake]

Thanks for the advice. I'm 28, so I still feel pretty good and hope that I can adapt to the altitude pretty quickly. I've been to the mountains a couple times, so I have an idea what to expect, which is that it definitely won't be easy. That being said, I do plan on taking it slow and easy. My partners and I have a 4.5 mile hike in with about a 3000 foot elevation change. We are planning on setting up camp here and hunting out from that everyday. I hope that this will work. As far as the hunt I really don't know what to expect since this is my first time going after elk and have never been to the area. We got some good pointers from a guy that hunts this place every year and killed a 295" bull there last year. He seemed to think that we will be fine as far as being in shape, but I want to be as ready as I can.

[ctdad]

When I was 20, I could go to elevation and it didn't feel any different. I'm 36 now and every year seems a little worse so your age will help. Have a great trip

[cnelk]

Here's what you do...
Go down to the hardware store and buy some dust masks.
Then go to the local dollar store and buy a jump rope.

Go home and put the dust mask on, head out to the driveway and start jumping rope.
See how many minutes you can go....

That's the best way to get ready for the high altitude I have found.

Good luck

[RockChucker30]

I'm in decent shape but not great shape. A couple weeks ago I did Mt Sneffels at 14,150 and did a 5-6 mile scout the next day at 13k. I was fine. I had to go slow on the uphill a bit it was fine. I did get a bad headache the first day above 13k but the next day it wasn't as bad.

[snake]

Here's what you do...
Go down to the hardware store and buy some dust masks.
Then go to the local dollar store and buy a jump rope.

Go home and put the dust mask on, head out to the driveway and start jumping rope.
See how many minutes you can go....

That's the best way to get ready for the high altitude I have found.

Good luck

I have some medication that is supposed to help with altitude acclimation. I will probably try this anyways though. Any of you guys ever taken the medication? If so, what were the results?

[wideangle]

Good job in getting in that kind of condition!!
The last month I have MTBiking hard and doing squats for lower body.
I have also been doing chin and pull ups with a 25 lbs plate on a belt for upper body.

[fm]

Sounds like you are doing great. One thing some people that live in flat country do is go to the local school and go up and down the bleachers. It builds up your lower body better for climbing.

[Moose-head]

You might want to mix in some walking on uneven ground and sidehilling just to get your ankles ready.

[pointysticks]

Here's what you do...
Go down to the hardware store and buy some dust masks.
Then go to the local dollar store and buy a jump rope.

Go home and put the dust mask on, head out to the driveway and start jumping rope.
See how many minutes you can go....

That's the best way to get ready for the high altitude I have found.

Good luck

i wouldnt do this. shutting off air is a decent way to doing damage to your heart. our bodies self regulate..he will be fine.

i wear a respirator at work. in order to do so, i went thru a battery of test before they allowed me the option. one guy was borderline, the doc did a stress test on his heart while wearing one. it was night and day.

snake sounds like he could outhike 90% of the guys out there..go get em tiger!!

[pointysticks]

i had a doctor tell me Viagra was good for high elevations. i tried reading his expression to see if he was joking or not. i should have asked more questions.

i now have a lady doc..the same question would sound like i was lying.

"hey, doc..i have a hike coming up. can i get some viagra?"

"so cliff, how long have you been having erectile dysfunctions?'

"no, really, i have a hike. for elk..really!"

"sure you do..sure you do.."elk" is that what you kids call it these days?..now cough"

"cough!, nevermind about the elk"

[snake]

You might want to mix in some walking on uneven ground and sidehilling just to get your ankles ready.

That's a good idea about the sidehilling. I really didn't think too much about this. Thanks for the advice.

[mtnmutt]

i had a doctor tell me Viagra was good for high elevations. i tried reading his expression to see if he was joking or not. i should have asked more question

Viagra was initially developed for infants with heart conditions. I actually had it prescribed for a dog with a pulmonary condition.

Stay hydrated, start taking tums or rolaids 5 days before and during trip and avoid alcohol.

My 60/70 year old parents visited me each year at 9800 ft from sea level. They did not take tums but were excellent at drinking enough water. They never had a problem. They also did well at 14k (Mt Evans and pikes peak).

The toughest thing for me while hunting is drinking enough water. I am acclimated so I can fudge on getting enough water.

[DirtyErn]

Been doing hikes in the Olympics mtns in wa with load pack with a bum knee ( hurt it before memerial day) hiking 2 miles around the house with 60 lbs and an old pack. Didn't relieze how much the pack sucked until I picked up my new one.
So with all this " pressure " it's off to Hawaii for a week( training is hard work). When I get back wa season will start then off to Idaho mid September for the rrmainder. Good luck to everyone

[HTNFSH]

My trip was more or less a last minute decision. Been planning to go west for the last five years and couldn't make it happen until now. I would consider myself in decent flat land shape. Though as of late, been hiking with a 60lb pack 3-5 miles at a time at a much faster pace than I expect to do in the mountains. Kudos to the side-hilling idea that one of you pointed out. I've got a decent sized levy by the house to practice on.

One thing of note, I starting using trekking poles, and now would never think of hiking going without them.

OP keep up the hard work and let us know how much it helped afterward.

[Bowhunter]

We all coment on our training. I like the post of HTNFSH that says "OP keep up the hard work and let us know how much it helped afterward". We need to do an after hunt report on what pays off and how much we think it hepled. Good Idea.

[Cha55dd]

Great post! Ive been doing a bit of everything, Insanity, hiking with heavy pack or daughter in backpack, road biking, incline treadmill walking and hit the weights a few times a week. Now that i look at it, how the heck do i get that much done? Guess its what you do when you put your mind to something. couldn't be more excited for my first elk hunt this October in CO!

[mandrroofing]

I try to hit the stair master several times a week at the gym and up the story count every week by 20

[snake]

Great post! Ive been doing a bit of everything, Insanity, hiking with heavy pack or daughter in backpack, road biking, incline treadmill walking and hit the weights a few times a week. Now that i look at it, how the heck do i get that much done? Guess its what you do when you put your mind to something. couldn't be more excited for my first elk hunt this October in CO!

It's crazy how much you can get done and not even realize it! Before I really started working out very much I didn't think that I had the time to hit it hard, but now that I've been doing it, I wonder why didn't I do this before!? I'm headed out Saturday morning to hike 6 miles with my fully loaded pack and probably about 15 extra lbs of weight put on it. My legs feel really good right now and I don't think I will have any problems whatsoever. I'm ready to head West!

[Indian Summer]

Paul beat me to it: No matter who you are or what you do you can't skip the acclimation factor. Some are affected more than others. Some barely. For me if I'm above 9k I just come to expect a 2 day little nagging headache. Just pace yourself at first and drink plenty of fluids. Don't forget the aspirin.

[Birks]

When i went big Horn sheep hunting last year, i thought i was in good shape, i was walking up a steep hill multiple times with 90lbs on my back. and at times i'd also wear a 40lb weighted vest as well just to really make the breathing hard, and work the legs. I work out in the gym everyday, doing bodybuilding routines and Barbell Complexes, as well as HIIT cardio. This year i'm not going sheep hunting because i had to do more family stuff, but i'm in better shape, i'm 15lbs lighter, and i'm stronger. This training however didn't even come close to preparing my lungs for being at altitude. I guess the best way to get in shape for that is to train there, or find a way to thin the air you are breathing. When i train for the trip next year i will be wearing a half mask Respirator to reduce the oxygen intake, as well as upping my weight training regime and cardio. as far as elk hunting, i hunt in lower elevations, and my cardio is not tested at all.