When do you start your conditioning for elk season?

[Kessler10]

If your like me and you don't workout every day of the year, when do you start your daily workouts in preparation for elk season? I am aiming for April 1st.

[pointysticks]

if i let my body do what it wants..it will be fat..and slow.

i have to work out the entire year. been going at it for 3 years now. kicks butt!! the downside? all my XL camo clothing would be better if it were L. i am swimming inside my hunting jackets.

good problem to have i suppose.

[ishy]

October 1st.

[easeup]

it is a lifestyle to stay in shape; always.......... to live long and happy.

however once deer season rolls around there is way too much stand sitting and no exercising. so you have to restart the work outs again in January when hunt season is over.

[2011bullyelk]

This year is the first year I have actually tried to get into better shape. I started the first of the year, I also just hired a personal trainer to help me in my quest.

[GoGriz1234]

This year I have been going to the gym twice a week so far, with some sort of physical activity on the weekends. I plan to ramp it up to four days a week at the gym in August.

[husky390]

It took me awhile but I finally figured out it's a lot easier to stay in elk shape than it is to get into elk shape.

[msd1228]

It took me awhile but I finally figured out it's a lot easier to stay in elk shape than it is to get into elk shape.

Absolutely! I find the key is to find a sport or activity that you love to do several times a week that requires intense physical work. It could be anything! Some guys love biking, some playing softball (just easy on the beer! haha), etc. Personally, I box 4-5 times a week, and the elk hills in these parts are a walk in the park compared the punishment my coach puts us through lol. But yeah, its easy to stay in shape when it involves something that you love to do - you essentially get into great shape without even noticing it.

[bowhuntersd]

I've told myself every year following the previous season, "I'm going to start working out" and stay in the shape I'm in by the end of season. But I never had. I would wait until August to start training. This year so far I have started my workout. I've been working out 3 days a week from the start of the new year. I haven't been doing a lot, but enough to keep me from feeling like a bag of $h!t.

[TheBuzz]

Started January 3rd, three times a week, one of those visit's with a Trainer / motivator for 30 minutes. It's the one thing we CAN control in this adventure, trip, call it what you want. Along with the other planning milestones - application, tag success, research - those things help the motivation level stay high.

Along with transforming me from a fat tub of goo, to 180 lbs of " Twisted Steel and Sex appeal" has landed me a 28 year old Hottie!

So, yes, Elk Hunting has it's benefits!

Have a Great Day, Everyone!

[LckyTylr]

I got married to my wife while in my 2nd semester of college. I was doing 18-22 credits/semester and interning 25-30 hours a week, but I still found time to hit the gym during my collegiate years. My schedule was chaotic and my Wife never really knew when she could count on me being home as my work flow was always fluctuating . . . keeping her on her toes.

We had our first child during my last semester of college, he was "colicky" and required a lot of hands-on attention. My Gym time CEASED at that point. Now we have two children . . . Gym Time is something that I used to know.



I LOVE my Kids and my Wife, so when my kids are awake, I choose to hang out with them until bedtime. This time of year, it's dark before bed so I don't get to exercise (my area of town is full of crazy drivers and no sidewalks . . . and the gyms are packed and overpriced)

So, all of that to say that I don't start training for elk season until the days are long enough that I can put my kids to bed at 7 and have an hour of daylight remaining.

I COULD (in theory) work out in the mornings in the dark when traffic is lighter . . . but have you ever seen a comatose Zombie try to jog after they have been stuffing their face with apocalypse turkey . . . that's me running in the mornings.

[ElkNut1]

Congrats folks to all the effort being put out! Being in the best shape you can will lead to a more enjoyable hunt this Fall, good luck in reaching goals!

Personally like some here I work out year around 3-4 days a week. If I didn't father time would catch up & run right over the top of me, (gaining weight) if that happened it would be tough to overcome as you get years under your belt! (grin) I make it a routine & a way of life, so far so good! Mornings are my favorite time to do this.

ElkNut1

[bowhunter04]

With 2 kids under 2.5 years old, this time of year is pretty difficult to work out. Just getting enough sleep can be tough. I'm planning to get in gear around April 1st. That should give me about 5.5 months to get in shape for the mountains.

[Ridge Ghost]

I never stop once the season is over. As mentioned previously, it's way easier to just stay in shape than to let yourself go and then work yourself back in shape every year.

[pointysticks]

Been trying "M-100's"

100 reps total of burpees, hill climbs and double squat jumps. I do this after my trail run. I thought I was in fair shape! Nope. I can only do M-30's. 10 of each. So difficult. I'm sticking to it. Work up to the 100.

[jmez]

I never quit. Work out all year. You just have to make it a priority in your day. I know all about the kid thing have a 5, 3 and 21 month old twins. You just have to prioritize things and make time.

[pointysticks]

I had a trainer tell me "no time" isn't a valid excuse if you even watch 30 minutes of TV. I'm

[Indian Summer]

I think you need to condition your mind as much as your body. Patience and persistence are priceless. I started practing that in 99 by getting married.

[ak32]

when you live in the mountains, the outdoors is your "gym". It's a lifestyle to stay in shape because you're doing the things you love to do, therefore it's not a chore.

Between hiking, mountain biking, skiing, and climbing I think I have my bases covered.

[Ridge Ghost]

when you live in the mountains, the outdoors is your "gym". It's a lifestyle to stay in shape because you're doing the things you love to do, therefore it's not a chore.

Between hiking, mountain biking, skiing, and climbing I think I have my bases covered.

That's a good point. If you choose a fun activity, or sign yourself up for a competitive event that requires training, it's not so much of a chore. You actually look forward to it. I spend a lot of time doing barbell lifts, crossfit and running, but keep things interesting with winter hockey league, and mountain biking, hiking and scouting in the summer.

[bowhunter99]

Year round

[husky390]

when you live in the mountains, the outdoors is your "gym". It's a lifestyle to stay in shape because you're doing the things you love to do, therefore it's not a chore.

Between hiking, mountain biking, skiing, and climbing I think I have my bases covered.

^^^^^ This. I haven't been to a gym since end of December, mainly because I can't stand dealing with the resolutioners but will be back this month. In the meantime I've been hiking a nearby mountain on weekends for about a 5-6 mile loop with 45lbs as fast as I can. I'll also do tabata sprints once or twice a week on the treadmill in my house plus hike around the neighborhood with my dog and pack. One year I hammered the gym all summer long and when it was time to hit the mountain with my pack I was toast because I didn't do enough hiking with a heavy pack, so now, for me, working out in the gym is secondary to hiking with a pack. There's no amount of deadlifts, squats, benches, burpees, curls etc that will get you into mountain shape like backpacking will.

[chrisschwarz]

Been going year around now. Used to start as the weather warmed up and wood cutting season was over. With age it gets harder to lose the weight.

[elkaholic]

I also go year round. With two little ones at home <5yrs I have to get my workouts/runs early in the morning. It helps that I don't have to go to the gym as I have the equipment to get a good sweat up(Prospot P-100, powerblock dumbbell, plates, dura ball). About May I increase the intensity of my workouts.

[njdoxie]

It kills me to start over from scratch, and takes me a long time, 10 months to get in bare minimum shape, which isn't near good enough, so for the last 3.5 years, I workout year around, constantly striving to get in better shape, and I never seem to be in good enough shape, but I digress. .

[six]

I run 3 to 5 times a week all year around. I still don't feel 100% until about day 3. After that look out.

[Mukbowhunt]

I also go year round. With two little ones at home <5yrs I have to get my workouts/runs early in the morning. It helps that I don't have to go to the gym as I have the equipment to get a good sweat up(Prospot P-100, powerblock dumbbell, plates, dura ball). About May I increase the intensity of my workouts.

. This. Listen to Elknut podcasts have improved my running greatly. There are quite a few entertaining podcasts to listen to for long runs.

[CurlyTail]

I workout 6 days a week year round. May to July I try to up my intensity and get in "peak" shape. In August, I back off to a maintenance routine as I do not want to risk any type of overuse injury before Elk season. I prefer to run outdoors, but as I get older I am not holding up to that as well as I would like. Now I limit my running to 4 days per week - 3 on the treadmill (less pleasant) and 1 on the roads (which I love). I also do spin class 3x per week and that is fun and does not seem to injure me. My hardest conditioning exercise is "eating right". I have learned that no matter what you do to keep in shape, you will never be in your best shape if you don't pay close attention to what you eat and the amount that you eat - very hard for me.

[Huntmaster]

The past couple years, I started working out a couple months before my elk trip and getting started was a bear to put it lightly. Last year I started in May doing three days of Insanity and other than the time off during deer season, I've kept it up straight thru with no intentions of stopping now. I changed a month ago to a self made program based on P90x3 and Insanity that focuses on the core muscles two days per week and then hits cardio two days per week. When I'm two months out from my hunt, I plan to switch to a little more cardio and add in the pack training on my Normal weight training days.

For a flat lander desk jockey that is pushing 40, I can keep up pretty good in the mountains after two months of Insanity, with a full year of reps, I'm expecting it to be a breeze.

[one_elk]

I agree it's a life style not only working out but watching what I (within reason) consume. The way I look at it, if my hunting doesn't quite workout the way I had planned there is at least some benefit from the prep.....