What are you doing to get in shape?

by **husky390** » 03 01, 2016 • [Post 1]

Weather's getting nicer so no excuses to get out and wear down some boot leather. I've been getting out and hiking a local mountain on weekends with a 47-57lb pack on and lately my wife and I have been hitting up some local 5k's. Now I'm by no means a fitness junky, and I freaking hate running so when I decided to do these I would use it as a training exercise. Here we are last weekend jogging the home stretch to the finish line. I lost about a minute or two messing around with my boot laces at the beginning but finished it in 47:25 with a 57lb pack on. I've found that since I'm up against the clock, it gets me competitive and I push myself more than I do when just hiking by myself. We're signed up for another one in two weeks and my goal is to finish in 45 minutes or less with the same or a little more weight in my pack. FYI, if you show up with a giant camo backpack, expect people to ask questions such as if you're in the military, Fire/EMS, training for something, etc. and an occasional Barney Fife to give you the hairy eyeball. Everyone I've encountered have been positive about it except for the one Barney Fife.

Snow and adverse weather conditions are no excuse to stay home. Now's the time to get out and try your gear out. I'd rather find out my gear needs adjustments on a weekend in town than in the backcountry. Here, the drifts were almost 6' tall, I'm on the trail and my dog is almost eye level.

Next month I'll be adding trips to the gym and one or two hikes during the week after work. I may even try some ju jitsu as my brother said it's a heck of a workout. Also, don't forget stretching or even Yoga classes. As the snow melts down, I'll be hiking into an area that I plan to hunt every weekend to learn the area better and get my legs in better shape. Stair mills are great for uphill conditioning but nothing beats hiking downhill to prep your legs.

So, what are you guy's doing?

by **Trophyhill** » 03 01, 2016 • [Post 2]

Yoga huh? Women in yoga pants..........I'm in

by **Elkduds** » 03 01, 2016 • [Post 3]

Way to go, Dave. So far I'm walking the dog on hilly trails for 40 min after work, no pack. Longer hills and walks on weekends. It helps to live @ 6K elev.

by **Backyard** » 03 02, 2016 • [Post 4]

Trophyhill wrote:Yoga huh? Women in yoga pants..........I'm in

Haha! That was my first thought!

by **CurlyTail** » 03 02, 2016 • [Post 5]

I like to do a bunch of different stuff. Seems like now I am in my 50's I am always fighting some nagging injury, and I like to cross train and have other options when something hurts.

Currently, I am doing spin classes and swimming in AM. Yoga and weights on off days. I love to run, but staying off a touchy hip for a month or so.

As I get older, a routine of stretching the hamstrings and lower back has become very important to maintain range of motion and prevent sciatic nerve issue and low back spasms.

Yoga pants in my town are a double edged sword!

by **jmez** » 03 02, 2016 • [Post 6]

I do Crossfit 5 days a week year round.

As it gets nicer I'll start doing some weighted pack hikes at night and on weekends and also mountain biking. Both in the Black Hills.

As far as yoga pants, it may sound mean but, there needs to be rules.

by **husky390** » 03 02, 2016 • [Post 7]

That's the down side to these 5k's. There are some guys in their 50's that think the ultra tight running pants aka yoga pants are acceptable attire to run in with no over shorts. I'm tempted to bring my old gym shorts and give them away to those guys. No one wants to see that.

by **welcher83** » 03 02, 2016 • [Post 8]

Here's my last (5) Days

Saturday: Run 4 miles with my dogs
Sunday: Run 4 miles with my dogs
(Both runs are on level ground and pavement. I'm hoping the foothills trails near my house dry out in the next few weeks because we like running there more.)
Monday: Squats, lunges, and core workout
Tuesday: Swim 900m
Wednesday: Swim 1000m

For the next couple months, I think I am going to basically stick with these activities, then I'll start doing some early morning hikes with my pack and also incline treadmill/stair stepper at the gym with weighted pack.

by **Sask.Elk.Guy** » 03 02, 2016 • [Post 9]

Fortunately where I normally hunt, a two mile hike is all I need to do to get in there. What I'm doing is usually only a 15 minute run a few days a week and running the 7 story stairwell a few times each day at work.....That seems to have been enough for past years anyway.

by **Lefty** » 03 02, 2016 • [Post 10]

I need to start walking with my wife.
My left leg doesnt do very well on steep down hill. Doc said those muscles still need work. So a few dozen more day hikes this year

by **Swede** » 03 02, 2016 • [Post 11]

I walk three miles each day except Sunday. I also work on Honey dos.

Does that count?

by **S&S Archery Rob** » 03 03, 2016 • [Post 12]

Sure loving this feeling of being strong again. Been lifting and eating right now for about 2 months and really starting to feel it!

by **saddlesore** » 03 03, 2016 • [Post 13]

I do walk about 1& 3/4 miles every day weather permitting, but I am so gimped up/ bad health/age,every year I buy some jelly donuts and go down to the corral and share them with my mules to get in shape.Round is a shape too :lol:

My day pack is 15 pounds top and I can't hunt above 9000 feet

by **Lefty** » 03 04, 2016 • [Post 14]

Swede wrote:I walk three miles each day except Sunday. I also work on Honey dos. Does that count?

It better,.. Im counting on those also.
We have 2 1/2 acres so Im always doing something in the pasture, shop and yard

by **Brendan** » 03 04, 2016 • [Post 15]

I commute to work by bike. That adds 30-60 miles of low-zone cardio each week once I leave winter behind. 3 times a week I run to the gym for a full body workout (then run home) with my main exercises being Pullups, Pushups, Planks, Squats and Deadlifts. As the weather warms up I try to start running a local stadium 1-2 times a week for an interval workout and work in weighted pack hikes. More than anything I am targeting a lot of volume by the time Elk season comes so I can go for 12 long days straight and be fully recovered each day. My "Weight" goal is to be able to pack out an Elk in two trips by myself, but that somewhat depends on where it would fall and how big it is...

Then - there's a lot of shooting my bow and getting dialed in.

by **slick trick** » 03 05, 2016 • [Post 16]

nothing right now for the next couple months,,,,, I was running 1 mile with 37lb pack at 16% incline every day, doing 20 bleachers forward 20 bleachers backwards with pack every other day, riding bike 2 miles 3 times a week... but it all came to a stop with a big case of planters fasciitis... it sucks too major pain in the morning can hardly walk, just because of my very high arches and training in a bunch of different shoes without proper support.

by **Backyard** » 03 05, 2016 • [Post 17]

Slicktrick, possibly too much training with no recovery time/days. Gotta give the muscles and tendons time to recover after working em, like it or not. Especially as we get older, unfortunately. Goes the same for shin splints, first thing a trainer will tell you is take a break, you're training too hard, too much.

Good luck.

by **mottlet** » 03 05, 2016 • [Post 18]

I'm with you slick trick, got a slight tear in my fascia after going for a run earlier this week. My pain isn't in the heel though, more up toward the arch. Doc said it was because I have flat feet and, like you, didn't have enough support. At least you were doing pretty good before you got hurt though; I got hurt my first time out since hunting season ended in January! Long way till September though. Honestly, I'm more concerned about being able to walk these Virginia hills for turkeys starting next month.

by **slick trick** » 03 05, 2016 • [Post 19]

YEA I guess I should have given more time between work outs but I was over the soreness, starting to feel 20 years old again and the training was getting easy so I ramped it up... big mistake. Doc gave me three different exercises to do twice a day, pain is starting to go away but my buddy's are catching up to where i was so now I will be behind. Way I figure it is its no good to have the lungs if I cant have the legs to hump the hills. I still have plenty of time. I also now have 4 pair of green superfeet and 1 pair of orange in all my shoes, big difference just trying to get used to how my feet (arches) feel now.

by **Norcal-Noodler** » 03 05, 2016 • [Post 20]

3-4 hr rides on my mt bike right now - need to get the 5-6 hr high intensity road rides going
And lug some heavy packs in the hills.

Have some good family backcountry camping trips planned for the spring/summer

by **ishy** » 03 06, 2016 • [Post 21]

Slick another good thing that can help stretch out those tight plantar fibers is just a Lacrosse ball under that foot and put as much weight as you can handle and roll it around. Works like a foam roller with sore spots.

by **oldnovice** » 03 06, 2016 • [Post 22]

The older I get, the harder it is to workout hard. I will be 63 next month but I still try to hit the gym 3-4 times a week. Just got over a Lateral Collateral Ligament problem that seems to come and go every 6 months to a year. Very painful and comes on quickly and disappears overnight a few days later.

I do low impact cardio several times a week. I do two filghts of staires many times a day in my home (computer in loft and business in basement). Last fall, I went hunting in GMU 14 in Colorado. Did about 4-5 miles a day with little problem. I plan to extend that to about 10 miles this year but I applied for 4th rifle tags so I may not have to go as far.

by **RADRB8** » 03 07, 2016 • [Post 23]

Right now just walking the dogs after work and doing some shed hunting to keep the muscles loose until I can start riding the bike 20-25 miles 3x a week. Try to shoot at least 30 minutes every other day regardless of temp or conditions off of my deck at steep angles both standing and kneeling over and between railing vertical supports. After a month or so of biking I will add the pack to my rides...

by **JJ Overkill** » 03 14, 2016 • [Post 24]

I go to WORK!!!!!! since I work in a lead and zinc mine I have to wear a respirator at all times. there are no elevators where I work and I'm always working in the top floor of the mill, I carry my tool bucket (40-60LBS) up the stairs in the morning and back down in the evening. I run the stairs about 20X in a day. I'm usually sucking air through my respirator like I'm at 10,500 ft at the top of the stairs. by the end of my 28day hitch my legs are dead and I loth having to get out of bed to walk more stairs.

by **husky390** » 03 15, 2016 • [Post 25]

JJ Overkill wrote:I go to WORK!!!!!! since I work in a lead and zinc mine I have to wear a respirator at all times. there are no elevators where I work and I'm always working in the top floor of the mill, I carry my tool bucket (40-60LBS) up the stairs in the morning and back down in the evening. I run the stairs about 20X in a day. I'm usually sucking air through my respirator like I'm at 10,500 ft at the top of the stairs. by the end of my 28day hitch my legs are dead and I loth having to get out of bed to walk more stairs.

Does getting in and out of my office chair count?

I knocked out another 5k, didn't run it with the pack on this time and my knees are much happier. I'm happy since I finished it under 47 minutes, 60# pack.

by **8upbowhunter** » 03 16, 2016 • [Post 26]

slick trick wrote:nothing right now for the next couple months,,,,, I was running 1 mile with 37lb pack at 16% incline every day, doing 20 bleachers forward 20 bleachers backwards with pack every other day, riding bike 2 miles 3 times a week... but it all came to a stop with a big case of planters fasciitis... it sucks too major pain in the morning can hardly walk, just because of my very high arches and training in a bunch of different shoes without proper support.

I suffered with that for 2 years and had to stop running bucause of it. Someone told me this routine to try and after 5 days it was gone. May be coincidence or maybe it just worked but I have not had a problem with it since.

This is the most important step: Every morning when you wake up and before getting out of bed sit up and grab your toes and ball of your foot and gently pull it towards you to stretch it. Do this slowly until it stretches out which only takes a short time then you can get out of bed and it wont hurt nearly as bad those first few steps.

Next I took 2 ibuprofen 3x a day but you don't want to take this very long and end up with stomach problems.

3-5 times a day I would take a frozen water bottle and place it on the floor and roll the bottle between my heel and arch for several minutes bare foot.

Every night when you go to sleep the tendon relaxes and starts healing and when you take those first few painfull steps in the morning you tear it again was how it was explained to me. The ibuprofen and ice helps with the healing process.

Give it a shot, doesn't cost anything but a few ibuprofen and a water bottle and see if it helps you.

by **Fullabull** » 03 16, 2016 • [Post 27]

slick trick wrote:nothing right now for the next couple months,,,,, I was running 1 mile with 37lb pack at 16% incline every day, doing 20 bleachers forward 20 bleachers backwards with pack every other day, riding bike 2 miles 3 times a week... but it all came to a stop with a big case of planters fasciitis... it sucks too major pain in the morning can hardly walk, just because of my very high arches and training in a bunch of different shoes without proper support.

Go to the Walking Company store and get a couple pair of their inserts that fit your foot type. Make sure you always have them in whatever shoes you are wearing. I tried everything, even a couple shots but these inserts were the best. I wear them when I hunt now and they are great. Them and time will help...

by **pointysticks** » 03 18, 2016 • [Post 28]

Jogging still. My legs are my weak link anyways with my lungs a close second.

I have just about started bicycle commuting to work. Still too dark in the morning to get serious about it. Unless I buy headlights. For now, my wife drops me off and I ride home. It's awesome. Trillion times better than my 2.5 hour traffic commute a few weeks ago. Can't believe I drove that since 2006. I'm insane or an idiot.

by **Mike_Parson** » 03 21, 2016 • [Post 29]

i do lots of long range shooting in the field next to me and i only shoot groups of 4 or 5 so there is a lot of walking back and forth during a shooting session. i also Umpire softball and i get lots of cardio running for 3 to 4 hours a nights 4 nights a week.

Once it gets warmer and the wife is ready to go camping we will spend as much time in the mountains we can were i will hike most of the day looking for sign and good places to scout while the wife is reading her books or taking a well deserved nap.

by **wawhitey** » 03 23, 2016 • [Post 30]

Ive been hiking pretty much non stop for a couple weeks. Shed hunting / scouting / setting cameras. Intentionally taking the nasty steep thick routes into where i want to go. My legs are killing me now, time for a break. Heading to alaska for a couple weeks, then its time to hunt bear! Be doing some good hiking on my bear hunt, and hopefully some heavy pack out hikes.

by **Mathewsz7-elkridge** » 04 09, 2016 • [Post 31]

Walked 3 miles today with 60lbs on my back at a State Park. Most of it was on a trail, but I did get off of it a little and find some new game trails. Next time I am going to just go up and down the biggest hill there. Can't wait till September.

by **welka** » 04 10, 2016 • [Post 32]

Hills are always best if you can find them. I am in flatland so I resort to maxing the incline (including a 2x8 for extra) on the treadmill and walk backwards on it to simulate walking downhill to work those muscles.

by **wawhitey** » 04 10, 2016 • [Post 33]

welka wrote:Hills are always best if you can find them. I am in flatland so I resort to maxing the incline (including a 2x8 for extra) on the treadmill and walk backwards on it to simulate walking downhill to work those muscles.

Everybody takes the downhill for granted! I may huff and puff more on the steep inclines, but i think 99% of my assplants happen on the steep declines. I guess i just start moving too fast and im tired after all the uphill stuff and im prone to wipeouts. If i ever get a broken leg and get stuck on a mountain it will be during a downhill hike.

by **VT Sasquatch** » 04 11, 2016 • [Post 34]

I am just starting to work out and get ready. I would like to lose about 15 pounds and get more fit before the season. I am about 6'1" and 205 lbs so I'm not beyond hope but I would like to get myself ready for the elevation.

I just started a week ago but twice a week I am covering 4 miles by walking 1/2 mile, running 1 mile, walking 1/2 mile, running a mile, walking a mile. Nothing too intense but I don't like long runs. I also lift weights (maintenance) and mountain bike once or twice a week. I am going to gradually intensify thing as I work up to the season. I also just started getting serious about watching what I eat. I have tried to cut out empty calories like juice, candy, beer, other carbs. If I could drop below 190 (ideally, my college weight of 185ish), I think I will have an easier time covering ground.

Beyond that, I am shooting my bow whenever possible. I even shoot 25' in my basement just to work on form and keep the muscles working. I have been shooting outdoors about once per week and am sufficiently accurate out to 50 yards. I want to work on tightening up my groups.

by **Indian Summer** » 04 11, 2016 • [Post 35]

I just had a half rack of baby backs instead of a whole one. Also they aren't as fatty as the St Louis style.

by **WapitiTalk1** » 04 11, 2016 • [Post 36]

Indian Summer wrote:I just had a half rack of baby backs instead of a whole one. Also they aren't as fatty as the St Louis style.

Baby back bicep curls, great for getting the bow muscles toned up

by **Tigger** » 04 11, 2016 • [Post 37]

I walk to work every day. Problem being, it is only about 17 steps from my dining room to my office. But I walk home too!

It hasn't been very nice weather (super windy) and I have procrastinated. I have been doing situps and pushups in the morning. I gotta ramp it up, that is for sure.

I plan on hiking a bunch with my pack on. My wife says it makes me look like a homeless guy roaming the neighborhood.

by **Mathewsz7-elkridge** » 04 11, 2016 • [Post 38]

I have been working on shoulder strength. I always feel holding the bow back for 2 minutes isn't a problem it's holding it steady and level. One thing I do is hold 15 lbs out as long as I can three times.

by **NYSureShot** » 04 12, 2016 • [Post 39]

I work 12 hours shifts in a brewery so by the time I get home the day is shot. I found a few 100+ step stairways in the brewing dept. I double step all the way up, take a 15 sec. rest, then down to the bottom and do it again. That is one set, and I try to do that 2x a day. then I found a few WELL supported pipes and do chin ups at 20 rep sets. then a few sets of push ups.

Off days I hit the woods trying to stay off trails and do a 3 mile loop getting about 1000 ft elevation gain (as per my GPS) with my loaded pack. I also hit the YMCA once a week for a yoga or other type of class.

I'm going on my 1st Rocky Mountain elk hunt this October and even at 62 years old, I'm determined to be in the best shape I can.

Tim

by **Ponyboy_jonas** » 04 12, 2016 • [Post 40]

High School baseball. At least two miles of running everyday and medicine ball ab workouts... Oh and punishment push ups.

by **Backyard** » 04 12, 2016 • [Post 41]

Been working out, both cadio and strength, since the end of last year. Slowly building both weight and distance/time. Started pack work at the begining of the month on the treadmill, and now that it's finally getting nice around here, I'll be heading outside to the trails with it too, really helps strengthen the lower legs when the footing is uneven. I like to take it easy on the training in the begining, and pace it out til the end. That way I dont end up with torn muscles, shin splints and plantars facitis (been there). I'll be more than ready by the time I hit the mountains.

by **VT Sasquatch** » 04 13, 2016 • [Post 42]

I get shin splints too. I used to run for my school through the end of high school. In my sophomore year I started practicing in racing flats. I did that for 3 years and had bouts of shin splints and had never had them before. I wear shoes with good cushion now but I still am prone to getting them.

I have been running relatively short distances and mixing in a lot of mountain biking to reduce impact. I love mountain biking but I think I need to rely on it less for fitness because it works odd muscles that probably won't do much for my hiking/hunting endurance. I'm 40 now and can feel that I am never going to be as strong or fast as I was 20 years ago.

by **Backyard** » 04 13, 2016 • [Post 43]

VT Sasquatch wrote:I get shin splints too. I used to run for my school through the end of high school. In my sophomore year I started practicing in racing flats. I did that for 3 years and had bouts of shin splints and had never had them before. I wear shoes with good cushion now but I still am prone to getting them.

I have been running relatively short distances and mixing in a lot of mountain biking to reduce impact. I love mountain biking but I think I need to rely on it less for fitness because it works odd muscles that probably won't do much for my hiking/hunting endurance. I'm 40 now and can feel that I am never going to be as strong or fast as I was 20 years ago.

Haha! I wish I were that young again! I'm 53, and in great shape. The key is that you have to give the body recovery time during workouts. By that I mean an entire day's off from training every two to three days to let the muscles recover from getting beat up. As you get older, unfortunately you need more recovery time. Sucks, because you want to train like you did when you were young, but fact is most can't at the same intensity.
Another key is shoes, replace those beat up running/training shoes every three to four months during training. It makes all the difference in the world.

by **Boatdoc39** » 04 15, 2016 • [Post 44]

I rode my horse 4 miles this evening. Does that count? Lol! Actually, I've been walking lots of miles every weekend, turkey hunting, wearing my vest loaded down with lots of extra junk. I do think it's really a problem for us flatlanders to train for the mountains. We just really only have small hills around here and nice, 'thick' air to breathe. I'm mainly focused on losing 15-20 pounds and doing lots of cardio.

by **sojurner 65** » 04 17, 2016 • [Post 45]

[/quote]Haha! I wish I were that young again! I'm 53, and in great shape. The key is that you have to give the body recovery time during workouts. By that I mean an entire day's off from training every two to three days to let the muscles recover from getting beat up. As you get older, unfortunately you need more recovery time. Sucks, because you want to train like you did when you were young, but fact is most can't at the same intensity.
[/quote]

Wait til you hit 68 like me! Now I limit myself to 6 mile hikes or 12 mile bike rides, or a day watching our 3 yr old granddaughter ( :lol:

) with a day off between!

by **Lefty** » 04 17, 2016 • [Post 46]

Last Saturday I tried to "summit Big Southern Butte

This weekend trying to set out bear baits but the snow was too deep

: scouts on ig bute.jpg (119.04 KiB) Viewed 21472 times

: scouts on ig bute.jpg (119.04 KiB) Viewed 21472 times

by **husky390** » 04 17, 2016 • [Post 47]

Took the pups snow shoeing behind my house today. It's supposed to be in the 80's by the end of the week. Crazy.

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by **Lefty** » 04 17, 2016 • [Post 48]

husky390 wrote:Took the pups snow shoeing behind my house today. It's supposed to be in the 80's by the end of the week. Crazy.

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I heard Colorado got dumped on. What elevation are you ( and your dogs)?