Hunt Training

[AKPyron]

For about the last month or so I've been going out every 2 to 3 days. I'm building up slowly but here has been my plan...

Obviously core training and the like.
Been hiking 3-5 miles with a pack. Started at 1 mile and 20lbs now Im at 3 to 5 with 35lbs. I'd like to get to a soldid 5-7 with 50 or 60.

Changed my diet quite a bit too. Eat a decent breakfast, such as yogurt and fruit or eggs and toast (enough to fill up). A large lunch, high protien low fat. Then a smaller dinner consisting of about 65-70% vegetables. My rationale behind this is that if I eat a large lunch it gives me energy/ carbs for a hike and most will be burnt or absorbed when really needed vs a large dinner that sits all night and goes right where you don't want it.

What do some of you guides think about this if one of your clients were willing (lol) to train this hard?

Also anyone in the interior, I wouldn't mind some company once in a while either if you are starting your training too!

Also for those of you just wanting to burn some of that winter off check this out, great article and interesting science!
http://www.backpacker.com/lose-weight-hiking/skills/15314?page=7

 

[Brian M]

Seems like you've got a good thing going there. My one difference is that I do not train with weight. I do go on a number of backpacking trips in a summer, so in those cases I'm carrying 45-50 pounds, but I never intentionally load my pack with unneccessary weight for the sole purpose of training. Joints can only take so much wear and tear in a lifetime, so I'd rather train light and fast. There are a lot of people who disagree, though, so do what works for you.

Good call including nutrition in your training regimine as well.

 

[akscotty]

i have been doing the same for the last 3 months jan 9 i decided to lose weight because i want to shoot a sheep with my bow so i changed my diet for starters i eat oatmeal for breakfast and a good dinner 70% veggies always a salad and some form of meat chicken or moose usually i also stopped drinking soda i drink nothing but watter now and lots of it, after a month of that i started to exercise i started jogging a half mile and went up to four but found it hurt a muscle in the back of my knee so i moved it back to 2miles every day then i do push ups,lunges,squats,curls every day and did some distance hiking the other day i did 7 miles with a pack and about 20lbs, on jan 9 i was 342lb i am down to 280lb now and plan to drop another 90lb but i just started msha class today and have to start work monday so i will have to slow down a little but still plan to work out when i can and eat healthy, good luck with your training:topjob:

 

[kahahawai]

I'm up to a 550 calorie burn program on a tread mill that goes up to a 40 degree incline, Also, I do a full weight training workout consisting of both upper and lower body. Just wondering what you guys are pushing as far as squats?

My diet hasn't been the best, I like to eat....but I don't do sodas or sweet drinks, I do water, vitamin water, gatorade, and milk.

 

[AKPyron]

Scotty, great job on the weight loss, congratulations to you! I do the same with fluids but I allow myself one caffinated drink a day and 2 or 3 beers fri or sat. I started carrying nalgene bottles with me everywhere I go and it really curbs the urge to swing in a grab a quick drink at the gas station (saves money too). If I want some flavor I try and go with noon, crystal light or things like that you can throw in the glove box and drop in your bottle. If you ever want to hike together hit me up!

Brian, maybe its just the Army not wanting to leave me but even with my bad back 25 or 30lbs feels pretty light when its not in an alice pack! One of the things in the article I posted the link to says that if you are moving at a pace you can talk comfortably at then you are burning more fat. I guess the study they used said the ration of carbs, fat and protien varries with heart rate. They found that at lower heart rates you burn more fat less carbs and as hr elvates the ratios invert. Some days I do go out with just the dogs though and try and huff it pretty quick for the cardio.

kah??? Last guy lol - I can't do things like squats and heavy weights, my back is shreaded from the Army as well as my wrist I just had my 2nd surgery on in Jan. Its fused now but I still have to wait til Jul for the bone graph to cure to try pushing harder.

 

[mdhunter]

320 miles on my road bicycle so far, should be around 1200 miles or so by the time I fly up for my moose hunt. A remote moose hunt isn't that physically demanding - until you have a big one on the ground and gotta hump the meat back to camp!

I'm just under 6' tall, get up to about 190 in the winter but am usually around 176-180 by the time my hunt rolls around.

Good luck to all in your training,

Michael

 

[akscotty]

i am still working my way up on the squats i am doing 3 sets of 10 at 75lbs also wana start doing dead lift again and see what i can do i was able to do 450lbs in high school im sure its less now but my mane thing right now is cardio and weight loss.

 

[hodgeman]

I've been training pretty consistently for 6 weeks. Climbing Donelly or Bart Mt every Saturday (depending on wind) with a 35lb pack, riding my mountain bike just about everywhere I can, jogging with the dog, doing core exercise and light lifting (lighter weight, lots of reps, sets) and stretching.

Feeling pretty great about where I'll be in Aug if I don't injure myself!

 

[AlaskaTrueAdventure]

Sounds like a good training routine. Eat correctly. Remember that cave men did not have fast food. It is surprising how good you can feel while consuming "good and healthy food", and avoiding processed junk foods. Walk a bunch. Run a little. Lift light weights. Condition yourself mentally as you train. While other will say that cross-training on a bike (or whatever) is great, I obtain and maintain mental toughness by putting on a pack and pounding boots into the turf. Mental toughness is at least as important as physical toughness. If you are not mentally "hungry", then you will be counting on blind luck. If you are not mentally kick-butt tough then being warm and comfortable will soon exceed your desire to remain cold, wet, sore, and wanting to kill something.Train as hard as you will be working while hunting. And that is hard to find to time to do, to accomplish. Spend weekends, while your friends are drinking beer on the Kenai River, up in high, rocky, wet and windy places. Become comfortable with yourself and your capabilities in these lonely environments.

My hunting success strategy is similar to surviving a nuclear attack.....DISTANCE and SHIELDING.
Outwalk the competition=Distance. Put barriers like mountains and rivers between you and the competition= Shielding

dennis

 

[AKPyron]

Also if anyone would like to do a "dry run" to the Slope sometime this summer for some weekend training and glassing that would be sweet! Just split fuel and take off!

 

[RCBOWHUNTER]

I absolutely encourage anyone who is serious about fitness and hunting to check out a new website that is tailored for hunters.

www.traintohunt.com

The fitness industry has so much information out there that is wrong. I am a firm believer that you should train Harder than what you anticipate your Hunt to be. If you don't push yourself in training how do you expect to perform when it counts? Your training has to include routines that push you beyond your comfort zone or your body will become stagnant. Continously change up your fitness routine and keep your body guessing is the key! It doesn't take that much time in a day to get a good workout in. If you can remember one thing that would be......"Win the Day" That means do something everyday to put yourself closer to your fitness goals. Everyone "cheats" or has minor set backs in their fitness, but it is about being consistent that pays off in the end.

I could go on and on but just do yourself a favor and visit the website, talk with Dan or Kenton (co-owners) and they will become your personal fitness trainer, getting you ready for whatever fitness/hunting goals you have in mind. I will be happy to answer any questions you might have about the website or health and fitness.

Keep up the work and Train Hard

RC

 

[AKPyron]

RCBowhunter: I do agree with changing it up and some of your ideas for sure. But as far as pushing yourself so far you go over the edge I don't like to do that for training. Its been my experience that I can ALWAYS push harder, longer and farther than I ever thought when it comes to it. The Army taught me that, but I just don't want to train so hard I risk re-injuring my back or wrist when I'd rather that happen while in the field instead of keeping me home. I can always push through sever pain to get home but I'm not gonna leave that way. A lotof good exercises on the site though!

 

[Alaska_Lanche]

AKPyron,

I have been training pretty consistantly for the past 3 months now and am in much better shape than I was when I began exiting my "fat" season. Already dropped my winter fat weight of 172 down to 158 and my workout times are much improved as well as.

I do 8 miles a day in the gym when at work since I can't get out and hike. Now that its summer I'll doing a LOT more hiking/backpacking as well especially since my wife's broken leg in October is on the mend. Heading out for a bike in camp and around the hills 3 day black bear bike back out hunt with my wife for our anniversary in 6 days and plan on doing similar things all summer in addition to my gym schedule while up at work.

If you are down maybe we can climb Panorama mountain or the like down by Denali. I am in that area A LOT during the summer so if you are down to meet up for a quick 4 hour hike up and down (I'm slow ) Panorama mountain north of Cantwell or something shoot me a PM.

 

[AK Troutbum]

I did a lot of hiking/climbing last summer in prep for a sheep hunt. I would load my hunting pack up with H2O jugs for wt., up to 40-55 lbs. and climb. Then for the hike down, dump the water and have pretty much an empty pack so my joints wouldn't suffer under a load hiking down hill. This worked out very well for me. I got the idea from one of Tony Russ's books.

 

[stevelyn]

Seems like you've got a good thing going there. My one difference is that I do not train with weight. I do go on a number of backpacking trips in a summer, so in those cases I'm carrying 45-50 pounds, but I never intentionally load my pack with unneccessary weight for the sole purpose of training. Joints can only take so much wear and tear in a lifetime, so I'd rather train light and fast. There are a lot of people who disagree, though, so do what works for you.

Good call including nutrition in your training regimine as well.

I definitely agree with you on joint health. I'm feeling the effects of having marched with overloaded packs in Uncle's Legions back in the day. You gain nothing from training if all it does is beat you up.

 

[akdaniels]

Try the Bristol Bay salmon gillnetting regimen! 3 weeks I lose 20 to 25 lbs. Cardio/strength training, Diet consists of salmon, salmon and more salmon (not a lot of fresh veggies) only thing is its a short walk as 32 feet bow to stern is not a long distance, but climbing to flying bridge and back down all day long I guess could be considered a climbing excersize. Plus you can make some $$$ for your effort! Win/Win!

 

[Bighorse]

I just got back from the gym. I rode the three miles there. While there I did a full body yoga type routine. Dips, Pushups, kettlebell swings, lat pull downs, and sit-ups for warm up.

The workout was 5 rounds of 5 burpie to pull-ups and 8 dumbbell push presses for a time. 8 minutes 16 seconds.

Then I rode to the produce stand, loaded up my pack, and found a steep hill to climb and took the long way home via bicycle.

Tomorrow morning I'll swim with the masters swim group before working all day.

I'm still 230Ibs. as of today. Even with peak fitness I'd be very, very lucky to drop below 200. At 210 I can climb and carry very well in the mountains. Soon I'll start incorporating local steep 2,500' pushes into the training. I don't like overuse injury. So I mix up my training often.

Paddling, cycling, hiking, swimming, running, lifting, yoga, climbing, ect......If ya got the time just keep moving.

Good luck to everyone readying for their hunts. I hope you all attain peak fitness and stay injury free.

 

[RCBOWHUNTER]

Awesome Bighorse, keep it up! I agree 100% with keep mixing it up. You have to keep your body guessing and keep the joints healthy. Too many different ways to get cardio into your program without running everyday.

I'm training for the AlaskaCross, Chena Hot springs to Circle Hot Springs Adventure Race. I weight train(Train To Hunt Workouts) M-W-F and Run T-Th-Sat. I started that regiment to prepare for the event. Prior to that I was doing Train To Hunt workouts 5 days a week. It's good to have something to train for in the near term. Good luck to everyone in the fitness goals!

RC

 

[AK Wonderer]

Sounds like your on the right track. I think time under the pack is important. Even 25-30 lbs on the hips activates muscles that don't typically get worked by hiking alone. A couple pack hikes a week supplemented with a couple days of running, biking, weights, etc. and you'll be ready to for hunting.

Obviously hiking up a mountian or two every week is better than any flat land training you'll do.

I like doing lunges to strengthen my legs. I have a bad disk in my low back and have to avoid squats as well but the lunges are easy on my back. If you do them from one stationary location, like the middle of your livingroom, step backwards as opposed to forward.

 

[bnkwnto]

Ak Wonderer,
You can't get in shape typing. Let's go look at some sheep.