I'm hunting a man eater of a unit this year, so I'm doing more hill training than normal. This hill is 800 ft elevation in 0.2 miles. I go down and back up with 50 lbs in my backpack, and do this 2x a week. Right now, it takes me 30 minutes to go down and back up. My goal is to be doing 2x down and up in under an hour.
Heavy weights at least once a week,(including dead lifts, sumo deadlifts, full range of motion back squats, pullups, KB swings, etc), and some mountain biking and trail running mixed in.
Train hard and train smart!
I think this is my last week on the jobsite. So when I get back to the office. Things will pick up. Running hills as well as mtn biking. The weights will get increased to 4 days a week as well.
These long days on the jobsite make workouts difficult. I am ready for a 10 hour work day instead of a 12 to 14.
Thanks to RockyD's coaching, I've set up a varied program to reach specific goals by certain dates (climb a rough mountain I hate, backpack trip, like up an awful incline, etc..). So far I'm right on target. The toughest part is forcing myself to do the pack work when its cold/windy/spitting snow, like today and I wasn't feeling real spiffy.
Then I remind myself there will be plenty of days like that from September-January when hunting, so I suck it up and am happy with myself for doing it.
I've felt the same way a few mornings when the wind was howling nd the rain coming in sideways. And then I picture the shitholes we'll be chasing bulls into and I get motivated.
I'm almost to my goal for a Kifaru Duplex. Hopefully sell a few stickbows on the auction site by Friday and, have enough for frame, an Apollo, and to put some back into the "for later" account, when I order. If my bows don't sell, I'm going to work the wife for the extra dough from the budget to get it ordered this weekend. I'm excited. When I bat my eyes, if we got the extra, I get what I want. :^)
Actually, the training isn't bad even with the Cheap pack. I've been doing it for the better part of two months steady now. Going to knock some weight off the pack and, add a couple miles to my workout after turkey season. My GPS said I walked 4.96 miles this morning hunting turkeys. In very steep country. So, since Saturday, no pack training at all. And, I was back in the truck by 9:45. Saturday it might be 8 or 9 miles total with the longer hunting time. So, there is no need to train like previously on top of the hunting miles. Too many injuries risked at my age with my cadaver enhanced knees, with no meniscus left between the bones, to go any harder than that.
Good luck to all and God Bless men
He told me if I get my legs and lungs in shape, everything else will come along for the ride. Anyway, I'm giving it a try, and beating my legs up pretty good.
I squat, deadlift and lunge twice a week. I run hilly trails and/or stairs every day. After squat day I can barely make it up the 4 steps into the job trailer at work. If I have to drop a deuce, it's kind of a controlled fall onto the throne. Getting back up is a real treat. I force myself to run and it seems to beat the soreness back a little. Stretching as well.
In the past I've always neglected legs and I know why....it sucks.
On a positive note I am 20 lbs lighter than I was last fall, and I'm fairly certain I've added lean muscle. I'd like to lose 15 more.
One more day and I'll be ripped. Ha!
No reference to being buff, rather increasing strength. There's a difference.
When I was Ike's age no pack training was necessary either. I could strap on a loaded backpack with no pre-conditioning and head off into the wilderness for 5-10 days, no problem. Now that I'm old and decrepit it really helps to wave-train with varying weighted packs on my fitness hikes. Not so much for elk packing prep, but it helps strengthen my back, hips, lower body and core. Also great for improving balance on uneven ground, which seems to decrease with age.
It also helps to have a great group of friends who like to train as hard as you do. Most of them half my age but that's what keeps me young! These two twenty-somethings with me in the pic are currently training for their first IronMan this fall. We had just run 10 miles from my house to the next town where we did a 45 minute kickboxing class. We've done this more than once and usually into a stiff head wind just to make it a little more miserable. Feelin great at 58!
I wish I'd thought of it first Troy...
As long as I don't interrupt your regime by talking bowhunting!
Scoot and I live in an area that has the elevation profile of a pool table. We might equal Jason's 800' elevation change on a 100 mile road trip! I use what we have access to. Stadium stairs & flood dike are my go to.
And ......NO! I won't arm wrestle ya for it! ;-)
Elaborate on the "ample nutrition" part if you would please. I've done long bike rides (up to a century on my mountain bike) and have always struggled with eating for the long haul.
Still pushing hard here in Idaho, turned 62 yesterday, maybe the elk will feel sorry for me & give me a head start! (grin)
ElkNut1
Pigsticker's Link
if you understand how the body stores fuel (glycogen) for energy then you can look at the best way to combat the depletion of fuel. By understanding that the body only stores enough glycogen for 35-40 minutes of intense activity then we can work on replenishing the source for fuel. I will share an extract to save time and to add increased credibility to this concept: "Glycogen depletion can be forestalled in three possible ways. First, during exercise, carbohydrates with the highest possible rate of conversion to blood glucose (high glycemic index) are ingested continuously. The best possible outcome of this strategy replaces about 35% of glucose consumed at heart rates above about 80% of maximum. Second, through endurance training adaptations and specialized regimens (e.g. fasted low-intensity endurance training), the body can condition type I muscle fibers to improve both fuel use efficiency and workload capacity to increase the percentage of fatty acids used as fuel sparing carbohydrate use from all sources. Third, by consuming large quantities of carbohydrates after depleting glycogen stores as a result of exercise or diet, the body can increase storage capacity of intramuscular glycogen stores. This process is known as carbohydrate loading. In general, glycemic index of carbohydrate source does not matter since muscular insulin sensitivity is increased as a result of temporary glycogen depletion. When experiencing glycogen debt, athletes often experience extreme fatigue to the point that it is difficult to move. As a reference, the very best professional cyclists in the world will usually finish a 4- to 5-hr stage race right at the limit of glycogen depletion using the first three strategies. When athletes ingest both carbohydrate and caffeine following exhaustive exercise, their glycogen stores tend to be replenished more rapidly; however, the minimum dose of caffeine at which there is a clinically significant effect on glycogen repletion has not been established." This stated most of us have heard of carbo loading the day prior to a big event . i.E. pasta and bread before a long bike ride, half marathon etc. many competitive cyclist will have pasta and egg whites before a day on the Tour De France. for most of us a heavy dose of peanut butter on a bagel would suffice for our activity. on the bike ride across Georgia (BRAG) I ate a healthy muffins and a banana every morning and on hunting trips I eat oatmeal with raisins and walnuts. That is the before and just like a car on a long trip you need to refuel along the way. Using the fact that I use a tank of glycogen every 35-40 minutes when biking I normally eat a gel pack around 35 minutes into the ride and continue to do that pretty much through out the ride. for extended periods I will take in a recovery drink like Endurox along the way after about 2 hours into the ride and will sip on this concoction during the ride and continue to eat on clif bars and gel at periodic intervals throughout the ride. This is normally a 24 ounce water bottle that will be incorporated in with additional water as the primary source for hydration.
The attached link is a very detailed article on what to eat on a century ride and can be altered for any long endurance event.
Now many of us who have trained for years have developed training adaptations and specialized regimens as stated above and may not need to eat as much as others. Frankly for years while in the Army long distance ruck marching I typically only required water for a five to seven hour event. Only when I started high intensity cycling did I needed to get smart about refueling.
JDM - Hopefully this helps
Hiking, lap swimming, lifting, snowshoeing in the winter, yoga for the stretch and some biking now that the weather is kinda nice.
Good for you Nick! Boston Marathon for you next year.
Good luck, Robb
"That is an old picture of Nick. He is now a skinny marathoner!"
Down about 18 lbs. since that pic, Z. My arms are about the size of Idyl's now, so I'm sure you could take me, t-roy!
"First and foremost, understand nutrition and diet is for weight loss and exercise is for getting in shape and increased metabolism."
Worth repeating from pigsticker. You will drop some weight initially when you start an exercise program but it will quickly level off and you'll still be carrying that spare tire around the middle. You're going to need a calorie deficit to lose the fat. Several small meals per day consisting of a serving of lean protein and a serving quality carbs will get you down 1-2 lbs. of fat per week without starving yourself and have you feeling great. Cut the carbs the last half of the day if you've got a lot of fat to lose. Measure your waist instead of your weight. This is the true measure of your fitness.
I work in an office and we have crap food, sweets, etc. brought in all the time. Most people have this same stuff sitting on the kitchen counter at home. By far, the most difficult part of maintaining a clean diet is walking away from all the junk. Trade all that junk food for a few "cheat meals" per week....a big cheeseburger, fried chicken, pizza, enchiladas, beer, whatever you crave. Set a goal to just try eating clean for 6 weeks, check your results, adjust, then set another goal, repeat.
As an aside...even with all the training and proper nutrition, I still suck at killing elk. #embracethesuck
I doubt I'll ever get to the point where packing out an animal is just as enjoyable as carrying my normal pack, so for now I just kind of go on living my life. Running a business and having a family has it's advantages and disadvantages and with my priorities in life ultimate fitness takes a back seat. I'm OK with it, but I do envy the guys that train like crazy and get in shape both for the way they've been able to prioritize it in life, and for the fitness levels they achieve. So good on you fellas and keep it up!
I try to above all eat clean. 6 packs are made in the kitchen!
