Hunting Season Workout

OK, coues hunt is over and I'm back in the gym.

I slacked off after my hunt and took a week off. While hunting I had no knee issues to speak of. I'd dose with prescription Motrin in the morning and again before going to bed and that staved off the dastardly pain I usually experience.

Now I'm waiting until there's some snow on the ground and I'll go back out and try to call in a mountain lion. It might be a while before it snows however since the temp was north of 80 degrees today. I also went hiking with the wife and dogs earlier this week looking at some new coues country. This was how we, wife and I, spent our Anniversary. She don't hunt but sure seems to support my doing so. :grin:

I'm waiting until it snows on the nearby mountains and I'm going to add hiking with snowshoes as part of my fitness routine in preparation for a late season elk hunt next year if I can get drawn. Maybe I'll do some backpacking this summer too?

Vince
 
My training paid off, took a 338" 6x6 bull about 7 miles from the trail. I got a fellow with horses to pack him out, called him and rode back in with him the next day. My buddy though shot his in a terrible canyon that took a 3 mile pack out over some brutal terrain. No way out the bottom of the canyon so we went up and across several side ravines. My hiking with a loaded pack really paid off getting him out over the course of a couple days. We figured out that we both need to do more of the other's exercises. When just hiking up the face of the mountains, or any other place where we gained elevation with every step for an extended period of time, his running trumped my hiking and he could go longer without becoming winded. With weight on our backs, or just for overall endurance at the end of a long day, my hiking with weighted pack paid off big time for me. We had a great trip, and learned valuable lessons for next time.
 
Well, I'm clawing my way out of one of those set-backs mentioned above.

When I went to SC to hunt for a little over a week, I took my running gear, but ran only once (a leisurely 3-miler at a rather unambitious 10min/mile). I decided to enjoy the time off. I also didn't watch what I ate. Well, that's not true. I watched myself eat a lot! LOL

I picked up a bit over 10lbs, but as of this morning, a week into getting "back on the wagon," I've worked that down to about 6.5lbs. 5.2 mile run this morning, and I've been running and/or on the spin bike at the gym most mornings. Been using my 30lb kettlebell for weights, but need to get back on the weights at the gym. I found good results with 2-3 lifting sessions at the gym and one kettlebell work out per week prior to my little "relapse".

I haven't been on my road bike in a couple months. Early darkness and our archery season ended that. I'm hoping to get an indoor trainer here soon and start back up. The bike really tears through calories.

I have to remind myself how far I've come when these small setbacks come up.

Here's me in Oct 2012:

2012pabuck_zpsd149ef11.jpg


Here's me almost exactly one year later:

DSCN3859_zps2a0841c6.jpg


In Oct. 2012, running 5 minutes would have been a struggle. Today before work I ran 5.2 miles at 8:39/mi.

:)
 
Congrats! Your workouts have certainly helped.

I had to chuckle a little at myself this past weekend hunting whitetail deer. It was so EASY. Quietly slip into the blind. Don't move, just watch. Coach the new hunter to watch, listen, see the deer, then make the shot. Walk over to the truck, and go pick up the deer, then have lunch.

I contrasted that to walking miles and miles of steep mountains & canyons while hunting bear & mule deer in September & October... Very different hunting. Glad I was in decent shape for September & October hunts. It really didn't matter one bit on the whitetail hunt though.

Still riding my mountain bike. Did 12 more miles yesterday, likely headed out again today. Good workout, and the back is coming around, though still somewhat stiff & sore. Riding and walking has been good for it, I've been avoiding the weight lifting for several weeks.

Regards, Guy
 
Whitetail hunting can be physically demanding, but one look at most of our local whitetail hunters in this area, and you'll quickly come to realize that it can also be NOT demanding, too! :)

When we used to do a lot of deer drives, it was actually pretty good exercise to hunt deer, but now that stand hunting is the most effective MO for us, it's a lot...A LOT....of sitting and waiting.

Shedding the equivalent of a medium-sized Labrador retriever in weight, though, has caused two very noticeable changes for me in whitetail hunting:

1- I don't get numbness in my lower body from sitting on stand for long hours like I used to. That's good.

2- I get COLD....and fast. I have never had to wear so much clothing for such relatively mild temps. When we were in SC, I was dressed like it was a blizzard while others were wearing a sweater and a couple wool shirts at most. And I was still cold. My hands and feet felt it the most, too, but I also have learned that they are "barometers". If my hands and feet are cold, my core/head were layered too lightly.
 
My youngest is real lean, usually down around 6% body fat. He gets cold easy. I got him a small case of those chemical handwarmers. He fills up his pockets with them when we go whitetail hunting! He usually puts them in his inner-clothing, under the outer-shell. Helps him stay warm & comfortable for a while.

Then he gets hungry.... :grin:

Guy
 
LOL!

And yeah, I have to stock up on the HotHands warmers. A few go in the zipper pockets inside the coat, a few in pockets...I have one of those "mufflers" hand warmer things, so I'll use that, too.

The guys on the hunting trip were laughing at how bundled up I was. On the other hand, I was the only one on the trip who can wear jeans at my true waist and they don't have a waist size that starts with "4"......they weren't laughing so much when I mentioned that. One guy wears 34's, smaller size than I wear (36/38 for me), but he has to wear them awful low to accomplish it! Ha!
 
Good evening all. As you already know I survived a fun filled week with a certain gung ho marine whom also posts here. Following Scotty through the mountains is like following horse headed to the grain bin. Up or down, rain or sleet, or sleet or snow, he has one grueling pace. I am not sure my fitness level helped me or not, but I believe it kept me alive. Tom I believe 5, of the pounds I lost, you found. Every hour of two he would stop and look around to see if I was still alive. Then he would head off again. He shared with me one afternoon, that over his hunting lifetime he has worn out two hunting partners. I believe he was trying to accelerate that process with me, to one hunt. I believe that I may have made a mistake the first day when I mentioned that we should probably cover more ground and do less still hunting than we did two years ago. Never will I utter those words again. Our longest day started at 0545, and ended up around 2300. Through the course of the day we hiked approximately 8 miles. Climbed up 2000 feet in elevation, killed and cleaned two elk then retraced our steps back up then down the 2000 feet. It was a great hunt, we had several weather challenges, tough country and had to kill an animal that probably represents only 5% of the elk population in that unit. But we got it done, and really felt good about those two spikes.
 
Congratulations sounds like you guys had a great hunt. I can relate, following the friend from Wyoming my flatland buddy and I hunt with I feel the same way. He is a legend where he lives for his hiking ability and none of the locals are dumb enough to follow him. Luckily for me I am dumb enough and we have a great time hunting big bulls where normal people are to smart to go!

http://i949.photobucket.com/albums/ad33 ... 4ba9df.jpg
 
Elkman":1nelxuet said:
Good evening all. As you already know I survived a fun filled week with a certain gung ho marine whom also posts here. Following Scotty through the mountains is like following horse headed to the grain bin. Up or down, rain or sleet, or sleet or snow, he has one grueling pace. I am not sure my fitness level helped me or not, but I believe it kept me alive. Tom I believe 5, of the pounds I lost, you found. Every hour of two he would stop and look around to see if I was still alive. Then he would head off again. He shared with me one afternoon, that over his hunting lifetime he has worn out two hunting partners. I believe he was trying to accelerate that process with me, to one hunt. I believe that I may have made a mistake the first day when I mentioned that we should probably cover more ground and do less still hunting than we did two years ago. Never will I utter those words again. Our longest day started at 0545, and ended up around 2300. Through the course of the day we hiked approximately 8 miles. Climbed up 2000 feet in elevation, killed and cleaned two elk then retraced our steps back up then down the 2000 feet. It was a great hunt, we had several weather challenges, tough country and had to kill an animal that probably represents only 5% of the elk population in that unit. But we got it done, and really felt good about those two spikes.
Click to expand...

OUTSTANDING!
 
mcseal2":jo6o41yv said:
Congratulations sounds like you guys had a great hunt. I can relate, following the friend from Wyoming my flatland buddy and I hunt with I feel the same way. He is a legend where he lives for his hiking ability and none of the locals are dumb enough to follow him. Luckily for me I am dumb enough and we have a great time hunting big bulls where normal people are to smart to go!

http://i949.photobucket.com/albums/ad33 ... 4ba9df.jpg
Click to expand...

A quality bull, for sure. Congratulations!
 
Starting a new routine, actually adding one, to my gym time. Here's a link to how it looks. Day 1 was today.

https://www.google.com/search?q=plankin ... =_&imgrc=_




The 30 Day Plank Challenge will send your core strength through the roof!
Day 1 - 20 seconds
Day 2 - 20 seconds
Day 3 - 30 seconds
Day 4 - 30 seconds
Day 5 - 40 seconds
Day 6 - REST
Day 7 - 45 seconds
Day 8 - 45 seconds
Day 9 - 60 seconds
Day 10 - 60 seconds
Day 11 - 60 seconds
Day 12 - 90 seconds
Day 13 - REST
Day 14 - 90 seconds
Day 15 - 90 seconds
Day 16 - 120 seconds
Day 17 - 120 seconds
Day 18 - 150 seconds
Day 19 - REST
Day 20 - 150 seconds
Day 21 - 150 seconds
Day 22 - 180 seconds
Day 23 - 180 seconds
Day 24 - 210 seconds
Day 25 - 210 seconds
Day 26 - REST
Day 27 - 240 seconds
Day 28 - 240 seconds
Day 29 - 270 seconds
Day 30 - PLANK FOR AS LONG AS POSSIBLE!!
 
I was watching a commercial for a T25 workout by the inventor of the Insanity workout. Anyone seen this? It says 25 minutes per day 5 days per week can get real results. Sounds like a good fit for my schedule when it starts getting dark early here, maybe keep the winter weight off.
 
My wife has been doing a short version of the plank workout. Along with water aerobics 5 days a week and yoga two days a week. He fitness level has increased dramatically this last year.
 
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