Off season work-out. What do you guys do to keep in shape?

[Desert Fox]

It's that time of the year again to get in shape for the next season. I will turn 53 years young this year. There's still more hills to climb and animals to chase. What do you guys do, in the off season to stay in shape. Me, I walk or ride my bike every chance I get. how about you guys. Luckily, we have plenty of beautiful trails and mountain road here in So. Cal to choose from.

 

[Greg Nolan]

Looks like the Angeles National Forest. I run(not jog) 2 miles a day and towards hunting season I push it to 2-4-6 miles in a week. I'd say you look pretty fit so it won't be so hard but it is time consuming (boring).
You're younger than me by a fair bit. The hard part is not making excuses to not exercise. It's a downward spiral if you do.
Good Hunting
Elkhunt :grin:

 

[Desert Fox]

I can't run anymore because of meniscus tear in both knees. The right was scoped a few years ago and the left heal itself. Overall though, I'm doing fine.

It's Clairmont Trail. Very popular here in the Inland Empire. It's a five mile hike. The trailhead begins at 1200 ft level and peak at 2100 ft. The snow capped in the background is Big Bear.

 

[jmad_81]

Not nearly enough... I really need to start again. My wife and I have been meaning to start the P90X program, but havn't gotten around to it yet.

The elk are starting to drop, so I'll get a bit of time hiking around looking for sheds. Maybe that will be enough to get me motivated.

 

[nodak7mm]

Like Jmad said, "Not near enough.."

Admittingly I have turned into a sedenatry middle aged office kinda guy. Just had a physical, everything is mint (blood psi, cholesterol, glucose, etc), just outta shape & in need of hearing aids.

I guess I have the perfect excuse, active teenagers & a demanding job.. DF, guys like yourself inspire me. But its hard for a displaced farmboy to actually think about doing excersize when it was a by-product of your lifestyle.

Rod

 

[Guy Miner]

DF, I normally work four days a week. On those days I hit the gym for an hour long workout, 50/50 cardio & weights. On my days off - the workout varies with the season and according to my whim. I think that the commitment to hitting the gym every day that I work has paid off over the years - keeps my workouts regular.

I don't train hard in martial arts anymore, but I do try to get in one or two kickboxing workouts every week at the local martial arts gym too. Helps keep me sharp. Pretty funny being the oldest guy in the session by about 20 years.

Right from my house I can hike up into the local hills for up to about a three hour hike. It's great! Also have good trails not far from home for the mountain bike, and some nice roads for the road bike as well. In winter I'll use cross country skis or snowshoes to keep the outdoor stuff going.

I'm in my mid 50's as well, and find that I have to work harder at keeping the weight off now. It all pays off though in the summer on backpacking trips and in the fall on hunting trips.

Regards, Guy

 

[C.Smith]

Not nearly enough... I really need to start again. My wife and I have been meaning to start the P90X program, but havn't gotten around to it yet.

The elk are starting to drop, so I'll get a bit of time hiking around looking for sheds. Maybe that will be enough to get me motivated.

Don't wait to long. I did last year made it 6 weeks and got to Thanksgiving and have not been back on it. Over 15 pounds in 6 weeks doing that program. It is awsome. I just need to re-start.

Corey

 

[Guy Miner]

From my place, it's a stiff 45 minute walk to the saddle between those rocks. Makes for a good hike:

Cross-country skiing with my buds or with my 18 year old son keeps me going in the winter:

Yes, we mountain bike in the snow sometimes. Either play in the snow or stay inside half the year:

Also do a fair bit of fly fishing for trout, steelhead & salmon. A day of wading the river and casting is quite a workout in itself.

Regards, Guy

 

[DrMike]

A day of wading the river and casting is quite a workout in itself.

Guy,

I envy your opportunities. Since moving from the Lower Mainland of British Columbia, I get too few opportunities to fish for salmon and steelhead now. I do occasionally get the opportunity to fish for grayling, whitefish, brook trout and rainbows. You are correct that wading a good stream is a good workout in its own right.

 

[shoots_5]

I run 12-15 miles per week and then just do some push ups and sit ups for some general strength with the occasional trip to the gym for some weights. Beyond that I do a little bit of mountaineering and some hiking and backpacking. Not so much to stay in shape for hunting but more for general health and fitness. My hunting generally isn't too horribly strenuous as it's usually on a fairly open ranch where we drive to high ground, glass until we find the animals and then formulate a plan to stalk them. That's not to say that we never end up humping an elk out of some nasty country but it's not very often.....

 

[Ridge_Runner]

get up early, go to work, come home in the eve. and drink beer! works for me!
RR

 

[jmad_81]

LOL yeah that work out got me from a ripped 195 lbs to a not near as solid 225. I now drink a good whiskey on ice a few nights a week and am staying around 215. Better, but I need to do better.

 

[JDMAG]

Looks like the Angeles National Forest. I run(not jog) 2 miles a day and towards hunting season I push it to 2-4-6 miles in a week. I'd say you look pretty fit so it won't be so hard but it is time consuming (boring).
You're younger than me by a fair bit. The hard part is not making excuses to not exercise. It's a downward spiral if you do.
Good Hunting
Elkhunt :grin:

Trust me .....he does. and can run circles around me and I'm a lot younger than that old guy! :lol: I start out this time of year walking and graduate to the gym in a month or so. I'll be helping with my daughters softball season, and that will help. However, if you are from sea level(as I am)no matter how much you work out, there is nothing that will get you used to the limited oxygen levels at elk level. (short of working out on an eleptical with a plastic bag over your head.) but you can work your legs and get them to where they require less oxygen when climbing. I do weight machines at the gym,( for my legs)and an eleptical. and wear my pack when walking \hikeing\hunting.

 

[Guy Miner]

Yes - Is there some way we can get the elk to come down from those 10,000' elevations during hunting season???

 

[HTDUCK]

get up early, go to work, come home in the eve. and drink beer! works for me!
RR

My exact plan too!

Seriously though,working on cars for a living is exercise enough.
Gotta remember in another month or so it'll be close to 100 degrees in the shade every day and I'll sweat a little bit.

 

[Ridge_Runner]

well for a living I do about anything from carpentry, to masonry, to logging, yep I drink beer (alot of beer according to the mrs, but what do women know about drinkin beer) I maintain a weight thats 8 pounds more than I weighed when I graduated HS.......in 1977
RR

 

[ram161]

My workout plan starts with work. I'm a forester so i climb hills almost every day.
I then hit the gym 3 days each week. I start with 20 minutes cardio on efx elipical or stair stepper. I rotate upper body strength chest, tricepts,bicepts, and back. 2nd day cardio then stength training legs and back, 3rd night i fill in with light chest and whatever needs worked.
When nicer weather startes i'll start on a running program and build up to
6 a mile run.
I also fill in on weekends (when no hunting is going on) a walking program
This program is to locate logging roads that is gated and at least 1 mile long and have at least a 18% grade. Once you can climb this with no stops the start filling the pack with weight.
The weight program is designed for high reps. It is not how much you can lift but how many times you can lift it.

 

[Kodiak]

I live in mid-America, elevation about 900 ft. Humidity around 70% most of the time, except when everything is covered with snow. Winter time keeps us inside. So we walk at the YMCA.

I usually get in a one mile walk in the AM, same in the PM.Forty set-ups, twice a day. No running, but some fast walks.

Just had my annual exam, psa 1.4, BP 125/70, no colesterol. Both of my Drs. are sheep-hunters, so they know what it takes to keep me ready. I took my 26th bull elk two years ago and a nice Wyoming antelope last year. I'm 5-11, weigh 170 and have been told I'm doing pretty good for a guy 73. Will be 74 in July, good Lord willin',

Good health and long life to you all,

Jim

 

[HeathSexton]

I walk and run/jog in the winter and spring, this gets REALLY boring though. Summer time is sprint work and strongman type training, tire flips, sled pulls, etc. With the exception of Aug-Nov when I am coaching football I train wth weights doing heavy compound movements and have been focusing on the Olympic Lifts the past few years. Bodyweight stuff is always a must, pushups/pullups/situps/dips/squats.