Any Fitness Freaks Out There?

[EDT]

There is nothing like training in the terrain you will be in during the hunting season, but if you are focused, a gym class with get you there, but try to get to the mountains at least once a month.

[Seabass]

I think there is no better way to train for the mountains than to train "in" the mountains. I prefer doing that as much as possible and limit my time in a gym. I might not be able to do as many burpee's as a hardcore crossfit guy but I can't say that I have been found lacking at the activities I enjoy.

I don't think there is a one of us that wouldn't prefer to train in the mountains every day but not that many of us have that option 4-5 days per week. When I was a kid and boxing we sparred and trained in 4 minute rounds even though a fight was 3 minute rounds. The point was to create an environment more difficult than the actual event. Not every day in the field is going to test your abilities but at some point it will happen. I like to train for that day. Obviously you don't have to take that approach to be successful.  I have never been disappointed by being over prepared.

[Wtrfowlr62]

i lift heavy, 5 times a week two days off, try to do cardio 3 times a week. was doing really good but fell off the past two months. i usually did cross fit after 4 months of trainning when i reach a peak. Not gonna lie its a hell of a work out, it will kick your ass for sure, but i like lifting to bulk up. crossfit though def though great workout

[Seabass]

I don't know if it qualifies me as a 'Fitness Freak', but I haven't missed a session with the iron for about 22 years now, and that is 4 times per week........!  Squat, bench, dead, militaries, chins, etc. 

The extra strength gained from iron makes a huge difference in handling a big quarter of an elk or an entire deer.  Almost 53 years old and I can still pack out an elk from a nice deep canyon  

Oh, and lots and lots of hiking.


44

That's awesome! 53 and still *censored*.

[DBHAWTHORNE]

I think there is no better way to train for the mountains than to train "in" the mountains. I prefer doing that as much as possible and limit my time in a gym. I might not be able to do as many burpee's as a hardcore crossfit guy but I can't say that I have been found lacking at the activities I enjoy.

I don't think there is a one of us that wouldn't prefer to train in the mountains every day but not that many of us have that option 4-5 days per week. When I was a kid and boxing we sparred and trained in 4 minute rounds even though a fight was 3 minute rounds. The point was to create an environment more difficult than the actual event. Not every day in the field is going to test your abilities but at some point it will happen. I like to train for that day. Obviously you don't have to take that approach to be successful.  I have never been disappointed by being over prepared.

  Training in the mountains often is definitely a luxury that we can't all have. The next best thing I have found for the mountains is training and running trail ultra's....When I lived in TX I would do those and adventure races but for some reason the Northwest doesn't have a lot of adventure races. I think the Ultra's and Expedition length adventure races are great for this because they can truly test your limits and you really learn what pushing you body to the limit truly means.  You learn how to effectively utilize energy and make good decisions under stress.

 I did crossfit hard for one year and I felt great but I can't say that I was at my peak performance in the mountains....but I wasn't hurting either....doing crossfit I was certainly more well rounded than I am today.... I agree that one should train for an event that is more difficult than you are going to regularly experience... but that is also why I put an equal focus on woodsmanship/survival skill sets.....of course the bonus is that my career as  Survival Instructor allows me to practice these often.

[44 Flattop]

Thanks, Seabass.  Not just almost 53 but still setting PR's.  A new close grip bench PR a few months back and a new deadlift PR last Friday.  I love setting PR's now as much as I did 20 years ago.

For the 'most part', age is all in your head. 

44

[FarBeyondDriven]

General Physical Preparedness... ready for any/or all eventuality.  I can think of numerous skills a mountain athlete would benefit from being strong at... endurance stamina and mental toughness of an ultra-marathon runner (IE all the man crushes on C.Hanes), but also the power and strength of a powerlifter (yanking and tugging 100lb elk quarters), flexibility and elasticity of martial artist, speed for sprinting ahead of the herd, a strong core to handle 40-50lb backpack day in and day out... etc.

Bottom line, we don't get to play in the woods 4-5x a week, but it would be sweet if we could.  Cross-Training and gravitating towards the areas of your athletic profile that you suck it is the tried and true way to Tame The Mountain.  If we all just go do the workouts that we want to because we're good at them and excel at them; if we're honest, we probably just working on our strengths and continuing to ignore our weaknesses. 

[Seabass]

The above is exactly what attracted me to the crossfit/train to hunt style of training.
I played college basketball and I have always been able to run and jump but I would crumble under a load. Everybody likes to be succesful so it is easy to understand why we gravitate towards our strenghts. My hope is to one day be just as confident at the heavy stuff as I am the endurance/speed stuff.

I'm still hoping to hear from a swimmer and how swimming has helped in their training.

[h20hunter]

I can give you a bit of perspective on swimming. I trained and competed from age 6 or so up until I graduated college. I've done everything from open water 5k's to the opening leg in a triathalon to national level competitions two steps below Olympic trials.

If you can get some pool time it will greatly increase your stamina and endurance. It is very much a full body work out and will bring your cardio up a level. Like hunting, swimming involves traveling a set distance at a certain pace. If you blow yourself out you are done. You can't leave the truck at a sprint and expect to get to your stand in any kind of hunting shape. You will learn that if you have rythem (sp?) with your breathing and efforts your speed, stamina, and over all performance will increase.

Another aspect of swimming that can't be over looked is that it is simply easier on the body than the stair climber.  Being almost a no impact sport it is easy on the knees.

Lap after lap can get a bit mundane. Mix it up. Get out. Do some crunches, pushups, jump some rope ( maybe wear a speedo under those shorts for this one), do some push ups from in the water using the pool edge.

[runamuk]

Not a swimmer but when I was briefly a workout nut swimming was part of my routine.  It is great for building lung capacity and flexibility and strength without weight bearing which if you have back or joint issues.

[DBHAWTHORNE]

I agree there are many skills that are required of a mountain athlete and I think that the single most effective way to address that is through cross-training.

I do want to address the weakenesses/strengths.  I will always have weaknesses and I will certainly focus on those weaknesses with cross-training. However, I also believe in fostering and developing strengths that are a primary part of my pursuits. When I was only doing crossfit I found that while I was strong in the mountains I wasn't at my peak performance (for what I wanted to do) compared to when I was doing expedition length adventure races/ultra's (combined with some cross-training of course).

If my goal is to be a total body fitness crossfit jedi master then it would make sense to do primarily crossfit. However, since my goals are specific I have found that mixing in cross-training while developing/fostering specific strengths has helped me more in the mountains than only doing crossfit in and of itself..... That being said I think anyone taking crossfit seriously should be more than prepared for most anything they will face in the mountains.....but i think there are strengths that you can develop/foster along with that cross-training that will assist you even more.

[DBHAWTHORNE]

I can give you a bit of perspective on swimming. I trained and competed from age 6 or so up until I graduated college. I've done everything from open water 5k's to the opening leg in a triathalon to national level competitions two steps below Olympic trials.

If you can get some pool time it will greatly increase your stamina and endurance. It is very much a full body work out and will bring your cardio up a level. Like hunting, swimming involves traveling a set distance at a certain pace. If you blow yourself out you are done. You can't leave the truck at a sprint and expect to get to your stand in any kind of hunting shape. You will learn that if you have rythem (sp?) with your breathing and efforts your speed, stamina, and over all performance will increase.

Another aspect of swimming that can't be over looked is that it is simply easier on the body than the stair climber.  Being almost a no impact sport it is easy on the knees.

Lap after lap can get a bit mundane. Mix it up. Get out. Do some crunches, pushups, jump some rope ( maybe wear a speedo under those shorts for this one), do some push ups from in the water using the pool edge.

The low imapact/high fitness aspect of swimming (which I am not great at) is what I believe makes it such a beneficial activity.

[JLS]

DB,

There is a great run in Hell's Canyon in March.  Look up Seaport Striders webpage and it will be on there.  You can do a 15 or a 28 mile version.

One thought on running vs. low impact.  Impact exercise is necessary to build higher bone density.  There is a lot of research on this, but bottom line is that the impact from running will develop and maintain stronger bones than if you don't run.

[buglin4bulls]

I don't know if it qualifies me as a 'Fitness Freak', but I haven't missed a session with the iron for about 22 years now, and that is 4 times per week........!  Squat, bench, dead, militaries, chins, etc. 

The extra strength gained from iron makes a huge difference in handling a big quarter of an elk or an entire deer.  Almost 53 years old and I can still pack out an elk from a nice deep canyon  

Oh, and lots and lots of hiking.

44

When I first started reading your post I was laughing until I read the squat, bench etc... I thought you were really good at ironing clothes lol.

[DBHAWTHORNE]

DB,

There is a great run in Hell's Canyon in March.  Look up Seaport Striders webpage and it will be on there.  You can do a 15 or a 28 mile version.

One thought on running vs. low impact.  Impact exercise is necessary to build higher bone density.  There is a lot of research on this, but bottom line is that the impact from running will develop and maintain stronger bones than if you don't run.

Thanks for letting me know about that run. I went and checked it out. It looks awesome!

Good points on the benefits of impact excercise.