Training for the Hunt

[Reflex011]

If anyone is interested, I'm sure Big Jon, who runs a crossfit gym and has several exercise certifications, would be willing to post some hunting-specific training ideas/tips.

Which gym? My wife and I have been into crossfit for 3-4 years now; I was just going to comment on it. It's a great way to prepare for anything, really.

I've been a crossfitter for 3 years now. My wife just started as a Christmas gift from me last month. I used to run 8-12 miles a week and do some lifting at a gym. We like to do a handful of "fun runs" that usually start and end at a local brewery. But since Crossfit, I run once a month outside and crossfit 3-4 times a week. I've gained muscle, lost weight, and my times for my 5 mile and 5k have signficantly improved. The best thing is that Crossfit is for everyone. There are all shapes, sizes, ages, and both genders alike. Every movement or weight is scalable. You cant do a normal pushup, do it from your knees, you can't do that, no big deal, stand up and do them leaning against a wall. Everyone is encouraging and cheers everyone on. I notice it big time not just when i drag out a deer, but i don't sweat as much walking in the woods, hanging a stand, etc. Crossfit is expensive but its a healthy lifestyle. Put a price tag on living and eating healthy. I don't think you can. Just like a car you need to maintain your body with healthy choices food and activity. My .02 cents.

[Reflex011]

I would like to add one thing to this post: Along with off season working out, a healthy diet is key. If you clean up your diet, it is incredible how much energy a person can have. In the Crossfit community, the Paleo diet is big. This is a diet that resembles what the paleolithic people ate. Meat, veges, a little nuts and seeds and fruit and healthy oils and fats. One would think that no one can live just off this!! Once you realize that REAL food is the purest of energy to us humans it transfers into everyday activities. If it says 100 calories or low fat or low sugar, it is probably a chemical shitstorm. Most of these foods are made in a lab. Our body does not process this well. I eat probably 12-15 eggs myself every week, a bunch of meat and veges, some fruit. Not going to kid myself, everything is good in moderation, so i do eat what i want when i want. For the most part my body now craves good food. I eat dairy still and love great beer and good burgers. Just another thing to think about. You cannot out exercise a bad diet. If anyone wants any info or tips i would love to give input or references for the Paleo(Caveman) diet and just eating/workout tips in general. I literally love working out to improve my hunting game. Now i hate to be hypocritical, but I'm headed to Mexico tomorrow morning to enjoy the sun, food, and cervezas for a week!

[PK_]

I do athletic training for Strength, Speed, Stamina, Stability and when I don't forget, I Stretch. I am in the gym 3-5 times a week depending on how busy I am.

I do not train specific for hunting but it certainly helps to be in good physical shape.

[Primetime41]

If anyone is interested, I'm sure Big Jon, who runs a crossfit gym and has several exercise certifications, would be willing to post some hunting-specific training ideas/tips.

Which gym? My wife and I have been into crossfit for 3-4 years now; I was just going to comment on it. It's a great way to prepare for anything, really.

Crossfit 262 in Waukesha. I talked to him today and he is planning on writing something up and posting in this thread.

[ Post made via iPad ]

[bigwoodsmn]

I injured a foot on the Jacob's Ladder machine before the season. No good deed goes unpunished...

[ Post made via Android ]

[briar]

Not that it means anything in the real world but I have been an exercise physiologist for the past 15 or so years. Working out is just part of my life and I do a bodybuilding show every couple years just to have a goal. I will be 40 this year and have been very lucky and very blessed to be in as good of shape now as I have at any point in time.

I think the biggest help is that I am small and keep it that way. It allows for a lot less wear and tear on joints when you are carrying #160 lbs verses #180 or #200......I am super careful about what I eat but never do any cardio workout and do bodybuilding type weight training workouts 4 days a week with the wife. Planning on a show this summer and will lose about 15 lbs to be ready. Its nice being in shape, but man I stink at sitting in the stand in cold weather no matter what I am wearing.

[PK_]

Not that it means anything in the real world but I have been an exercise physiologist for the past 15 or so years. Working out is just part of my life and I do a bodybuilding show every couple years just to have a goal. I will be 40 this year and have been very lucky and very blessed to be in as good of shape now as I have at any point in time.

I think the biggest help is that I am small and keep it that way. It allows for a lot less wear and tear on joints when you are carrying #160 lbs verses #180 or #200......I am super careful about what I eat but [glow=red]never do any cardio workout and do bodybuilding type weight training workouts[/glow] 4 days a week with the wife. Planning on a show this summer and will lose about 15 lbs to be ready. Its nice being in shape, but man I stink at sitting in the stand in cold weather no matter what I am wearing.

This is the magic that so many do not understand or are misinformed about when trying to get/stay in shape. I have come to view cardio as an absolute waste of time.

[iowa whitetail]

Does driving trains around for 250 hrs a month count? lol

[mibowhunter]

I currently do a mix of Insanity, p90x, and p90x+ about 6 days a week. I have found a good balance between weight lifting, plyometrics, and body resistance workouts to work well for me. As others have mentioned as well, diet is a key component to feeling good too. I've cleaned mine up and eat a lot of eggs, chicken, vegetables, venison, fish and drink a lot of water... I wasn't in the best of shape last fall, and I could tell... and vowed not to feel that unprepared again.

[bigwoodsmn]

I currently do a mix of Insanity, p90x, and p90x+ about 6 days a week. I have found a good balance between weight lifting, plyometrics, and body resistance workouts to work well for me. As others have mentioned as well, diet is a key component to feeling good too. I've cleaned mine up and eat a lot of eggs, chicken, vegetables, venison, fish and drink a lot of water... I wasn't in the best of shape last fall, and I could tell... and vowed not to feel that unprepared again.

Sounds like a good program... I need to get back into P90X and Insanity and drop the gym. I've cleaned up the diet... very little sugar and carbs... those Beachbody brand programs are pretty amazing

[ Post made via Android ]

[olivertractor]

Cut firewood, snow shoe (that's a problem this year), cross country skiing (problem this year as well) , bike riding, once in a while crawl up on elliptical. I can't get myself to do the gym thing, never have never will

[ Post made via Android ]

[bowhunter15]

Not that it means anything in the real world but I have been an exercise physiologist for the past 15 or so years. Working out is just part of my life and I do a bodybuilding show every couple years just to have a goal. I will be 40 this year and have been very lucky and very blessed to be in as good of shape now as I have at any point in time.

I think the biggest help is that I am small and keep it that way. It allows for a lot less wear and tear on joints when you are carrying #160 lbs verses #180 or #200......I am super careful about what I eat but [glow=red]never do any cardio workout and do bodybuilding type weight training workouts[/glow] 4 days a week with the wife. Planning on a show this summer and will lose about 15 lbs to be ready. Its nice being in shape, but man I stink at sitting in the stand in cold weather no matter what I am wearing.

This is the magic that so many do not understand or are misinformed about when trying to get/stay in shape. I have come to view cardio as an absolute waste of time.

I'm still up in the air on this one. While cross training and interval training has become immensely popular in the past few years, "crossfit endurance" has shown benefits for people who've stalled with traditional training methods, and some articles popped up showing endurance to be bad for the heart... most elite endurance athletes are still doing lots of high volume endurance work, and loads of research already exists linking heart health and aerobic exercise. It's not necessary for bodybuilding, I'll agree with that. When I ran competitively it was all heavy/fast lifting, interval work, plyos, and gymnastics for my events. I was explosive and in great anaerobic shape. But if I knew I were training for something that required a lot of endurance, like the 10k guys, the training would have to reflect that.... if for nothing else, the mental endurance. Being able to tolerate absolute misery for 10 minutes is different than being able to tolerate discomfort for hours. And dragging a deer or backpacking elk quarters is more similar to the latter than the former.

[headgear]

I've dropped about 35lbs in the last year and feel great now, basically a combination of eating right, cut down on the beer, do some light yoga, cardio a couple days a week and some weight training here and there. I don't really count calories or any of that stuff but just try and eat a massive amout of fruit and veggies, of course a pretty good diet of wild game too.

Have to say I was shocked at how good I feel after going yoga, just about everything feels better and I never get any of those nagging injuries and pains I was starting to experience once middle age take hold of you. Eating healthy has also done amazing things for the amount of energy I now have. After having kids I was just dead tired all of the time and part laziness was creeping in but now I am ready for just about anything. I also try and listen to my body, when you are tired take a night off.

[briar]

Not that it means anything in the real world but I have been an exercise physiologist for the past 15 or so years. Working out is just part of my life and I do a bodybuilding show every couple years just to have a goal. I will be 40 this year and have been very lucky and very blessed to be in as good of shape now as I have at any point in time.

I think the biggest help is that I am small and keep it that way. It allows for a lot less wear and tear on joints when you are carrying #160 lbs verses #180 or #200......I am super careful about what I eat but [glow=red]never do any cardio workout and do bodybuilding type weight training workouts[/glow] 4 days a week with the wife. Planning on a show this summer and will lose about 15 lbs to be ready. Its nice being in shape, but man I stink at sitting in the stand in cold weather no matter what I am wearing.

This is the magic that so many do not understand or are misinformed about when trying to get/stay in shape. I have come to view cardio as an absolute waste of time.

I'm still up in the air on this one. While cross training and interval training has become immensely popular in the past few years, "crossfit endurance" has shown benefits for people who've stalled with traditional training methods, and some articles popped up showing endurance to be bad for the heart... most elite endurance athletes are still doing lots of high volume endurance work, and loads of research already exists linking heart health and aerobic exercise. It's not necessary for bodybuilding, I'll agree with that. When I ran competitively it was all heavy/fast lifting, interval work, plyos, and gymnastics for my events. I was explosive and in great anaerobic shape. But if I knew I were training for something that required a lot of endurance, like the 10k guys, the training would have to reflect that.... if for nothing else, the mental endurance. Being able to tolerate absolute misery for 10 minutes is different than being able to tolerate discomfort for hours. And dragging a deer or backpacking elk quarters is more similar to the latter than the former.

At the end of the day specificity of training is the most important thing. If you are training for an activity the best training is to mimic that activity. I tell people all the time everything works, it just depends on what you want it to do as to whether it works for what you want. I just think its fantastic to see all the folks on here investing in there health and future. Its amazing what some good nutrition and a couple hours a week and do to make you feel so much better.

[Brad]

I came across Cam's videos and decided I liked what I saw. I decided a long time ago that I needed to lose 50 lbs and get in better shape, the hills are killing me anymore. I am not going to the extremes he is and climbing mountains with a 130 lb rock in a backpack, but I do get motivated by him. My goal is to diet and excercise and be down to 180 by bow season. That's totally doable and should be exactly what I need. I am taking it serious, eating a salad for lunch and sensible dinners. I also am drinking 3 or 4 bottles of water a day and I went to complete nutrition and got the Mancore kit to boost my testosterone and metabolism to help me out. I am also trying their vcore shake that is actually very good, way better than others I have tried before. I am skipping a meal by using that powder and some fruits mixed up for a smoothie in the morning before I leave for work. For excercise I am using an excercise bike, treadmill and glider (like the gazelle thing). I will be adding the tree stand to the back to increase the workout as I lose weight, and once it warms up will be walking more outside and riding my bike. I also intend to shoot my bow every day. I think Cam is a great motivator , and he is pushing me to push myself harder and I like that!

[ Post made via iPhone ]