Off-season training

[BAS4109]

I run quite a bit most of the year. Last spring I started doing planks and pushups. That really helped my stand set up and stick climbing. It also helped a lot with my bow shooting.

I just added lunges and plan to add squats. Along with hiking with a weighted pack.

[DhD]

Third day of a thirty day yoga program done today. My neck feels better than it has in awhile, and my hips already feel way looser. I think I'm really gonna like this part of my program.

[MrT]

I have my own garage gym and train throughout the year. For the past 5 years I've been using variations of Jim Wendler's 5/3/1 training program. Basically focuses on 4 main lifts (squat, deadlift, bench press, and military press) and superset these with assistance lifts (push ups, various grip pull ups, heavy rows, dips, curls, and various ab and lower back movements).

For conditioning it depends on how much time I have or how I feel. I'll use my stationary bike, long walks with a weighted vest, push a weighted sled, farmers walks, or like others have said all the miles traveled while hunting/scouting definitely count.

Lately I have been using my jet sled as an excellent strength and conditioning tool. I have made the rope on it long enough that I put it around my body and pull the sled full of my plate weights, basically simulating dragging out a deer. Right now I'll either put 180 lbs in it and do sprints until I've reached 400 yards within 15 minutes or I'll put 150 lbs in it and walk it for 1/2 a mile within 20 minutes. After a while I'll move up the weight. I don't typically run or jog because in order for it to be effective I would need to do so for at least a mile or more and it beats my knees up too much.

I try to have stretch session twice a week for 20 minutes at a time to maintain mobility and release any tension in the muscles.

[mihunter101]

Third day of a thirty day yoga program done today. My neck feels better than it has in awhile, and my hips already feel way looser. I think I'm really gonna like this part of my program.

What yoga program are you doing? I need to start doing yoga. Should help my hip/back pain.

[tbunao]

I have the preseason and post season backcountry workout programs from MTNTOUGH. I really enjoy them as they're aimed at getting people ready for the mountains. So it's a hunter specific workout. I've found it very functional for everyday life as well as hunting. I've done some beachbody programs like P90X and Insanity and I like these better. Fitness is a very overlooked part of hunting.

I'm headed over next week to do a class with them. I've been getting the workouts from a buddy the past 2 weeks. I dig it.

[DhD]

Third day of a thirty day yoga program done today. My neck feels better than it has in awhile, and my hips already feel way looser. I think I'm really gonna like this part of my program.

What yoga program are you doing? I need to start doing yoga. Should help my hip/back pain.

It's a little new age-y, but I've been following the thirty day program on the YouTube channel yoga with Adrienne. I like it cause it's a gradual ramp up. I just skip the fruity stuff.

[Evanszach7]

I like to mix in single leg strength and agility exercises. Helps a lot with sneaking the last 100 yards to the tree, especially after a long hike.

[funderburk]

Yep. Starting to realize that physical training for hunting season is becoming a necessity for me. Towards the end of the fall I definitely get around and feel better than opening day. Just goes to show that if I start the season physically prepared, early season may not be as difficult to get the wheels turning.

And more water. Lots more water. Only use the Mt. Dew in case of an emergency

[Hookslinger]

Third day of a thirty day yoga program done today. My neck feels better than it has in awhile, and my hips already feel way looser. I think I'm really gonna like this part of my program.

What yoga program are you doing? I need to start doing yoga. Should help my hip/back pain.

It's a little new age-y, but I've been following the thirty day program on the YouTube channel yoga with Adrienne. I like it cause it's a gradual ramp up. I just skip the fruity stuff.

Yoga with Adrienne and the girl that runs the YogaTX channel on YouTube are two of the best. Do one of their 30+ minute videos and you will SWEAT. You can't tell me that stuff isn't super beneficial for the body, not to mention a heck of a workout. I have a discipline problem when it comes to yoga (probably because its very difficult) but when I have done it consistently my body has never felt better/stronger. It may sound "girly" to some guys but holy crap its great.

[Mopar1169]

Cut and haul firewood in the winter for a month or so. I walk alot at work pretty easy to put a few miles a day on. Plus tons of stairs some of our towers are 120 feet tall gotta go up two of them a day at least at work. Then spring rolls around lift tons of seed bags to get crop in the ground. Stay pretty busy all the time. So I don't work out in the conventional sense but get plenty of exercise all year. The biggest thing that has helped me in the last couple years was keto and reducing carbs. Stuff gets alot easier when you shed a extra 40.

[MNarrow]

Third day of a thirty day yoga program done today. My neck feels better than it has in awhile, and my hips already feel way looser. I think I'm really gonna like this part of my program.

What yoga program are you doing? I need to start doing yoga. Should help my hip/back pain.

It's a little new age-y, but I've been following the thirty day program on the YouTube channel yoga with Adrienne. I like it cause it's a gradual ramp up. I just skip the fruity stuff.

Yoga with Adrienne and the girl that runs the YogaTX channel on YouTube are two of the best. Do one of their 30+ minute videos and you will SWEAT. You can't tell me that stuff isn't super beneficial for the body, not to mention a heck of a workout. I have a discipline problem when it comes to yoga (probably because its very difficult) but when I have done it consistently my body has never felt better/stronger. It may sound "girly" to some guys but holy crap its great.

You aren't kidding about the discipline problem and difficulty with yoga. It's by far the most difficult exercise/workout I've done. It is so awesome though. I started yoga about 15 years ago with a couple yoga DVDs, Rodney Yee and Brian Kest and they are an hour+ power yoga practice that would leave me wrecked. I couldn't keep these going......I would do it for a couple weeks and then quite for a couple months. Now, I just take the sequences and poses I've learned from the DVDs and do my own short 10 minutes every morning.......I'll do four sun salutations and the second set I will add in warrior I, warrior II, side-angle, and triangle. With me, moderation is key with keeping it going.

[mihunter101]

Third day of a thirty day yoga program done today. My neck feels better than it has in awhile, and my hips already feel way looser. I think I'm really gonna like this part of my program.

What yoga program are you doing? I need to start doing yoga. Should help my hip/back pain.

It's a little new age-y, but I've been following the thirty day program on the YouTube channel yoga with Adrienne. I like it cause it's a gradual ramp up. I just skip the fruity stuff.

Thank You

[DhD]

Day four of yoga (day three of the yoga with Adrienne program) down. Feeling good. Program was a little shorter than I wanted today so I added another fifteen minutes from another video. Some of the positions I thought were impossible on day one are already starting to get easier. I find myself wanting to stretch more during the day, it feels amazing to be getting just a bit of flexibility. I'm gonna shed another sixty off my mobile set up this off season!

[Whitetailaddict]

I have the preseason and post season backcountry workout programs from MTNTOUGH. I really enjoy them as they're aimed at getting people ready for the mountains. So it's a hunter specific workout. I've found it very functional for everyday life as well as hunting. I've done some beachbody programs like P90X and Insanity and I like these better. Fitness is a very overlooked part of hunting.

I'm headed over next week to do a class with them. I've been getting the workouts from a buddy the past 2 weeks. I dig it.

I felt I was in the best hunting shape I've ever been in this past year doing the preseason program. Doing the post season right now and even that is harder than I thought it would be. I like the mental toughness aspect of the training. I think it puts you in a better mindset when hunting gets tough. What class are you doing? I know they just came out with a spring program and an in season program

[Dave0317]

I am a big fan of kettlebells. Look up programs by Pavel Tsatsouline. Kind of like tree saddles, it’s for those that like a minimalist gear philosophy, and don’t mind a small learning curve. Once you master the movements, and get a feel for what programs give you the most bang for your buck, it is the most valuable training tool you can use. Maybe the only training tool one really needs.

Kettlebells for strength and cardio, and a weekly walk with a heavy pack to maintain the hunting specific conditioning and keep your feet toughened up.