Training for mountain hunts

[Shane]

What are y'all doing to be ready to hit the mountains this fall?

I'm doing a combination of strength training and cardio. (duh) For cardio, I'm doing MTNTOUGH HP20 workouts. It's a cardio circuit training program that uses weighted backpacks, sandbags and pullup bars as the only equipment needed. The idea is to be excellent conditioning while also getting used to and comfortable with your pack. I'm using an EXO K3 3200. I have some bags of corn that weigh 20, 30 and 40#. I can mix and match for 50, 60 or 70# when the workout calls for it (and my capability allows). The program is designed to be done 5 days/week for a month. I'm doing 2 days of it per week and planning to stretch it out over the summer in conjunction with strength training.

For strength training, I'm doing 2 days of full body big lifts. I'm hitting all of the major movement patterns: squat, hinge, lunge, push, pull, and carry. And then I'm adding one day of focused work on shoulders and arms. Legs, back and chest are getting hammered pretty hard on the other 4 days.

Here's my week:

Monday: MTNTOUGH HP20
Tuesday: Full Body Hypertrophy (3x15 reps with appropriate weights of all the big lifts)
Wednesday: Shoulders and arms
Thursday MTNTOUGH HP20
Friday: Full Body Strength (Heavy 5x5s on the big lifts)

Also, I'm throwing in calf raises on the full body days.

Just started this last week. The HP20 stuff is no joke. Each workout so far has had 3 rounds of 3 different circuits. Last week I was only able to get 2 rounds of each circuit. Yesterday I did 2 rounds of the first 2 and all 3 of the last one. Almost puked. I haven't done cardio like that for the last 2 or 3 years, so it'll take me a month or so to get back to it.

Yesterday's workout included a run at the end of each circuit. Running is hard on my 55 yr old knees. They were pretty sore last night. I'm gonna have to substitute other things for any running. I don't want to get to the mountains with sore knees. Burpees suck, but they don't hurt my knees like running. I wish I had an assault bike and/or a row machine in our home gym, but I don't.

What are y'all doing?

[diamond10x]

-Lift 4 days a week, heavy but not bulking up heavy
-2 or 3 HIIT workouts a week
-run 4-8 miles 4 days a week
-1 LISS workout usually on Saturday or Sunday
-stretch everyday or at least try to

Basically workout 6 days a week, eat right, all year. I don’t do any specific mountain or packing/rucking type workouts but come July and august I will do bleachers several days a week instead of running for distance. Things are much easier if you just stay in shape all year instead of trying to get ready for a specific event, or at least in my experience it is. Keeping a strong core is also very important as well for backpacking heavy loads, which I’ll add an easy or hard core workout to the beginning or end of each days workout.

[Michael]

I "stepped up" my training this week (from a very low bar as of late). I'm not on a specific program, but the MTNTOUGH HP20 looks interesting. I've found that I need a specific program to keep me properly motivated and accountable.

[S-3 Ranch]

Elk tough https://www.gohunt.com/read/skills/f...ains#gs.y3ennl

I have to tweak it because a patella problem !

[ken]

I alternate weights and cardio(usually running) year around. 4 or 5 months before the hunt I add rucking with a 40-50 pack and stair workouts.

[SabreKiller]

I trained for an entire year prior to my sheep hunt in the NWT back in 1995. I was already in pretty good shape for flat landing, but knew I was gonna have to be in sheep shape to keep up with the guide. I was running 9 miles per day 3X per week and 2 days spent at the football stadium with my Kelty pack on and 2 25# bags of shot with my hunting boots going up and down the stadium bleachers. The rest of the time was spent lifting.

All that work and I STILL couldn't keep up with the guide! He was at least 10 years older than me and he went up the mountain like a mountain goat.

[7sdad]

Riding the bike as much as possible, will start working arms the first of June.

[CrownKiller14]

Don't spend all your time on concrete, or flat surfaces.
Maintaining your balance on uneven surfaces is what fatigues you just as much or more than the walking.

Practice side hilling, (walking parallel to roads in ditches) with light weight. You'll feel it in your hips the first time or two.
Also do box step ups where you get your knees at or above your waist.

Looks like you're on a good plan, but being limber/flexible is equally as important as the strength training.

[Gclyde28]

Best advice I can give would be to find the tallest set of steps you can (stadium or similar), put on your pack with a 40 lbs in it, and go up and down until you can't anymore.

[Brute Killer]

I've gotten the most benefit from old fashioned wind sprints.

[Gclyde28]

Also remember that every pound of body weight you lose is the same as cutting a 1lb out of your packs weight. Unless you are already really fit, it's typically easier to lose weight than cut down your pack weight.

[S-3 Ranch]

https://www.elk101.com/2016/03/elkshape-workout-for-the-aging-hunter/

I am a older man now and need to strengthen my joints and back , I doubt that I will ever sheep hunt again ( $60,000 for a stone sheep) but a mountain caribou?
Maybe a moose ? If I can get this knee rehabilitation and shed the flab
My wife has a professional trainer in fair oaks that has fixed her problems with knees

[Landrover]

Fast walking, 40 pound pack, stairmaster, ankle weights with sprints, .........always dropping pounds while eating right. No scheduled mountain hunts this year (brown bear) but try to stay in decent shape if cancellations come up. My mountain goat and dall sheep hunts were hard as heck, cant imagine ever going up there without putting in the work first!!!

[Shane]

I "stepped up" my training this week (from a very low bar as of late). I'm not on a specific program, but the MTNTOUGH HP20 looks interesting. I've found that I need a specific program to keep me properly motivated and accountable.

I really like the MTNTOUGH stuff. Really good group of folks, and they're super knowledgeable. Content is well done. It's well worth the subscription price to me. The HP20 workout videos are great. They go through explanation of the day's routine and exercises, and then the coach runs a couple people through the workout in real time on the video. So you are basically in a group training class working out alongside them.

Also, their nutrition info is really good too.

S-3, I'll definitely look at the aging hunter deal on elk101.

[Grand Passage]

If you are carrying more than just a light day pack, I recommend doing training with the pack on.

Get used to how it feels, and get it adjusted properly.

Adding weight on you back really changes your center of gravity and changes your balance point.


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