Off-season Training for a Mountain Hunt

[Gellar]

I used to go to the gym 3-4 times a week, but I don't have the time now. So, I built a box about 20" high to do step-ups on. I hold a dumbbell in each hand and do one leg at a time. I try to do 15 reps each leg with a 35 lb in each hand and switch to 20 pounders without rest. 3 sets and my legs are usually gassed. Like someone else mentioned just mix it up. It keeps your mind interested and your body interested.

I also like to do lunges, 1 legged squats, and squat jumps, wall sits, I hike with my kid in a pack, and I have done hill climbs on a sand pile.

 

[SwampLander]

I completely understand your challenges of heat, humidity, and bugs. Do this though, and watch the majority of folks on a stair machine. Watch how they use their hands and arms to actually support their body. That is why using a bench or a box is so much better, is because it forces your legs to bear all of your weight AND stabilize you at the same time, which is exactly what they must do in the mountains. Not dogging on you, because anything is better than nothing. However, the eccentric contraction on the step downward is really important and is completely lost on a stair machine.

I will reiterate, the altitude masks are a complete waste of money. They do absolutely nothing from a physiological standpoint.

Like I said nothing replaces the real thing. I'm just throwing out one of the good options. And most ppl use trekking poles which is similar to putting your hands on the machine. Your being that guy.

 

[JLS]

Your being that guy.

Sorry, I assumed you were wanting a serious discussion involving facts.

 

[Hatchie Dawg]

I make a living as a PT, 26 years experience and a board certification in orthopaedics. I don't know it all by any means but spend a lot of time rehabing and training people, working with a variety of exercise regimens.

There is really a lot of good advice on this thread and one can pick up a good tip or two from each post almost. JLS's advice is sound I promise you. Doesn't mean a stepper serves no purpose, it is just not complete and doesn't replicate normal foot hit the ground function. Lots of good suggestions here to round out a training program.
HD

 

[SCmountainHunt]

That planters fasciitis is a bad mofo.

 

[Ohboytimmy]

When coming from low elevations to the mountains aerobic (cardio) is going to be the biggest key to being able to function in the mountains from a physiology stand point. Even more specifically power to weight ratios are a big determining factor. You can climb a stair master all you want at sea level loaded but your heart rate is going to be significantly higher at 10,000 feet with grade significantly higher at times than the 10-20% that is a very steep hill in most of the country. Following the exercise principal of specificity, the best thing to train for hunting/hiking in the mountains is doing exactly that, so anything you are doing beyond that is cross training. Its the same as running to make yourself a better biker in that it helps train similar systems, but will never sharpen your fitness to a fine edge for an activity different than what you are doing but you will bring up your general aerobic fitness.

The issue with stair climbing machines or really any machine exercise is that it removes the balancing muscle effect of trying to step side-hilled on the mountain the same way. Also any stationary exercise settings or feedback are very approximate and prone to calibration errors giving you a false sense of feedback. You will also rarely see people on such a machine with their heart rate north of 85% of maximum.

On a time value basis nothing beats running for calorie burn or average heart rate all while being load bearing and helping improve balancing muscles in your legs. From an athletic perspective modern runners have the body type best suited for hunting. Running removes the need to do large muscle group leg lifting, though most people need to do some support muscle leg exercises to avoid over use injuries brought on by repetitive use. Running cost basically nothing in the scheme of exercise requiring only a new set of $100 shoes every few months. To elaborate with running higher intensity workouts a few days a week whether that be tempo runs or intervals are critical to getting the level of fitness you need in the mountains. Regardless of activity the biggest mistake people make in aerobic training is doing things at too low of an intensity. Running helps most anyone loose weight as well as any activity and if you are training consistently and at intensity your body won't tolerate a poor diet. Nothing ruins a good run like a heavy meal or a mid afternoon soda before an evening run. You will get back from workouts hot and not particularly hungry. Cycling and swimming often have the opposite effect and cycling in particular lets you eat some pretty horrible stuff even mid-ride and you often finish hungry.

Cross fit type workouts and lifting have some utility in hunting, but not to the degree that running does. For most of us time is a restricting factor so picking the best use of time is critical. Cross fit and lifting really focus on explosive motions of the anaerobic variety. Those 10 second to 3 minute motions don't train the same systems that an hour run does. A 3 hour pack out very similar to an hour run compared to wind sprints across a basketball court. Lifting and cross fit do tend to add muscle which helps some body types burn more calories and lose weight. Cross fit is social and that keeps some people consistently working out which is great. I know for me having a training partner is very critical to my fitness year over year.

Altitude simulation masks are a silly gimmick.

Regardless of fitness you have to know how to pace yourself and be mentally strong. People do overthink the fitness for hunting, but I think it comes from a legitimate issue that certain hunters need a lot of work and guidance to be fit enough to mountain hunt. Instagram fitness isn't the same as usable real world fitness and that is where a lot of people get off track.

Some well informed knowledge.