Pre-season conditioning

[JPH]

Well warm weather has finally come, turkey hunters are packing away their calls (or will be soon) and your buck already has a few inches of velvet going. Deer season is only about four months away. Now is the time to start preparing your most vital piece of equipment, your body!

I don't care who you are. We can all make improvements and head to the woods as a fitter, safer, and more effective hunters. I have harped on this many times, and I will keep doing so, physical conditioning is the single most underrated aspect of hunter safety and success. Now is the time to begin your pre-season training! I offer this thread as an open ended way to generate discussion, motivate, share ideas and answer questions as we prepare for deer season 2010. 

- How did your body hold up last season?

- How do you feel right now?

- What kind of shape would you like to be in on opening day?

- What kind of fitness routine are you doing right now?

- What might you add to your routine (or lack thereof) this summer?

- What advice can you offer?

- What questions do you have?

[Sailfish]

Held up fairly good. Kept my strength, but with the longest coldest winter ever, I spent alot of time warming up with Jose C. in the evenings.


Probably didn't hit cardio like I should. I'd like to get ripped this summer (not with Jose [:D]  ) but with lean eating and more cardio.

I am up to about 40 minutes on elevated treadmill after the weights. Its hitting the calves and boosting energy and stamina greatly now.When I eat food now I start to almost sweat and get hot (generally this only happens when my metabolism is really cranking). Been jogging in the day or at night too with the dog.
As I have gotten older and more stress with the career, its harder to lose the bad weight and easier to put it on.
I want to get to 181 ish in the next few weeks. I like that weight as long as I stay strong.
Its tough keeping the protein intake up (I like 1.5 gm per # of body weight), but whey supplements are helping.
I did up the water recently with all the heat and extra training and all. This is greatly missed by lots of people.
Try to start some routine and stick with it for a solid (legitimate) 6  weeks without fail. You do this and it becomes a habit you won't want to break. 6 weeks thats the number.

[JPH]

I'll offer my take on the topic because it is a little different than Sailfish's.

My body held up last season...once I was able to get started. I had been training very hard over the summer and I ended up with a significant muscle strain in my upper back, just as bow season was opening. It kept me out of action for almost a month! I seem to have a hard time peaking physically at the right time. I was training hard this winter too and I injured my hands on the heavy bag, just prior to turkey season. Ugh! 

I let things drop off while I was chasing gobblers and now I'm having a slow time getting it back. Rather than jumping right back into the fire, I am easing into a "beginner" program. Basic bodyweight strength exercises on M,W,& F and brief cardio/core on Tues, & Thurs. Challenge workout on Sat. and rest on Sun. I'll do this for a couple of weeks before moving into my summer routine. 

I do not care at all about getting big or ripped. I just want performance. So what kind of performance do I want?

Sort-term = I want to return to combative sports. I'm thinking of one to two days a week of sparring in garppling and kick boxing. Nothing serious or competitive, just training with friends. I will mix in some strength and cardio in order to keep me in shape for the sparring.
 
Mid-term = Go into this deer season in great shape! This means that I must back off the sparring and return to a lower impact style of training BEFORE the season arrives. Pros call this tapering.

Long-term = Stay fit well into old age! Keep having fun with fitness and avoid major injury.

[Sailfish]

You'll find that a rotten side-affect of performance training is getting ripped [;)]

You must try my treadmill routine.

[JPH]

I never said I don't get ripped. I said I don't care about it. (Wink)
 
 

[SUO PROSTAFFER]

I totally agree with the importance of a conditioning / fitness program.  I also agree that most hunters do not realize how much it can help.
 
By committing to a fitness and diet program, it enhances both your physical and mental energy level.  I used to tell myself I don't have time for working out.  But actually, it if I take the time to work out and eat right, my productivity goes up becasue I am more productive throughout the rest of the day.
 
Anyways, to me the importance of having a fitness program for hunting is that if you seriously hunt hard and committ yourself to spending all possible free time you have hunting, then you need to have the energy and mental stamina to do it.  Not working out makes it alot easier to decide you are going to relax one evening or sleep in one morning in October instead of hitting the stand.  I hunt hard for 10 weeks and all my time is spent either working, hunting or doing the necessary evils to keep up on things at the house.  It is a grind!
 
My routine is simple:  I run to 2.5 miles (on the road, up and down hills) every other day. On the alternate days I do sit-ups, push-ups, and lift free weights.  I also watch my diet.  Nothing specific, i just try to eat small portions of healthy food on a regular basis instead of only eating once or twice a day and being so starved that I woof down all kinds of junk.

[OHhunter]

My body held up well throughout deer season and most of the winter while coyote hunting. Hunting coyotes in the heavy snows we had last February really zapped me. I was beat after hiking into the places I hunt.

During March I got a little motivation in the form a 4 legged friend, we welcomed a German Shorthair into the family. She's only 5 months old now but a bundle of energy that needs exercise daily. I run at least 4 mi with her 6 days a week in the evenings as well as working with her in the field on the weekends. I'm in great shape right now and have started doing some strength training in the mornings before work. I have also cut out junk food in the evenings and only have beer on the weekends. I've dropped 15 lbs. and feel great.

[JPH]

So....? How's everyone doing?
 
My summer workouts did not end up looking like I thought they would. My sparring partner severely broke his hand in a TKD tourney so I have not been doing any combatives. That may be for the best because I have stayed pretty healthy (except one minor back injury via deadlift). My workouts have had a lot of variety, so while I may not be getting stonger, I'm staying fit and mobile.
 
What about everyone else? Have you managed to improve your conditioning as compared to this point last year? If not, it is not too late.
 
There is still time to get yourself ready for a healthy and successful deer season!

[bobow]

What about everyone else? Have you managed to improve your conditioning as compared to this point last year? If not, it is not too late.

Since the early spring I have been working with free weights to strengthen my upper back and shoulders to increase my draw weight.  I have been successful to a point but I have to be careful to not irritate the rotator cuff.

My biggest issue is arthritis in my knees so walking can be a challenge at times.  It sucks getting old [:'(]

So I have improved over last year but I'm no JPH for sure! [8D]  I just deal with everything the best I can.

[MDV WI hunter]

JPH - I applaud your dedication to fitness!!  It's rare in this video game age.

I'm doing 6 miles twice a week and biking 10 miles combined with a stair master one day a week for variety.  The off days are resistance training focusing on the core.
 
Sounds like a lot but I have a flexible job that allows me to work out prior to coming in to the office.  (Fitness center on site!)