Getting in shape for a elk hunt

I am going on a elk hunt in September in British columbia. I am not over wieght by much (15-20 lbs) does anyone have any recommendations on what to really focus on in order to have a great hunt and not be physically limited?

depends on altitude??? back in my younger days when I was heading to CO hunting, I started with walking, building up to jogging, to running 3 miles 3 times a week and a weekend 5-7 mile. This was to build up not only my stamina but my lung capacity for the higher altitude. The first few days I still huffed and puffed in the thin air. I also did low weight, high repetition weights 3 days a week. start slow, 3 sets of 10 building up to 3 sets of 20 with a little added weight but still relatively low pounds. I would usually start about 3 months prior to my trip.

Great advice, thank you

Two things you can likely count on, 1) hiking a lot, and 2) carrying a backpack, hopefully full of elk quarters. That being said, you need to focus on several things.

1) As mentioned above, you need to increase your exercise capacity/stamina. You aren't running a race so start early and slow and work your way up. Going further and longer each day. I am in my mid to late 30s and prefer a mix b/w an exercise bike and waking on a treadmill at an incline.

2) Strengthen your core (shoulders, back, abs, & thighs). There are many exercises that you can do at home w/o weights to do so. Or if you have acces to weights that is great to. Some examples are "planks", lunges, squats/wall sits, calf raises, etc.

Backpacker magazine or backpacker.com has some great exercises and workouts that will get you in shape for sure. If you have trouble finding them pm me and I can email them to you.

3) last but not least is stretching. Even while on the hunt, stretch before you hike as well as after. It will save you from injuries. Good to start now before and after exercising. I will confess, I don't always practice what I preach

It just depends on what and how you are hunting. If your spiking out of the truck it's different then packing 5 miles back in the wilderness on foot.

I'm a big core guy. I cant run anymore do to my knees but I'll do 16 stories three times a week with 50 plus in my pack.

^^^
But if you need "elder care", as I did- this is the guy you want with you.

Where in the heck do you find stairs to exercise on? There's 3 stories at my mom's assisted living, but they're gonna look at me funny walking in there with a pack on my back. Not to mention confusing the hell out of Mom.

I know where the Spurs run stairs, but they're not gonna let me in their facility.

Lots of good advice already given.

If you have some bleachers near by, they are a huge help. Up to the top, cross over, down to the bottom, cross over, up to the top, repeat. Run the 1/4 mile arc of the track to the other side, do it again. Do that twice, add your pack later, progressively adding weight to the pack.

Another beat down of a workout that will cover a bunch of areas is "The Murph". SEAL Lt. Mike Murphy (R.I.P.) invented it, and you don't need any props or weoghts aside from a chinup bar.

Run a mile
100 chinups
200 pushups
300 body squats
Run a mile

Break up exercises in 5, 10, 15 respectively. Starting out you can cut all that in half called "The Smurph".

Stretch before and after, 1 1/2+ gallons of water each day.

Just reading that makes me tired and makes my hip hurt.

Uhh.....pretty certain it was every man for themselves on that trip! At least that's what I thought.

My elk hunt was like my job when it gets bad. Legs and lungs. The pushups work the core, so will keeping your knees up during the pushups.

Thank you to everyone who responded. Now I need a beer and help selling my hunt !!! 😰

Looks like I've got a lot of work to do !!

If you want to entertain everyone else, you can do the above workouts while wearing a high altitude training mask. They look awesome!

Go to a small HS football stadium and run their bleachers, go up an aisle, down the next etc. all the way down the bleachers, run the track over to the other set of bleachers, do the same to them, then run back around the track to the starting side. Do that a few times and then keep the pack on your back and run a timed qtr to keep track of progress.

Don't let some of the responses scare you. Some of those regimens would kill most folks. I am serious about my preparation and do what I can. But you don't have to be a triathlete to hunt elk. Do your best, be diligent about getting stronger each day, and go have fun.

Truth be told, will and heart is the most important thing.

I know a guy...:)

For the record I walk it I don't run it.

This is true.. I know a cpl 70yo guys who had a hard time breathing up above 12K' kill elk. The key was to have a cpl guys in their 20s to do all the hard stuff.

When I was young I was always in good shape but I still did a lot of miles with extra weight on my back to prepare. Now I would be doing cardio five days a week and pushing it to the limit. You are behind the curve if you're just now preparing.

Do the stairmaster twice a day. 30 min or 120 floors, whichever comes first. Four days a week is fine. Nothing works better for whipping you into shape. After about two weeks alternate a 5lb dumbell between your hands. After about three weeks add a backpack uping the weight until your trip. Your V02 will be awesome and the altitude may not even phase you.

The Stair monster is what I call it.

Three things will happen by the time you go on your trip. You'll have to buy new pants, make new holes in your belt. your entire system will be stronger and more efficient.

Happy Hunting!

Most of the older Garrison guys have never exercised for the sake of exercising a day in their life. But they seem to get their elk at about the same rate as the younger guys. They hunt smarter. They hunt slower. But they get where the elk are. And they do their share of the grunt work too. Not saying they run all over the mountains, but then again, their elk look pretty much like the rest of the guys. We do all pitch in when an elk is down-whoever kills it. It is work, pure and simple.

Cardio is your friend. If you are really out of shape, and that doesn't just mean over weight, start with a treadmill or just walking in your neighborhood. Start with a 3 mph speed for 30 minutes then work yourself up. Add incline to the workouts to help build it up.
This late in the game, you're going to have to go 5-6 days a week with one day of rest in there somewhere. That can be the day you work on your back and chest and arm muscles. (those 70-100 lb packs full of meat are HEAVY!)

When you are on your hunt, hunt slow and steady. No need to have to have life-flight come get you off of a mountain somewhere.

Stadium Stairs, Cardio, Cardio and a little bit more cardio. I also did not see core strength mentioned, very important for hiking in the mountains with weight. I would throw some swimming in there.

I worked with a trainer last year, and it payed off for me. Did lots of cardio and leg workouts. Working towards endurance is a big part of it. I only really worked out for about 3 months prior to my hunt and did alright, but the earlier the better.

Thanks to everyone that has responded with advice, it is greatly appreciated !

Wish me luck with the preparation 😱 and the final outcome !!

Spent allot of time in the mountains and I'll share this advice. Get to you site several days early and let yourself get adjusted to the altitude. Go slow at all times and take plenty of breaks to just look, the biggest mulie I've ever taken 3 people walked right past him at 100 yards. Too many hunters blow a gasket before they ever really start hunting. You can exercise all you want to but if your not used to the altitude there's a good chance they'll be hauling you off the mountain.

That extra 20 lbs may not seem like much but it is, you have plenty of time to drop that weight.

I put 120 pounds on a frame pack and do the treadmill for an hour 5 times a week and do bleachers with same weight and pack on my back. Also try lunges..

Stairmaster is probably the best single thing, but also going DOWN stairs or a hill. I was already in pretty good shape for my Idaho Elk hunt last year middle of training for half-marathon, but weak link was my knees going down hill. It also isn't as much that long distance conditioning as an intense interval climbing 300-400 feet in several minutes.

I have a sheep hunt in Alaska this fall, so will take training to another level.

I definitely agree with Don Layton. Downhill takes its toll when you're loaded down!!!!!!

Amen

+1. Downhill is a booger. Trekking pole(s) are a lifesaver for the knees/balance if you haven't already tried them.

This was pretty much me last year as well, my right knee was a bogger every night when we got back to camp, and have never had any knee problems.

Build up your core to help stabilize the weight of your pack, squats and calf raises as well!

Thanks for the help guys ! I've been doing stairs about 30 minutes 3 times a week and arms chest, back and abs 2 times a week with kick boxing 3 times a week on top of the rest for the last month. I plan on doing this combo until the hunt in September.
Once again this is the best palce to get advice from hunters who have been there and done it !

THANK YOU !