I am really trying to make some changes to my overall fitness. The older I get the less I really care about strength. I’m just kind of naturally strong and have a strong back as well but for long term health I don’t care anymore how strong I s am. I’m a firefighter so I do have to maintain a certain level of cardiovascular fitness or I’ll be taken off active duty but I’ve been borderline for some time.

It’s time for me to get my crap together and get in better shape for my long term health and career.

She must have been hot, real hot

Kidding aside, ouch.

Most men are strong relatively speaking. Fitness and strength are two different things. You can have a 40” waist and get out of breath after a 20 yard jog and be strong.

Do it for yourself Brady. At your age, you are still young enough to question whether you have more good years in front of or behind you? In the not so distant future that will no longer be something to ponder. Father Time will inevitably catch up with us all. Put it off and live large as long as you can.

Aren’t you 38 or 40 years old? That’s not old. Much too young to be throwing in the towel.

Ive migrated same way, I was burned out after college, and when I started focusing back on backpack hunts, I knew I needed to get more functional with a focus on endurance rather then hypertrophy. I focus on movement and cardio. I love sand bag work outs.

Brute force has a really good free online sand bag work app program. Being First Responder I sure they would give a discount on equipment. Very functional movement work outs.


here are a couple works outs as an example

I am 43. I don’t have time to work out. I know people say that is bs i really don’t care. I barely have enough time to get adequate rest. Plus i walk 40 miles a week, and i unload about 45 tons of freight a week. I would probably get results on one good strength work out a week.

I do a routine off and on with tractor tire snow chains. They weigh about 75 or maybe 80 pounds apiece. I can carry two in each hand for two minutes no problem. So the physical labor I do on a weekly basis is helping me maintain functional strength.

Try a farmers walk for two minutes with 150 pounds per hand. It is no picnic. Most *strong* people can’t carry a hundred per hand for two minutes. Think you can? Video or didn’t happen.

I lose my “free time” in the back of a 53’ trailer waiting on customers to receive. I do a little bit of exercise back there, mostly push ups, plus the unloading and walking, I am not worried about my general health and metabolism etc. My hand strength is better than most elite lifters, I can take care of myself.

I just don’t want to spend my one day off in the gym. I might pick BJJ back up though, I miss it a lot. One day of BJJ a week, with some hard rolling and open mat time, would be enough to learn or maintain the basics. But I would rather be shooting, hunting, fishing, or something that the kids want to do. Comic con, etc lol

I did do the workout and diet part of “75 hard” for about 90 days, and the cold shower part every chance i got. I got it from a meme and people in the group kept telling me all the little crap i missed so I kept re-starting. That was a mistake i will never make again. I am still recovering from it 🤣

Truth. Fitness is much more than strength. I don’t think I could lift much but I can do 30 Pushups at a time and walk a ways without stopping. I will let you know about my fitness levels when I start training for this years hunts in Montana.

Long as you can fill feeders and carry a gun. Nothing else matters, according to Thomas Jefferson.

You guys keep it up. Do it as long as you can and then do what you can still do. I’m 81 and a shell of what I used to be. But, I’m still here.

I get together with a bunch that I graduated from high school with in 1960. Most of the male survivors are in pretty decent shape for our age. I recently asked what exercises they did. Mostly walking. The females seldom exercise but they still outlive us.

Most of us have old man strength because we have better sense than to try to bench press our weight. Things tear. Not a fat guy in the bunch. They have all died off. A lot, like me, walk, squeeze grips, stretch bands, and do a lot of reps with light weights. We do them multiple times daily while watching TV. About half of us have torn something due to doing stupid stuff in the name of health and strength. Not a smoker in the crowd but a lot of ex smokers. Dang near all of us have some form of arthritis. About 50% military veterans. We, the vets, are generally in better shape physically and most of us, although not wealthy, are financially secure.

Our exercising is to keep us going, not build muscle, and we do what we can.

Knew a guy who was the grandpa of a kid on our baseball team. Competitive weight lifter in his younger days, I’m pretty sure he was a Vietnam vet.

Did some light ranching and kept lifting weights. One day, when he was in his mid to late 70’s he died one day. Was extremely physically capable until the day he died.

Thats how I want to go. Be healthy and physically capable and then just die one day.

Montana is not as bad as CO, you dont have the extreme altitude to contend with . My advice, bike and ruck. The ruck conditions your feet. Tougher your feet better off you will be, After that its just one foot in front of the other. Dont forget hardcast pistol ammo

x2. I refuse to be a burden

That’s my plan. Gonna work myself right into the grave.

Train and be fit for whatever station you are in life, or the activity you need to be in shape for. I looked at some pic's through the years. When I was running a Caveman Crawl, backpacking at elevation, weightlifting, packing deer out in Texas or s ski trip I trained differently and looked very different as a result.

Overall deer lease fitness...........gotta build up my bird legs for walking up and down steep hills. I've missed leg day the last 10 years.

I hate leg and core, I just can’t get into it lol. I’d rather work shoulders, chest, back and arms

Planks. Get some good music going, and don't watch the clock. Van Halen is good, just see how many songs you can go for a while. A lot more fun than watching a clock. After a few months, start watching the clock.

that's how i want you guys to go too.

My dad found his Lt. dead next to a great buck he had shot and had obviously started to field dress.

So how are you going? leather jorts and double fisting antique mugs with germania origin beer?

So how are you going? leather jorts and double fisting antique mugs with germania origin beer?

Dunno, but if Wifeypoo ever says I shot myself, check her hands for powder residue.

lol, I think you are safe

I just want to put on the record that the physical difference between 700 foot above sea level and 6-8000 above sea level is a big difference. Yes, going up to 10-12K is not any fun, but for a lowlander as most texans are, even going to 6000 feet is a change they have to be ready for. Altitude sickness is not as big a concern, really no concern at all, until above 8000, but the physical demands of 6-7000 feet are still real. Albeit, not as bad as CO typical altitudes noted by BOBO