Healy Arms

Thank you CW members for referring us to your friends & family for Maps And: For those of you who don't already know - we carry all (every unit they have available) of the Flatline Maps

Here's the scoop: Over on the Hunting Fitness forum here at CW some of the members who participate in the discussions thought a competition - a hunting style competition that combined the elements of physical fitness, efficiency and endurance with shooting skill would be a fun way to get people thinking about how their good fitness or lack of fitness impacts their hunts and their ability to protect themselves & their family in a stress shooting situation. This was an idea that I had batted around myself, and seeing the mention of it on CW got me more interested in actually doing it. So after several weeks of pulling a team of qualified people together to make the event safe & workable - we will be holding the competition in mid to late May 2016 (about 6 months from now). What will the competition look like? These are the basic elements: (more information is coming as we finalize contracts and details) There will be a physical efficiency element throughout the competition that will replicate a real-world hunting scenario(s) in the Western US. There will be a segment of the event that will involve using binoculars (or spotting scope) to find and identify targets and accurately range them in yards. There will be a live-fire rifle shooting segment that will test a person's ability to locate a target, range the target (with or without a rangefinder), and accurately shoot that target. There will be a defensive handgun live-fire shooting segment that will challenge the participant's ability to shoot effectively under stress & physical exertion. There will be men's and women's divisions There will be age brackets (similar the the public safety testing brackets you'd see at a police or fire exam). The competition and shooting scenarios has been designed around normal everyday hunting rifles and factory handguns. You can bring your 30lb sniper rifle with you - you'll just need to carry it with you, all day, just like you would out hunting. The real advantage will be gained if you train for ALL elements: Your physical efficiency & endurance Your rifle handling & shooting Your handgun competency Your glassing ability From what I can tell - those are the basic aspects of a good hunt. More details to follow. So - what should we call it?

I think it will be a very fun event. I had a CW gentleman in the store just a few minutes ago buying a Flatline map - he said "thank goodness I have 6 months to get ready" LOL As far as the rangefinder goes - that's great input - I agree. We do, however, have an advanced shooter who uses his MilDot Reticle for ranging and is quite good at it. So I will need to think this over. We will be keeping the ranges VERY realistic as we like to tell people - be humane - don't shoot further, get closer. Lastly - thank you - your entry is in the hat Best- Mark Healy LIKE US ON FACEBOOK

One of the recurring conversations we have with our guests is "why aren't you open on Sunday?" I hate going other places, but work hours leaves Sunday as the only day I have to get my shopping done. Well - we fixed that:

To all who have been in to see us - Thank you! It really means a lot when people take the time to recognize how diligently we work at making your hunting & shooting experience the best it can be. However - we wouldn't exist without you - so thank you again. If ever your in my store and your experience isn't top notch - you know who to call - don't hesitate. Have a great hunting season! Mark Healy 480-621-5555

So in for this. Should be more like deer strongman. with hunting related lifts like drag 2 coues for 100 yards then then carry a pair of kowas up a hill or something Great idea! OK gentlemen: I too have thought about this type of an event. I looked at the Train to Hunt event, but archery is not my area of expertise. My ol' outdated bow needs a quiet retirement (really needs to be on ebay). But guns - I do guns, especially the hunting and sidearm type. Hunting - yes. Hiking - yes. Cardio - yes. Backpacking - yes. After you guys gave this topic some discussion in mid September it looked like something I should research further. So I reached out for information. I have received a decent amount of input from professional shooters, hunters of all stripes, Armageddon prepper types, military vets, NRA members and rage trainers, athletic instructors, power lifters, MMA folks, and reach the conclusion that this type of event needs to be done. Being prepared to hunt and being prepared to take care of your family fall under the same umbrella - you should be thinking about and DOING something about it year 'round. And the most important piece of equipment is you. I have assembled a team to make this event a reality. I will start another thread this morning seeking input from interested CW members.

I have a late November mule deer tag that I fully intend to fill with the best buck I can find. That being said, personal fitness and weight dictates - to a very large degree - how much ground I will cover and how many bucks I will discover, judge and hopefully find one to shoot. I have made a personal commitment to being in even better shape than I was last year after losing 45 pounds of lard (and that was a darn good hunting season compared to several before it). I am inviting anyone with the same/similar short-term ambition to join in and talk about their preseason journey to being ready for opening day. Now then, you might only have 4 weeks (or less) to your hunt. That doesn't matter - you can cover a decent amount of better-lungs ground in 20-30 days. And, if you have a December tag, you have over 90-days and PLENTY of time to push and make progress. ***what makes this different from MULEPACKHUNTER's Monday check in?*** This is all about short-term push & gains. We will stop posting after our 2015 tags expire or are filled AND anyone is free to post any ol' time. If you jog a mile and cut a half-minute off your time - POST it. If you jog that same mile the next day and cut another 20 seconds off - post it. Cut weight - post it. Got an eating plan that's new and working - post it. Killer cardio routine - post it. Go on a lung-busting elevation hike - post it. In short - if you're doing a hard final push right now - something different from the norm - to really improve this year's hunt experience - put it here. Once your hunt is over - go back to the Monday Check In and keep up with it until your next tag. (yes, that's not always easy with the lives we lead, but a worthy annual goal) Keep in mind, unless you're one of those gifted mountain goat people - ANYTHING - you do will be better than doing nothing. All the best this season, Mark Healy

Longboat - Sending you a PM - give me a call at the store if you have room for a stray. Thank you for the invitation - that was a solid good time - nuts - but worth the time invested. That's a lung blowout - non-stop. I doesn't get anymore cardio that that. I don't find many guys that workout like that - I'm going to feel that workout for a day or 2 or 3. But hey, I made it all the way through the hour. I'll be on vacation next week, but will call you when I get back to schedule another go of it.

Longboat - Sending you a PM - give me a call at the store if you have room for a stray.

I completely agree with you. Not too many people realize that the South Mountain Preserve has a trail that runs from end to end (The National Trail) that's a 29 mile round trip from the east parking lot. Yes sir - 29 miles of a perfect hunting get-ready trail that, when compared to the local population, almost no one uses. Then add in the rest of the park and you have 1/3 mile stuff, 1 mile stuff, 5 mile stuff, steep stuff, flat stuff. Whatever the fitness level - it all works. I go there often because it's close. My kid likes the Pinal Mtns- so we do that a lot too. A steep hike is the perfect way to gauge your fitness before taking off for a hunt. Better to know you'll be sucking wind ahead of time and do something to course correct - don't waste tag time.

Great Monday morning in Phoenix South Mountain Park. Sunday was supposed to be my easy day, but I got very carried away and ended up with an excellent workout. Moved the easy day to this morning and did 3.3 miles on the northern ridges of the park boundary. Check out the coyote skylined in the first photo:

Hi Kennyazman - I hope this helps: The key here is to do SOMETHING. Fairly often I hear from someone who, not knowing what to do, do nothing. You don't need to buy anything to get going. There is no magic piece of equipment. Just simple calisthenics (yes - the stuff of military boot camp joy like jumping jacks, burpees, sit-ups, push-ups and the dreaded monkey crawls & mountain climbers) are all you need to tone up, fight fat and get your cardio back. Add a good jog or steep trail hike to the mix and you’re in a good place. I’ve noticed that many people – especially those over 40 and double especially if they are heavy no matter what age – have a hard time just dealing with getting on and off the ground. That being the case I often just tell people to do exercises that require you to get down on the floor and get back up. Very often that is all they need to “get started”. For instance – try this police & fire academy PT drill from back in the day: Set the clock for 4 minutes and cycle through the following 4 exercises for all 4 minutes. You need to do them BOTH quickly and with excellent form. Move as quickly from one exercise to the next as you can. 4 squats – nice and deep and look toward the ceiling as you do them so you don’t use your back. 4 push-ups – again, good form and full extensions 4 jumping jacks – full range of motion 4 sit-ups – don’t rock & keep you heels on the floor as much as you can Get back to your feet and start again – keep cycling through – all 4 minutes. If you put forth your best effort you should be winded. That should be all you need to convince you that your own motion and effort are that are required to get good exercise. Equipment can be added as needed to enhance your experience and gain on your goals. If you need something more difficult, add a minute to the clock and a 5th exercise like burpees or mountain climbers. Do this in sets of 5 instead of 4. Need more? Move it to 6 & 6. This is how I got started again 2 years ago. I do a lot more now and my workouts vary greatly. One thing stays constant – I’m in cardio mode all the time. When I lift weights the reps are high and there are calisthenics in between sets. I don’t care about bulk – just strength and functional endurance. Start with 20 minutes a day and progress to a full hour. Be creative and get winded.

LOL - yeah. It counts. Rock on sir.

Related of the American State of Denial - I just witnessed the American State of Defeated I'm looking for a trail to go hike today that I haven't been on before and find a review of a particular trail that says: "The first section of the trail ascends to a breathtaking lookout and continues winding on. We would've liked to seen more, but we're in our 50's and it wasn't possible. I wish we'd found this trail 10 years ago." What?!?! I had to grab my glasses & read it several times thinking the 5 must be an 8. I must go see this.

Early Monday check in after putting in a solid Saturday morning at the gym. Was going for 7 days a week until my hunt. Got cornered with a sinus thing as lost a couple of days just over a week ago. Got back at it and put in a solid week of hard workouts and cardio burns. Excellent progress. Eating was 98% in the perfect zone. No beer. No BS. Waistline noticeably smaller. Since tomorrow is an easy day - I'll do a 2-a-day today. Cardio with a heavy pack in the heat sounds about right.

Sick today. I couldn't do a lung burner day if I wanted to. My 4 mile easy walk won't kill me. I'll do that and get back to chillin with a book.

Ended up with yesterday off. Never felt up to it at all. Broke the 7-day chain. Came back toady with vengeance. My trainer was relentless. Holy freaking cardio. Nearly quit once - thought better of myself. November will be a breeze.

I would have loved to go, but they don't have a "upcoming fat guy" division. If they did I would have come in 1st:) You'd have some tough competition in the full-figured AR division -

I torched my lungs and large muscle groups yesterday - solid cardio and endurance training. This morning got the brakes put on with bad food or some kind of bug. Feel like garbage. The day is young - this could change. Don't need my 7-day chain broken. To everyone else - have a productive one.

many, but never puked personally. Only once - police academy 1994 - obstacle course "best of three" trials on week 12. Trying to beat my first 2 times, pushing hard, and the pea gravel hill at the end got the best of me. Number 3 was better - but not by nearly enough - LOL You know what was the most telling of the timed trials. You could accept your first time provided it met minimum standard and not do the other two. The guys who opted out after one didn't try very hard, hi the minimum allowed, accepted mediocrity, took their grade and left their pride behind. You could absolutely see it in their eyes but they did it anyway. I'm not advocating push 'til you puke. Yeah - a few of us did and probably would again give the event & circumstances. That day has never left me. I witnessed "justgoodenough" in person. I still push myself & I've been close a few time since then. Now I know when to say when.

Yesterday - solid leg day Core, arms, shoulders & cardio today. Actually core and cardio almost everyday. Sometimes a lot - sometimes just enough to wake up. Those 2 things are my mainstays. They allow me to eat Chinese takeout with fried rice and not turn into a beach ball.

Healy Arms - you are an animal. Not sure what kind - but a true animal. LOL - probably not. Maybe a air conditioned animal. But not too bad for a 46 yr old with limited time to stay fit. I can hump hills far better today than I could just a few years ago. I'm never limited by roads or how far my quad will take me. Speaking of no limitations due to road access. I humped 3 miles across a crappy steep canyon to a road-less area in Unit 23 last year. I finally get over there and the FIRST deer that pops out of this little Manzanita snag in the middle of nowhere is easily over 110 inches - awesome buck. It was late Nov and I had an elk tag - the buck was safe. But it certainly proved a point - that big deer was there because very few people are willing to go get him. AND Then there was the time I was glassing some decent bucks in Unit 31 in the wilderness area. I glassed back toward the main road and watched some guys glassing from their pickup - using the edge truck bed to steady their elbows so they could get their glass on. Later that evening they stopped by my camp and asked if I'd seen any deer. I told them I had, and asked how their day had gone. I was shocked & amazed to hear that they "didn't see anything all day". I even shared the the general location of where I'd walked to and told them the deer I passed might be what they were seeking. The driver, scoffed at the idea and lectured me that there was NO REASON to walk that far, as "his uncle had killed a good buck right from the road last season". I told him a broken clock is right 2 times a day too.

"or perhaps he was just looking for his pride and dignity under the bush" The last time I heard that I was working on Apache Blvd and the reference was "dude - you'll never find your dignity at the bottom of a plastic liquor bottle and a bag of spicy Cheetos" LOL

Friends don't let friends skip leg day. Good friends mix in cardio just make it horrific. Thought I was going to blow out an artery But it's over with and that's a darn good way to start another round of 7 days. Onward

Easy day: Went to the gym with air conditioning - you know - the kinda gym where skinny girls show up in makeup and perfect hair. Power Mill (modern version of a stairmaster) 120 floors in 33 minutes - burned up 500 calories. 100 sit ups - done. Another 7-day stretch in the books.