Training For Hunting Season

[wardsoutfitters]

First off I would like to thank Amanda for making this topic available. I would like to share a few pointers with everyone on this site about getting into hunting shape, this information isn’t only for hunting but it’s very useful with your everyday life. Here is a little information about myself, I am 39 years old, and I’m 5’10” and weigh 222 lbs @ 12.5% Body fat. I train in the gym 4 days a week during the off season. I am an ISSA certified personal trainer, Certified in Fitness Nutrition and am the strength and conditioning coach for our local high school football team.

 

How many of you have ever thought you would love to hunt that canyon or that mountain range but avoided it because you weren’t in the shape you needed to be to get it done. Or you glassed up that buck on top of that ridge but didn’t make the stalk because of how out of shape you are. Be honest I know some of you have had this issue.

 

First thing is first , you can train every day hard and to extreme measures but if you are consuming the wrong foods you will not make the gains you need to be the best. What I’m pointing out here is you need to eat the right foods at the right macronutrient levels to make optimum gains. During the off season, I personally train to put on the most muscle I can knowing that during the hunting season it will be nearly impossible for me to make it to the gym. A few months prior to the season I change up my nutrition and training to get me ready for those long hikes, and the burning lactic acid build up from climbing those hills.

I personally drop my total daily caloric intake from 3900 calories to between 2250-2500 depending on the day and if I am training.

 

A typical work out will take me no longer than 1 hour. This is an example of a leg day

Reps ranging from 12-15 (4) sets with the 4^th set being a rest pause set. what the rest pause set means is on the 4^th set I will do as many as physically possible until my muscles fail, I will then re rack the weight and rest 15 seconds then lift the weight again until muscle failure again takes over. This type of rest pause will help to train your body to recover faster and will tear more muscle fibers than your typical 3 set training. Between each set I will also do cardio accerlation, this is 1 min of high intensity cardio, this is the only cardio you need on training days, trust me its brutal. Again it’s between each set so a total of 32 min of high intensity cardio. That is if you can make it through. For the person that isn’t in the shape it takes for 1 min you can reduce it to 20-30 seconds and you will add a few seconds each week until you are at 1 min. If you train your legs at this level I promise their will not be a hill your afraid to climb.

Squat 3 sets of 12-15 4^th set to failure

LEG PRESS 3 sets of 12-15 4^th set to failure

STANDING CALF RAISES 3 sets of 20-25 4^th set to failure

SEATED CALF PRESS 3 sets of 20-25 4^th set to failure

LEG EXTENSIONS 3 sets of 12-15 4^th set to failure

LEG CURLS 3 sets of 12-15 4^th set to failure

[tjhunt2]

Wished you lived closer. I could definitely use a good trainer. To many distractions around here and they keep making bud-light. Another excuse on my part. The older I get the harder it is for me to get motivated. Thanks Steven for reminding us how important it is to keep fit not only for hunting season but for living a healthier life.

 

TJ

[CouesWhitetail]

Thanks for all the info Steven....we can all use more training to hike those steep coues-filled hills!

[MULEPACKHUNTER]

Thanks for the info, there is some new information in there I didnt see before, I have been in and out of gyms over the years and things are always evolving I like the workout listed.

[CouesWhitetail]

Steven,

 

what do you do for your 1 min of intense cardio between sets?

[wardsoutfitters]

The cardio can be anything that gets the heart rate elevated, Squat Jumps, Step ups, Row machine , stationary bike, jump rope, again anything that gets the blood flowing.

[rcdinaz]

First off I would like to thank Amanda for making this topic available. I would like to share a few pointers with everyone on this site about getting into hunting shape, this information isn’t only for hunting but it’s very useful with your everyday life. Here is a little information about myself, I am 39 years old, and I’m 5’10” and weigh 222 lbs @ 12.5% Body fat. I train in the gym 4 days a week during the off season. I am an ISSA certified personal trainer, Certified in Fitness Nutrition and am the strength and conditioning coach for our local high school football team.

 

How many of you have ever thought you would love to hunt that canyon or that mountain range but avoided it because you weren’t in the shape you needed to be to get it done. Or you glassed up that buck on top of that ridge but didn’t make the stalk because of how out of shape you are. Be honest I know some of you have had this issue.

 

First thing is first , you can train every day hard and to extreme measures but if you are consuming the wrong foods you will not make the gains you need to be the best. What I’m pointing out here is you need to eat the right foods at the right macronutrient levels to make optimum gains. During the off season, I personally train to put on the most muscle I can knowing that during the hunting season it will be nearly impossible for me to make it to the gym. A few months prior to the season I change up my nutrition and training to get me ready for those long hikes, and the burning lactic acid build up from climbing those hills.

I personally drop my total daily caloric intake from 3900 calories to between 2250-2500 depending on the day and if I am training.

 

A typical work out will take me no longer than 1 hour. This is an example of a leg day

Reps ranging from 12-15 (4) sets with the 4^th set being a rest pause set. what the rest pause set means is on the 4^th set I will do as many as physically possible until my muscles fail, I will then re rack the weight and rest 15 seconds then lift the weight again until muscle failure again takes over. This type of rest pause will help to train your body to recover faster and will tear more muscle fibers than your typical 3 set training. Between each set I will also do cardio accerlation, this is 1 min of high intensity cardio, this is the only cardio you need on training days, trust me its brutal. Again it’s between each set so a total of 32 min of high intensity cardio. That is if you can make it through. For the person that isn’t in the shape it takes for 1 min you can reduce it to 20-30 seconds and you will add a few seconds each week until you are at 1 min. If you train your legs at this level I promise their will not be a hill your afraid to climb.

Squat 3 sets of 12-15 4^th set to failure

LEG PRESS 3 sets of 12-15 4^th set to failure

STANDING CALF RAISES 3 sets of 20-25 4^th set to failure

SEATED CALF PRESS 3 sets of 20-25 4^th set to failure

LEG EXTENSIONS 3 sets of 12-15 4^th set to failure

LEG CURLS 3 sets of 12-15 4^th set to failure

YAY! Actual leg work, good stuff!

 

Where do you add in your back work, different day?

[MULEPACKHUNTER]

Mr Wards, please explain the benefits of resistance training as it pertains to weight loss, I.E. residual burn or calories and such. I think for the weight loss goals of some this would be helpful. Thanks in advance

[wardsoutfitters]

Mulepackhunter

 

The fact is the more muscle you have the more calories your body burns to maintain those muscles.

Because a lot of people try to starve themselves into weight loss. They think it's all about controlling calories. Unfortunately, a lot of dieticians and nutritionists don't really understand strength training, and they also think that it's just about calories. Calories in, calories out. If you have a calorie deficit, you're going to lose weight, if you consume extra calories, you'll gain body fat. While that's true, it's only part of the picture. Sure, you need a calorie deficit to lose weight, but how does your body actually use calories? It's your lean body mass, that muscle mass underneath your body fat, that burns calories 24/7, allowing you to actually eat more calories without gaining weight.

Let's say you happen to be quite obese and you have a high percentage of body fat. I used to be in that situation; I know what it feels like. Underneath that body fat you actually have a very strong skeleton and strong muscles. Your body has built up those muscles in order to carry all of that extra body fat when you move your body. Just the very act of standing up, walking across a parking lot, going up a flight of stairs or lifting your arms requires more effort when you're overweight, especially if you're obese. So the heavier you are, the stronger your muscles have to be just to allow you to do basic, everyday things.

Now this can actually work to your advantage -- if you manage to keep all of that muscle mass and bone density in place while you are losing body fat, then you can maintain the high metabolism that's associated with that lean body mass even while you are dropping body fat. But if you starve yourself, you're going to lose all the muscle resources you already have. It's a mistake a lot of people make. They try to lose body fat by starving themselves, and as the body fat vanishes from their body, their muscle mass also disappears. Why would the body get rid of muscle mass? Because, frankly, it doesn't need it.

The solution to all of this, the strategy I want to focus on here, is to engage in strength training while you are losing body fat. If you do this, then you will be able to maintain the muscle mass that you already have underneath your body fat while you are in the process of losing the fat. This will leave you with a greater proportion of lean body mass to body fat, meaning that you will be slimmer, yet you'll have the muscles that you had when you were overweight. If you get rid of enough body fat in this way, then those muscles may begin to show -- if you're a man. If you're a woman, don't worry. You're never going to bulk up. A lot of women are mistakenly afraid of strength training . They think that if they pump a few weights they're going to turn into Lou Ferrigno overnight. They think they're going to have this competition muscle-bound body from lifting a couple of weights. Believe me, that is not the case at all. Most of those bodybuilding women are using steroids, and they've trained for years, even decades, just to produce that kind of muscle mass. Women are not built to puts on lots of muscle mass, so don't be afraid that you'll bulk up. Women who are afraid of exercising because they think it's going to make them look bigger have it all wrong.

[wardsoutfitters]

 

First off I would like to thank Amanda for making this topic available. I would like to share a few pointers with everyone on this site about getting into hunting shape, this information isn’t only for hunting but it’s very useful with your everyday life. Here is a little information about myself, I am 39 years old, and I’m 5’10” and weigh 222 lbs @ 12.5% Body fat. I train in the gym 4 days a week during the off season. I am an ISSA certified personal trainer, Certified in Fitness Nutrition and am the strength and conditioning coach for our local high school football team.

 

How many of you have ever thought you would love to hunt that canyon or that mountain range but avoided it because you weren’t in the shape you needed to be to get it done. Or you glassed up that buck on top of that ridge but didn’t make the stalk because of how out of shape you are. Be honest I know some of you have had this issue.

 

First thing is first , you can train every day hard and to extreme measures but if you are consuming the wrong foods you will not make the gains you need to be the best. What I’m pointing out here is you need to eat the right foods at the right macronutrient levels to make optimum gains. During the off season, I personally train to put on the most muscle I can knowing that during the hunting season it will be nearly impossible for me to make it to the gym. A few months prior to the season I change up my nutrition and training to get me ready for those long hikes, and the burning lactic acid build up from climbing those hills.

I personally drop my total daily caloric intake from 3900 calories to between 2250-2500 depending on the day and if I am training.

 

A typical work out will take me no longer than 1 hour. This is an example of a leg day

Reps ranging from 12-15 (4) sets with the 4^th set being a rest pause set. what the rest pause set means is on the 4^th set I will do as many as physically possible until my muscles fail, I will then re rack the weight and rest 15 seconds then lift the weight again until muscle failure again takes over. This type of rest pause will help to train your body to recover faster and will tear more muscle fibers than your typical 3 set training. Between each set I will also do cardio accerlation, this is 1 min of high intensity cardio, this is the only cardio you need on training days, trust me its brutal. Again it’s between each set so a total of 32 min of high intensity cardio. That is if you can make it through. For the person that isn’t in the shape it takes for 1 min you can reduce it to 20-30 seconds and you will add a few seconds each week until you are at 1 min. If you train your legs at this level I promise their will not be a hill your afraid to climb.

Squat 3 sets of 12-15 4^th set to failure

LEG PRESS 3 sets of 12-15 4^th set to failure

STANDING CALF RAISES 3 sets of 20-25 4^th set to failure

SEATED CALF PRESS 3 sets of 20-25 4^th set to failure

LEG EXTENSIONS 3 sets of 12-15 4^th set to failure

LEG CURLS 3 sets of 12-15 4^th set to failure

YAY! Actual leg work, good stuff!

 

Where do you add in your back work, different day?

 

I work back on bicep day for most of the season , but when by back work out starts to interfesr with my bicep training i then work back and biceps on separate days.

 

[MULEPACKHUNTER]

Wards,

Just to add to the muscle mass, I was also thinking of residual burn, from what I was taught if you do some sort of cardio workout like jogging on tread mill the calorie burn all but stops once you step off the tread mill but if you lift weights the calorie burn keeps going up to 7 hours after your workout. Do you know this to be true?

[apache12]

Crossfit has been awesome. I got a gym that has an entry level called life class so you can ease in. Its one hour and you are fried at the end. Great group workout where everyone encourages you. But you get amazing strength in legs back shoulder and abs.

So humping a pack up hills is so much easier.

You will climb hills like never before. Only thing i would add is some longer cardio for all day endurance because cross is more short burst high intensity

 

Check out cross fit folks. You will love it

My wife also joined and she loves it too. Dropped 25lbs in Three months and lets just say we both last a bit longer doing things we enjoy behind closed doors when the kids finally sleep.

 

Infinite strength crossfit in scottsdale is our Box as they call it

[Str8Shot]

I do not know about Steven, But I have always done strength training/lifting before cardio... And for people that are overweight or obese the idea of Carb loading for workouts is not necessary.. Simple carbs ( like sugar, white flour , pasta, No grain breads) metabolize and are quickly turned to glucose, becoming the energy for your cells. Energy is good, it feeds the cells, but when you have too much for the kind of activity you are doing the body does not go to Fat as much to get the energy/calories needed to maintain the activity and excess glucose can easily be converted to fat if consumed at periods of little energy use and activity..A high Protein diet that includes High Fiber Slow releasing carbs ( non starchy carbs like leafy greens, onions, broccoli, onions, asparagus, some fruits and much more) allows a person to maintain a balanced energy level throughout the day. With the proper amount of calories and right carbs for fueling just your basic activities, when you ramp up the activity the body will go from using the current metabolizing sugars for energy to burning fat ( stored energy ) for being able to fuel the cells during the process. The high protein protects the muscle giving it the nutrients needed to maintain, rebuild and strengthen. After a workout where your body has pulled from its fat reserve, the worst thing you can do is intake a large amount of simple carbs, because much will get unused and stored as fat. After a workout I have been using creatine and a slow digesting protein, a couple ounces of turkey or chicken after a workout and about 30 minutes before you put your body to rest will help in muscle recovery as well as keeping the metabolism burning more while you sleep.

 

Playing football and wrestling I knew all this, and still let the convenience of or modern life to weigh me down on in actual pounds.... You do not need to hit the gym right away if overweight, look how you can change your eating lifestyle first... For me , Limiting all sugars, no fast food, no processed foods, I took it a bit more cutting out gluten an and limiting dairy ( mainly cheese, which was hardest of all) and lost my first 30 lbs in 2 1/2 months without doing anything but my daily routine. Adding the gym and increasing the jogging and hiking in the last few months have kept the process moving while getting mack the strength and condition I once had.

 

 

The absolute hardest thing though was cutting out Alcohol... Not a beer in 8 months

[DCAguy]

One thing to remember is the terrain is not cement. I went through alot of medical issues this year and I have been working on balance. Wear your backpack while working out. do steps on foam and halfballs. walk inclines and declines. get used to doing things differently. this also works the small stabilizer muscles that are all over your body.

[AZkiller]

In all seriousness, i dont fault anyone for working out. Whatever works for you. Im just sick of hearimg whats her name on channel 10 in the am talk about it.