Healy Arms Report post Posted September 7, 2015 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 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MULEPACKHUNTER Report post Posted September 7, 2015 Its time for a jump start anyway, the ole Monday deal is dying slowly. Hit it hard and good luck. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Healy Arms Report post Posted September 7, 2015 Its time for a jump start anyway, the ole Monday deal is dying slowly. Hit it hard and good luck. We need to keep the Monday thing alive. Why? I'm not starting from where I was approx 2 years ago and this forum had a lot to do with that. I have been far more aware of my fitness because of the emails generated by these threads. It's a simple reminder - don't slip. Was I perfect? Heck no. Never intended to be. Did I both gain & lose ground at different times. Yes. But fitness and making my workouts has been top of mind. For the most part I have maintained and and gained. This will be a good hunting year for me. I'm going to bust my tail for the next 60ish days and really roll thru the hills. For my hunting buddies that sit around? Not so much. And yes - I will hunt solo because of it. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Healy Arms Report post Posted September 7, 2015 With less than 70 days to my hunt I've decided to take on a 7-day a week regimen - I know how bad it sucks to spend the hunting day yelling at yourself for not getting physically ready to hump hills, So I'm all in for the next 2+ months. I have been pretty religious about a 5-day a week workout schedule combined with a way too lackluster gut building eating program. I'm putting an end to that as well. No days off - no pizza - no cheeseburgers - no burritos. But hey - what about a rest day? Your body needs time to recover. There is a rest day. Sunday is an easy day - but you MUST do something. A leisurely 4 mile walk (4 little ol' city blocks). A low resistance hour jaunt on a elliptical machine. A bike ride. Something that is not damaging but is good movement. The other 6-days are purposely tough - lots of cardio - even while lifting. I started Saturday the 5th. This was my warm up: 33 minutes on a Stair Master - consistent 60 steps a minute - 500 calories. Then 100 sit ups - and 15,000 total pounds of random hi-rep presses, pull downs, etc. Good form and full functional range of motion is essential - we're training to do a task - no jerky gonna be injured soon lifting. Rest in between? No - not really. Sunday - easy day - 5 miles on an elliptical machine - heart rate in the low 130's - just under 600 burned calories - nothing extra that day Monday - back at it. Spent an hour at a new place in Scottsdale - 130 degree torture chamber - functional fitness strength & relentless high cardio type workout. Then went to my regular place and blasted through another 18 minute 1000ft vertical climb on an incline hiker and 100 sit ups. Tomorrow will look a lot like Monday. My hope is I get a few more of you on this thread in the mix. I think this will be beneficial to anyone who decides to participate and push against their norms. Remember - you're competing ONLY with yourself and what you could do yesterday. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Healy Arms Report post Posted September 9, 2015 Beat the sun out of bed. Humid as heck and pretty warm already. Need a gym with AC. Still sore from yesterday. 90 minutes - get it over with. Hey - it ain't all about the deer tag: Half of US Adults Diabetic or Pre Diabetic- Most is Type 2 "Almost 40 percent have pre-diabetes, meaning elevated blood sugar levels that could lead to full-fledged disease. Studies have shown lifestyle changes can delay or prevent diabetes in these people." Combine this with the fact that 75% of the country is overweight or obese and being more focused on fitness is a good thing. I supposed the deer tag is just an excuse to do more. A good excuse. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Longboat Thegn Report post Posted September 10, 2015 I have been watching the Hunting Fitness forums in the background for sometime (and biting my lip). I like the idea of a 60 day push for accountability reasons and I believe that anybody that drew a tag should absolutely be focusing on their single most important asset for success in the field - THEIR OWN BODY! I did not draw anything this year BUT I will accompany a hunter on an elk hunt in New Mexico SO I feel I owe it to him to be in the best shape that I can be so as to not hold up the hunt and to be a useful part of the experience on the pack out. So - here goes - 1 hour of high intensity cardio this morning with a fella I call the crazy cuban and another junkyard dog that usually wishes to remain anonymous due to his notoriety in certain circles. Mostly boxing and grappling with some burpees and high knees, and other blood pumping exercises thrown in. It was a good time and should burn the lungs into submission. I am hoping that other hunters check in as I am always looking for ideas and ways to mix up a workout. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Longboat Thegn Report post Posted September 11, 2015 Well I am gonna go for a long bike ride tonight. My normal workout partner decided to sleep in and not wake me up for our usual 5:30 AM torture hour. Turns out - he went to a gym and got on a treadmill! I am not sure how to take being cheated on. Either I make it too tough for him OR he is a gym tramp. I haven't decided which yet. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Healy Arms Report post Posted September 12, 2015 Hey - I made my workout - 7 days a week is holding so far. Eating right - weight dropping. Tomorrow I have the day off of work so I will crank out a hard workout. Sunday - something easy. Monday - back to full engagement. Truth is: when you workout and prepare the days hunting are better - period. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Healy Arms Report post Posted September 12, 2015 By the way - welcome to the forum - graduated from the shadows to posting. Like it 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Longboat Thegn Report post Posted September 12, 2015 Checking in - up at 6:30 and felt like blah - terrible allergies and head ache. Called my workout off. My training partner wouldn't have it and he let me know he was going ahead anyway. Thank goodness for a great training partner to give one that little push when they feel like snuggling the blanket. In any event, I went to the gym and did an hour of calisthenics, boxing, and wrestling. Glad I did cause nothing clears the snot out like an elevated heart rate while somebody is trying to pound you. The good news is - ITS OVER and now I can take a nap and cry about my stuffy head. A big thanks to my unnamed, notorious, training partner who basically shamed me into getting up this morning! As the crazy cuban says - "It's all in your head." It really is. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Healy Arms Report post Posted September 12, 2015 Pushed hard today - way harder than I set out to. I checked out mentally a few times but stayed in it. Cardio + strength building + limited rest + relentless pace = long hour dropped almost another pound - boom - I'll take it Easy day tomorrow 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
duckhunter175 Report post Posted September 13, 2015 Hey guys, way less than 60 days before my OCT Rifle Coues hunt but I've been adding to my normal Army PT with some extra rucks and hitting the hills around the house here in KY. On the 15th I'm cutting out all cheese and refined bread products up through the hunt. Excited about this to say the least! Great thread and best of luck to everyone on their fitness goals and hunts! 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Healy Arms Report post Posted September 13, 2015 Welcome to the thread sir. You hopped on right at the time I was making excuses for not walking my 4 miles today. It's not even uphill and I was procrastinating. Well - no better time than now. Thank you. Catch up later... 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Healy Arms Report post Posted September 13, 2015 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. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Longboat Thegn Report post Posted September 14, 2015 Lazy day. Allergies kicking my butt. Did absolutely nothing today. Back at it tomorrow at 5:30 AM. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
