Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Backpack Hunting 2023 - Fitness / Workout thread

Good work Gents!

Pretty good start on the first week of 2023 for me. 41 miles, 18 of those on snowshoes. My first snowshoe trip was a 10 mile loop w/ some really tough snow higher (read post hole city!); in addition I had a water bottle leak in my pack and when I ate lunch saw that my windshirt was very damp. I hung it up in a nearby tree while eating lunch to dry a little. That next morning in the comfort of my bed at home, I woke thinking did I grab that jacket. A quick check of my pack in the garage showed- I did not .

The next morning early told my wife I need to go back and get it. She decided she'd tag along with me. The good news is I didn't have to do the loop, but instead a 8 mile out & back and less troublesome snow on that stretch too.

Anyways, jacket was right where I left it and dry!

Got both my strength training sessions in too this week.

Trap Bar Deadlifts 350 for 5 then 375 for 4

T-Bar Rows

Goblet Squats

Incline Dumbbell Bench

Dumbell Curls Supinated

Tricep Push downs

TRX Ab rollouts

Last workout was Friday. I did some various kettle bell lifts, then 20 mins of intervals on the stairmaster....which sucked.

I am intentionally staying away from beer and subsequently cleaned up my diet since the holidays.

^ staying away from the beer- that's a tough one

Had a pretty good week, 39 miles w/ 18 of those being on snowshoes w/ a 30-ish pack- lots of rough snow to boot! Got both my strength workouts in as well.

Sled drags, walking lunges, goblet squats, .5 mile run for time, 20min stairmaster

Hunting 2023 is already planned. Annual Stone sheep hunt in august, caribou hunt in sept are the big trips.
Training goals are always mostly strength related for injury prevention but also trying to add a few pounds of muscle.
Specific goal this year is to reach a 2.5x body weight deadlift. So far at 140lbs I’m getting a smooth single with 305lbs so still have a ways to go.
I also always train with kettlebells and am now starting to snatch with 62lb KB for sets of 5. Sets of 10 with 62lb is my goal this year.
I’m all set and eager to get some winter camping in with my home made freight toboggan, but here in central B.C. the weather has been extreme on both ends of the spectrum. We had a long period of close to -40 C weather that has quickly changed to above freezing with rainy periods. Everything around here seems to be a solid sheet of ice half the time and is pissing me off.

I've been lax on posting here. Workouts still about the same though Fri-Sun day is hunting from Oct through start of Feb so I get a couple less training sessions in...but a fair amount of exercise going up the mountainsides.

Tuesday's circuit, no rest between exercises, 1 min rest between rounds, several warmup/light rounds, 3 working rounds:

Hang power snatches
1 leg squat
1 leg sldl
Weighted dips
Pullups

Light easy day. 20mins on the stairmaster at level 8, then some intervals on the treadmill.

OK week- 30 miles (but with a fair bit of ascent, just under 8000'); got both strength trainings in- next week I'll complete the Wendler 4 week cycle and everything gets bumped up .

weather has been cooperating which helps a bunch!

Our weather he has sucked, in the low 30's and WIND, up to 30+ the last three days. I also have company coming for the weekend. I was hoping for hundred miles this month but am afraid I will be short a few. I also cleaned up the bowflex and working on my upper body.

Trap bar deadlifts
T-Bar Rows
Goblet Squats
Incline Dumbbell Press
Supinated Dumbbell Curls
Tricep Pushdowns


Set a PR deadlifting today. 415 for 2. Not bad for an old dude

^ 415 is nothing to sneeze at- congrats!

Pretty good week- 33 miles (146 for the year) and finished up the last week of a four cycle of Wendler (started a new cycle adding weight today). The last two days have been -15 to -20 F windchills, so 8 of those miles were on the dreadmill. Supposed to break by Tuesday- fingers crossed!

Thanks for starting the 2023 thread, Jackson.

I have no particular hunts planned just yet (other than OTC deer and elk) but decided to work on three areas this year.

First, more strength with heavier weights. The past few years I focused on the longevity mindset or whatever it's called now. That seemed to work well from a health standpoint (BP, bloodwork, etc.).

Second, more careful attention to Zone 2 training.

Third is taking up trail running.

Well, I haven't done jack with the trail running just yet for 2023 but strength training is going OK I think. Amazing how even a middle aged body adapts mentally and physically.

I have seen really good progress with Zone 2 though. I think I was overtraining in 2022 trying to build my cardio base for a backpack hunt, but ended up shooting myself in the foot I think. Nothing bad, but I've made more progress in the past three weeks by cutting back and paying closer attention to HR than I did for most of 2022 pushing harder. Counterintuitive and will be interesting to see how it goes when I get back in the coastal mountains instead the gym this year.

As long as I can increase weights, improve times and speeds, and recover quickly that's all that matters to me.

Man I felt whooped today. Maybe from going to one of those trampoline gyms the day before. It was harder on the body than I expected!

Anyway, I decided to do an easy workout today. 90 minutes of Zone 1 this morning. Feeling great now in the evening and ready for a workout tomorrow.

logged 104 hiking miles in Jan. Also still making progress with the weight training.

^ Nice!

Did lower body, squats, lunges, and then some rucking yesterday. Kinda taking it easy as I'm planning a quick trip to NM this weekend for a last second quail hunt.

Hope to log some serious miles and bag a mearns, gambels, and scaled quail.

Yesterday's circuit, no rest between exercises, 1 min rest between rounds, several warmup/light rounds, 4 working rounds:

Hang power snatches
Front squat
DB Incline
Lat pulldowns

Yesterday - 80 minutes Zone 2, light rucksack with optics

Today - leg press; mountain climbers on unpowered treadmill; kettlebell swings; bent barbell rows; lat pulldown machine; 45 minutes of zone 1 - 2

Wide grip pull-downs

Heavy Belt Squats

Incline Push-ups

Military Rack Scrapes supersetted with Lateral Raises

Heavy Hammer Curls

Close-grip Bench Press

TRX an rollouts

Stretching

Creatine

Bourbon

Fried Chicken with Garlic Mashers and Asparagus