Getting into "Sheep Shape"

[Labs4me]

Madpigslayer:

If I read your post correctly, you were inquiring as to what kind of shape one should aspire to be in for a hypothetical sheep hunt? Is this correct?

As a reluctant marathoner and a seasoned backpacker, I can tell you that there is a big difference between being in good cardio-vascular shape and being in backpacking (sheep hunting) shape. I can also say with absolute certainty that I could throw a 50 pound backpack on the back of most marathoners who are in race day shape, and they would still have an absolutely miserable time on the first 3-4 days of a ten day backpacking trip in the mountains. Being a good swimmer does not mean you are in good biking shape. And being in good biking shape does not prepare one to run a marathon. And similarly, being a tri-athlete does not necessarily prepare one for hours and days hiking up and down and up again in mountain country. Being a flat-lander I learned this the hard way over 28 years ago.

The only way to really prepare yourself for backpacking - or sheep hunting - is to throw a backpack on your shoulders (and hips) and hit the road - better yet, a local trail - beginning several months before your trip. If you want to enjoy all ten days of a ten day backpacking (sheep hunting) trip and not just the last six days, it's imperative to log lots of miles with a backpack on your back beforehand. Carrying a backpack - enjoyably - requires using "stabilizing" muscles that we typically do not have to rely on in our day to day lives. For sure, using Micro-Soft Word, Power Point, Excel, ect. will not work these muscles.

As important or perhaps more important than training your heart, lungs and legs, I would strongly recommend working your mid-section. Yuppies now refer to this area as your "core"- but really, it's o.k to call these muscles your mid-section (Hip flexors, abs, obliques, serratus and lower back). Sit-ups, crunches, knees-to chest, side-bends and bent-over, broom stick twists will still work these muscles. So don't fall for the infomercials you see on t.v. the first couple months of each year. You do not need to purchase a "buns-of-steel", pretty pink, "core" power ball to work this area of your body. Maybe start with seven reps of each, just seven reps of each and increase by one rep each week per exercise. In this manner, you'll be performing 50 reps of each exercise by the end of the year. By then, without struggling through or dreading your "core" work, you'll have developed a very strong mid section (sorry yuppies) and this, as much as having a strong heart, lungs and legs will help ensure that you are ready to chase sheep or anything else you desire up the mountain of your choice.

[Steve O]

Dude--I don't know ANYBODY that says they enjoy sheep hunting WHILE they are doing it...    ...it is great to look back and say you did it AND to figure out HOW you can get back to do it again, but it is brutal in the moment  

[R.W.]

Madpigslayer,

Hay, you is in ALberta. Go to the Crowsnest Pass, or Nordegg, etc, every weekend you can.

Take your hunting pack, when you get to the bottom of the mountain, walk west, till you are heading back downhill.

Couple of weekends of that, and you will know what shape you need to be in, and, if you have the energy to look around, as you haul yourself up the mountain, you may even find some good spots to actually HUNT sheep!      

A wise old native hunter once told me "It is hard to sneak up on sheep, when they can hear your *ss dragging from 5 miles down the mountain!"      

Are you going after sheep in Alberta, or elsewhere?

Anyway, you will see some beautiful country up there. All the best on your upcoming sheep hunt.

[AkDan]

dunno about that Stevo but I sure do enjoy it when I get out.  My last sheep trip now a couple years ago had me watching two of the biggest rams I've ever seen in the area, maybe the 3rd and 4th biggest sheep I've ever laid eyes on (the first two being potential wr holders with a bow to give you an idea) and enjoyed every minute of those two hoss's head butting and sparring.   The weather was horrible, I was alone, truely in gods country and pulled out a day early to leave them be.

I enjoy being there much much more then I enjoy getting ready on the workout side of the house.  But then the thought of a big ram just over the next ridge....well I keep telling myself that way, now when I get ride of this pony keg.................cough cough  

[Labs4me]

Steve,

I know what you're saying. For sure, hunting/backpacking adventures and misadventures are almost always more enjoyable in retrospect. I speculate that old age would be much less enjoyable if this was not the case. But really, if someone has taken the time to train for a special hunt/trip in the same manner that an athlete would train for any important event, it is entirely possible to enjoy an arduous hunt in the moment. But we're sort of drifting away from the original intent of this post.

Madpigslayer- first of all, if you've been getting after it since November give yourself some much deserved credit.            A successful, lasting exercise program is at least 60 percent mental discipline. Most people who quit, quit out of boredom or as the result of setting an unrealistic goal that by design, leaves them feeling disappointed with their results at about the three month point.

Think back to your level of conditioning when you started and compare that to where you are today. Certainly you've made noticeable improvement and measurable gains (or losses) over the past few months. Now think about Spring being just around the corner. Consider just how much more fit you'll be when Spring does arrive for having began your training back in November! Use the coming of Spring as an opportunity to motivate yourself. Set a very short term, realistic fitness goal that you can achieve by March 20th- the first day of Spring. By then, you'll have navigated past the dreaded three month point in your program in which many tend to throw in the towel. Once the first day of Spring arrives, establish another achievable fitness goal for, say, June 1st. And so on.

A half hour of cardio anything (your choice) six days a week, plus another 10-15 minutes of what I refer to as a "floor exercises" to keep your mid-section strong (push-ups, sit-ups, crunches, knees-to-chest, side-bends and broom-stick twists) will keep virtually anyone in excellent overall shape. Work into a program like this gradually over the course of about a year and it will become something that you actually look forward to doing.

[Steve O]

Monty,

I think we understand each other...

Having a hunt to go on is a key motivator for me...I do not put 100% effort into it without a hunt to look forward to, so I've been slipping since Thnaksgiving    .  I've got no stenuous hunts coming up this year (unless I draw a sheep tag...cross your fingers) but I am definitely going to try to keep fit (not sheep shape; that is a rediculous level of fitness) so it is not as hard to jump to the next level.

SO

[centaur]

Nothing works like hiking hills (mountains) with a weighted backpack. I used to race bicycles, and was in tremendous aerobic condition, and the first few days of elk hunting annually would kick my butt because of using muscles differently than pedaling a bike. If you are absolutely tied to the gym, get on that stairclimber and hammer away, but running stairs at a stadium or in a building is also a good idea. Weight training is another plus; do all of it you can, particularly squats, lunges, leg extensions, and abs. Go get 'em!

[Lytic]

Can't say for sheep, but when it comes to hunting elk I like to spend most my winter focusing on weight training and muscle mass. With spring and summer I start shifting more towards aerobic training to build stamina, but I stay true to weight training. I work each muscle group in as many ways as I can, reversing grips, free weights and machine. Variety is the game I play for even conditioning.

[Mark Baker]

Labs nailed, I think.  Calvin...it ain't too far for you.   Put on your pack and spend as many days on the slopes scouting, and hiking, as you  possibly can.  I  think the gym has probably prepped you for the transition by now, and there's nothing like the mountains to get you head straight for it...and that's half the battle there.   Besides nothing will help your lungs out for high altitude, like high altitude.  Take pics and share the fun, buddy.   Say  "high" to Hailey for us Baker clan.

[jrchambers]

if you dont get to your goal before the hunt you soon will.  i have yet to physicly prepare for a sheep or goat hunt but i find that i am there the second or third day,  bad first couple days but i can honestly say that once that is over i enjoyed every miniute.  find a pace that is the best advice i was ever given it works wonders

[Deadbolt]

Well I've never deer hunted but I have done personal training, am a sports medicine major, I've done 2 bodybuilding competitions, and the only form of training I've had similar was for the fire dept state exam.  But its very similar.

You need to be physically strong to be able to sustaint he work load btu at the same time your bodyies aerobic state needs to withstand the demand with that much anerobic workload.  I could easily run 1 mile in 10 minutes and barely be winded at the end...now if you were to throw a 80 pack on me right now I sure wouldn't get 8 minutes and I'm sure I'd be huffing and puffing.

For my training I did alot of weight baring circuit work...builds your aerobic and anerobic resistance up.  Little rest between exercises and just kept pushing myself.  Thats one routine though that I did for months prior to the exam.  The month or two directly prior to my exam I didn't even workout i trained specific movements.  I would hold my buddy on my back and run the stadium steps at the high school 3x week.  My training on the treadmill was at the highests elevation.

If you can get outside though I would recomend it running on the treadmill and running outside are twototally different things.

Also try and find a way to prep for the O2 deficiency...that straw idea is a good one.

[Labs4me]

If I ever happen to notice one man carrying another while I'm out hunting or backpacking, I hope I'm at least one mountain over...
 :confused:   :eek:   :confused:     :confused:      

I've always found the comment comparing a treadmill workout to an outside workout interesting. As with most things, I imagine it is just a matter of personal perspective. I personally have always found outside work to be much easier and enjoyable from both a mental and physical standpoint compared to the monotony of training on a treadmill.

[Bowshot]

Calvin, these guys have it pretty close to dead on. Check out the Crossfit.com website for some core traing excercises and their work out of the day. There is a whole list of excercises, they are designed to let you work out hard without weights, making do with what ever is at hand.
The stair climber/elliptical/ treadmill stuff creates a base to improve from, you still need to hike with a pack to prep the rest of your body. These guys are omitting the best part. After hiking and climbing all day, practice sleeping on a rock or under a tree on a root and rock combo. Do that for a few days while eating nothing but smokies, granola bars and chocolate bars, you should be able to judge for yourself if you are in "Sheep Shape"

Terry

[Labs4me]

Bowshot...

So you've been out and about once or twice. Best point so far!      

[Dingus]

I didn’t respond this AM but you inspired me.  I put 45 pounds on my back and did five miles.  Been getting ready for a backpacking trip to the Pecos in NM.  Been there many times.  Love it.  Have had to transition from 1500 ft. to 10500 ft. many times.

Getting the muscles ready is great.  Lots of good ideas posted already.  The thing that is hard to prep for is the lack of “air”.  If you are use to lower altitudes, your blood, initially, doesn’t have the capacity it needs to carry the oxygen, once you arrive at altitude.  It takes a while to build up the red blood cells.  While training, breath through your nose as much as possible.  Fool your body a bit and it’ll start building up the red blood cells.  Allow as much time on the front end of your trip as you can, to acclimate.  And drink a bunch of water!
G'luck!
Dingus

[Bowshot]

Yes Monty, I love sheep hunting! Fortunate enough to live in Alberta where it is a over the counter tag and can go whenever the mood strikes me. Still hoping for a late season draw tag to add "shivering" to the under the tree thing.

Terry

[Steve O]

If you are going over 9000', Diamox will help your body adjust:

 http://www.wildsheep.org/pdf/high_altitude.pdf

[Jack Shanks]

Calvin,

 You at least have the advantage of living in a province that has mountains to climb for training. Us guys with all the advice from Michigan are a little short on those.

 I beleive there are many sheep areas in Alberta where the elevation won't be as much of a factor.  The only experience I have in sheep country in Alberta was west of Nordegg and I'm not certain of the altitude we were at. I know I've elk hunted at over ten thousand feet in Colorado where breathing was much more difficult.

Good luck on your training and better luck on your sheep hunt.

[Madpigslayer]

I was out of town on business yesterday, wasnt able to get on here...pleased with the discussion though! Lots of good stuff here.

As mentioned I live in Alberta

 http://www.apos.ab.ca/pages/bighorn.htm

and as such dont need to worry about the draw...

 http://www.albertaregulations.ca/huntingregs/  (goto Gig Game, then Mountain Seasons-400's)

I just need Leo and Doug to get up here and help me out! (smile) I have until September it looks like to get this thing going, I was also tossed up with maybe a BC goat, or a Yukon Dall Ram, but think I will settle on 410 (archery only) zone for Bighorn this fall.

God, I got a lot of work to do! I am going shopping for a pack right after lunch, good info here...feel free to post your pictures if you would like! (more motivation!)

cheers, calvin

[John Scifres]

Some day I'm coming up to be your camp cook or something.  Can't do it this year but I'll invite myself in the future.