ELK-Fit Challenge

[crotch horn]

Did some hiking this weekend. First nice weather I have been out in. Shot a 3D course today as well. Went around a second time. Shot fairly well & a great time. Keep going guys.

[LoneWolf73]

Sold my Garden Tiller and bought a Pick Axe. Got the 12' X 26' garden done today.

[COOCH]

APRIL 12 and this thread got to page 4!    I havn't posted in a bit becouse I've been working out before and after work and im just flat wore out to post.

I hope everone is still motivated I've lost 7 pounds and gained 3 pounds of muscle.My cardio is also getting much better,can run a couple of miles without getting winded.

I'm still cursing Jack for guilting me into getting back in shape but thanks to this thread I am feeling so much better than I have in a few years.Thanks Jack

[COOCH]

Here is a bit of motivation 9000 foot in elevation a several miles from the nearest road.Now is the time to stay motivated.I know I'll be ready how about you guys.

 

[jhg]

I play ice hockey.

Anaerobic/aerobic. Very intense at the level I play. Low impact on the knee unless of course you get impacted from the side but our league is no contact, sort of.

Anyway, the great thing about it is its FUN. I do weights and other stuff too, but this is my core workout. I am very ready for elk with some hiking on the weekends.

At 52 I do have to work MUCH harder at maintaining the strength I always had "on call" my whole adult life. But thats reality.

Joshua

[Hackbow]

Haven't posted in a week, but have been working a ton and not checking-in on TG. All my workouts this last week have been at gym. Treadmill & eliptical. Focus has been on target heart rate. Things must be working because heart rate is dropping relative to machine settings. Haven't stepped on a scale, but clothes are fitting better and received a few comments from friends and co-workers this week about dropping weight. A few more weeks of ramping-up cardio and I think I'm gonna do the Insanity program.

Let's hear how everyone else is doing. Remember, a stumble in your plan isn't failure, just an opportunity to recommit.

[ScottinPA]

Been doing cardio 3x a week.  Did swimming yesteday.  Wow! that'll get the heart rate moving.  Going to take the boys for a walk, carry a 30lb pack and let them do some stumpin' if the weather get better.

[Hackbow]

Ok guys, don't give up. Keep us posted on your progress, even if it is slow. We all go through tough periods of training. I was having some difficulty getting under 260, but finally made the break through today (259.5). Been bustin' out the cardio and the results are very gratifying. Almost to the point of maximizing resistance on the elipticals for my entire workout. Heart rate continues to drop relative to level of exertion. Next week I will add some dumbbell workouts and up my pack weight to 50 (been hilking with 45#).

Scott, John comes home for Easter break this week and will get to shoot his bow for first time.

[COOCH]

It does seem as though a lot of guys have stalled.I'll bet its becouse they are training so hard that they are to tired to post.

Great job Hackbow 1/2 a pound is a huge psycalogical boost keep up the forward progress.

[crotch horn]

I have been away all week doing whitetail taxidermy school. Very long week that ends tomorrow around 6pm then driving 3.5 hours to get home. Can't wait to be home even though it is fun. Once home will get back on track. Keep going guys.

[Jack Guard]

Hey Everyone,  glad to see you guys are still hittin it.  

I have been working out.  Just not posting.  

Cooch, thanks for keeping this going.  Glad you remember me, even though its in a bad way.  LOL.


Here we go again.   Elk-Fit    Lets do this.  If it was easy, anyone could do it.

Rule 1 ......Cardio, Cardio, Cardio

Rule 2 ...Strength .....Ah ha,  you though I only had rule one didn't you.  

Three times a week I lift weights.  I tend to do my lifting as a circuit or whats called a superset.   I like to keep my heart rate elevated.  Will even throw in some Burpees or old school jumping jacks in between sets to keep the heart going.  

Weight lifting has many benefits.  I will just touch on a couple.  First off its helps build a good base muscular structure for your skeleton.  For those trying to loose unwanted pounds, weight lifting keeps your body metabolizing longer, therefor burning more calories.  

Yesterday i did Chest and Back workout that included 8 exercises.  I alternated between chest and back, push and pull type exercises.  This allows you to work multiple muscle groups at the same time, and during the chest exercise you back can rest, and during the back exercise your chest can rest.  You will get a better workout and a great pump in the muscles.  OK, so your saying, PUMP, what the heck, i am just tying to get in shape to go elk hunting, not turn into Arnold.  This pump will help the oxygen rich blood flow to the muscles which in turn helps its growth.  

I like to put lots of concentration into my back workout.  Not unlike the rest of the exercises but its important to my bow shooting.   Let  me say this though >---->  Be carful with your back.  I tend to do 12 to 15 repetitions on the back exercises with medium/light weight.   My goal is to keep healthy>  Not to train so hard that i injure myself.  Especially my back.

Here i am repeating myself on a few concepts along our journey.  They are to just act as a reminder.  

Eat Well, Lean Meats, Fresh Vegetables, Fruits, nuts, lots and lots of water.  

Minimize processed food
Minimize Soda

Get lots of Sleep

Find a workout partner.  
Find a program you believe it,  Change the programs every 6 to 12 weeks.  Your body gets use to exercises and actually can find a way to get lazy, you have to shock it back into growth every so often.  

Stay at it.  Make this a lifestyle change.  Everyone can do this stuff.  Just scale it to your age and fitness level.  

Keep shooting your bow.  

I am working 12 hours days, 7 days a week.  I have only missed one workout since we started this thread.  As tired as i am, all i can think about are the results.  How i will feel when i arrive at my base camp, hearing a old bull bugling in the meadow just out of site, and knowing that i have trained and will be ready to make the next move.

[Hackbow]

Jack, that is awesome stuff. Could you share your chest & back routine when you have time. I am feeling so much better now since we started this. I want to keep ramping it up. I'm getting to the stage where I am craving the workouts. I'm already lighter and in better shape than when I started last year's elk hunt. I can't wait to match wits with them again!

[Jack Guard]

Hey Hackbow, I Love what you are saying.  And there is some science behind it too.  When your body starts producing the endorphins from exercise you will feel a need to keep going to the gym.  I actually get a little grumpy when i don't get to exercise.  I know, its hard to believe i get grumpy.  But its true.    

Hackbow, absolutely, here is my current routine:

Chest:  Bench Press    All are 4 sets of 10
             Dumbbell Bench   Alternating Arms
             Cable CrossOver
             Decline Bench Press  

Back:   Close Grip Lat Pull Down
             Pull Ups - or  - Medium Grip Lat Pull Down
             One Arm Dumbell Row, also called the Lawnmower
             Bent Over Row

I really like this type of pairing opposing body parts together in a Push/Pull method.  You can also Pair Biceps and Triceps in the same manner.   Remember to change up every so often.    

This particular grouping can take anywhere from 35 to 55 minutes to complete.  Depending how much rest you take between sets.    Additionally i don't believe in getting to the gym and speeding through your workouts.   FORM,  over anything else, will help reach your goals.  On each exercise at its peak, you must feel the muscles and squeeze them.  Does that make sense.  


One more thing.  There will be those folks that may not believe in old school weight lifting, or this type of exercise.  But i wanted to give you an example of my success with this stuff.  I have been living and working away from home for over 5 years now.  Most of my trips i cant bring a bow with me.  I am able to find a way to exercise though.  Upon returning home i jump right into shooting my bows and vary rarely do i have any strength issues.  

Form and Accuracy, well now, thats a different thread all together.  LOL.

When you guys try any of these let us know what you think.
 
Good luck everyone.

[COOCH]

That is pretty much what and how I've been training weights today cardio tomorrow and stretching every day(this is very important in my job).

The weight training definatly allows me to PULL & CONTROL the magnum bows that I use during elk season.

My wife also got a subscription to MENS HEALTH MAGAZINE there are tons of exercise routines and dietary articles printed monthly it's well worth the 20 bucks.

Enough typing, time to hit the gym it lifting day.

[John Scifres]

Down to 174# from 179#.  Heading to sub 170#.  I'm 5'10".  Runs are getting easier.  Pack's up to 42#.  Jeans are a bit looser.  Tummy's a bit tighter.

Basically eating under 2000 cal/day during the week, mostly lean meat (venison a lot) and fruits and veggies.  Doing mostly cardio and pack work.  Once school is out and extracurricular's are done for the kids, I'll hit the weights some more and eat 3000 cal/day.  

I also gave up sweets for Lent.  I bought a six-pack of Reeses' eggs for this weekend     And Mom's making chocolate cake and the wife's making real cheesecake.  I just gained 2 pounds thinking about it!  Praise the Lord he is risen!  (Oh, and hand me another Reeses')

I'll be ready.

[COLongbow]

Jack's got some good advice there!

My update: I'm almost done with week 3 of the Insanity program. First week was rough, second week no more muscle soreness and my joints stopped hurting and making noise (knees mostly).

Now in week three I can put more into each workout and thus get more out of them. Wind much better than the beginning. Visible fat loss evident, but down only 5 pounds. Gained muscle so the heavier muscle offsets the fat loss on the scale to some extent.

One more week of the first Phase, then an active recovery week (slightly less extreme workouts), then the last 4 weeks which are a whole new set of workouts that don't look appetizing.

Keep digging deep guys!!!!

[ScottinPA]

Still doing the treadmill/stationary bike/run (on treadmill or indoor track).  I've been bumping up each portion of the routine.  Did 3 outdoor runs over 3.5 miles each and they went well.  Going to bump up the number of workouts by including swimming laps on the between days.

Down 21 lbs since end of Feb with another 21 to go by Sept.

Hackbow, I can't believe he hasn't shot the bow yet.  That would drive me nuts.

[LoneWolf73]

Sold my tiller and bought a Pick axe for the garden. Also bought one of those manual edgers for the front yard concrete edges. Got a very nice workout with that!

[The Night Stalker]

doing Chi running every other day, Can run forever. Keeping with the diet solutions, lost 27 lbs since Feb 14th. No weight loss this week so far, started to weights in between. I have to be careful not to bulk up to much. Really trying to work on my legs. Found this on a site. Do a lookup for mountain athlete. Great stuff on their like exercises. Check it out, one exersise is called atomic man maker or something like that. Still recovering from that nonsense. Tim in NC

[The Night Stalker]

Here you go  http://www.mtnathlete.com/
Check out atomic manmaker