Looking a little sad on the first scouting trip of the year.
In exactly one month I will be chasing antelope with bow in hand. 30 short days to nail down every detail of the system I will be implementing this year. The equipment portion is in order, but the cardiovascular portion of my fitness routine has somewhat been neglected. Life gets crazy sometimes and it is not always easy to budget time for running. If this sounds familiar, stay tuned because in this article, we will be discussing how to maximize your cardio gains in a short amount of time.
The number one way to improve for any specific activity is to perform said activity. The snow is all but gone in the high country and the mule deer have settled into their summer patterns, a great time to strap on the backpack and get up there! Focus on distance rather than time. 6-8 miles in a day with a 30-40lb pack is going to be harder than you think, pace yourself. Two seasons ago, I went a little too hard getting into a new area and ended up with a strained psoas muscle that ailed me for three weeks.
Any form of cardio that fits your schedule will be beneficial. Daily cardio is required at this point if you want to see increased efficiency before September. A 10 minute run every day will yield great results. Keep the time the same and try to increase the distance (pace). A stair master is a great training tool, as is a treadmill set to a steep incline, as long as you adhere to one rule: NO HANDS ON THE RAILS. This kills me when I see people with the treadmill at full 15% incline only to be hanging onto the bar and pulling themselves along, totally eliminating any benefit. Slow down the pace until you can feel comfortable not holding on.
Stair master training is as close is it gets to hiking while in the gym.
Strength training loses importance now, except core training. Lower body training should be tailored to endurance, so if you choose to utilize sets and reps shoot for 4-6 sets of 20-50 reps. If timed circuits are more your style, go for 60 seconds of the exercise, 60 seconds of rest. Upper body exercises can take a backseat for a few weeks, but if you have time to do a total body circuit, go ahead and perform 1-2 exercises per body part.
Flexibility is crucial at this stage in the game. A lack of flexibility can result in premature fatigue, cramping, or even injury when it comes time to grind on the mountain. Foam roll daily and stretch every lower body muscle for 30-45 seconds just past the point of discomfort. Balance training is also crucial, and somewhat fun as well. Walking lunges are a great way to kill two birds with one stone, as are squats on an upside down bosu ball. Single leg hops and toe taps are another great way to improve your balance.
A great hiking stretch: the “figure 4” targets glutes, and hip flexors.
At this stage of the year, efficient training is the name of the game. The less time spent in the gym, the more time you will have for bow shooting, scouting, and other adult, non-hunting related things (boo). With focus, accountability, and some time management, you can still reach peak form in time for opening day. Remember, the harder you work now, the easier that mountain will be to climb come September. Cheers to 30 days until we return to what we love.
