Wapiti Talk | Elk Hunting Forum | Elk Hunting Tips
 

Training weight question

Moderators: Swede, Tigger, Lefty, Indian Summer, WapitiTalk1

Training weight question

Postby Osage Outlaw » 06 21, 2019 •  [Post 1]

What weight do you guys train with in your pack? I have mine at 40 lbs and doing up to 6 miles of hills at a time. I'm doing a 10K run/walk with my daughter in a couple of weeks. I'll be walking and carrying my weighted pack. She will be running and trying to win the overall top female for the 3rd time.
Osage Outlaw
Rank: New User
 
Posts: 40
Joined: 01 31, 2019

Re: Training weight question

Postby Swede » 06 21, 2019 •  [Post 2]

I hike the hills 5-6 days per week. It is a 45 minute three mile trek. I do not carry a pack with me. I am not looking for a prize or the like. I want to be in good shape, but it does not have to be a grueling workout.
Swede
Wapiti Hunting - Tree Stand Tactics
 
Posts: 10215
Joined: 06 16, 2012

Re: Training weight question

Postby WapitiTalk1 » 06 21, 2019 •  [Post 3]

I "usually" hike/workout with around 35 lbs in my old Army pack, MON-WED-FRI after work on the Army post I work at (around 3 miles round trip), normally in the woods on old tank trails, or, maybe hit the stadium stairs one of those days. TUE and THU are mountain bike days, no pack, just a good CV workout, again on the old tank trails/roads. This has seemed to work for me for quite a few years; helps the mountain hunting acclimation at least a bit when season finally rolls around.

Osage, good luck to your daughter in her upcoming 10K (and you too)!
User avatar
WapitiTalk1
 
Posts: 8732
Joined: 06 10, 2012
Location: WA State
First Name: RJ

Re: Training weight question

Postby saddlesore » 06 21, 2019 •  [Post 4]

I don't. If God wanted me to carry things on my back, He would not have let us invent pack saddles and riding saddles. :lol:
User avatar
saddlesore
Wapiti Hunting - Strategy and Tactics
 
Posts: 2162
Joined: 11 07, 2015
Location: Colorado Springs,CO

Re: Training weight question

Postby Osage Outlaw » 06 21, 2019 •  [Post 5]

Thanks for the replies. I've heard of guys training with up to 60 lbs. I don't think I want to go that heavy. I'm handling 40 lbs pretty well for good distances. I'm pretty sure I could handle more for shorter hikes if I need to pack out some quarters. I'm built for toting heavy things, just not very high off the ground.

A pack animal would be nice but we don't have much need for them in Indiana. Even if I did have one I wouldn't want to transport it across the country.
Osage Outlaw
Rank: New User
 
Posts: 40
Joined: 01 31, 2019

Re: Training weight question

Postby Elkhunttoo » 06 22, 2019 •  [Post 6]

Osage Outlaw wrote:What weight do you guys train with in your pack? I have mine at 40 lbs and doing up to 6 miles of hills at a time. I'm doing a 10K run/walk with my daughter in a couple of weeks. I'll be walking and carrying my weighted pack. She will be running and trying to win the overall top female for the 3rd time.



It sounds like you will be fine
Elkhunttoo
Rank: An Elk Nut
 
Posts: 1160
Joined: 05 23, 2016

Re: Training weight question

Postby Elkduds » 06 22, 2019 •  [Post 7]

I'm @ 30# of pack, 2-3 days/week hiking trails that go up from 6K elevation. More packing than that cricks my neck, Hiking without the pack is no problem.
User avatar
Elkduds
Rank: An Elk Nut
 
Posts: 1536
Joined: 09 29, 2013
Location: Colorado Springs
First Name: Mark
Last Name: Scott

Re: Training weight question

Postby Trumkin the Dwarf » 06 24, 2019 •  [Post 8]

Honestly, I think 20-30 lbs is plenty for general training purposes, so long as you get off trail. It's the small stabilizer muscles that always kill me on hunts, and those don't get worked much on smooth surfaces. I do plan to do a heavy ruck once every couple weeks from now till the season, so that my body doesn't throw a hissy fit with meat in the pack. But that's training for grit. It's not smart for every day routines.
User avatar
Trumkin the Dwarf
Rank: An Elk Nut
 
Posts: 675
Joined: 06 14, 2013
Location: Montana
First Name: Malachi
Last Name: C

Re: Training weight question

Postby Tigger » 06 25, 2019 •  [Post 9]

This thread motivated me to weigh my pack: 32.7 pounds. I do it about 5 times per week for 2 to 2.5 miles. Mix in some walks without a pack and a run or two if my Achilles isn't acting up (it is now :( ) and a wee bit of biking and wallah, a recipe for succ.....getting my butt kicked by the mountain yet again!
User avatar
Tigger
Rank: An Elk Nut
 
Posts: 2420
Joined: 01 12, 2015
Location: Minnesota