It’s safe to say anyone who has hunted the West or has seriously considered it has likely seen, heard, or figured out for themselves that being in good physical shape is a meaningful part of finding success in the mountains. Hell, it’s likely the biggest factor in enjoying the experience at all, even if you don’t end up cutting a tag.
Not into long runs and pumping iron every day? You’re not alone. The good news? You can still have a good hunt without training like a professional athlete.
The expletives “shortcut,” “cheat,” and “hack” are all words I hate when it comes to, well, pretty much anything worth doing. Admittedly, I train most days year-round unless I’m sick or injured. But, here’s a means of simplifying physical training—a high ROI method that only requires the bare minimum amount of time and effort needed to be effective on your hunt: The Three L’s.
So what are The Three L’s? Lungs, legs, and lower back.
Lungs
If walking up a few flights of stairs has you panting like a portly black lab locked in a car on a 100-degree day, you are going to be miserable in the high country. Your cardiovascular conditioning is the foundation for everything you’ll be doing. It’s your engine.
The Prescription: Two days per week, set aside one hour for a cardio session. This means a minimum of 2 hours of cardio training per week. You’ll want to target operating somewhere between 80 to 85% of your maximum heart rate during your workouts. If you don’t know your max heart rate or how to take your own pulse, learn here.
If your current physical condition only allows you to walk, start there. If you’re fitter than that, then jump on a treadmill, elliptical machine, stationary bike, rowing machine, stair climber, etc. Any cardio equipment or group fitness class that keeps your heart rate up will do.
Mix it up. Take a spin class, boxing, Jiu Jitsu, or swim laps if it’s appealing to you. Stay indoors, go outdoors, listen to music, or download podcasts on hunting tactics. Do whatever keeps you engaged and on track. Just get after it. As a bonus, whatever fat you lose in the process is equivalent to having that much less in your pack every day.
Legs
Hiking for miles in variable terrain with a pack on takes significant lower body strength. Packing out an animal takes even more. Plan accordingly.
The Prescription: One day per week of legitimate lower body strength training. Do three or four different exercises, three or four sets of each exercise, and 10 to 20 reps per set.
Focus on big compound movements for the most bang for your buck (pun intended). Squats, lunges, leg presses, and deadlifts are all great primary movements. Leg extensions, leg curls, and calf raises are great secondary exercises. As with all weight and strength training, be sure to warm up first and establish good form and technique before adding much weight.
Don’t have a gym, YMCA, or community rec center nearby? Throw on your hunting pack, fill it with weight, and then do your base exercises. Go to the local high school after hours and work the bleachers up and down with your pack on. Search “lower body strength training, no equipment.” You can find something to do.
Lower Back and Core
The first two L’s may not have surprised you, but the lower back doesn’t hit most people’s radar. Aside from legs, it’s the most important place to strengthen for a mountain hunt. It greatly improves your pack-on stamina, balance, and stealthiness on stalks, as well as providing considerable injury prevention insurance. When you’re crawling over blow-down timber in steep, uneven, wet, or snow-covered terrain with a quarter of an elk on your back, it’s not the sexy beach muscles you’ll be thankful for.
The Prescription: One to two days per week—30-minute sessions are perfect. Ease into low-back and core exercises if you’re new to them. The main goal here is injury prevention, not creation.
A few lower back exercises that work well for me are quadruped movements, superman back extensions, glute bridges, and back-focused yoga moves. Multi-task these exercises while watching TV if you’re short on time.
Core exercises, including side planks, straight planks, core-focused yoga, and most ab exercises are effective. The internet is full of options and instruction.
When is the best time to start a Three L’s routine? Now. No matter how close or far away you are from the season, if you know a western hunt is in your future, start now. Good luck!
