Elk Hunting Fitness Preparation That Actually Works 

When I killed my first bull and was out of shape, when we finished packing out the meat and literally thought I was going to die, I said that I'd never elk hunt again, or I will be in shape the next time if I plan did. No way I'd go back again and out of shape. That was in '14. Since then I've picked up running and working out, even push mowing my yard with my weighted pack strapped on my back. I'm running my 9th marathon, which will be in Missoula in a couple weeks. I am also 45 lbs lighter than when I closed that tailgate with that bull/meat in the truck that day. I have also completely changed my diet to only eating healthy natural food. I tell people all the time who want to get in shape, plan two elk hunts! I promise you'll be in shape before your second hunt! 😁 That '14 hunt absolutely changed my life! Also as always, enjoyed this video!

50lb pack, walk 4 miles every other morning. Helped me a ton last year.

Whenever I think I am getting close to being ready for my hunt (65 yrs old) I go to the stairs. They will tell you real quick if you are ready and how ready.

Proud to say, I'm "THAT GUY". Hustling through my neighborhood with my 3rd (emergency) pair of hunting boots, Mystery Ranch pack and YES, even trekking poles. Currently at 90 mins, 3 times per week, with 46lbs in the pack, adding 2.5lbs per week until 3 weeks from the October Elk hunt, then cropping the weight to 40lbs for the last three weeks. Pace is maxing out Zone 2, basically as hard as I can go while nasal breathing only, heart rate of 120 to 145bpm depending on grade. That builds the aerobic base and gets your mitochondria in optimal fat burning shape. Then I work VO2 Max once per week. That's as hard as I can work and last 4 minutes, then 4 minutes rest. I do that 4 times in one session. Doing that 4 x 4 x 4 only once per week, will increase your VO2 Max. Dr. Peter Attia says, "think of Aerobic output like building a pyramid with the most volume possible. The steady state, Zone 2 rucking stuff, widens the base of the pyramid. The VO2 Max 4x4x4 protocol, increases the height of the pyramid." Get your fat asses in shape boys, September/October is coming! It can either suck a little bit now, or REALLY SUCK on the mountain. "Luck is what happens, when preparation meets opportunity." ~ Seneca

Dealing with altitude has to be the biggest challenge of mtn hunting. Twenty + years ago, I was preparing for a school, which meant I was running five miles at a time several times per week. The prep work was all done at 2,000 feet, and the school was at 4,800 ft. Doesn’t sound like much, but i exceeded the expected standard at home, and merely met it at school. Fast forward 20 years and age caught up with me, so it’s off to the gym. I started swimming as a low impact way to get back in the swing of things, and never really stopped. I also neglected to get up stairs to the weight room. Last November I went along on a buddy’s Elk hunt. More time under load prior to the hunt would’ve made me more effective at carrying heavier packs than the avg 50 lbs I carried over two hills for 3 round trips. Cardio? Cardio was badass. Did I get winded? Sure. We were working at elevation in the upper 7,000 ft range. I’d stop walking to rest, and the heart / breathing rate would come down noticeably quick. I’m blaming swimming. I swim four strokes between breaths, holding or breathing out in the middle. This is not scientific, just guessing my body got used to working without O2. Join a gym with a pool. 30 minutes without stopping 2x a week, holding your breath as much as possible, in addition to whatever else you are doing will compensate a bit for the altitude.

Main thing for me is altitude adjustment. It takes two to three weeks adapting to hunting altitude prior to the hunt. Managing hydration and fatigue are also critical to a successful hunting experience, lack of both will lead to mental, emotional, and physical distress.

Good stuff! This is about the same advice I give for soldiers. You have to prepare for the situation you will be in

I live in the Yukon and hunt sheep every year. I’m in decent shape but it always takes me about 2 days in the mountains to shed a few pounds and get my mountain legs under me.

Skipping helped me alot before climbing stairs with weights.

Always great advice Ciff, but there are social aspects to rucking a heavy pack around your neighborhood! You get to meet new people (local police have been called on me several times when I walk at night), reconnect with neighbors (the "welcoming committee" when they think there is someone casing the 'hood and finally truly getting to know a few people who want to start walking with you.

Another Great Video Cliff. Brutally honest. You have to love exercising. ❤️

62 years old. Bought a Goruck 4.0 along with a 20# plate. Went 3m to 6m up and down for a month. Went to 30# and on the same process but will work for 2 months and then go to 40# for 3 months etc. At my age I need to build slowly. It takes mental grit but I do love training and always have.

This video is invaluable to anyone contemplating hunting out west! I've always maintained excellent fitness as a necessity for my job (LEO), and as a former personal trainer, even as I've entered into my 40s, its a daily routine. But when I started mountain hunting in 2016 I began to modify my workouts. I did "ok" hunting unit 77 in 2016 and unit 74 in 2017..... but got my ass kicked in 74 the following year when I didn't stick to the routine I developed for my mountain hunts. This year, a week after being back from hunting northwest Colorado for 2nd rifle, I was right back to the grind. The earlier you start, the better, as you have ample time to develop routine and ample time "to jump back on the horse, if you fell off". Preparation for mountain hunting should be a year long mindset. I'm a south Texas flat-lander and live at 30ft above sea level, so I had to find a way to compensate for the difference in terrain. Be creative!!! There is an Arroyo with steep banks which runs right by my home on the outskirts of town. It's really the only undulation of the land in the entire county. I would say the bank from top to bottom runs at a 30 degree angle for slightly over 100 yards before flattening out at the crest. With that in mind, here is my workout for hunting the mountains. It has worked very well for me and is a template I wish I had 6 years ago. With whatever workout you do, start slow to develop your tolerances. Day 1; With a 40lb pack and a gas mask I will do 10-100 yard sprints and a max time limit of 15 minutes up the embankment. Once I develop a tolerance to the workout (getting it done in around 14 minutes, takes a few weeks when I step away from it for long), I complete the workout, cool off at the top of the hill for about 10 minutes, then run 2 miles with the pack, but minus the gas mask. Day2; 3 mile walk with 60lbs in the pack, no mask and no time limit. Day3; 3 mile run with a 40lb pack, no mask. Day4; 5 mile run, with no pack, no mask. Day 5; 40lb pack, gas mask, two 35lb sandbags in each hand (kettlebell sub). 10-100 yard sprints in my driveway. 15 minute time limit. Day 6; no workout Then start over at the arroyo and the 10 sprints, pack and gas mask. If time constraints are an issue on any given day, I substitute the day 1 or 5 workout, as they are short but intense. The best thing about this workout is, there is no need for a partner for this template. Disclaimer; There is no science that correlates gas mask training with low oxygen. Oxygen percentage at 30ft above sea level is a constant ( or anywhere), gas mask or not. BUT, it does however exercise your lungs, strengthen your respiratory muscles and can improve VO2 max and power output. I absolutely stand by it, as the only hunt I didn't prepare with a gas mask was in 2018 and felt it everyday of the trip. Also as Cliff says, WHO CARES what you look like running with a pack on your back through your neighborhood?! Its you're money, you're hunt, you're time, not your neighbors.

Love the advise, time for some tennis. 2020 my 14 year old daughter barely made it up a 40 degree slope with bulls go crazy at the top, she got it done and harvest a nice 6x5. After that hunt we added a 530 wakeup call and dumbbell aerobic workout to her routine. Next year, open day archery giant bull beds in same spot, drop 500 and start up same slope, she passed me and mom like we were standing still, literally ran up the hill laughing at us. I got home added same workout to my routine, time to take some of my own medicine, but playing tennis sounds like a lot more fun. Oh and I got within 20 yards of the giant before he busted. They get big for a reason, bedded thick cover looking into the breeze, should have taken my boots off

I love the preparation!

What an absolute truth session. Thank you Sir! Keep’em coming.

Being physically fit is the way to roll I learned the hard way on my first solo sheep trip, I'm going on a leh mountain goat in 2 more days going in for 12-14 days

I believe the fitness advice you gave is going to really help me, Cliff. Thank you for sharing so much of your wisdom based on your years of experiences. Cheers!

Playing league hockey has absolutley kept me active. Good cardio and fun, Great "hack"

As always, some great information and advice here brother. 100 percent agree with ya... I've found that doing activities that I enjoy makes me actually do 'em. Side note: Have watched quite a few of your vids lately and I gotta say that you have the best hunting channel on YT that I've seen in all of my years on here. Keep up the awesome work man. And thanks for sharing all that you do.

Mtn tough fitness has been a big help this year!

Great stuff man. Keep on bringing the awesome advice 🙏🏼

I live right in the heart of the Rockies, I love putting 50,40 pounds in my pack and hiking looking for sheds, I’m only 117 pounds, and 50 pounds in my pack feels like nothing up a mountain now!!

Great knowledge and spot on!

Great advise thanks!

Hey thank you so much for the video.

Thanks Cliff

I wish more guys would put in the work and be in shape. I hunt alone most of the time simply because none of my elk hunting friends and family can get far. They will look down a 300 yard clear cut off the road and say shit like " don't even look down there " " shoot one in that shithole you better bring a frying pan and eat it there cuz you ain't getting it out" not a single one of them has ever had to break down an animal and put it on their back, they drag them out whole.

Thankd for your personal advice

Learned on my Barbary sheep hunt this past December how A. I was in pretty good shape but the sky is the limit. B. Hiking poles are a must in rugged terrain. I used to think they were for pansies, but I learned differently on this hunt. Luckily there were yucca stalks around I could use or poles. C. Weight lifting/doing heavy squats and deadlifts and running 3 miles occasionally was good, but boy howdy that was not enough for 5-9 miles per day for 8 days, going for sheep with a loaded pack. I was beat to hell and felt very discouraged because of inadequate fitness.

I do hikes with pack on and off. Also do poly metric box exercises and do intervals on my road bike or mountain bike.

highly encourage the cross-fit or calisthenics work out outs. a benefit i have had from dedicating time to these workout routines is increased joint mobility and stability. i was loosing hunt time due to knee pain. and after several months of focused work to strengthen and correct muscle imbalances my knee pain completely disappeared now i can hike a 14 mile day with weight with no issues.

The last time i felt fit enough for a walk in elk hunt, i was 30 years old, and spent the prior 3 months working 7 days a week, 12 hours a day walking up and down a 150 foot top to bottom offshore oil rig.

Skiing/ hiking up help each other. Additionally, foot eye coordination is assisted by skiing.

Your channel is awesome man. Love ya work

Great video @Cliff. At 61, 2 heart attacks and PAD, I have never slowed down on hard physical labor. Hard physical labor and the mental fortitude to stay with the job until it is done create both mental and physical stamina and it is that mental and physical stamina that is required for mountain hunting. My business may be gun engraving and custom gun work, but, I do other things that require hard physical labor to fill the gaps.

Dude love your videos

I really appreciate this video. As I've gotten older getting into hunting shape has been more difficult. While I do weighted pack hikes and walks the idea of playing pickle ball with my buddy is a great thing to try out. It also falls into the same category as snowshoeing through the winter months.

Great video with excellent advice. The following is my two cents’ worth as a 55 year old man. I live in Truckee, CA (altitude 6,000 feet) with mountains rising to just under 8,500 feet within a 10 mile radius of my home. That said, I’ve relearned what I learned in the Corps thirty years ago: you only get used to hiking with heavy loads and carrying a rifle at speed by actually doing it. HIIT workouts with barbells, kettlebells or gymnastics/ calisthenics about 3-4 times per week do help a lot. But in the end, you MUST hike with heavy loads over rough terrain at stiff paces. Hence, I started a ruck program this spring specifically for the purpose of being ready for elk hunting this fall. I currently hike 1-2 times per week on the local high school track. My standard carry load is 55 lbs in the pack and and a fifteen pound macebell. I currently cover 3 miles over level terrain in 52 minutes and want to get that down 48 minutes before extending the distance. This is the Marine Corps Combat Readiness Evaluation System standard I learned three decades ago. It’s the only standard I have experience with and it is time tested and combat proven. So, it’s what I use. Rucking at a fast pace not only improves your VO2 max but also toughens up your feet. Blisters and hotspots suck and they can destroy an expensive and much anticipated elk hunt. Constant rucking teaches one how to prep and harden your feet for those long hikes on very uneven terrain when your feet will slip inside even the best fitting boots. With time, we all learn solutions that allow us to save our feet from the most debilitating damage so we can enjoy those backcountry hunts. By the end of August, I plan to hike the local trails and gain as much as 2,000 feet in elevation in three miles, as well as increasing hike lengths to 15 miles (🤞). Good luck, Craig and the rest of you in your elk hunting endeavors!!!

Great advice. I've also found that writing workouts and all details (sets, reps, times, mileage, aches/pains, etc) on a calendar helps to hold me accountable. I work out alone at home, early every day when everyone's sleeping, and the only person who cares if I skip a workout is me. The mindset that I can never be in good enough shape keeps me pushing hard as well (solo elk hunting in steep remote mountains reaffirms this).

Good vid.

This is fantastic advice. I restarted my jiu jitsu training which has high intensity intervals built in. I believe a training partner pushes me to work harder than I would alone. I also cleaned up the diet and have been consistent hiking with a pack to build some of the hiking specific muscles that I only feel when working with pack weight. I have an archery mule deer hunt in the zones north of Steamboat Springs this year. This is my first western hunt. I'm binge watching your videos because I'm petrified of failing or quitting.

Great information. Totally spot. Also using a sport for your fitness will improve your mobility, flexibility, coordination, and most importantly develop your mental aptitude. Thank you for the upload.

if you have weak ankles or strength imbalance in your legs. I found that doing one legged get ups does an incredible job to combat this! ( it's basically sitting down and you get up using one leg) do it for 6 times per each leg the first week 10 times each leg the second week (do this exercise once a week) and basically do one set of 10 per leg once a week and trust me,it works wonders!

I do kneesovertoesguy workout routines, yoga, weighted walks... Hopefully it helps... No time this year to find out

The main thing I do on a daily basis for my cardio is the stair climber at the gym. Doing that with good speed and not holding on to the rails seems to carry over pretty well to hiking. On top of that I do a lot of strength training, mostly barbells and compound exercises.

Cliff, honestly golf is great for this prep also. If you walk a round of golf you are carrying a 25-35 bag and a typical round of golf is 5 miles of walking. So you are using muscles to hit the ball then walking with a 30ish lb bag for 5 miles.

BLOODY LEGEND

Great video. Thanks. I do what i call my mountain training. I use treadmill and do a 4 min warm up at 3.7 mph raising incline every min. Then at 5 mins i run at 6 mph for 1 min, slide off do 40 pushups repeat the repeat the process until i reach a 15 incline. (Walk at 3.7 mph for 1 min, run or jog at 6 mph for 1 min, then do 40 pushups and repeat) i alternate my 40 pushups with 10 pull ups each round. Once iv reached 15 incline i continue the same process in reverse only after each 1 min of walking at 3.7 i dont run instead i just slide off and do my pushups. Continue until i reach a 5 incline and then jog it out dropping incline each min till i reach zero. The key is no hands. If u hang on u waste allot of good training hours. In my little head this would be as if im climbing a hill. See the game im after and need to run to get in position. Plus training my heart rate to be able to raise and recover quickly letting me be able to settle for a shot. The pushups and pull ups is for core as well as my thinking is if im using the muscles my body wont let me burn any muscle for energy. Me and my son did 12 miles yesterday after black bear and we had the best time ever. No bear tho. Lol. Oh and i figured out the best bow for spot and stalk black bear… is a rifle.

Great Video, as always. I've found that mountain biking and backpacking for fishing trips do a pretty good job of getting me ready for the season. If I can get 1500-3000 vetrical feet of climbing on my bike per week, I find that my cardio and core actually improve drastically by early season, and if I can get out on a few high mountain camping trips it really helps get my gear sorted out by the fall as well. Thanks for all the practical advice you're putting out there for all of us.

I actually did load up a pack and walk around my neighborhood every morning when I was preparing for my first backpacking trip. It was great training, especially since my neighborhood had some hills. I did have one guy pull over in his car to talk to me, thinking I was some hobo scouting the neighborhood for opportunities to burglarize. But once I explained I was training for a trip he seemed a little less worried. I 100% agree with you, though. Whenever I've been in great shape in my life, it's been when I was actively engaged in a physical activity I loved doing. It just so happened that at that time I was super excited about backpacking and enjoyed carrying a pack on my daily walks.

Beautiful idea, looking for adult soccer leagues around me now because of it.

You're right. Years ago I determined that I'd need to get, and stay, in great shape to do well on mountain hunts. I started on P90X, then competed in Spartan, which is probably an activity that you should mention as an enjoyment sport. I do 5 days/week of HIIT, including multiple sprints, which is a time-effective way to developing VO2 capacity. Going on Montana mountain hunts this fall where I'll do lots of hiking and potentially packing out heavy quarters. As you say, need to be in great shape. Spartan shape. I wouldn't take on a Spartan race without being in top 5% of maximum physical potential, and same goes for hunting elk and deer in the mountains. Good advice on your part! Thanks.

Basic calisthenics. Lunges were one of the min things that helped with my leg strength

Makes me feel good about starting rowing!

Another good one cliff. I put on a 30 lb pack and mow the yard with a push mower , works wonders lol

Due to spine issues - I used a recumbant bike. And row machine. Heart rate monitors on the machines. Got my max HR loaded and in 30 days move from 10 minutes at that rate to 20 then 30 min. 155 was the number. Then I just kept ramping it till I hit 60 min at the hardest level. Lost 70# - 192. The lightest I been since high school. That was 25 yrs ago. Cheers!

Great comment about doing a physical activity you enjoy to prep. Even golf can be a good preparation except for the lack of high heart rate/intensity. If one likes golf and walks the course instead of using a cart, that’s 7 miles right there for 18 holes. Getting sore feet is a major weakness and so walking the golf course or neighborhood frequently is very good prep. Add in a weight vest for neighborhood walks and it’s not awkward at all. Squats and deadlifts help with core strength too. A lot of hunting is walking and even taking it slow up 500 ft elevation gain is not hard if you are accustomed to walking an hour every day.

What do you think about soccer as a fitness for preparing for mountain hunts? I have a hunt soon and I'll be honest I have not been preparing like I should I have been scouting shooting my bow and playing soccer. Do you think there should be more done to prep my body for the hunt?

Here is a bit of a story on why training and being ready is so important . Last season I was hunting with a guy that I will normally do a 7 day elk hunt with every season. He’s 59 and I’m 44 . Both are in fairly good shape . I own a boxing/kickboxing gym so I have no excuses to not be in shape . anyways . We were hunting elk up here in northern bc and we found a beautiful herd bull wayyyy up in alpine rutting on a big basin . They had water , cover and all They needed so I knew they weren’t going anywhere. We grabbed our packs and made the charge up the hill. It became apparent in a big hurry that either of us was in shape for this but we kept pushing until we reached alpine . Once we got there we came to the realization that we had made a mistake . With only two of us we’d need several trips up and down to recover this big bull. We barely made it up with light packs . We discussed this and decided to not shoot the bull . This was a once in a lifetime elk for my buddy but we are both experienced enough to know Better than to shoot this thing . Had we been in shape we would have gotten him the bull of his dreams as we were at times less than 200 yards from him watching him shred trees and check cows . Next year we will be prepared and If that bull survived winter and ruts in the Same spot we will be ready . Sometimes we need hard lessons to kick ourselves in the ass

After my first elk hunt, I knew I had to change up my fitness strategy. I had relied on strictly cardio but it didn’t cut it. So now I do 3 days weight training and once a week I put on a pack with 80 pounds of sand and hit the treadmill. Incline varied between 15%-30% in a pyramid structure. I absolutely smoke my legs and core for an hour and a half. People at the gym think there is something wrong with me. Lol.

This was The Truth

Best advice out there. I've lived and elk hunted in Colorado since 97. In my humble opinion you have to train at altitude nothing else really compares but competitive sports are the next best thing. I live @ 4800 feet so it's too low to really help much. I'm old and retired now and work as a farm hand instead of in an office but I still train the same way. I spend my weekends in the spring and summer doing trail maintenance in the National Forest (unfortunately you can't run a chainsaw in a wilderness area but the hand saw will get er done) I start the season walking my mules in and clearing fallen trees with a chainsaw and a hand saw. (I carry an axe and wedges for tree felling/getting lose from a hang up reasons, but axes require too much work for too little reward imo.) I also do a little erosion control as needed with a pick and shovel. Fairly soon I have enough trail opened up to ride a few hours, cut for a few hours and then ride out. This tests all my tack and gear (rain, first aid, etc.), gets my mules in shape and me in shape gets my mules in the right frame of mind and when I do trail maintenance where I'm going to hunt the elk see me ride by and are yeah no big deal it's them again. I can also run trail cams and figure out the, who, what, when, where. The mules love to go because they get to eat the super nutritious grasses and it is always cooler in the high country. If I don't take one it's hurt feelings time. A few years back my business/hunting partner trained for a marathon for the first couple of months instead of our routine. After running the marathon he came out with me on our normal rides and train maintenance. He was in fantastic shape by anyone's metric but he was lagging from his normal self. It speaks to the core strength portion of your talk. I have taken friends hunting that worked their arses off gym training and would brag about being in the best shape of their life and no doubt they were but had no steam at altitude. There is no "real" substitute for doing it at altitude but the competitive sports you mentioned are the best substitute because they give you the core strength along with the cardio and as you say stand a chance of actually doing it.

Cliffs the real deal

Love the hack! I never really thought of that before. I spent one summer push mowing my yard with a heavy pack on which helped with the fitness and cut down on the social awkwardness.

For me high school college wrestling is the tops. Talk about core stength as the basic and then you run stairs... repeatedly. Then you exercise to cool down. Huge fan. Thanks Cliff.

I wear my pack with sandbags of various weight while I walk my dogs and kids. Throw on an audiobook in one ear and you’re accomplishing a bunch with one fun activity. I like to time the walks with the sunset so I have a good view too!

Thanks for the video! What I found works best for me to not suffer at high altitudes, was mtn bike riding….I live at sea level…it is a good low impact training platform.. when I was in my 40’s I would ride 5 out of 8 days for 5 months just to prepare an upcoming mountain climb. Everything is different above 12,000 feet…and I had to learn it the hard way..with a few previous fails! There s are no shortcuts to physical training and vo2 max

go to gym 6 days a week, I'm 65 and solo backpack at 9 to 10 thousand feet in Colorado. do high intensity cycling 4 days a week at gym lift weights and do stair climber in high intensity intervals. Nocked off 4 hours to Basecamp in last 3 years. As I say the mountains don't care what shape your in but they will sure l let you know.

I definitely agree with all of this. A big one is definitely diet and reducing your alcohol intake. Your diet and alcohol consumption will be different in the bush. I would say, starting now and give yourself a 100 days to make it.

Truth gotta like working out. And those ladies walking the little dogs do look sideways at a big man carrying a full pack lol

Great advice! I have a MIR weight vest I can load up to 140lbs in. I typically only load 60-80lbs considering that’s about the weight of 1 Elk quarter. Strap that on and go for a fast paced walk, walk up and down stairs, do squats, grab some dumbbell’s and do farmers carry’s with the best on. It helps that I live at altitude but anyone could adjust to this by maybe wearing a face mask. Makes all the difference in the world when you’re packing meat out! I’ve unfortunately had buddies come to Colorado completely out of shape and weren’t able to get into the game because they couldn’t keep up.

I have found the best prep has been cycling. Easier on the knees, back, and feet. Intensity of training can be varied accordingly with most injuries. Helps with running and hiking and hunting cardio fitness for sure.

I just start hiking the tobacco roots with equipment load about a month prior to September 14....seems to me that replication of the activity yer gonna do is the best workout....my biggest issue is not the cardio or strength to do it but getting my feet conditioned to the load carrying....

I can definitely do pickle Bar 🍻. I’ve been training this year and I only have a local tag (not a good hunt) but last year at 12k kicked my but being a flat lander so I’m prepping this year for 2023 tag

Slam ball 6 count burpees x 150. 10 sets of 15. Pickup slam ball, push over your head and slam it to ground. Squat down, push legs back to push up position, do 1 push up. Pull legs back to squat position, pick up slam ball, stand up pushing ball overhead. Repeat. Work your way up to 10 sets of 15. Rest in between set enough so that your heartbeat and breathing pattern return to normal. You don't want to keep HR elevated. You want to train your heart to recover quickly. You do that by sufficiently resting in between sets. About 2- 3 minutes or more depending on your fitness level. This is high intensity full body workout which I continue to do 3-4 days a week at 63. Have no problems with mountain hunts.

Decades ago when I was going on unguided mountain hunts, particularly for sheep, I was told that the way to get fit enough was to go on a mountain sheep hunt. Okay, the idea was that you're very unlikely to work out at the intensity and durations needed to actually be ready for this kind of hunting. So, pretend that you are doing just that. On weekends, go mountain backpacking. Do that somewhere you have lots of elevation to cover. If you have access to a tall office building or apartment building, put on a heavy pack and climb the stairs, say twenty stories TEN TIMES. That represents about two thousand feet of elevation. Wear your mountain boots. Do it at least four times a week for several months. At first you'll think you're going to die but if you can't do it, you will fail at mountain hunting. Level ground miles are easy miles. It's the elevation changes, both up and down that you need to prepare for. Until I did my first mountain sheep hunt, I had no real idea just how much slogging up and down was involved.

Spot on, workout routine needs to be that of high intensity. Another critical element is let your lungs acclimate to the altitude before go time. I consider myself in great shape but last fall I failed to acclimate and was brought out via helicopter (@10,700’) because of HAPE (high altitude pulmonary edema). I was baffled that this would happen to me because I am in great shape all around. After 2 days in ER the doctors kept telling it wasn’t my conditioning and that I’m in excellent shape, it was my lungs that were not acclimated. I went from sea level to 11,000’ in < 24 hrs, including a strenuous 10 mile hike. Left work at sea level 3pm, arrived at 9,000’ and slept in truck that night, woke up at 4 am start hiking, reached 11k by 11 am, hiked many many more miles. Was perfectly fine until the next day. Spent 2 days crying in pain on the mountain. We had no sat phone so after several miserable and concerning days my partner left me and hiked out to get help. It wasn’t a cheap helicopter ride, ambulance ride, ER visit. Spend a day or two at increased elevation before go time. 3 lessons: acclimate, have a sat phone (duh 🙄), and only hunt the backcountry with an amazing/reliable partner!

As a skinny guy with "little titties" I'm offended. Kidding on that. I'm not offended. This is great info Cliff. The advice you are giving is really important for people who don't know what to expect. With all the old guys playing pickle ball these days I would think elk hunters should be getting in better shape off-season. I'm 57 in 1 month and thankfully my tag is in the Gila this year, which is a relatively easy elk hunt (private land ranch hunts are about the only easier hunt). I've found taking a good walk 2-3 times per week, playing hockey a couple times per week, and doing pushups 2-3 times per week is enough for me to hunt hard for 4-5 days. The kitchen is so key in being in elk shape. I've always said, you better like hiking if you elk hunt. And bring a young guy for packing out, or better yet, make sure you have a pack-out horse lined up. The hunts one thing... packing out an elk after 4 hard days of elk hunting makes you not want to elk hunt anymore! Until the next day when the works done: ). One final thought for people hunting high altitude: My twin brother and I have had excellent results using Ibuprofen vs Diamox in high altitude hunts (camping at or above 9k hunting up to 11.5-12k+). Regular does each 6 hours. No alcohol the first couple days on the high hunts, unless you absolutely need a glass of wine with your meal. No judging. But don't mix Ibu and alcahol...bad idea. The ibuprofen idea is from a European doctor/mountain climber). As always on meds, make sure to ask your doctor prior to the hunt.

Planning my first spot and stalk in western Oregon this fall and was wondering if I should make any changes to my fitness, sounds like bjj and weightlifting are going to put me in a decent spot. Glad to know

I've been taking some time lately to rewatch some of your "older" videos. My wife and I have been doing HIIT training (each an hour long) for the past few months or so. I've previously ran a marathon, but let myself get a bit out of shape due to the pandemic. I'm feeling pretty good right, but still also pretty "skinny fat". I'm down 13 or 14 lbs from where I was, but still going to be on 14 or so pounds above where I should be. I'm running twice a week as well, doing 5 or 6 miles per run. I think we work out about 5 or 6 times a week. I have no idea if I'm in shape, but I hope I'm improving. I have a mule deer hunt for 2nd rifle CO. I also bought an OTC elk tag for CO (no idea if I'll fill it, not really target species) and another Mule deer tag in WY immediately following. Hopefully I can make something happen. The only additional comment I wanted to add, and I didn't see any other commentator say it, for me the biggest thing that has helped is I started a rule of "no more beer at home" and "Only drink good beer when not at home". I still drink booze, just wine or other lower carb / calorie drinks. I'm less likely to be hung over in the morning and feeling bloated. I'm a guy who really likes IPAs. hah

I live at 600' SL. So when I get out west hunting every year it just takes a couple days. But years ago I decided to work out regularly all year, for elk🤷‍♂️. Squats, push-ups and cardio. A month before I leave squats get replaced for a 50 lb pack for 4-5 miles. Living close to altitude would be the biggest advantage.

MTNTOUGH’s kettlebell program

People who Elk hunt need to make physical activity a lifestyle. That means you do it whether you hunt or not. Controlled pain is your friend.

Yup I use Jiu Jitsu for this exact purpose! :D

Wim Hoff breathing. Body weight exercises. HIIT Training ...and still plan on a couple days at elevation to acclimate.

I live at sea level and tried to prepare for hunting at 9,800 feet, the altitude was a serious problem. One time a doctor gave me Diamax(?) to help but it made me unable to urinate until it wore off.

Gonna try push mowing my 3 acres this summer with a weighted frame pack... and only 1/2 acre is flat.

Dont forget racquetball. Its one of the most intense and viscously competitive sports you can play. Its really accessible and easy to get into as well with people always willing to jump in the court with you.

Dude, my hip flexors kill me when hiking. I have no butt and chunky love handles so even with a belt, my pants start sagging and act like tension bands around my hip flexors. Went to suspenders and instantly improved my hiking capacity.

"You gotta enjoy it" thats what I always tell peope who ask me how to start training.

Great video. I think altitude is probably the biggest challenge for folks who live below about 4000’. Also, I believe it is highly important to eat correctly. I’m not suggesting eating like an Olympic athlete, or giving up red meat, after all we all love game meat. But, fruits and vegetables are important and sodas are really bad for you.

I"m that guy that goes on walks with my wife with 80lb packs. But I also played Bball 2 days a week. and my workouts were multi movement core- kettle and pulley, but short- 20 min. I still struggled at 10000 feet to get enough oxygen. the cardio high intensity need is real. I accomplished it most easily swimming.

You nailed it! Last 8 yrs i started paddle boarding with my wife, then I began marathon paddles solo and even started surfing on Lake Erie. Timing is perfect as summer starts and I’m always super pumped to get on water. Excellent for balance, cardio, core and upper body. Also love working cattle horseback- core, legs and balance. Only workout I’ll do is mtn climber and crunches on inversion table.

ok great info here, i have a question: how do people like me with a heart pace maker / defibrillator get the cardio in shape?

I suppose you can count me on that one hand. I've been training every single day for 2 years now just for the elk hunt I'm going on this year. The plan is to continue training until I physically can't anymore.

Mountain biking should work! Carrying a pack with a tool kit, first aid, and water

The number of veteran elk hunters with back injuries or simply back pain is staggering. Coming at this from a strength and conditioning point of view begs the question “ how strong is your back?” Without the basic barbell lifts done often and progressively overloaded you’re gonna have a weak back that’s prone to injury. Squat and deadlift in particular.

Really appreciate the advise. Been kinda slow getting myself ready for this elk trip. Been twice before and I know what it takes but just struggling with motivation. After watching your video I called up a buddy I used to play racquetball with and we are setting up a weekly time. That stuff will get your heart rate up. I also live in a steep hill with a lot of thick wood patches. Took a machete and cut myself two paths through the steepest parts to do weighted pack climbs on. I have done a lot of weighted pack hikes in the last but always just do them on my township road. It has a good hill but my property will offer more of a challenge. Thanks for the tips on making it enjoyable.

Currently walking on a treadmill, doing speed and grade intervals, with a weighted pack. Opposite days I do the climber. All at my local Planet Fitness. “ no judgment zone”. Is the slogan. Lol. Every day someone asks about it it. Just Doing Something is better than nothing. But I am a clinical exercise physiologist and doing High intensity interval training, near anaerobic threshold is the only way to increase VO2 max. Getting your heart rate up close to max when doing the intervals.