By Jace Bauserman
Are you annoyed by the elk fitness scene? I get it. One of the best elk hunters I know hasn’t lifted a weight in his life, performed a box jump, or ran a mile.
As for me, I’m a fitness junkie, and still, I get annoyed by the massive influx of “train to hunt elk” social media posts, reels, etc.
Why?
Nobody knew when I started running ultramarathons over ten years ago, and I didn’t care. I wasn’t training for likes, clicks, or comments; I was training to dominate the elk mountains, period.
So, I won’t bore you with my ultra-running accolades. I will tell you that the 50—and 100-mile marathons were too much. Actually, the races themselves weren’t too much; the year-round weekly mileage routine I stuck to was too much.
You don’t have to run a mile to kill an elk. You don’t have to bench press 225 pounds to kill an elk. To be a consistent elk killer, you must stay consistent with a dedicated workout routine. This routine should change and adapt, especially as you get in better shape. When you start feeling like Superman, and your body tells you it wants more, give it more. Stop when it tells you you’ve pushed too hard and overdone it. Take a day or two off. You want to be able to hunt elk for as long as possible, and workout injuries can shorten your career. Train hard, but be smart about it.
Before we can discuss what it takes to get in excellent elk shape, you need to know why. My high school algebra teacher never gave me a good answer when I raised my hand and asked, “Mrs. Jenkins, why do I need to know this?” That always frustrated me.
I can’t guarantee that training and getting in elk shape will ensure you put your tag around a bull, but I promise it will help. The better shape you’re in, the better you feel. Your mental mind becomes very strong. You’re seeing daily improvement, which is exciting, and excitement leads to increased confidence. When the time comes to head to the elk woods, you’re lean and mean. Tossing on a 50-pound pack, going for a three-mile hike followed by four sets of 20 body squats barely makes you sweat. You can push harder for longer. You will stay on the mountain when others retreat to town. Your level of physical fitness will keep your mind sharp. You aren’t getting lazy. You’re avoiding dumb mistakes.
In short, you’re ready to kill, and when you earn your opportunity, it will end with a dead bull. Not to mention, you’re there to enjoy. God’s country, especially in the Rocky Mountains, is exquisite. It’s hard to enjoy the moment when you’re in pain and sucking wind.
The question, for many, is: Where do I start? I’ve got you covered. The to-come weekly workouts — one for that first week and one when you start becoming a workout machine — will do the trick.
Please know that I’m not a doctor or an exercise scientist. I’m an elk hunter who has spent a lifetime being obsessed with getting into excellent elk shape. This program is only a recommendation.
Week One
Monday – Hit a one-mile walk and keep the pace brisk. After the walk, get in a good stretch session and then toss on a 25-pound pack. I like to use sandbags. Rocks and the like are hard on pack material. Go for a half-mile walk on flat ground. Use trekking poles and try to keep the pace up. We want that heart rate to get elevated a bit. After the walk, drop the pack and do two sets of 10 body squats. Finish with a 10-minute stretch session.
Tuesday – Start with a half-mile warmup walk and a 10-minute stretch session. Be sure to stretch all muscle groups. Now, find a hill that provides a gradual incline and is about ¼-mile long. This workout can also be done on a treadmill, which helps keep the exact incline, pace, and distance. Toss on the 25-pound pack, grab the trekking poles, and hammer up the hill. At the top, drop the pack and do a light jog back down the hill. Take a 30-second pause, then jog back up the hill and strap the backpack back on. Do five body squats at the top. Repeat this process three times. Finish with a 10-minute stretch session.
Wednesday—Jump on the bike or head to an indoor pool. Today is a recovery day. Just do what you feel. A four-mile bike ride on flat terrain will loosen the muscles and raise the heart rate a bit. The key is to set your bike’s gearing so you’re always pedaling. We don’t want any coasting. If you swim, choose the stroke and do as many slow laps as you feel comfortable with. Finish with a 10-minute stretch session.
Thursday – Start with a ½-mile warmup walk followed by a 10-minute stretch session. Jog at a comfortable pace for ¼-mile on flat ground. A track is excellent for this workout. After each lap, do 10 pushups and 10 burpees. Slug some water and take a 30-second pause. Repeat this process seven more times. This will give you two miles, 80 pushups, and 80 burpees. Finish with a 10-minute stretch session.
Friday – Start with a 1/2-mile warmup walk and a 10-mintue stretch session. Begin with four sets of 10 box jumps. A Block Target works excellently for a platform. Next, toss on the 25-pound pack and do four sets of 10 (each leg) walking lunges. Stretch out and get low to the ground. Be sure to keep the head up and the back straight. Keep the pack on and do a ¼-mile walk with trekking poles briskly. Take a two-minute break. Drop the pack and plank for one minute. After the plank, do 25 crunches followed by 25 bicycle-style sit-ups. Be sure to twist the torso back and forth as each leg comes up. Finish with a 10-minute stretch session.
Saturday – Finish strong! Last workout before a rest day on Sunday. Start with a 15-minute stretch. Next, go for a 1-mile jog. Keep the pace slow but steady. Stop and walk whenever you need to. Do 25 pushups, and then go for another mile. At each ¼-mile point of the second mile, stop and do 25 crunches and 25 straight-leg raises to work the lower abdominal muscles. Finish with a 10-minute stretch session.
The weeks have flown by. Pain has become your friend, and you’re crushing your workouts. You’re getting in killer shape, and you can almost feel the weight of an elk quarter on your back, white-tipped tines wrapping around your sides. Keep pushing! The following workouts are not for the faint of heart. Don’t attempt this week’s hammer session unless you’re up for it. Feel free to modify it to fit you better. If you started from ground zero, this workout should not be performed until week 12.
Monday – Start with a 10-minute stretch session. Head to the track and get your mind ready to work. Kick things off with a one-mile run. Try to keep the pace at 9:30 min/mile. Take two minutes to recover. Now, hit four 100-yard sprints. After each sprint, walk 100 yards back to your starting point. This should be a recovery walk. Take your time and breathe deeply while sipping some water. Toss on a 40-pound pack and push hard for one mile around the track. Drop the pack, do 50 pushups, 50 crunches, and 20 burpees. Finish with a one-mile run around the track at a 10:30 min/mile pace.
Tuesday -Start with a 10-minute stretch session. Toss on the 40-pound pack and find a ¼-mile long hill, or go to the gym and jump on the treadmill. The pack isn’t coming off. March ¼-mile at max pace with the pack until you reach the top of the ¼-mile incline. At the top, hit 15 pushups with the pack on your back. Use the descent as a recovery. Repeat this process 16 times. Feel the burn, baby! Finish with a 10-minute stretch session.
Wednesday—Your legs will likely be a little blown today, so be sure to start with a solid 15-minute stretch session. Then, jump on the mountain bike, road bike, or spin bike at the gym and hammer out 12 miles. The pace should be dictated by how you feel. Just be sure to set the gear so the legs are constantly churning. After the ride, knock out 100 crunches, 100 v-ups, and a two-minute plank. Finish with a 10-minute stretch session.
Thursday – Begin with a 10-minute stretch session followed by a 5K (3.1-mile) run. Keep the pace light, but if the legs are feeling good, go ahead and ramp the pace up a bit. After the run, take a five-minute recovery session and hit four sets of 10 box jumps with 30-second breaks between each set. Next, toss on a 50-pound pack and do four sets of 10 (each leg) walking lunges. Remember to focus on good form. Now, drop the pack and do four sets of 10 explosion jumps. This is very simple. Do a body squat and then explode into the air. Be sure to extend the arms up and over the head. The second you land, repeat the process. Finish with a 1-mile recovery walk (pack on) and a 15-minute stretch session.
Friday – Start with a ½-mile warmup jog and a 10-mintue stretch session. Grab a kettlebell (you decide the weight) and do four sets of 15 American Kettlebell Swings. Be sure to extend the hips and knees to launch the weight up and over the head. Next, hit four sets of 15 Kettlebell Clean and Press and four sets of 15 Kettlebell Snatches. If you’re unfamiliar with these exercises, YouTube is your best friend. Finish with a swim or take a spin on the bike and get in a 10-minute stretch session.
Saturday – It’s all about the vert today. I highly recommend a treadmill for today’s workout for maximum consistency. Begin with a ¼-mile brisk walk followed by a 10-minute stretch session. Next, bump the incline to level 5 and hold a pace somewhere between 11:00 min/mile pace and 12:00 min/mile pace for one mile. Bring the treadmill back to zero and lower the pace to a slow walk for one minute. Now, increase the incline to level 7 and set the pace as fast as possible for 1/2 mile. Bring the treadmill back to zero and recover comfortably for one minute. Repeat these ½-mile intervals four more times. Each time, the incline should go up, and the pace should be strenuous. Get in the recovery walks and finish with a ½-mile jog and a 15-minute stretch session.
You’re ready and engineered to kill. Go get it done. Remember, these workouts can be customized in any way you like. They are guidelines and don’t have to be followed to the letter. Those wanting to bike and swim more and run less are encouraged to do so. The key is continual progression—staying disciplined and pushing the body—getting it ready for the rigors a season in the elk woods is sure to bring.
Sidebar: Compete
Nothing helps workout focus like having an event on the calendar — something you’re working toward — something you want to do well at. In truth, it doesn’t matter what it is: a CrossFit competition, IronMan, mini-triathlon, mountain bike race, bicycle race, foot race … whatever. Sign up for something and set a time goal.