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Hunter Fitness Preparation 2019
February 18, 2019

I hate it when my computer tries to think for me! Surely it wasn't my fault that the last newsletter got sent out before it was edited and finished! Here is the completed version. Sorry for the bother of the first version. It's only the end of February and I've made my first mistake of the year! (Yeah, right!)

Prepare Your Body for the Hunt

How far do you want to go this fall? How hard do you want to hunt? No matter how far and deep in the mountains or woods you plan to hunt, it will probably be an athletic endeavor to some degree.

I'm 62 and I still hunt as hard, or harder than I ever have! I'm now a retired competitive marathon runner, so I now train hard to simply be able to continue do whatever I want to do with my body. My goals are as demanding as ever.

Even if you do "easy" hunts, you'll probably still be moving your body in ways you usually don't! That's a set up for an injury to happen.

Too Much Too Soon

Anytime you do something with your body that you're not used to doing regularly, there is a high risk of "too much too soon" injuries.

Here's an example from my own recent experience. I always run distance 4 or 5 days a week. It's been busy for us this winter, so my strength training (core, upper and lower body) was being done only once or twice a week. That keeps me at a maintenance through the winter.

But, two things happened. I got the flu and did almost no strength training for 3 weeks. First, I went right back to the training without starting gradually. Secondly, I cut, moved and split over a cord of wood all in one day. That was a set up for injury.

I am nursing a shoulder injury because of it. I'm confident that it will heal up, but it cost me time in training. Here's the take away point: Training properly will help you prevent injuries, if done right. It can cause injuries and set you back, if done wrong. Avoid "too much too soon" by gradually building up.

Increase your training gradually until you reach the level that will keep you from "too much too soon" injuries caused by doing things you don't normally do. Maintain it year around, no matter what your age.

Three Ways to Put on Muscle Mass

"Too old for that", is usually just not true. When I hear people say that, the reality is often that they let themselves go as they got busy with life and blame it on "age". The reality is lack of fitness training through the years, resulting in loss of muscle mass, coordination, balance and endurance. Particularly what I like to call "endurance strength". You CAN add muscle mass, even beyond 70 and 80 years old.

Until about 25 years of age, there are three ways to develop muscle mass.

1. Growth hormones add muscle mass regardless of activity level when you're young.

2. Using your body adds muscle mass. The more you do, the more you add.

3. A high protein breakfast adds muscle mass, even without exercising!

Growth hormone starts to decrease about the age of 21, until it no longer adds muscle mass by itself. That leaves us with two ways to build muscle mass. Exercise and breakfast with 2-3 ounces of quality protein.

I just had some bacon for breakfast, but don't count that as protein. It's mostly fat. My egg provided the protein this moring. A big pile of blueberries, milk, and a slice of toast rounded out the balanced breakfast. If you skip breakfast, your skipping one way to actually build some muscle mass without even working out!

Exercise is the most effective way to stay fit and keep muscle mass. A fit body is like a well cared for lawn. It stays that way as long as you care for it, but it withers and goes to pot fast without continual care!

Your Last Breath Doesn't Count

Train this week for next week and next week for the following week. Staying fit (and successful living) is like breathing. The last breath you took is no longer important. Your next breath is the only one that counts. It's never a one and done deal!

Fitness just doesn't last without maintenance. Don't keep starting over every year before hunting season. That's a good way to get injured.

There are plenty of ideas for fitness plans floating around on the internet. I've been learning about and putting training regimines into practice successfully for many decades. I've put some of my hunting fitness drills and exercises here on ElkHuntingTips.Net: Hunting Fitness

I'm a registered dietitian and a sports nutritionist. My motivation was always for training to run competitive marathons, But, also to be able to hunt hard,move fast when necessary, and hunt far each year. Much of my hunting success comes from being able to get ahead of long-legged elk when I know where they are moving to.

I'm now focused on staying fit for life, so I can hunt and do whatever else I want to do with energy and grit! I believe life should be a continual challenge and a blast! But, that requires fitness to do the things I want to do.

Stay fit and live life to the max! Feel free to contact me here , with questions or comments. Or, call or text 1-406-431-0876. We'd love to talk to you.


Pursuing the Extraordinary

I took this picture of Anthony Robles when I was in attendance at a speech he gave this month in Charelston, SC. Anthony doesn't live a "normal" life, nor an "ordinary" one. I was moved by what Anthony had to say, because I am not satisfied with the "ordinary" and seek the extraordinary everyday.

However, I was more inspired by what he does and has done. He became NCAA wrestling champion...with only one leg! Anthony also happens to be one of our many partners in the opportunity discussed below! We get to hang around with some extraordinary people!

Opportunity to Work With Us

We are looking for people who want more from life than the "ordinary". We're no longer satisfied with "normal". We focus on helping people find time and financial freedom.

"We" is my wife and I and the owners of ASAT Outdoors, who brought us into this opportunity. The opportunity is not hunting related. But, it WILL create more time and money for hunting!

If you're willing to do something you've never done to have something you've never had, get in touch with me .

The risk in this opportunity is almost nil! But, you'll have to step out of your comfort zone to do it. That "feels" like risk at first, but it really isn't.

We bust through those boudaries in order to live a truly fulfilling and exciting life! If we stayed within our comfort zone, we'd never get near a majestic bull elk!

Make Money While You Sleep

Warren Buffet said, "If you don't find a way to make money while you sleep, you will work until you die." This opportunity gives us a way to make money while we sleep. It's called "leveraged income".

Your last breath doesn't count. It's what you do with the next breath that matters! Live life to the max!


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The springtime view of the mountains near our home in Garrison, MT


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