Workout Program in a Nutshell

My routine really isn't that complicated, and I don't worry about over-training. I don't count sets or pay attention to gains in the weight room because for me that's not what's important. I don't plan out my week, saying I'll do this exercise this day or I'll work this muscle group that day. It's pretty random which I think is beneficial, considering how P90X is about confusing the body and a lot of people have great success on that program. I only ride my bike 1-2 times per week, but I hit the spin room in the school gym fairly often. Using my heart rate monitor and the spin bike I can get a lot more done strength and cardio wise than being out on the road. On the spin bike I will keep my HR over 180 for 45 minutes while doing intervals up to 220 BPM a number of times in that time frame. This is where most of my fat burning occurs. I applied to be a spin instructor next semester at the school, which I'm pretty sure I'll get. That will be sweet!

In the weight room I refuse to be like all the static, huge upper-bodied, chicken legged guys that hang around in there. Most of my weight exercises involve the entire body which gets the HR up. If you Youtube Lance Armstrong's weight training program, you will see where I got a lot of my lifts from. They aren't made for packing on large amounts muscle, but they add small amounts of muscle at a time while really helping out balance and core strength. And they make me sweat! I like to throw in heavy squats 2-3 times per week when I'm feeling extra strong.

The other day I let one of my professors talk me into taking her PiYo (Pilates-Yoga) class. I decided to go, but didn't expect much. I was wrong! It was awesome, as I got a great core workout mixed with some serious stretching and balance work. What this did was teach me the importance of stretching which I never did properly before. I really think flexibility is hugely underestimated. I will now be incorporating a number of the stretching and balance positions I learned in that class to my weekly routine.

As far as supplements go, I take a lot of protein (3 27 gram shakes/day), a big spoonful of Creatine/day, and Muscle Pharm Assault before each workout. Since taking the MP, I have been able to repeat the same workouts 3 days in a row sometimes without feeling over-exerted.

Nutrition has probably been the biggest factor in getting in really good shape. I don't know how many calories I eat each day, but it can't be many... even though I feel like I'm always eating. My favorite post-workout dinner right now is steamed veggies with pasta and a little Yoshidas marinade with a chicken breast or steak from something I killed. I'm trying to limit most of my carbs to post-workout when they will be used for recovery. During the day just a ton of water and healthy snacks almost hourly.

Are You Physically Ready?

Reading the forums this time of year may be slow if you're looking for fresh grip n grin photos. But one thing that seems to be highly discussed in the off-season is training and conditioning. Guys like Cam Hanes and a few others have really laid down the law the past few years with regards to training for the mountains. With more and more guys learning to go deeper and longer on their hunts, it is apparent that in being physically prepared is becoming an extremely important factor for success.

I've been training on my road bike for a while now, and recently started hitting the gym at school religiously. I've tweaked my diet a bit, eating way more protein and fewer carbs. I'm feeling pretty good, yet still have my physical goals set much higher than where I'm at right now.

I think I'm going to start writing on here a bit more about my training and what works and doesn't with regards to nutrition, supplements, and workouts. Stay tuned if you care to listen.

(After a month of adding the gym to my road biking)

(3 weeks ago... 100 miles at the Sea Otter Classic)

First Archery Pig for Ben!

My best bud Ben and I took a hunt earlier this week, and he put his new Insanity to work. We had a herd of about 15 run right at us after we stalked to 50 yards. They stopped when he drew, allowing a perfect shot on this great eating-sized boar. It was a top-pin shot, low behind the shoulder with a G5 T3 expandable. the thing bled like a stuck pig... and made it about 80 yards before cartwheeling to its demise.

Ben has been bit by the bowhunting bug... In the past year he has added a whole arsenal of gear to his closet, as you can see in the pictures. It was awesome to finally see everything come together.

My dad, Ben, and I are all in for NV archery muley tags this year. Can't wait for the results to come out!

Petition to Oppose SB 1221

Here is a link to a petition opposing Senate Bill 1221, which is aiming to end the use of dogs for bear hunting in California. If you care about the health of our big and small game populations, sign it! It only takes a minute. We have enough of a predator problem as it is, and fewer bears being taken will only add to that. Not to mention, our bear population has been exploding over the past fifteen years... even with the use of dogs for hunting! Not only should dogs continue to be used, but hunters should be encouraged to hunt bears and the quota should be raised!

http://www.change.org/petitions/the-ca-state-senate-opposition-to-sb-1221?utm_medium=facebook&utm_source=share_petition&utm_term=autopublish

New Elk on the Wall

I finally got my 2009 New Mexico bull back from the Taxi. It turned out excellent. Click the pics to see full size.

Dry Firing A Bow... Ouch.

My roommate "Murch" dry fired my bow... and learned his lesson. Check out his forearm 4 days later. Luckily (for me) his skin slowed the string down enough to minimize the damage to my bow.

Click on picture for full size.

Core4Element Clothing Review

I ordered my first set of Core4Element clothing back in September, using my Nevada mule deer hunt as an excuse for needing some new clothing (I was in fact due for some fresh camo though). I was originally looking at Sitka Gear, but I wasn't about to fork out that kind of money. At the same time, I wanted some clothing a little more athletically appealing than what most standard camo has to offer. I ended up finding some Core4Element Switchback pants on camofire.com, a popular discount site that offers incredible deals on some quality gear. With the purchase of the pants I was offered a great deal on a C4E long sleeve shirt called the "Assault". What really pleased me about this stuff was the material, and the pattern- Mountain Mimicry. I received the clothing a short time later and it seemed to be of good quality. It didn't take long for me to order the matching Element jacket (which came with a free beanie) from the same site. As soon as I opened up the jacket, it was love at first sight. What an awesome looking, comfortable product! I had to go for a hunt to try all this stuff out. I went on a few local hunts for pigs, bear, etc. and I was very happy with the clothing. The real test was yet to come though, as my dad and I had our Nevada tags burning holes in our pockets.

We put many, many long hard miles in on our hunt. I wore my C4E gear the whole time, and here is what I thought of each item:

Beanie: Looks good in pictures, but that's about it. Too thin too keep you warm, and way to big for a size 7 head like mine. I wore it over my regular non-camo beanie (mainly just to complete my outfit). I call it my "beanie beanie", as it's completely useless without another beanie underneath. Keep in mind though... this thing came free with the jacket.

Assault Long sleeve Shirt: Very comfortable. The athletic cut was nice, as the shirt isn't real baggy in the forearms. You can slip through the brush with ease without your sleeves grabbing onto every little snag. Also, the sleeves are nice and long- something I seem to have problems with. I usually have to get shirts a size too big just so the sleeves are long enough. Not the case here. The extended neck coupled with a 1/4 zip was versatile. When the wind blew, I could zip it all the way up to keep my neck warm. The material is fairly thick, but much more breathable than I thought it would be. No front pocket, a minus. There is a zippered pocket high on the arm which is a cool idea, but you really need 3 hands to work the zipper. Or, you can reach down and bite your shirt to keep enough tension to work the zipper. Not real practical, but at least it's there. Also, some of the thread in the armpit and around one of the cuffs came loose. I probably lost about a foot per day of thread from these locations. That said, I really do like the shirt and would probably buy again.

Switchback Pants: These were definitely the most comfortable hunting pants I've worn. Also extremely light weight. The pockets are nice and deep, and the cargo pockets have a few extra zippered compartments which came in handy. The athletic cut was much more comfortable than regular camo pants, although I wished they were a touch tighter in the lower leg... but that's getting nit-picky. I didn't use the removable knee pads (didn't even bring them) but it's a nice option to have on the right hunt. Because of the knee pad option, the knee area of the pants are double-layered which is a great feature in its own right. There are no adjustable tabs on the pants so if they are a little loose, you must wear a belt. The structural integrity of the pants held up extremely well. One thing I was really disappointed with was that the camo pattern from the knees down was almost completely worn off by the end of the hunt. I guess walking through dense low sage was too much to handle. I found the material to be comfortable, breathable, and versatile in a broad range of temperatures.

Element Jacket: My most favorite piece of clothing I've ever owned. I love this thing! Warm, comfortable, great fit, etc. etc. The pockets are all in the right places. Waterproof zippers on pockets. Extremely comfortable velcro cuffs. Nice high collar for when it gets chilly or you need to hide your neck. I've worn this jacket a lot and not a single thread has come loose, and the camo has remained vivid. The micro-fleece like lining is great. All these great features and the jacket is still very light weight and low profile. It's not technically waterproof, but I've hunted with it in the snow and rain and been perfectly cozy.

Final Ratings (out of 10)
                        Comfort            Toughness           Looks             Versatility
Beanie                       8                         8                     9                         5
Assault shirt               9                         7                     9                         9
Switchback pants      9                          7                    9                         8
Element jacket         10                       10                     10                       10