How important is exercise training in preparation for your safari?

Just looking for personal viewpoints here. Not everyone is trying to walk 15 miles per day on elephant tracks. How important has a pre-safari exercise program been for your particular African hunt? Do you feel you should have been in better shape? Or did you feel the hunt was pretty easy and a vigorous exercise program was not really necessary?

If one does a wild DG safari and entails tracking, conditioning is a prerecquisite...Walking all day, carrying a heavy DG rifle, and keeping up with the Ph and staff...Shoulder muscles, arm and hand muscles will give out and next lungs and energy will be sapped and that will signal the end of a long stalk..
One does not have to do heroics in excercising, but an honest 5 miles daily with a ten pound dumbell will have you fit as a fiddle if you want the hunt of your life.. Fluid replacement and I use gatorade in one quart packages and at the end of the day you will still have miles left in you...

Mike

Interesting question and I look forward to reading responses. For myself, I was in Zimbabwe (Chirisa) for buff in May. Personal pride determined me that even at 63, I would be in shape. (Ordinarily, I was not an "exercise" freak) I followed a regime of walking at least 5 miles daily during the week and 10 miles on weekends. It paid off as far as I'm concerned because we did a pretty fair amount of walking in the 3 days or so before I connected. (We walked about five miles from the truck in the morning that I got my buff) I don't see how anyone can go wrong in at least following a walking (for endurance) regime before coming to Africa. I did find the walking itself very easy where I was in Africa but I still always was glad that I walked in hunting my buff. Pure personal pride, of course!

Depends how fit you are in the first place!

I don't prepare specially for hunts, but try to keep fit year round.

500 - I think everyone over say 50 or so ( I am 63) and isn't involved in a "regular" exercise program on at least a three or four day per week schedule should partake in some sort of increased activity level before heading out for Safari. All safaris are not created equal, but ALL are for the most part requiring some additional level of activity for most of us. I have been on my treadmill 3 to 4 times per week for at least 20 to 30 sustained minutes with daypack and boots that will go with me to Namibia the middle of May for a couple of months now. I have managed to shed 19 pounds from the Winter accumulation, so I know this will also be a positive factor. My last Buffalo hunt in Moz in Oct of 05 was definitly more work than I had anticipated. For sure wish I had done more prep work for that one. I live at 8,300 feet, so for the most part elevation is not a factor for most places I hunt. If you do live at or near sea level, additional time on site or extra training are two good considerations if going over 4500 feet. I know very FEW folks who can't stand a little more conditioning than their daily routines give them. So, I would give at least an "8" to the importance of your question. JM2CW!!

Larry Sellers

Is the second most important thing, next to practicing and being beyond justproficient with your rifle, IMHO. I didn't get nearly enough exercise before my safari in 05 and it most definitely showed. I could have gone further, faster and caused the PH much less stress had I been in better condition. Dan you are right, not everyone is going to do a daily 15 mile trek on tracks, but they should be ready in case they have to. Everyone willing to spend the $$$ to hunt in Africa should be physically able to hurdle any challenge presented to them (barring any disability - that is a different subject altogether).
I know that when I go back (fingers crossed for 08), whether it is for pg or dg I am going to be in a lot better shape. I am working on it now. 3 days in the gym and 2 days in the garage with a heavy bag and jump rope/calisthenics and whatever else I can do to burn fat. Then I have physical labor and lots of outdoor work (tree trimming, brush clearing, log splitting, etc) to do for family at a new home site on the weekends. If all that doesn’t harden me up, there is no hope…

Brian

Can't be important as this was moved to mIsc

Forrestb added some all round stuff of Ross Enamait

https://forums.accuratereloading.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/3611043/m/413109446

I exercise regulary, and have for years. My job as a Police Detective requires that I maintain a certain level of fitness. I will be 59 in May and still am able to score in the upper percentile on the fitness test we are requred to pass yearly. I have seen first hand that shape can ruin an expensive hunt for someone. If a person is physically able to exercise, I think it is a necessary and important part of trip preparation.

I think that the better shape you are in, the more you will enjoy the hunt-- and that goes for anything more strenuous than sitting in a tree stand all day. I agree with what others have said: why spend the time planning where and with whom you will go, maybe go to a hunting convention to meet prospective outfitters, save money for years for the trip (as most of us do) only to get there and be too out of shape to make the most out of your hunt?
Consider this too: even if you don't have a trip planned, regular strenuous exercise will make it that much more likely that you will live to be old and healthy enough that you might have more than one "hunt of a lifetime."

It has already been said, but most of us could stand to be in at least a little better shape, and I think it will make most any trip more enjoyable. I was too busy at work the last time and the exercise suffered. I would have had a better trip if that were not the case.

The PH will likely adjust the hunt to your fitness level in any case, but if you are able to keep a better pace and walk farther I think you will have a better hunt.

Just my poorly-informed opinion.

The more fit you are, the more you are going to enjoy the tip.

I was not fit enough when I went last May, and told myself on day 2 of the trip, "I will be in much better shape next year".

By golly, I AM. Started during last years trip, cutting out deserts and Magnum Ice Creams daily. Shed 23 pounds, and now tredmill everyday for 30 minutes.

...........DEEP knee bends..........So deep your butt touches the deck..start w/ shallow and increase as range of motion is acquired........When they get easy put on a pack............Being skinny is ok but being powerful better...........From the safari pics posted it appears the Africa is not flat and walking up hill may well be necessary.....Being lighter does help relieve stress on foot ,ankle, knee and hip bones.and joints.....Walk instead of drive places ..... Get a 40 " peice of 2" black plastic water pipe , fill it with wet sand and glue end caps on it and mount a set of sling studs and sling ....... Unless you can go for power walks with your rifle .......I don,t think a peice of plastic water pipe would be illegal any where , even New York city.............Cyto max is the best electrolite replacement product I have found ....It works the best for moveing lactic acid, it washes thru the burn and helps elimanate swelling and soreness better than Ibuprophen..and it provides a good source really tricked out energy carbs.......You can get it @ GNC and places like that............. .....The better phsical condition you are in the sharper your mind will be and the clearer your vision will be ,,through out and towards the end of the day ....................................Just my 2 cents worth ,,, ...,.,.,.

I was "motivated" enough to lose 100# when I got back from Zimbabwe, and I plan on doing a lof of cardio and walking before I go again in August.

I took a piece of PVC pipe and filled it with bird shot to weigh the same as my rifle, and mounted the slings in the same places. My neighbors wouldn't appreciate my rifle on my shoulder when I walk the dog.

You can never be in TOO good of shape. If you want to do the BOOT CAMP hunt, have Kyler Hamman take you on the Kyler death march up a muddy hillside in the rain. I started carrying my own cardiac emergency kit when I hunt with him.

For what activity in life do you sit back and say, "Darn it, I wish I was 20 pounds heavier. And I really need to bump it up a half a pack a day since breathing seems so easy these days".

For me, personally, physical preparation before a safari - or other hunting trip - is fundamental. Likewise, having a hunt planned is powerful motivation to train and get/stay in shape. I am not sure if I workout so that I may hunt, or if I hunt so that I have the incentive and reason to train. Quite possibly the latter.

Being fit for a hunt is crtical for me, I don't want to miss an opportunity at a trophy of a lifetime because I'm so tired and breathing so hard I can't hold steady. Even more important though is being fit for LIFE. Regular exercise and a good diet should be a way of life not just something you do for a few months before a hunt. It doesn't have to be like training for the Olympics,just 20 min of cardio, 3-5 times a week, supplemented with some light weight training will do it for most people to maintain an above average level of fitness. A crash training course a few months before a hunt will probably do more harm than good.

Gumboot: Never,Never do deep squats where you butt touches the floor. Too much of that will wreck your knees. Vertical or slightly past is all you need.

I have been a weight lifter and runner for over 40 yrs so my preparation would be to do what I do already. For those that are older and a first timer you need to get the cardio strengthened so the hunt of a lifetime is not the last one.
Benefits for those that are in fair shape from long walks or running will have a lower heart rate which helps steady the rifle. A lower heart rate and better conditioning lessens the need for large amounts of fluid. Good Luck to those that can go on a safari. Still a dream hunt for me.

Sustained cardio 20-30 minutes per day is good for anyone but it's wise to consult your Dr first, especially if you have conditions or are over 45. I think everyone agrees excercise will help both physically and mentally. EXCERCISE: Don't leave home without it! LDK

He was moved to misc first time around

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ctqECUmdcQ

Look at whis whole traing system

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ctqECUmdcQ

Look at whis whole traing system

And from ForrestB....more variety

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FDKhnbwRNTY&mode=related&search=

SS, some guys jump like that when they step on a snake.

....The ability to put your foot flat at waist height and stand up is of ut most importance ....being able to jog is nice but joggers often arn,t very good at walking up hill............Or controlling them selves walking down hill ...Not just blundering along sounding like a herd of elephants........ .....I have never been to Africa and so perhaps I am speaking out of turn .. But I have seen too many men come on Alaskan hunts and their knees could not take the strain for even a full day because they wern,t used to bending .....Deep knee bends use more major muscles than almost any other exercise that a person could do while dressed for work in an office....Ya don,t have to kill yourself off,,,,,but many people don,t even know how to use their rifle as a counter balance to help them get around in rough ground around ,,and because they don,t have the leg strength end up useing their rifle as a walking stick instead.........There is not a thing wrong with pushing a fitness level hard..........The confidence that pushing the limit and succeding will greatly pay off.............

Check what the bloke does overall.

He would carry out an elephants leg....and probably do it runnuing.

I wonder who deemed it to be transferred to misc????

quote:

I wonder who deemed it to be transferred to misc????

I honesty dunno. BUT, I don't think its worth worrying about Mike. A link to a video of a guy skipping rope got moved from African Hunting to Miscellaneous. Probably not the worst injustice of the century.

My suggestion...suck it up and move on. Making a mountain of a molehill makes no sense.

My 2c,
Canuck

ps: did 500grains post about exercise for safari in order to give you a venue to complain about your post getting moved to miscellaneous??

Why wouldn't you want to be in shape for a hunt? Even if it's walking two miles a day with a gunbearer over flat, grassy terrain, I'd still want to be in as good or better shape than the PH. Nothing is more off putting than fatty American hunter stereotypes headed to Africa. You spent a bank load of $$ on the hunt, you should at least be able to do the work.

Canuck

The way 500 Grains thread is running then fitness is important.

Anyone with half a brain could of have gone from the skipping demo to Ross Enamait's site

But as things have turned out it worked well that the thresd was removed to misc because now we have a discussion going that is better than if the original thread was not transferred to misc

Mike

Being in shape to hunt in African isn't important...wait, "round" is a shape, right?

I wouldn't think it would be as important for Africa as Alaska. On my caribou hunt this past year, I had worked up to two miles up and down with a fifty+ pound pack and I still was gassed by the arctic tundra. I think a good walking program (2-3 miles/2-3 times per week) and a light weight/calisthenics program would be sufficient. I thought I had bad knees, but since I've started doing lunges with 12 pound dumbells they don't hurt like they used to hurt. Lunges help with climbing and balance.

If you go to Africa to hunt out of shape, you might be tired and miss out on a trophy or two; but if you go to Alaska to hunt out of shape, you could easily end up dead.

Depends. IF you want to shoot from the truck, or you hang out in a hide all day, Conditioning is most likely not crititcal.

I am 65 and put in 3 miles a day in the mountains where that 3 miles includes a total of 1000 feet of elevation change. Some of the miles are on a trail, other times I am hiking cross crountry. It really paid off when keeping the wind right stalking buff.

Another payoff was bow hunting elk in Idaho.... everything is strait up or down.

The best part was when a PH told me "you are really fit, you should try to come back and we will get you a great Mountain Nyala"

quote:

Originally posted by gumboot458:
....The ability to put your foot flat at waist height and stand up is of ut most importance ....being able to jog is nice but joggers often arn,t very good at walking up hill............Or controlling them selves walking down hill ...Not just blundering along sounding like a herd of elephants........ .....I have never been to Africa and so perhaps I am speaking out of turn .. But I have seen too many men come on Alaskan hunts and their knees could not take the strain for even a full day because they wern,t used to bending .....Deep knee bends use more major muscles than almost any other exercise that a person could do while dressed for work in an office....Ya don,t have to kill yourself off,,,,,but many people don,t even know how to use their rifle as a counter balance to help them get around in rough ground around ,,and because they don,t have the leg strength end up useing their rifle as a walking stick instead.........There is not a thing wrong with pushing a fitness level hard..........The confidence that pushing the limit and succeding will greatly pay off.............

These are great points about the importance of leg strength that is not gained by jogging.
Here is a great way to build that strength without a gym. Fabricate a wooden box that is 18" square on all sides. Go to Wally world and get a pair of 20 lb and 30 lb dumbells. Practice stepping up and down with two dumbells for 20 reps. After the 20 s get easy move up to 30 lb in each hand. This will increase the leg strength for climbing and descending.

The better shape your in the more fun you will have. You may not have to walk 15 miles a day but I'm not flying halfway around the world to road hunt.

Three excellent exercises for people with bad knee cartilage--bicycling, elliptical trainer, and quadriceps extension machine--but only the last 15-20 degrees of extension.

I was overweight for my albeit small size, during my hunt with Mike Kibble in Namibia last year.

But: I had done a lot of stair climbing and walking in the boots I was taking. So I did well enough, we must have walked 10 miles a day, stalking Kudu for instance. Since lost 18 pounds though.

Though I believe shooting ability is the most important factor in an African hunt and not taking too long taking the shot, especially!

However no amount of my training is going to let me compete against Mike 378&460 shooting one of his bloody 460's over sandbags on the hood of a 4wd..............

He's a freak!

One other advantage we Aussies have over a lot of Americans is that generally we do a LOT more shooting than you guys do.......all I did was simply switch to more still hunting and using shooting sticks. Roos make good practice

Canuck

I thought Ross Enamait had a lot to offer.

ps: did 500grains post about exercise for safari in order to give you a venue to complain about your post getting moved to miscellaneousG

Go back to moderator school as you have things arse around.......ask 500 grains

Mike

I bike, at least when there isn't 4 feet of snow on the ground! I now live in a mountainous area and a good part of my property is a mountain. Once I have access from our massive non-global warming winter I will utilize the slope. I also have MANY trees to cut.

My legs have seen a lot of miles despite one broken knee cap in the left leg. A broken tibia, a bone tumor, smashed meta tarsals and a broken fibula 3 times (in the same leg). I kind of click loudly when I walk now but I keep going.....

I've had some bad shoulder injuries from horses and ripped my right shoulder in Chewore in 2005, it finally feels like it is tightening back up now. The bad thing about getting older is the healing takes longer.

I am working on lightening my load, been dieting for a few weeks now. High pro, low carb works best for me. I just shovelled four feet of wet snow off of my decks. Yippeee!

I think that hunting is one of the incentives for staying in good shape after you reach 60. I had heard that elephant hunting was done with your legs, and that is the TRUTH! Prior to taking my safari to Namibia last year, I worked up to walking five miles a day, three times a week. In addition, I work out twice a week with a personal trainer, who is relentless.

I have found that if you can do five miles, you can do ten without much additional strain. I find that the total fitness program keeps me ready to hunt, and contributes to my overall wellbeing. Kudude

quote:

Originally posted by SuperSpeed:
Canuck

I thought Ross Enamait had a lot to offer.

ps: did 500grains post about exercise for safari in order to give you a venue to complain about your post getting moved to miscellaneousG

Go back to moderator school as you have things arse around.......ask 500 grains

Mike

Don't get your knickers in a knot Mike. Its a legit question. I think all your bannings have made you a little defensive. You used to have much thicker skin.

Canuck