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A tip for us older and heavier hunters

CharlieTN

Well-Known Member
Joined
Sep 21, 2019
Messages
514
I’m 50, weight 250 lbs, and am not in the greatest shape. I also sweat like a flipping stuck pig in July in Louisiana.

However I learned a trick while prepping for a backpacking trick that may help some of you that are in a similar situation as I am.

When we walk we tend to establish a gate (step distance) that is comfortable on flat land. The problem comes when we start going up or down hill we want to keep that same gate. It’s about making progress forward. As the ground gets steeper this causes us to have to exert more and more in order to lift or lower our body over that distance. The trick is to shorten your gate. The steeper the terrain, the shorter your gate should be. Consider going uphill, as you’re not stepping forward as much, your foot is also not going uphill as much. This means your major leg muscles don’t have to work as hard to lift your body weight.

I tried it on that backpacking trip and was blown away with how well it worked so I now use that technique all the time, especially when hunting to cut down on me getting winded or worse sweating so bad. It has the added side benefit that it slows me down some and makes me pay more attention to what is going on around me.

Anyway, just a tip that I hope will help some of your.
 
I’m 50, weight 250 lbs, and am not in the greatest shape. I also sweat like a flipping stuck pig in July in Louisiana.

However I learned a trick while prepping for a backpacking trick that may help some of you that are in a similar situation as I am.

When we walk we tend to establish a gate (step distance) that is comfortable on flat land. The problem comes when we start going up or down hill we want to keep that same gate. It’s about making progress forward. As the ground gets steeper this causes us to have to exert more and more in order to lift or lower our body over that distance. The trick is to shorten your gate. The steeper the terrain, the shorter your gate should be. Consider going uphill, as you’re not stepping forward as much, your foot is also not going uphill as much. This means your major leg muscles don’t have to work as hard to lift your body weight.

I tried it on that backpacking trip and was blown away with how well it worked so I now use that technique all the time, especially when hunting to cut down on me getting winded or worse sweating so bad. It has the added side benefit that it slows me down some and makes me pay more attention to what is going on around me.

Anyway, just a tip that I hope will help some of your.

this is a good tip for anyone on a long walk and/or with a heavy pack....and we're all getting older so we'll all have arthritis somewhere in the future

i'll add that i find there are ways to lean into the hill that adjusts your balance point but this has to be found for each person.....an army ranger gave me that tip about walking long distances with a pack....you can try it out by not assuming you've always been holding your body in the easiest way and that it shouldn't necessarily feel like walking on flat ground
 
I too am in my 50s and hunt with my 28 year old son. We do a 1.5 mile walk to the hunting spot and I am soaked with sweat. I need to learn to slow down a bit to possibly keep the flood gates of sweat from opening up on me. Of course he is barely even breaking a sweat


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I too am in my 50s and hunt with my 28 year old son. We do a 1.5 mile walk to the hunting spot and I am soaked with sweat. I need to learn to slow down a bit to possibly keep the flood gates of sweat from opening up on me. Of course he is barely even breaking a sweat
Ask him to carry you for first 500yds or so. After all, didn't you carry him around the first 5 years or so of his life? :D
 
I was blessed with a superfast metabolism but cursed with horrible arthritis in my right hip by the time i was 26. Skateboarding was not worth the wear and tear. Im going to try this and see if it helps. I can usually only hunt 2 or 3 days in a row before i have to take a few days for my hip to recover. Thanks for posting
 
I was blessed with a superfast metabolism but cursed with horrible arthritis in my right hip by the time i was 26. Skateboarding was not worth the wear and tear. Im going to try this and see if it helps. I can usually only hunt 2 or 3 days in a row before i have to take a few days for my hip to recover. Thanks for posting
I think you’ll be surprised with how well it works. I know for me, without doing it I wouldn’t have been able to do the backpacking trip carrying a 31lb pack.

It’ll feel weird at first, like you’re taking baby steps but give it a try.
 
I too am in my 50s and hunt with my 28 year old son. We do a 1.5 mile walk to the hunting spot and I am soaked with sweat. I need to learn to slow down a bit to possibly keep the flood gates of sweat from opening up on me. Of course he is barely even breaking a sweat


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Slowing down and learning how to have the least exertion is the key. I don’t like getting to the tree dripping wet with sweat and it’s a real possibility for me.
 
A walking stick or trekking pole helps also. Not only for balance but it can give you a extra little push with your arms when needed.
 
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