Getting in shape physically and shooting

[Deleted member 40394]

What do you do when you are trying to physically get in shape for an Africa hunt? How long before your hunt do you prep yourself or start a regimen? How many sessions do you practice shooting off sticks? What are some things you do in physical preparations for and during the trip?

 

[Shootist43]

I think that kind of depends on where you are starting from. How often do you shoot? What and where will you be hunting?

 

[shootist~]

IMO the exercise part will depend on your age and the shape you are already in. I hunted this year at age 72 (after a years delay due to the virus). I had bumped up my exercise routine (mostly just hiking ~ 20 miles/ week) when the planning got serious at age 69. Arthritis in a knee and PT came during the Covid delay and adjustments were made.

I generally shoot twice a week if decent weather. I simply switched up my normal routine to mostly shooting from the sticks and load development.

I suggest you do most of your initial sticks practice work with moderate (to you) recoiling rifles. The goal, imo, is to keep all shots (standing /w sticks) within a 5" radius of POA - at whatever distance you consider maximum.

Just me, but I did >4k rounds of centerline in the two years preceeding my hunt. I think it paid off pretty well.

 

[Hunt anything]

I walk 5 to 10 miles almost every day, I have a 1/2 mile walking trail behind our house with multiple targets set up at ranges from about 50 yds to 200 yds. I carry shooting sticks and what rifle I plan on using on that particular trip. I only shoot 3 maybe 4 rounds per session up until 3 weeks before the Safari and then up it to about 10 rounds . But with the shortage of ammunition I now do most of my shooting with 22 rimfire up until the 3 or 4 weeks before the Safari.

 

[chashardy]

Lots of walking in a 3 mile loop in nearby park to get ready for walking after game. I shoot at least once a week at the range, however they don't allow shooting from sticks so I get maybe one or two sessions at a friend's ranch shooting off sticks. Mostly practice with my big bore rifles to get used to recoil.

 

[Inline6]

I do the same thing I did getting ready to elk hunt. It's more than required for RSA, 80# in my pack and a 20# kettle bell in each hand. It's way more than is required but I like pushing myself. I did not fall behind the trackers I could keep up no problem. My 18 year old son on the other hand well... After the first hunt for Zebra he no longer wanted one.

I shoot 25 shots off sticks every other day. I'm blessed to be able to do it in my backyard. On the weekends I would shoot 5 rds of 375H&H and 5 416 Rem Mag @ 100 and 200 yards. Again more than is required but I was confident when I was on an animal.

Do read this thinking it's required, it's not. My son did not train like that he did just fine. I'm sure at times he wished he was in a little better shape. Or he shot more off the sticks. End result we both made our kills. Do what you can and enjoy the trip. If you did nothing else but shoot from the sticks after getting your heart rate up that would help. I would do push ups get the heart pumping and then shoot. You might have to fast walk in a hunting situation and your heart rate will elevate you will understand what you are seeing and not get nervous when your crosshairs jump with you heart beat.

 

[1dirthawker]

What do you do when you are trying to physically get in shape for an Africa hunt? How long before your hunt do you prep yourself or start a regimen?

Justin,

i've gone to africa only twice. i do guide for brown bears, and nearly all my hunters wish they had made a better effort to get in shape. scott CWO, also a brown bear guide could speak to this as well. the bottom line is, you cannot be in too good of shape for a hunt, but if you are not in adequate condition you will likely miss out on opportunities of the hunt.

one of our brown bear hunters this last spring missed a chance at a great bear that he admitted to being "not up to snuff" when it came to going after this bear on a mountain. he started an exercise program when he left for home, and after talking with him since, i am sure he will be ready for next spring.

re shooting: i use an air rifle in my back yard, shoot off sticks and shoot 10-20 shots about every other day. no recoil, same muscle memory, cheap and quiet. i also cut out cape buffalo or kudu photos in different positions to practice shooting at. saves me lots of ammo and range time and i still get the trigger time. my 2 cents

 

[ZG47]

@justin wiles I have never been to Africa and I probably never will but the following practice works for me when building up fitness for the bush and work. I am a carpenter who lives and works in a place with more hills than flat land.
I suggest that you build up gradually and remember to have some easy days with gentle strolls. It is important to get in some uphill/downhill work and to do that training properly i.e., always put one foot just forward of the other, going uphill and downhill. This practice is more efficient than trying to stride out as if you were on the flat and does far less damage to your body whilst enabling you to build up your muscles, tendons and fitness much more quickly than if you employ the wrong technique.

In summary … toddlers know how to walk up and down hills, the rest of us need to be retrained! Best of luck with all of your training and your hunt.

 

[sgt_zim]

for those who don't like walking/running, and you like being pushed, resistance training with weights will do wonders. Took me 6 months to go from a RHR of low 80s to about 65. Almost no cardio in there, and I'm not exactly young, just turned 53 a couple weeks ago. I am the strongest I have ever been, and probably the best shape I've been in since a cadet in HPD academy in 1991.

But if you're going to do weights, has to be minimum 3 days/week. I usually do enough weight and reps that my HR gets up to about 120-125, then I'll rest between sets until my HR settles back down to about 100. That keeps you working your heart and lungs without starting to gulp for air.

If you're not in great shape, that may mean 5-6 minutes rest between sets. If you are already in decent shape, 2-4 minutes between sets.

 

[Still alive]

I started walking four days a week six months before my trip, about three miles per day. Two months before the trip I walked four miles five to six days a week. In Africa we walked 8-10 miles the first day and about 4 miles on average. I can honestly say I felt great for the ten days we hunted.
shooting off the sticks once a month for the first 8 months before our trip. Two months before we went three times a month. My son dried fired with snap caps off the stick in the house a month before the trip. Setting up fast and taking the shot.
I had all ten animal pictures blown up for him to focus on. These came from this website.
we got all ten animals with two misses because of the 20-30 knot winds.??

We hunted outside Port Elizabeth, it was for the most part pretty-flat

 

[Rare Breed]

What do you do when you are trying to physically get in shape for an Africa hunt? How long before your hunt do you prep yourself or start a regimen? How many sessions do you practice shooting off sticks? What are some things you do in physical preparations for and during the trip?

I power walk 30 miles per week. I climb a mountain trail near me as part of that twice per week that is almost straight up with my Courtney boots on and a 40 pound weight in a back pack. On my July Safari this year we hunted up and down Waterberg mountains and at 62 I had no problem staying up with my 28 year old PH

 

[1dirthawker]

@justin wiles,

a simple exercise program= get 3# and 5# weights, walk as far as you want or feel like, outside or on a treadmill. start with 3 pounders and bring your hands as high as your shoulders (for a harder workout) or just along your sides for a lower intensity workout. maintain normal hand motion during your walking, i guarantee, you will notice even 3 pound weights, build up to #5 pounds and you will be ready for anything, good hunting,

don

 

[CM McKenzie]

Check out

https://thetacticalgames.com/

There are some good all around, endurance, run and gun type of programs.
I’ve found it’s about the only way I can force myself to work out everyday; there has to be a good chance I get to shoot something while I’m doing it.

 

[Deleted member 40394]

These posts help for sure. I work from home now and I have been running 5 days a week for over a month now. Weights about 3 days a week but just barbells. I was about 315 or more but I have lost some weight. I have until July to get into shape. I started easing into it as I tore my hamstring in May. I guess at 38 Years old I can’t handle racing against my 11 year old without getting injured. Lol
My plan is to start shooting heavy after January. I do have close access to my club where I can shoot,etc.
my goal is to get to 250 by trip date.

 

[ZG47]

These posts help for sure. I work from home now and I have been running 5 days a week for over a month now. Weights about 3 days a week but just barbells. I was about 315 or more but I have lost some weight. I have until July to get into shape. I started easing into it as I tore my hamstring in May. I guess at 38 Years old I can’t handle racing against my 11 year old without getting injured. Lol
My plan is to start shooting heavy after January. I do have close access to my club where I can shoot,etc.
my goal is to get to 250 by trip date.

38? Still relatively young! I will be 59 shortly. Just remember to vary your stretches and exercises. If you follow too narrow a regime you can pick up unexpected injuries by weakening parts of your body that are not being used enough. Classic example is from my line of work. You start in the mud, setting up foundations and building a concrete slab, walking around a site with mounds of dirt then you start framing and one day you step off a 4x2 plate in a door opening (they are not cut out until you are ready to line the interior walls) onto the concrete slab and hurt your knee or ankle!

As you get older, you try to minimise such incidents by performing a variety of stretches even when they do not appear necessary for the current task. You also appreciate the benefit of spending the last bit of lunchtime strolling around OR simply doing a short inspection before making noise again.

 

[Kevin Peacocke]

Walk, stairs and arms.

 

[Bonk]

63. I walk with my dogs on our hilly Kentucky property at least a couple miles everyday. I run 3-4 miles 3-4 times a week and I cycle when I can find time (road and MTB). I also do a lot of physical labor on our property. I've lived an active lifestyle all my adult life and I try to eat responsibly. I'm not in as good shape as I was when I was a 30 year old Marine but I'm as healthy as I ever was. I take no prescription meds of any kind but I do have a few vitamins and supplements I take everyday. I don't do any of this so I can hunt but as a result of my lifestyle I wouldn't hesitate to drop everything and go hunt almost anywhere on earth. I'm pretty sure I could keep up with most guides and fellow hunters. I probably won't be quite as fast as the young studs but I guarantee I can go all day.

As far as shooting goes I usually shoot at least one firearm everyday. Handguns and long guns. Shooting is shooting. Yes, putting some time in on the sticks is a good idea but the act of regularly shooting a firearm instills muscle memory, trigger control, and sight alignment as ordinary tasks. They no longer become things that require intense focus. It also desensitizes you to recoil. In my experience that translates well into the field. I'm still particular about what/when to shoot but once that decision has been made the actual shot is almost an afterthought.

315lbs?!? Being in shape to hunt is the least of your concerns. Carrying that much weight puts you in grave danger. Kudo's on getting started and I encourage you to stick with it. Obesity is the number one killer. It causes diabetes, heart disease, and joint damage. You didn't say how tall you are but assuming you're 6ft +/- 3inches if you can drop 100lbs your life and health will change dramatically. Good luck.

 

[Jfet]

I have found the MTNTough programs to be very good programs for hunters. I will turn 57 later this month. I have been doing these programs for 2 years. These programs develop both physical and mental toughness. When your PH, while hunting buffalo, takes off across an open grassy field and you are in a bent over speed walk trying to cover the 400 yards in time to have a shot in the last minutes of daylight, you will be there when he sets up the sticks. Then when the big one does not show himself you get your mind set for the next multiple mile stalk.

A quote from one of my offensive linemen while competing on our school shotgun team, “Shooting sporting clays allows you to be a athlete with out having to run.”

Your body’s capability will be your limiting factor not your shooting.

 

[bowjijohn]

Go with a PH that drinks more beer than you

Simples

 

[Puddle]

I live in the foothills and hike a 5 mile loop trail each morning 6 days a week. I hand carry (no sling) a M1 Garand which is pretty close to the weight of my hunting rifle. I also wear a backpack with a 20lb slab of iron inside. If the ground is dry or frozen, then at the end of the hike at the trail head I knock out 50 pushups, then shed the pack, and knock out 50 stomach crunches. If the ground is all sloppy wet, or the snow too deep, then I wait until back at the shack to do those. This routine also helps with my annual elk camp at 6000 ft elevation including a daily 1000 ft climb up to where the big racks live.
I average shooting practice once a week. From December to around April it's mostly fiddling with rifles, scopes, other equipment and all manner of ballistic gack. After that the focus shifts to weekly field practice of off-hand, off-sticks, tree limbs, fence posts, kneeling and sitting. I get all my prone practice from an annual trip to p-dog towns.
Oh, yea - I'm 68.