Caption -- Weighing 170 lbs is heavy for me but I feel effective...still building, looking to peak as September and elk season dawns! I've been tweaking and experiencing with my body and its muscle make up/endurance ability for years. I think I am close to being right where I want to be. I am not trying to change too much...just fine tune as I am on a roll. I've arrowed at least one 6-point or better bull every year since 2003 and simply put, I want to keep that train rolling. The key for me, or anyone, is to never get satisfied. Stay humble and hungry!
Wanna Pile on Muscle for the Mountains?....here is how. By the way, Cam Hanes fans get 22% off retail of the Complete Nutrition products I've mentioned here if you ask for Jason Harms and tell them Cam Hanes sent you. His number is below. And the product I am taking is listed in detail. This stuff ain't cheap, but it works. When calling him or going into his store on Coburg Road find him, ask about the discount and save some cabbage.
I am definitely not a body builder, I am a hunting athlete. I am trying to find the perfect storm for me, between insane endurance and being loaded with useful muscle mass that still allows me to get around the mountains athletically all the while having my killing strength and muscle ready for the call to action. When a bull is down and needs to be processed, when I need to get crossed a canyon to kill a bull or when I need hump my loaded down pack around the mountains for a week or more waiting for my one chance at glory....I want to be at the top of my game. Period.
This year, I think I am set and I went about my prep a little differently with regard to muscle mass I'll carry heading into September / elk season.
Right now I am five weeks out from Showtime (elk season). I want to stay fit, which I am currently as I can run close to 6 minutes per mile for many miles consecutively and I've ran multiple 30+ mile ultramarathons in the mountains this spring and summer. On top of this, if need be I can bench press 225# for 10 reps. I know bench isn't the be all end all for a strength test, yada yada....I do much more than bench; dynamic lifts like cleans, squats, dead lifts, curls, pull-ups, rows, lawn mower pulls, etc., I mention bench only because everyone seems to have a pretty good gauge on what a good bench is for a 170# guy. So, that is where I am at right now and I feel lethal.
Caption -- I was light and marathon fast here while running the Eugene Marathon in 2 hours and 50 minutes (6:30 miles average). Right now at 25 lbs heavier I am probably a few minutes slower over 26.2 miles, but I believe I'll be at a much higher level physical ability-wise in the mountains this year overall. And, that's all that matters to me!
With 5 more weeks to build, hone, top off my cardio, etc., my goal is to own the mountain. I don't even want to worry about how rugged the country is, where those bulls are, how we will get a dead bull out...nothing. My focus will be on killing and I will know where the bull dies, my strength and cardio will be at such a level, I'll get it packed out. I am confident about this and I know full well, for many elk hunters, many times it is the mountains that break them before the elk do. I feel like I have a lot going right this year. Most years I head into elk season weighing 155# after a long ultramarathon season, and granted while I can run for days and days at a pretty quick pace, loaded down heavily with bivy/survival gear for a week at a time is tough. Relatively speaking, instead of my 10 rep 225# bench, I am usually at 1 rep of 225#. Real clear where I sit there. Wiry, with good lungs as the power suffers. Thusly, I am alot more confident this year and if my body responds like I hope, I will probably hit the trail at close to 180 lbs.
Caption -- After running a long tough 50 mile race in Wyoming's Bighorn Mountains and finishing 3rd place overall in 8 hours 59 minuntes, I am shown here weighing probably 150 lbs. Much too light to be at my best with weight on my back day after day.
You might wonder, how did I put on 25# of muscle while still keeping most of my above average endurance. Well firstly, with hard work. There is no such thing as magic pills regarding muscle building. Results from the supplements I take come from plain old fashion hard work. That being said, these supplements will get your muscles ready to explode.
Grab a piece of paper and a pen now. On any given day, for growth, I take one tablet each of external testosterone in the A.M. and P.M. from Legal Limit Labs called Super Nova, along with another LLL productcalled Halo-Zol and anabolic optimizer from LLL and I take two tablets early and late of a product called Mega Shred. All of this stuff is for lean weight gain and it works. In the evening after work, I down some Xyience and head to the gym fired up because on these supplements I know I won't feel the fatiguing effects of lifting nearly as much. I have a hard time leaving the gym because I am not tired. When I am there I lift harder because I know these products are giving my muscles exactly what I need to get them jacked and get me ready to dominate the backcountry. I want to stay until I feel like every muscle shred is broke down. I don't have an unlimited amount of time but I give it all I have for about an hour. Mentally, with all the running I do, my commitment to my bow and arrow rig and daily practice and my success in the gym I feel like killing a big bull is my only option. Failure doesn't even enter my mind. I've never felt more prepared, we will see?
In regard to general health I also take Super Calcium twice a day, Magnesium twice a day, Vitamin D gel tabs and from Complete Nutrition I take their multi-vitamin, Complete Man and a couple doses of Udo's Oil which is omega fatty acid.
I set up this program with guidance from Jason Harms. He is the master on why this stuff works and what kind of results you can expect so I would suggest giving him a call with any technical answers or questions on pricing. Don't forget the Cam Hanes fan 22% off. You can Email me with more questions at cam@cameronhanes.com or Jason at jharms@completenutrition.com. You can also call Jason at his store in Eugene, Oregon at 541-653-9443 when ready to pull the trigger. Exciting times....helping other better themselves gives me a good feeling. Train hard. Hunt easy. Cam
Caption -- Getting ready to do some cleans, I was really strong when this photo was taken a couple months ago (for me) and have been building slowly from then taking a break from the outside testosterone. Feeling strong with endurance and an accurate bow rig...puts a smile on my face. I think it is going to be there until I unravel that first blood trail five weeks from now in Utah.
Sample Workout -- Shoulders/Back
Warm-Up
3 sets of 10-12 pull ups
3 sets of 12 seated cable rows -- 130#
3 sets of 12 lat pulls -- 120#
Hammer Time
5 sets of cleans and presses 10 reps -- starting at 115# up to 185#
3 sets of 20 shrugs with 90# dumb bells
3 sets of 10 upright rows 60# bar bell
3 sets of 10 one armed lawn mowers 55#
I run at least 10 miles a day -- 4-5 at lunch and usually 7 hill miles right after work. Or if I don't make it to the hill I run from the house here with Trace or the boys. If they don't whine we do 7 if they whine we do 5 miles. All good though, I enjoy their company either way.
I get home for dinner and after dinner I usually chill out with the family, play with Taryn and shoot my bow at least 50 times in the backyard. Answer a few emails, just relax and visit with the family until me and Tanner, my oldest son, head to the gym at about 10 p.m. - we get home about 11:15. Short night as I have to get up for work at 5:00 a.m.
Run. Lift. Shoot. Everyday!
Cameron R. Hanes
www.cameronhanes.com
