have you used physical conditioning to improve your ability to do wildlife photograph

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This topic is very timely for me. I’m 72 in what I’d say is good shape. I walk about 10-15 miles a week, primarily for cardio. During the summer here in the Phoenix area, that goes down somewhat…..I find that as the years go by my tolerance for the heat goes down. I have moderate levels of stenosis in the neck region which has led to reduced strength in both shoulders. Stretching and resistance training helps but I’m never very religious in doing the exercises. (That needs to change.)

All that being said, I’ve found that hiking with the Z9 and 500PF or 600PF on a Black Rapid strap hasn’t been an issue. But recently I’ve added a Z8 and 800PF to my kit and started hiking with it. I love the results I get from this setup….that lens is fantastic. But I’ve noticed that it is a LOAD in my current condition. I prefer to hand hold and I can still do it with the Z8/800PF, but my shoulders tire easily. I’ve used a monopod several times and it seems to work ok, but it’s a work in progress. I went out today with the Z9/600PF and it seemed to a lightweight by comparison.

So I’ve restarted my exercises and started some basic weight training, primarily for the shoulders, neck, and back. I need to stay with it, as another thing I’ve noticed is that while it doesn’t take long to get out of shape, it takes longer than it used to, to get back into shape. My goal is to regain a greater level of upper body fitness such that handholding the Z8/800 is less taxing.

And I echo what others have said….getting old is not for sissies.
 
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For me reaching 82 next week the important needs are direct and indirect relevant physical activity.

By direct I mean walking in rough terrain at least twice a week with a backpack with up to 20 pounds of camera gear (for this amount of weight shoulder bags can do much more harm than good), cycling up to 100 miles a week in hill territory used by the Tour de France in 2014, regular gardening, walking to the shops etc.

I cannot do as much as 10-15 years ago but by keeping active I can do much more physical activity than most of my age.

By indirect I mean routine training such as press-ups, step-ups etc.

I find "success" a slightly modified version of the old saying - the more you practice (in an appropriate way) - the luckier you get with physical health.

When you have an enforced lay-off perhaps from a medical problemI find it important to keep doing some exercise - as the older you get the longer it takes to get back into shape.
 
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Also a youngin' at 54 compared to many of you. Bodyweight training, I have a sedentary job in marketing, but use a stand-up desk. I have a squat rack installed in my small office that I use daily for hanging, and pull-ups. Also attached to this is a set of rings for dips etc, I also roll push-ups into the upper body routine. For lower body, I have a squat routine and walk as much as I can, plus weighted jump ropes. What I have found is that any exercise needs to be sustainable, and something you want to do daily. Yes, it may still hurt sometimes but I personally like the feeling of having looked after myself with exercise, especially on those harder days! Don't ignore any nagging pains, train another part of your body for a day or two, but do keep training. Don't forget diet, lean protein rich meat, chicken, turkey etc will keep you sated in between meals and help stop the 'snack attacks!'.
 
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late fourties, for more than 2 decades, I've always been running and hiking and some strength training. During the pandemic I got into cycling (road, gravel, mountain).

For hand-holding big lenses, I should do more strength training, but a new room for my dumbbells and bench is already in the making.
And of course, hand-hold the big lenses a lot, that should also help.
I've been away from photography for a few years before I came back this year, so my left arm was last used for hand-holding a big lens (EF 4/600 II + 1DX) a few years ago.
At least the new stuff is quite a bit lighter and I can handhold my 600TC for quite a while and the PF lenses for even longer, especially the 600PF (I think this is the most fun lens I've ever used, not always the best choice but certainly the most fun.)

I think keeping fit is one of the best things a wildlife photographer can do to enjoy that wonderful hobby (or profession) for as long as possible.

I hope that lenses get even lighter in the future, maybe one day a 4/600 is only 2.5kg, but there is probably a limit imposed by physics (not sure where that limit is, though)
 
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Len Shepherd said:
For me reaching 82 next week the important needs are direct and indirect relevant physical activity.

By direct I mean walking in rough terrain at least twice a week with a backpack with up to 20 pounds of camera gear (for this amount of weight shoulder bags can do much more harm than good), cycling up to 100 miles a week in hill territory used by the Tour de France in 2014, regular gardening, walking to the shops etc.
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I would lose that backpack and rethink your kit. 20 pounds you are asking for it. Hopefully your balance is ok (mine isn't) since falling is a No-No.

At some point you must stop pretending you are young and make adjustments. There are plenty of kits in the 6-8# category will be fine the vast majority of the time so spend your children's inheritance.

Look, my advocation for 40 years is a Convalescent Home Pastor has taught me how this world ends and it is often not pretty. Don't push it.

Regards,

Tom
 
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67 over here. Worked out for 40+ years. Now have arthritis but I keep it under control with a balanced workout schedule and whole food.

2 days of 3 mile hikes - 15 minute pace - 1 of those might be a 2 mile backpack (35#) hike aimed at completion vs. pace.
2 days of yoga - cant begin to say how important balance and flexibility is!! Yoga does this plus flexibility/stretching.
2 days of weight training/30 minutes whole body moves/heavy weight for strength. Used a coach until I was able to safely lift. I also use KAATSU unit to get the muscle gains. You can use 20% of your 1 rep max as your weight and still build muscle without risk of injury - at any age. Start here! https://kaatsu.com/pages/science-made-simple

Use it....or lose it. The struggle is real. But you feel so much better for so little effort.
 
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I'm 70 years old and a few years ago I got into BIF. Last February I did several two mile hikes with a lot of heavy equipment around my neck and I have to admit it reduced my enthusiasm for continuing this type of photography.

I did go on a boat in February to shoot some eagles and I knew I would not be able to use a tripod. I was shooting the Sony A1 + 200-600 lens, which I have usually used on a tripod as I find it heavy to handhold. A month prior to going out, I worked out with weights to strengthen my arms and it did help quite a bit. Not sure what I'd use to deal with neck, shoulder and back pain, though. Which is why I'm cutting back on that genre of photography.
 
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MikeInMI said:
I'm 70 years old and a few years ago I got into BIF. Last February I did several two mile hikes with a lot of heavy equipment around my neck and I have to admit it reduced my enthusiasm for continuing this type of photography.

I did go on a boat in February to shoot some eagles and I knew I would not be able to use a tripod. I was shooting the Sony A1 + 200-600 lens, which I have usually used on a tripod as I find it heavy to handhold. A month prior to going out, I worked out with weights to strengthen my arms and it did help quite a bit. Not sure what I'd use to deal with neck, shoulder and back pain, though. Which is why I'm cutting back on that genre of photography.
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Equipment around your neck? This caught my eye. I never use a neck strap. I have a shoulder strap (Black Rapid) which works well for camera + big lens. And I have a mindshift backpack for actual hiking with gear inside (it has a waist belt and good shoulder straps ... i.e. it is suitable for serious hiking). If using a landscape lens (i.e. smaller and lighter), I can attach the camera + lens to one of the shoulder straps on the backpack for easy access without digging into the pack.

I may have misinterpreted your statement, but I did want to say that it makes a big difference for me what gear I use to carry cameras around. If I had to use a neck strap to carry my birding gear, I'd do a lot less bird photography. With the carrying mechanisms I use, I never have neck or back pain. It helps that my primary setup is D500/D7500 with 500 pf (with or without 1.4 teleconverter) which is not a real heavy rig. But even that rig would be heavy to carry around without appropriate gear.
 
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I am going to Yellowstone in a few weeks. One of the activities I am going to do is a six mile hike. When I first started planning in March I could walk around the track at the gym for 3 miles and not even feel it. Then I was at my daughter's and she and her husband invited me to go with them to walk the dogs. It was up and down on rough terrain. My only excuse for my performance on the 1.5 mile walk was that I was not wearing the best footwear. I barely made it. My daughter who is going with me and has done the Yellowstone hike before told me I'd better start working out or I would never complete the hike. Since then I have been working out twice a week and the treadmill at elevation. I went on the same dog walk a couple weeks ago and did fine. It has made a difference in how I feel and I plan on continuing to work out after the trip.
 
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I’m a nearly 70 year old female and keep fit so I can carry and hand hold my Z9 with my 800pf and my 600pf. I keep fit by walking around hills most days and using the camera at least once a week. I go on photography trips for 3 weeks about 4 times a year. Using the gear regularly seems to keep the muscle tone up. I actually have more shoulder and back problems when post processing on the computer.
 
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LouiseDan said:
As a Stretch Therapist I work on a lot of seniors as well as other demographics and I tell them all:
1 - Weight training, it doesn't have to be heavy but weights are crucial for maintaining strength. Resistance band work also
2 - Mobility training drills. I love Tom Morrison's drills, he can be found on YouTube
3 - Pilates is another good one
4 - Walking every day, swimming, cycling etc. anything that keeps you moving to keep joints from seizing up. Think about how a joint is supposed to move and work on getting that full range out of it.
5 - Find a good Osteopath; they help with joint function, joint mobility and alignment
6 - A book titled Falling is not an Option by George Locker
7 - Light intensity cardio, lots of hydration
8 - Find a certified FST Stretch Therapist to relieve joint compression and to help with mobility, circulation and inflammation. Do a self-stretch routine daily.
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Thanks for this.
 
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wotan1 said:
I got seriously into wildlife photography a little more than two years ago as I approached retirement and had sufficient funds to improve my equipment. In approximately the last year and a half I began acquiring heavier and longer telephoto lenses.

I began to experience mid/upper back pain from carrying all the extra equipment.

I have an athletic background and have always been in good shape. I am however getting older.

Recently I completed a course of physical therapy aimed at adjusting my posture and improving my upper body strength.

It helped me a lot.

the question is whether you tried physical conditioning to improve your ability to handle wildlife photography. If so how did it work out for you?

Would also be interested in knowing what sorts of exercises worked the best.

You are invited to share your experiences and recommendations.
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I focus wholly on strong Core strength, PH balance, BMI, quality sleep................ plant based food with occasional ocean caught fish.........collectively it provides enormous strength, stamina, and mental clarity.
 
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I will be 76 on Monday. I work out 3 days a week and hike for birding from 1 to 4 days a week over a wide range of terrain.

I have a series of dumbells and and exercise ball that I use for strength training.

I do foundation exercises for core strengthening, balance and flexibility.

I use a foam roller and do stretches before doing high intensity interval training on a gym quality eliptical.

I am standing now at the powered adjustable desk that my computer and monitor are on. I stand on a thick foam matt that makes me use my small stabilizer muscles as I stand and deliberately shift my weight around.

By the way @wotan1 my Holdfast Solo arrived today and I got it adjusted and wore it around the house for a couple of hours to start breatking it in with the Z9 and Z800 f/6.3 on it. I am impressed at how well it stays put on my left shoulder when I lift my camera with my right hand into shooting position and then move around, far better than Black Rapids do.

Thank you again for the tip.
 
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Not wildlife, but perhaps even more demanding, hiking long distances with steep elevation gains for landscape photography. I don't carry the big lenses for this that you wildlife shooters do, but I have stupidly brought too many lenses, sometimes another camera body (such as for IR work).

Core strength has done a lot for my ability to carry weight without injury. I started working out for that purpose when I turned 50 or so and it helped with a lot of things, including pushing the car when it gets stuck in mud.

Now I'm in my upper 60s with new issues, such as some degenerative arthritis in the hips, which can be aggravated by long distances with a lot of weight in the backpack. So I take more care, not taking any lenses unless I'm sure I'll use them. I'm also trying harder to bring water purification rather than add 2 liters of water to the pack.

I too have recently been to therapy, discovered how poor my posture has been, and learned some stretches/exercises help reduce the pain. They both have helped a lot.

But I keep up the core exercises for strength in the back, upper body, and arms. It's good to have leg days too, but I don't do enough of that (and some tweaker stole my bike). However, when I know the hiking seasons is approaching, I try to train ahead of time for that with a lot of local hikes with hills, and start the season with shorter distance photo hikes.

Chris
 
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Not A Speck Of Cereal said:
Not wildlife, but perhaps even more demanding, hiking long distances with steep elevation gains for landscape photography. I don't carry the big lenses for this that you wildlife shooters do, but I have stupidly brought too many lenses, sometimes another camera body (such as for IR work).

Core strength has done a lot for my ability to carry weight without injury. I started working out for that purpose when I turned 50 or so and it helped with a lot of things, including pushing the car when it gets stuck in mud.

Now I'm in my upper 60s with new issues, such as some degenerative arthritis in the hips, which can be aggravated by long distances with a lot of weight in the backpack. So I take more care, not taking any lenses unless I'm sure I'll use them. I'm also trying harder to bring water purification rather than add 2 liters of water to the pack.

I too have recently been to therapy, discovered how poor my posture has been, and learned some stretches/exercises help reduce the pain. They both have helped a lot.

But I keep up the core exercises for strength in the back, upper body, and arms. It's good to have leg days too, but I don't do enough of that (and some tweaker stole my bike). However, when I know the hiking seasons is approaching, I try to train ahead of time for that with a lot of local hikes with hills, and start the season with shorter distance photo hikes.

Chris
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I no longer back pack, most of my companions including my wife could no longer physically do it but I spent many days in the Idaho wilderness and know well those long distances and elevation gains and portable water purification devices even in a water bottel was a great thing.

I was also a chukar hunter and that was the most demanding physically of all. Then when I got into photography I started leaving the shot gun at home and carrying a camera to photograph my hunting friends, the action, the birds and the dogs. That turned out to be the most demanding of all since I needed to get into position, not flush the birds, stay out of harms way and move more than normal.

I hope and pray that you get more years out of your hips. My wife has sever scoliosis of her spine (hit by a car when she was 6 so spine did not develop normally, degenerative arthritis has led to major thumb joint surgery, and artificial knee etc..
 
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I haven't been exercising specifically to improve my ability to photograph, it's just been a pleasant benefit. Mainly I've been working to improve my health in general and it's made all kinds of things easier. When I started I was very overweight and couldn't walk more than a couple kilometers without being exhausted. Now I've lost a ton of weight and I can do a 20 km hike without issue. I sleep better, I feel better, and I have more energy in general. I haven't been to the gym lately due to a shoulder injury but I still make sure to do at least 10,000 steps everyday. It's a lot easier since I started using transit to get to work. I have to walk to the LRT station, ride the train as close as I can to my office, and then walk the rest of the way. When the weather is nice I walk home after work. It usually takes me 45-60 minutes one way instead of a ten minute drive but I wanted to fit exercise into my routine somehow and this was the easiest way I found.
 
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So nice to know that so many of us are still active in our later years. I am 76 and still quite fit and feel it is essential to stay that way if you want to go out in nature and photograph with professional gear that is generally on the heavy side. I do limit how much things weigh as I handhold and do to want to lug around a support system. I do a combo yoga,stretching and core workout most every morning and walk and bike often. Taking care of my diet etc. is also becoming more important as I age. I do think we all need to establish what our individual needs are based on our age, where we travel, what gear we use and plan accordingly.
 
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