Off-Season Prep: Hunting Exercises to Stay Hunting-Ready

Luckily, we have turkey season around the corner, which will help me maintain my cardio a bit! However, I've also put some thoughts and tricks together that I've used to keep fit during the off-season. I'm also sharing some easy games you can play at the hunting camp with your crew and get everyone invested in their health.

Keep reading to learn about the hunting exercises you can start doing now to stay (or get) into shape for your next hunt.

Your Body Is a Tool: Keep It Sharp

We all know hunters are athletes, and like any athlete, we need to take care of our bodies during the offseason to find success. It doesn't matter if you're a western hunter or a tree stand hunter; you're going to work hard to get a shot opportunity.

Whether you're hiking up the next hill to do some glassing or preparing to climb a pine tree with your climber stand, it's going to be work. However, you have the power to control when and how you suffer when it comes to physical preparation.

So, when should a hunter get in shape for a hunt? Now is as good a time as any!

Staying in good physical shape helps you be a better hunter — but it doesn't have to be a chore to get fit. There are plenty of fun ways to gamify the workouts through betting pushups or dollars to raise the stakes. 

Here are some ideas to augment your off-season routine, along with fun ways to make workouts sustainable.

Off-Season Hunting Exercises to Keep You Busy and Fit

No matter your skill level, hunting workouts help you hunt better. Whether you're starting your conditioning for the first time or you're looking for new exercises to add to your current routine, here are a few that I do to stay sharp and get ready for my next hunt.

Daily Stretching for Mobility

Take 15 minutes every morning to stretch. Mobility is crucial for injury prevention.

Personally, I like to go through my routine two or three times because I notice a better range of motion with each round. Some mobility exercises include:

• Hamstring stretches
• Hip flexors
• Knee-to-chest
• Shoulder cross-body
• Behind-head stretches

Stretch each muscle group slowly and deliberately, and you'll feel great.

Hit the Major Muscle Groups

After stretching, you're ready to get to work. Focus your workout on the major muscle groups. You can hit them all in one session or target different sessions on different days.

Your Core

Your core will be the limiting muscle group for nearly everything you do. It determines your ability to carry your pack and balance on uneven terrain.

Do not neglect this muscle group.

Some quick movements to help here include:

• Planks: Build endurance in core muscles for carrying gear and maintaining shooting positions. 
• Russian Twists: Improve rotational strength for drawing a bow or twisting movements. 
• Dead Bugs: Strengthen the abdominal muscles and improve coordination. 

These three movements will hit many different muscles and are easy movements. Additionally, farmer's carries are a powerful movement that strengthens the core and grip strength. This is a functional movement that you will use frequently when packing in and out for a hunt. 

Leg and Lower Body Workouts

Targeting your legs is also key because they're one of our largest muscle groups. They are trained through higher repetition movements. I find that my body responds best if I'm going sets in the 8-12 reps range for legs.

One of my favorite routines is a 10x10 squat pyramid followed by leg curls and leg extensions. It's a long workout, and it feels really great two days afterward. 

Some additional leg exercises to add to your routine include:

• Lunges: Walking lunges are great for training your core and legs. Stationary lunges — whether you step forward or backward — will work separate muscles and stabilizers. 
• Step-Ups with Weight: This exercise mimics climbing with a loaded pack, which is vital for mountain or backcountry hunts. Put your pack on, and if you want to elevate the workout, pull your opposite knee to your chest and engage your core for a full-body movement. 
• Squats: Enhance overall power for heavy lifting and stamina during long hikes by doing squats. Lots of variations exist, like goblet squats, barbell back, and barbell front squats, so use them all.

Cardiovascular Training

I admit I didn't enjoy it when I started training cardio, but it gets easier the more time you put into it, and it's vital for any hunt.

Tail running or hiking is a great way to improve your cardio. Training on uneven terrain will build the smaller muscles in your ankles, knees, and back that are hard to train otherwise. The goal is to condition the body for long treks and improve endurance.

An easy way to get started is to set a timer for 30 min and not stop moving. Sprint, walk, run, or whatever — but don't stop until that clock zeroes out. Push yourself, or you won't get results. There's no shortcut here. 

Functional Training

If you have access to weights or machines at a gym, focus on functional movements that mimic the demands of hunting. Maintaining cardio is also essential if you're walking or hiking long distances. Think about the terrain and distances you'll encounter and try to simulate them.

Again, trail running is fantastic for this, and signing up for an Obstacle Course Race (OCR) is a great way to stay competitive with your hunting buddies while training for something specific.

Build Upper Body Strength

It may be early in the year right now, but we all know that summer is around the corner, so you may as well start getting ready to fill those sleeves by training your upper body. 

Add these exercises to your regimen:

• Pull-Ups: One of the most beneficial movements. Great for grip strength and back. Mix it up between different grips, overhand, underhand, natural grip, and towel pull-ups. You'll hit your lats, biceps, and grip strength too. 
• Push-Ups: There are lots of variations here: wide, close, diamond, clapping, etc. Think about the muscles you're trying to engage through each rep. Don't engage the shoulders; keep it focused on the chest and triceps. 
• Farmers Carry: Mimic carrying game or equipment over distances. This one is essential and functional for nearly every phase of the hunt. Carry a weight, a bag, anything. Grab a couple of 5-gallon buckets and fill them with water or sand with a lid. The water sloshing around will further train your core and other ancillary muscles. 

Try the Card Game Workout (Have Fun While Suffering)

If you have 30 minutes to scroll your phone, you have 30 minutes to work out.

A simple and fun way to get started is by playing "the card game." If it's too easy, then you're not pushing yourself. This workout will scale with your efforts. 

Grab a deck of playing cards and assign an exercise to each suit. Whatever you draw determines the reps and respective exercises. Keep going until you've finished the deck.

Mix in upper body, lower body, and core movements to give your muscles some recovery time.

Some examples of good movements for this game include:

1. Sit-ups
2. Pushups
3. Romanian deadlifts
4. Lunges
5. Air squats
6. Turkish get-ups
7. Russian twists (each side)
8. Mountain climbers
9. Burpees

Fair warning: those streaks of face cards can be brutal, but they're worth it!

Level-Up Your Work

Nearly any free weight workout can be done with a backpack. That means you can add as much weight as you want to level up the routine.

Throw some rocks, weights, cast iron pans, whatever into a bag and haul it around for a few miles. You will get worn out. If that's too easy, then take the pack off and carry it in front of you to strengthen other muscles.

You can also use a weighted backpack for curls, weighted pullups, and weighted dips. Any easy tip for adding weight is to grab a sandbag and wrap it in duct tape so it won't break open. Throw that in a pack and carry it around, throw it on the ground like a slam ball, or pass it between you and your buddies during an ab workout.

Make your workouts fun, and you'll get more out of them. 

Ready to really take it to the next level for big game hunts? Check out our friends at MTNTOUGH for their backcountry hunter program.  

Consistency and Accountability

You can maintain your body by taking small, consistent steps every day. If you have access to a gym, there are countless routines available online.

Over the years, I've tried everything from high school football training programs to working with personal trainers. I've also experienced phases where I ignored fitness, ate poorly, gained weight, and then had to work hard to lose it.

Trust me, it's easier to stay consistent than to bounce back after falling off track.

To stay accountable, I use my calendar app to schedule workouts and list exercises for each session. Fitness apps are also helpful for tracking reps and weights. If you're old school, a simple notebook works great, too — that's what I used in college, and it kept me on track.

Nutrition Matters, Too

Diet is just as important as exercise. Getting your nutrition naturally is the best approach.

Aim for a protein-to-body-mass ratio that meets your needs. Prioritize natural protein sources and get your carbs from fruits and vegetables. Keep processed foods to an absolute minimum. Your future self will thank you!

If you're already nailing your diet and workouts but want to level up, consider adding supplements. Pre-workout and recovery supplements, as well as vitamins and protein powders, can help. Personally, I keep it simple with a basic protein powder, creatine, and a multivitamin.

Use These Hunting Exercises and HuntWise to Get Ready for Your Next Hunt

By staying disciplined and consistent during the offseason, you'll set yourself up for success when hunting season rolls around. Whether you're climbing steep mountains or trekking through dense forests, your body will thank you for the preparation!

You can also prepare for your fall hunts during the off-season by using HuntWise. After hitting the gym or the trails with your pack, scout, and plan using our 3-D maps, layers, markers, and more.

It's a great time to get in shape for your next hunt, and it's a great time to download HuntWise and try it — free — for a week!