Hunting is a physical workout with a plethora of fitness benefits. The activity, which is mostly engaged in as a sport, requires strength and endurance. Difficult terrain like the mountains or thick forest can sometimes be challenging. Setting traps, long waits to get a perfect shot, tracking your game and carrying the harvest are among the tough activities of hunting that, if you’re in good shape, come easier.
If you plan on hunting long term, and often, I highly encourage you to engage in workouts that will enable you to enjoy it without getting so fatigued. The good news is that there are many such exercises. It’s up to you to choose the workouts that will fit you well. If you are constantly hiking/scouting, your legs are most likely already getting a pretty good workout, but core work and upper body suffer. Consider using some of the exercises listed below.
Push-Ups
Our list starts with this basic, but versatile workout. Push-ups, or Press-ups as they say in the UK, are considered military-grade exercises for building strong triceps and core muscles. The good thing is that they do not require any equipment to perform. Consistently doing about 5 sets with 15 to 20 reps of push-ups will do. Your stamina for things like holding up your rifle will be improved as your upper body and core strength improve.
Weight Lifting
Now, I know that hunting can be an obsessive hobby, thus, weight lifting and hunters don’t normally mix. In fact, I don’t know many hardcore hunters that exercise on a consistent basis. Hunting is their exercise! However, I promise you that if you’ll engage is regular, light weight to moderate lifting, your joints will thank you for when it comes time to go trumping through rough terrain.
You can include dumbbells, kettlebells, deadlifts and any other exercise that works well for you. Target all body areas in a uniform way so that strength and endurance will be distributed evenly. In other words, don’t skip leg day.
Various press workouts like the chest press, leg press and bench press among others are very effective in increasing your strength. They also improve endurance because they are challenging. Steadily increase weight after each set according to your fitness level. Be sure to push yourself without doing too much as to avoid injury.
Tire Drags and Pulls
These are some of the toughest workouts for enthusiasts who want to improve their strength. Even athletes and heavy weightlifters who use gear from the Valkyrie Online website perform tire drags and pulls. Basically, you need a big tire—nothing less than a truck tire. Tie a rope to the tire and drag it with your hands or waist or try to walk with the rope on your thighs. Consistently doing this will definitely improve your strength and endurance, guaranteed.
Squats
The nice thing about squats as well as push-ups is that they can be done without any equipment. However, to make squats even more effective, add some weights in your hands such as dumbbells or kettlebells, or use an olympic lift bar. Include a variation of squats in your weekly workout to get the most from your fitness routine. If you are not sure what is best for you, then you can consult an expert.
With these workouts, you will be preparing yourself for enjoyable hunting days ahead. All you need is to complete the exercises in the right way and make sure that you are consistent.
