The fitness industry has been growing by leaps and bounds in the last decade. Thanks mainly to the internet, people can find anything from simple fat loss to bodybuilding information with the click of a mouse. Heck, you can even get your workouts sent directly to your phone!

Fitness has also started to make its way into the outdoor industry. More and more outdoorsmen are realizing that taking care of their bodies can make them more successful in the woods. That’s one of the reasons The Healthy Outdoorsman came to be. It is an outlet for outdoorsmen to get quality information to make them better hunters.

Another fella on the forefront of the outdoor fitness industry is Dan Staton. He started his website, Train To Hunt, with one goal in mind; to help hunters train for their sport. Dan has been in the industry much longer than I have, and he really understands what it takes to be a healthy outdoorsman. He holds a Master’s degree in exercise physiology and an undergraduate degree in exercise science. He co-owns two CrossFit gyms in Spokane, WA and is an avid bowhunter. Dan is an outdoor writer, videographer, editor, and performance coach.

I recently connected with Dan via email, and he was kind enough to answer a couple questions I had for him. So check out what Dan had to say about hunting fitness:

How did you get started with fitness/working out? 

Simple answer, at age 14 I begged my mom to get me a gym membership.  I was small, weak, but knew I had to put some extra work in to level the wrestling playing field.  I also had a mentor to hold my hand so to speak, I instantly fell in love with training and the physical and mental strength gained from it.  I was hooked.

Once graduated from high school, I landed my first job as a personal trainer, from there I moved on to fitness management, put my self through undergrad and graduate school.  Upon graduation, I moved around the country studying human performance and working alongside professional and collegiate athletes.  Once my experience deemed qualified, I opened my own gym and continue to love promoting fitness and nutrition.

What made you develop traintohunt.com?

After a few years of writing for Bowhunter Magazine and Sportsman’s News publications on fitness, I was bombarded by emails/questions on how to train for hunting.  I thought it would make a lot of sense to create a video journal plus workouts for hunters who want to learn how to train for their sport.  The Internet has allowed us to train many athletes across the US/Canada and the idea of training for hunting continues to pick up momentum.

How does regular training and proper nutrition help you as an outdoorsman?

A fit hunter will posses mental strength, discipline, and determination.  Fitness is a gateway to making yourself a better predator and yields more productivity in the woods.  When you invest in your fitness/nutrition as much as you would scouting, shooting, and gathering gear, you unleash a deadly combination for the woods or mountains.  It’s our contention the fitness is the backbone of hunting, and that a fit hunter enjoys each hunt more, promotes hunting longevity, and tips the odds into their favor.

 Would you say that all outdoorsmen should exercise and eat right? Why?

Yes.  Why… to take your health/wellness for granted is a shame.  You don’t have to be an ultra-marathon runner to take to the woods, but you owe it to yourself, your hunting partners, and family to be around for quality years of life.  Fitness is something you have to make time for now, or it will inevitably catch up to you.

What do you see for the future of fitness for outdoorsmen?

This wave of fitness for outdoorsmen will continue to pick up speed.  Hunters/Anglers/Backpackers have limited time, so to procure the kind of lifestyle we outdoorsmen desire, we ought to be fit.  Fitness/nutrition will only allow for a more enjoyable and safe experience(s).

 

There you have it. Great stuff. I really love how Dan says “A fit hunter will posses mental strength, discipline, and determination. Fitness is a gateway to making yourself a better predator and yields more productivity in the woods.”

I couldn’t have said it better myself.

Dan also provides some killer Crossfit workouts delivered to you each and every day. For a small yearly membership, you can have your workouts designed for you by Dan. Click here to learn more.

Then, along with reading this blog of course, you’ll be well on your way to becoming an ultimate outdoorsman.

And don’t forget to show Dan some hunter love and leave a comment below.

This entry was posted on February 15, 2012 at 7:00 am. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

Posted in Misc. Nonsense by Paul Schmid | 1 Comment