How to get the most out of your online fitness program

Whitetail season for many is winding down, duck season is in full swing and some of you may be running traplines. As much as I love the rut, this is one of my favorite times of the year because the pressure is off, and I just have fun. January is here and with that comes the annual affirmations of new plans, a healthier lifestyle and hitting the gym.  If I may, I am going to give you some suggestions on setting yourself up for success in 2022 so you can go even wilder in the New Year!

Plan Ahead
The #1 mistake I see people make is not planning for a variety of factors. If you are putting together a public land elk hunt out of state in September, your physical training should begin no later than March. I would also add that looking at your life and all that drives your schedule be part of that planning process. It is meaningless to say you will exercise five days a week if your schedule only allows three. We want you to be successful in 2022 so plan ahead!

Be Specific
Being vague with your goals will produce ho hum results. If you are going on that elk hunt, know your dates, talk with your guide or an experienced hunter about the physical challenges of the hunt and start working backwards. There are a lot of objectives you may need to focus on such as:

1. Weight loss
2. Injury prevention/rehab
3. Muscular strength and endurance
4. Aerobic conditioning
5. Mindset
6. All of the above

Knowing what you need to specifically work on will make your efforts laser focused and more productive.

What type of program to choose?
We get this question almost weekly.  We have a mix of D.I.Y (Do It Yourself) Workouts on our website that are specific to they type of hunt you will be doing but recommending a specific program depends on factors such as:

1. How long do you have before your hunt?
2. What kind of condition are you currently in?
3. What type of equipment do you have available?

For example, if you are brand new to exercise, focusing on a program that builds a solid foundation of strength and conditioning is critical. It allows you to slowly build a foundation which will reduce the risk of injury and allow you to stair step into a more advanced program.  If you are already crushing workouts, you should consider a more advanced program.

All GoWild users get 10% off every D.I.Y Program through #FitToHunt. Use promo code: GoWild10 at checkout.

What type of support do you need?
D.I.Y. programs are great because they give you a solid program rooted in exercise science to follow, but there are many programs put together every year that are not implemented because the owner of that program does not do it. If you have fallen victim to the “can’t get motivated” trap, you might consider a provider that offers additional services like online personal training and coaching. It will be a higher price point but having a coach that will provide a program, daily/weekly support and can help you with mindset, discipline and working around barriers is often the catalyst that will make this year different from any New Year Resolution failures of the past.  Shop around online and find an exercise professional or program that speaks to you. Most online coaching programs can be purchased for less than the cost of three one-on-one in-person training sessions and provide flexibility and customization regarding equipment, current physical conditioning, nutrition, and schedule.

Community Support
And let’s answer the question of value. After all, you may be able to fix a leaky toilet, patch a roof or do your own taxes but that does not mean if you played high school sports you know how to create a fitness plan that will allow you to improve conditioning and prevent injury.  Roofer’s roof, plumber’s plumb and CPA’s typically find you better returns than doing taxes on your own. Working online with an experienced fitness professional may produce a better result, but if you have a solid fitness program, we still encourage you to follow pages like Fit To Hunt for community support. We have a free exercise of the week email that goes out every Monday at 5am and work hard to produce YouTube and social content that motivates, educates, and supports our followers. We’d love to have you as part of our community because you never know when a nugget of wisdom you see on our page might be the very thing that catapults you over the top. 

If we can be of service to you, please shoot us a direct message or email at info@stayfittohunt.com.

Merry Christmas, Happy New Year and Stay #FitToHunt!
Coach Jeremy

All GoWild users get 10% off every D.I.Y Program through #FitToHunt. Use promo code: GoWild10 at checkout.