MTNTOUGH Fitness Lab - "The Lyle" Backcountry Workout
Hunting the backcountry requires significant leg strength for steep descents and power for big climbs. It demands a strong chassis to handle heavy packs in unforgiving terrain, but most of all, it demands notable mental toughness and self-confidence.
MTNTOUGH Fitness Lab explains, “a couple big mistakes we see is mountain hunters only doing cardio to prepare for a hunt of a lifetime. Even those that may frequent the gym usually don’t prepare their energy systems, core, and legs sufficiently to handle the demands of the mountains. Secondly, most hunters don’t train for the agility they will need to be able to operate in rugged uneven terrain for long periods leading to sore hips and lots of rolled ankles.”
For over a year, MTNTOUGH Fitness Lab has been building an online program specifically designed for Backcountry Hunters. MTNTOUGH is a collaboration of dedicated backcountry hunters and they have assembled an impressive team for this task, including a former Navy Seal, a former Army Colonel who instructed physical education at Westpoint, and couple of certified trainers with decades of experience.
Here is a sneak peak directly from the private MTNTOUGH app of "The Lyle" workout found in Week 9, Day 4 of their online backcountry hunter program.
“The Lyle”
“The Lyle” is a great workout to prep you for the backcountry and some of those tougher hunts you’ll be going on this fall. Basically, we’re teaching your body to function better than it has in the past and forcing it to adapt to a new normal.
A lot of things have to happen in the backcountry: you have to be able to think clearly when tired in order to keep navigating and prevent yourself from getting hurt; you need to have the muscular endurance to keep pushing repeatedly against whatever the terrain throws at you; you need the muscular strength to carry your heavy loads; and you need a great oxygen system to not only operate at a higher altitude but to bring your heart rate down after the chase so you can relax and take that shot. This workout hits all of those pillars!
MTNTOUGH Fitness Lab, located in Bozeman, MT was founded by lifelong backcountry hunter & National Academy of Sports Medicine Certified Personal Trainer Dustin Diefenderfer. www.mtntough.com
