Staying fit and healthy these days is a must.  Being a hunter makes it even more important to stay fit so that you can hunt longer, harder, and have the energy to stay with the sport for your entire lifetime.  I know one of my dreams is to have the ability to hunt when I am in my late 60, 70, heck even when I am in my 90′s if I’m lucky.  I must be honest in that being physically  fit was never one of my tops priorities, but as I get older I am starting to realize how important it truly is.

I happen to come across http://traintohunt.com which caught my attention. Here was a site dedicated to helping hunters train to hunt.  I mean it says it right there ” Train To Hunt”.  Wanting to know more about this TrainToHunt membership website and who was creating this, I decided to see if I could get an interview with the owners.  It didn’t take long before I was able to get an insider interview with Dan, one of the owners of TrainToHunt.com.  I asked him  if he would be willing to answer some questions.  Dan was just a nice guy and was happy to answer my questions which you can read all about it below.

Q… So who came up with the idea of TrainToHunt?

The concept was born out of necessity.  Kenton and I (co-owners of Train To Hunt) have been hunting, training, and business partners for the last five years.  We knew hunters were getting hungry for knowledgeable coaches willing to deliver fitness programming that worked for hunters.  I’ve been writing a fitness column in Bowhunter Magazine for at least 3 years and do a fitness segment for their show Bowhunter Magazine TV on Sportsman’s Channel; TrainToHunt.com was just the next logical step.

Q… Who all is involved with Train To Hunt?

Kenton Clairmont and Dan Staton.  We also have a handful of pro-staff that train with us at our gyms and film their hunts for the website.  Our wives would probably be mad if we didn’t mention that they too are a huge help.

Q… Is there a story behind TrainToHunt, if so, can you share a little bit about it?

The story really is pretty simple.  I wrote a book with a working title called Train To Hunt.  While writing the book I brainstormed with Kenton how we might do a DVD series once the book was released.  When I finished the book and submitted it to a publishing company (it’s still under review) I realized that with the Internet and online video taking over, that my book could come to life through the Internet.  Everyone is so busy these days, that instead of just reading my book, they could benefit with online video coaching.  I knew the daunting task of making this website work alone was not realistic.  I talked to my trusted business partner Kenton and that was all she wrote.

Q… Do you feel that the today’s hunter is more adapted to accepting the need to be physically fit then let’s say 10 years ago? If so, why?

Yes!

I think my man Cameron Hanes did an outstanding job the last ten years educating hunters that training hard made hunting easier, possible more enjoyable.  Before him, Dwight Schuh was preaching physical fitness and training in the off-season for bowhunting.  The public ground hunter is facing less land to access and the competition is thick.  If you want a chance at a trophy animal, you simply have to work harder, go farther, and train in the off-season.  Most hunters have an all-or-none personality which lends itself to a larger acceptance that fitness is a must; not a should.

Q… It seems like hunters today still have a negative persona (i.e. overweight redneck)?  In some cases that is true but not every hunter fits that bill.  Do you think being fit with good healthy habits is a great way to break that persona?

Absolutely.  Whether you hunt out West in the mountains, or just hunt the flatland of the East and Midwest, fitness is required.  If you want to hang several tree-stand sets safely and efficiently, you better be fit.  Healthy habits promote longevity and all of us want to be able to hunt deep into retirement.

Q… What challenges could an average hunter expect to face when deciding to take the first step to get in shape?

Motivation and Consistency.  Motivation to train on the days where there are several obstacles.  Motivation to wake up an half-hour earlier to train instead of sleeping in.  Motivation to stick with it when the chips are down.  Consistency or continuity is the backbone of TrainToHunt.com.  Yes, you will cheat on your diet, yes, you will skip a workout, but can you jump back on the bandwagon?  Anyone can start a fitness program, only a select few will finish it.

Q… What makes Train to Hunt program different then let’s say P90X or Insanity DVD’s?  Wouldn’t those programs do basically the same type of workouts ending with the same physical results?

Absolutely not.  Those programs mentioned are made for the general public by the general public.  TrainToHunt.com is made for hunters by hunters.  I don’t know for sure, but I would highly doubt that the authors of those programs ever spent a day on the backside of a mountain with a bow in their hand trying to put a sneak on a trophy mule deer.  Or sat all day on full alert in a tree-stand in the middle of November braving the cold.  We are predators and the workouts at TrainToHunt.com are going to make you a better predator.

Q… Do you have any personal experience in the field where someone that was out of shape yet still trying to hunt big game in the mountains?  How did it turn out?  If it wasn’t pleasant, could being in shape made the trip and experience of the hunt more effective and enjoyful?

A few years back I was hunting/filming for Sportsman’s Warehouse News DVD.  They would align me with an outfitter and I would take along a cameraman.  Some of the hunts were in Wyoming backcountry, New Mexico backcountry, etc.  My guides were often out-of-shape, most of them smoked, and after a few days they would end up dropping me off and letting me loose.  This is how they made their living and I guess they weren’t used to having a young twenty year-old in camp ready to tackle any mountain or pay any price to earn a shot with stick and string.  Not all outfitters are like this, but I’ve also witnessed other hunters at camp hunt hard for about two days and retreat back to camp to recover for the rest of the trip.  My vacation hours are too precious to waste sitting in camp.  Plus, these guys paid a pretty penny only to be able to hunt half of the days they paid for.  Being in shape would have made the trip more worthwhile for everyone.

Q… What level of physical ability should someone already be at before attending Train To Hunt membership program?

That’s a common misconception that you have to “get in shape before” coming to the website; this is not the case.  Come as you are to the website.  Follow the template workout and negotiate the reps and loads that suite your ability or fitness level.  The workouts we provide do not differ by kind, they differ by degree.

Q… Dan, how many years have you been perfecting this workout?  What were some of the challenges you faced and how did you overcome the challenge?

I’ve been training since I was fourteen years old.  Fitness has always been a way of life for me.  I started out as a personal trainer right out of high school and quickly worked my way up to manager of a health club.  I put myself through undergrad and graduate school while coaching fitness.  I can say that my experience and education has evolved making TrainToHunt.com extremely cutting edge.  So to answer your question, about 16 years in the making.

As far as challenges or obstacles, they’re always there.  Consciously deciding to press on and trust your gut, knowing that your vision can and will materialize one day is what has been key for me.  We knew there was a need for physical fitness in hunting, and we knew we could do a bang up job of providing it.

Other challenges, last year I tore my ACL in my knee, I was totally devastated; I even thought I was going to miss hunting season.  After meeting with docs, surgeons, and physical therapists, I found a way to train that same leg and work through the injury.  I avoided surgery and have never been stronger.  Lots of dedicated hard work was what helped me.

Q… Is their a certain age group who you feel shouldn’t participate in your program?  I.E. Young kids, or 60 -70 yr olds…

You know, we think the program is perfect for ages 12 and older.  Regardless of age or fitness status, you can do the workouts and scale them to your individual conditioning level.  Everyday Kenton and I train athletes from ages 12 up to late sixties in our hometown where we own/operate two gyms.  We believe that training should start at a young age to build muscle memory, prevent injury, and increase self confidence.

Q… Is nutrition a big part of Train To Hunt? … why?

Yes, you can’t expect your body to have top-tier performance after you put lousy fuel in the gas tank.  You are what you eat and we preach to eat for performance.  Diets die, but if you can think in terms of performance fueling, you quickly realize just how important of a role nutrition will play in how you feel and how well you hunt.  Nutrition needs to be a lifestyle, not a quick fix.  We cover how to eat when at home, when dinning out, and what to pack into the field.  Food is medicine, and you have to know the proper dosage for each individual.

Q… It’s crazy how many people buy meal replacement bars, supplemental bars and energy drinks thinking they are doing something healthy through out the day, but when you look at the ingredients, you can clearly see how bad they really are. Why is it that we still try to take the easy path to being healthy. Do you feel these types of food/liquid intakes are good for people and if so which do you prefer and why?

If there was a pill you could take that made you fit; 90+% of folks would take it. We are lazy; inherently. Fitness and nutrition are the high road, and it sucks, but if it were easy everyone would be fit. We are battling human nature.

The only meal replacements that I intake are out of convenience. I’d rather eat a protein bar than skip a meal, or worse yet fly through the drive-thru for some lousy fast food. Planning and preparing meals is not fun, but a necessary evil when it comes to eating or fueling the body for performance. The meal replacement bar I use is Wilderness Athlete based on its ingredients and ratios of protein, carb, and fat. Look for something with a 40-30-30 split… IE 40% carbs (not from sugar), 30% protein, and 30% fat. As far as energy drinks, avoid them as much as you can.

Q… Your membership is reasonable priced but let’s say someone couldn’t afford the membership yet, for whatever reason… What could you share to help them now to prepare them to train until they can join the program?

Well, you can see the daily workout for free, no membership required.  If you can’t cough up $30 then work on creating new habits when it comes to nutrition and daily activity.  Incorporate a wide variety of exercise and do not gravitate toward the things you’re already proficient at.  If you are strong but lack endurance, run more.  Conversely, if you’re a tri-athlete stud, but can’t even do a pull-up, then dedicate more time on the strength component.  Cross-training is your ace in the hole.

Q… You have been sharing lots of training tips on different online fitness communities… What have you learned that has helped you create the best material for Trained To Hunt?

KISS – keep it simple stupid.  Folks want to know what works and how to do it.  They’re not that concerned with the physiological application and the nerdy science behind the training.  We strive to make our information applicable and user friendly.  We are always trying to evolve and stay on the cutting edge; we don’t know it all and we’re learning everyday.

Q… Summer is right around the corner and it’s going to be getting hotter… Will you be providing trainings to take advantage of the warm weather?

The beauty of triantohunt.com is that we all have a common thread, we are training for the upcoming fall hunts. We need specificity because we have a specialized goal. As the weather continues to improve, more of our training will be outside of the gym’s four walls and lean toward training with a pack on, shooting your bow after a workout, and mimicking the movements that we do in the woods or mountains; hiking, scrambling, dragging, lifting, pulling, etc.

Q… One last question… Can we eat still eat pizza : )

80/20 rule. Eat clean 6.5 days a week, reward yourself for a cheat meal on day seven…not a cheat day where you do nothing but destruction to your diet, but moderation is always the bottom line.

Q…  Dan, if someone wanted to follow you, or stay informed… What is the best way they can?

Obviously the website traintohunt.com, look me up on facebook, or drop me a line via email: traintohunt@gmail.com

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I’m glad I had a change to speak with Dan about how passionate he is with fitness and how he applies it to hunting.  He sure knows how to motivate you to get fit for the hunting season. I hope you enjoyed this interview as much as I did.

If you’re looking to be healthy and fit with tailored workouts towards hunters and are looking to join a community of others who want the same thing then you need to head over to http://traintohunt.com and join today.  It’s only $30.

I love comments so share your thoughts below.  If you’ve already joined TrainToHunt then give us your personal feeling about the program.

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