DOWNLOAD THE FREE 4-MONTH TRAINING PLAN PDF:

👉 https://www.mindfulhunter.com/tools

🎁 THE ULTIMATE GUIDED HUNT GIVEAWAY: Every $5 spent at Forged in the Backcountry (including the new camo Forged Base Boxers) earns one entry to win an all-expenses-paid custom guided hunt with Mindful Hunter Outfitting. You pick the hunt: BC Black Bear or Mule Deer, Alberta Archery Mule Deer, or Rifle Coues Deer in Mexico. 👉 https://forgedinthebackcountry.com/

The truth about backcountry hunting fitness. If you are doing CrossFit, high-intensity intervals, or heavy lifting to get ready for the mountains, you might actually be hurting your performance. In this video, I break down the 10 core principles of mountain endurance, heavily inspired by the groundbreaking book Training for the Uphill Athlete.

Learn why cardiovascular capacity isn't the real goal, why you need to build a fat-burning aerobic engine, and why "Zone 2" is the secret to endless energy in the backcountry. Whether you're training for an elk hunt, a sheep hunt, or just want to carry a heavy pack without gassing out, this is the exact system I use to spend 140 days a year in the field at 47 years old.

What we cover in this video:

If you want to arrive at the trailhead fresh, durable, and capable without paying for a monthly fitness subscription—this video is for you.

Chapters:

00:00 - Why Most Hunting Fitness Programs Are Flawed

01:01 - The Book That Changed My Endurance Training

02:40 - Principle 1: Endurance is a Metabolic Problem

06:50 - Principle 2: Zone 2 is the Foundation

09:01 - Principle 3: Specificity is King (The SAID Principle)

10:25 - Principle 4: Muscular Endurance is the Secret Weapon

11:44 - Principle 5: Continuity and Gradualness

12:33 - Principle 6: Periodize Your Training Year

13:30 - Principle 7: Separate Aerobic and Anaerobic Work

16:01 - Principle 8: Respect Global Fatigue Cost

17:25 - Principle 9: Avoid the Gym Bro Trap

19:11 - Principle 10: Train to Hunt, Don't Hunt to Train

21:15 - How Fatigue Destroys Your Marksmanship Accuracy

23:15 - Free 4-Month Backcountry Training Plan Breakdown

26:33 - No Mountains? The Best Cardio Machines for Hunters

Reels

5:00 – condense video and frustrated with other programs

Jake Downs

https://www.instagram.com/jake_d_downs/

Jay Nichol

[email protected]

https://www.mindful-reviews.com/

https://www.mindfulhunter.com/

Forged In The Backcountry

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No purchase required.  Contest begins on May 17, 2026, at 12:01 a.m. PST and ends on July 17, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. PST.  There is a total of 1 prize available to be won consisting of: (i) A custom guided hunt with Mindful Hunter Outfitting including travel and tip (APR) $$10,000.00 CAD); Skill testing question required.  Open only to legal residents of the 50 United States, The District of Columbia, Canada (excluding Quebec), United Kingdom, New Zealand, Finland, France and Switzerland. Odds of winning depend on number of eligible entries received before contest closes.  No limit on entries. For full rules and entry details visit: https://forgedinthebackcountry.com/blogs/resources/the-ultimate-custom-guided-hunt-giveaway-open-until-july-17-2026