21 DAYS TO ELK SHAPE
You have procrastinated long enough, and now you’re quickly realizing there’s a small window of time to prepare for your fall hunt. This program is written for a would-be archery elk hunter, but can be tweaked to suit any big game hunter wanting to drive home results. This program is no nonsense and fast paced to have you as ready as possible in a short amount of time. In addition, this is a great test for any athlete that wants to put their toe into the ElkShape methodology to see if THEY dig this approach to well rounded mountain fitness.
Expect to be sore and fatigued, but demand to achieve your best. Mindset is simple, warpath mode. You are going to make sacrifices and plan time for these critical workouts and training practices. Weakness will not whisper in your ear for the next 21 days because you will not allow it. Your vote is the only one that counts, and starting today, you are building a winning mindset. You’re going to hunt strong and confidently, and these next 21 days are going to bolster your belief in yourself!
ABOUT ELKSHAPE
My name is Dan and I have two passions that collide right here; elk hunting and fitness. I have worked in the fitness industry for 20 years and I have an extensive background in human physiology. I have completed undergraduate and graduate work in exercise sciences, specifically a Master’s degree in Human Performance.
Owning my own gym for over 10 years I’ve coached literally thousands of athletes ranging from youth, professional, military, and senior citizens. When I am not coaching or training, I am shooting my bow, scouting, or hunting. I have hunted elk for 15+ years and have harvested close to 30 bulls. I know what it takes to be successful and this program will only improve your experience in the mountains, thank you for investing in me and yourself. Learn more about ELKSHAPE.
Before we dive into the Week One Day One test workout, I wanted to bring up a couple of things that could help you achieve success over the coming weeks.
CARVE OUT THE TIME
Make time by putting your workouts on the calendar and planning life around your training. I encourage athletes to train early mornings simply because nothing can come up or get in the way of your session besides you hitting the snooze button. Either you discipline yourself or the mountain does. Go to bed earlier and wake up earlier. Spend 1 hour a day training in the name of better elk hunting.
YOU CAN’T OUT TRAIN A BAD DIET
If you’re serious, then you already know that proper intake is the cornerstone to meeting your objective. If you have extra fat to lose, then get going now or end up packing useless weight around the mountains. The reality is that you cannot outwork poor food intake. Food is a drug, it is medicine. You need to put in the proper dose at the correct time for it to do its job. Eat to live, do not live to eat. Try one of our nutrition programs if you are not sure where to start. I will leave you with these three simple concepts to consider:
- Eat Whole Foods If you cannot pick it off a tree or dig it out of the ground, chances are, it is not a whole food. You should be able to fish it out of a stream or hunt it down. When it comes to the grocery store your selection is in the perimeter of the store, stay out of the middle isles. If it comes in a cardboard box or has a nutrition label it is not whole foods. Eat meats, vegetables, nuts, seeds, fruit, little starch, and no sugar.
- Do not eat too much. Don’t go for seconds, eat your meal and be satisfied. Well-balanced meals have favorable percentages of macronutrients that help you feel full faster. Every food encounter should have a lean protein source, a fabulous fat source, and a clean carbohydrate that is void of processed sugars or enriched flour. The more colorful your plate the better. We say eat a rainbow a day.
- The majority of your food intake should be plant-based. So am I saying be a vegetarian? Check my resume, obviously not, but the majority of your fats should come from nuts and seeds, and the majority of your carbohydrates should come from fruits and vegetables.
TRY THIS WORKOUT FIRST
WEEK ONE DAY ONE
Everyone starts at a different level. You have the green light to scale up or down, this is simply a template for you to tweak. Just like everyone’s bow set-up is unique to them, so is this program. You can scale many ways by adjusting the load, the height, the distance, and the time domain. Just like you will never find two people using the same backcountry backpack setup, no two athletes’ programs will look alike.
The unique component of this program is that it has video links to support all the content. I am not a coach that sort of hunts once in a while or dabbles into backcountry hunting. This is what I do, this is how you do it. Go!
Before you get started, let’s make sure to get a good warm-up in. Check out my recommended warmup that I do before EVERY workout.
WORKOUT #1 – THE TEST
- 0:00 – 10:00 AMRAP step-ups (alternating legs). No pack, 24” Box.
- 10:00 – 12:00 2 minute AMRAP push-ups
- 12:00 – 14:00 2 minute AMRAP burpees
- 14:00 – 19:00 REST 5 minutes
- 19:00 – 24:00 AMRAP sit-up step-up (no weight use your hands).
- 24:00 – 26:00 2 minute AMRAP air squats
- 26:00 – 28:00 2 minute AMRAP pull-ups or ring rows
AMRAP = As Many Rounds/Reps As Possible
READY FOR MORE?
Purchase the complete “21 DAYS TO ELK SHAPE” program over at my website – elkshape.com. The program is only $39.99 and will kick your butt and get you more prepared for Elk season.
LET’S GET AFTER IT
There are no shortcuts in fitness and hunting. Choose the difficult road, the one that is uphill and challenging. Real value comes from avoiding seductive low roads and grinding everyday towards your big goal. Remember, what lasts won’t come easy. What comes easy won’t last. Use this program as a catalyst to a year-round approach to fitness and honing in your greatest weapons; your mind and body. Thank you for investing in us, now go to the mountains and manufacture some luck.
Be sure to let me know how the training and hunting go, I’ll be anxious to hear. Follow me over on Instagram at @elkshape
