IBEX Journal

Preseason Archery Workouts: Get in Shape for the Hunt

In bow hunting, weeks or months of preparation come down to a single moment. To capitalize on your opportunities, your body must be ready. Picking the right workouts can make the difference between a successful hunt and heading home empty-handed.

Athlete with kettlebell doing online fitness training program

At-Home Kettlebell Workout Program for Mountain Athletes

At first glance, you might think that training with just one kettlebell is too simplistic to generate results, but anyone who's completed the MTNTOUGH KB20 program can vouch for its effectiveness.

Mountain athlete doing strength training

military

Ace the ACFT: A Comprehensive Guide for Military Athletes

We'll guide you through the ultimate game plan for tackling the ACFT. You’ll discover the secret sauce behind the most effective exercises and find out which muscles to focus on to conquer each event like a pro.

backcountry knowledge · hunting

Guide to Hunting Boots: How to Clean and Maintain

Arguably, your boots are the most important gear you have while hunting -so if you want to keep them in top shape for seasons to come, let us show you how to clean and maintain them properly.

mental toughness · podcast

MTNTOUGH Podcast: Cody Rich Defies, "You will never walk again."

Cody Rich is a hunter, entrepreneur, and spinal injury survivor. After being told he would never walk again by several doctors following a life altering spinal injury, Cody said no, and set out to prove them wrong. Cody tells his...

Why I do MTNTOUGH: Online MTNTOUGH'er Cristine Schlandt

It’s a Wednesday afternoon and Cristine Schlandt is hefting homemade sandbags around her garage while her three little girls (ages 6, 5 and 3) keep her company, cheering her on as she works through the MTNTOUGH HP20 Heavy Pack Program....

backcountry knowledge · hunting

Breaking in Hunting Boots Quickly: 3 Stages

Getting a new pair of hunting boots is like throwing a new set of tires on your off-road adventure. It adds a level of confidence to your next trip, that is unless you fail to break them in ahead of time.

Why I do MTNTOUGH: Online MTNTOUGH'er Cody Peterson

Brisk mountain air fills Cody Peterson’s lungs as he scans the timber for elk. It’s his sixth bow season and he’s anxious to fill his limited entry tag after eating tag soup over the last few years. Bow in hand,...

backcountry knowledge · fitness · hunting

How Do You Increase Draw Strength?

Whether you're looking for the foundations of draw strength or a simple refresher, this guide will lead you to improved accuracy and range for your next outing.

Why I do MTNTOUGH: Online MTNTOUGH'er Ryan Pote

The acrid scent of fuel and whirl of helicopter blades on a hot summer day propels Ryan Pote back in time: it’s 2013 and he’s successfully completed his mission off the coast of El Salvador. Working as part of an...

mental toughness

The Many Mental Benefits of Backcountry Hunting

If you've ever hunted the backcountry you know it's multifaceted and at a bare minimum, the trophies are as much mental as they are physical.

mental toughness

MTNTOUGH Mindset: A Guide to Building Mental Toughness

Mental toughness is easily the most overlooked trait of people who've "made it." If you aren't sure how to spot the signs or increase yours, you will by the end of this guide.

mental toughness

2 Myths and 1 Fact About Mental Toughness

While we all have some idea of what mental toughness means, research in the past decade may just challenge your assumptions, if they look anything like this

fitness

5 of the Best Leg Exercises for Hunting Season

Leg muscles do the bulk of the work when you’re hunting, and you need to make sure they’re ready for whatever lies ahead. Here are 5 of the best to help you get anywhere you need to go.

How Do You Build Endurance for Hunting?

Hunting in the backcountry requires a special kind of endurance. You need to be able to hike for miles with a heavy pack, climb steep terrain, and still stay mentally focused even when the going gets tough. But how do...

form

Deficit Reverse Lunge: Try This in Place of Step-Ups

In today's video, we sat down with MTNTOUGH Coach Jimmy Alsobrook to discuss a new groundbreaking lunge for the mountain athlete and backcountry hunter.

fitness

Hunting Fitness: In-Season Performance Starts Off-Season

If you’re the type of hunter who hikes where others won’t, starting your training a few weeks before the season isn’t just a disservice; it’s dangerous. Build your hunting fitness all year, here's how:

How Do You Stay in Shape for Hunting Year-Round?

Hunting season may only last a few months, but staying in shape for hunting is a year-round commitment. The answer is bigger than consistency too. So how do you stay in shape for hunting all year then?

Why I do MTNTOUGH: Online MTNTOUGH'er David Lindley

The pack out’s heavy, but worth it, a smile stretching across David Lindley’s face during the hike back to the truck after a multi-day backcountry adventure that ended in the successful harvest of a Rocky Mountain cow elk. A natural...

backcountry knowledge

What Are the 5 Survival Skills? Survival Essentials to Master

If you had to survive the backcountry without most of your gear, could you make it? If that gets your heart pumping faster, make sure you know the 5 essential survival skills.

fitness

What Cardio Workout is Best for Western Hunting?

We'd argue the work to punch your tag makes it all the sweeter. But this is nearly impossible without peak strength, mental toughness, and a heavy dose of endurance.

Hunting Fitness: When Should You Get in Shape for a Hunt?

If you've ever hunted the backcountry, you know it's not for the faint of heart. With the extreme physical challenge it brings, how many weeks does your body need to train for it?

backcountry knowledge

Spike Camp: The Key To Backcountry Versatility

After a long day in the backcountry, the last thing you want to do is turn back to a base camp that erases all the day's progress. That's where a spike camp comes in.

nutrition · podcast

Eric McCormack on Fitness Nutrition

Eric McCormack is a retired police officer and trainer with a client list of heavy hitters such as Rihana Cary, Mark Scott, Lori Winberg and Cam Hanes. We invited Eric and some of the MTNOPS crew up for a day...

minimal gear

Minimal Gear Daily Workouts - The Most Convenient Way to Get Mountain Ready

We are bringing these workouts from the MTNTOUGH whiteboard straight to your house. There's a new workout every single weekday. No overthinking it. Just jump in and get moving. Each workout is 30-40 minutes and designed to perform daily Monday...

mental toughness · podcast

Brian Barney on Epic Hunts, and the Requirement of Mental Toughness

Brian Barney is an Eastmans Bowhunting Journal staff writer, host of the Eastmans Elevated Podcast, business owner and a lifelong adventure bowhunter. We invited Brian over to the Lab for a workout, and to sit down for a conversation. In this podcast,...

getting started

A Guide to MTNTOUGH Programs: Where to Start, Where to Go Next.

We get asked a lot, which program should I start with? or which one should I do next? With hundreds of workouts in the app across a dozen plus mountain specific programs, figuring out your first workout from so many choices...

Mountain Training: A Beginner's Guide For The Gym

fitness

MTNTOUGH PRESENTS

IBEX Journal RSS

Preseason Archery Workouts: Get in Shape for the Hunt

At-Home Kettlebell Workout Program for Mountain Athletes

Ace the ACFT: A Comprehensive Guide for Military Athletes

Guide to Hunting Boots: How to Clean and Maintain

MTNTOUGH Podcast: Cody Rich Defies, "You will never walk again."

Why I do MTNTOUGH: Online MTNTOUGH'er Cristine Schlandt

Breaking in Hunting Boots Quickly: 3 Stages

Why I do MTNTOUGH: Online MTNTOUGH'er Cody Peterson

How Do You Increase Draw Strength?

Why I do MTNTOUGH: Online MTNTOUGH'er Ryan Pote

The Many Mental Benefits of Backcountry Hunting

MTNTOUGH Mindset: A Guide to Building Mental Toughness

2 Myths and 1 Fact About Mental Toughness

5 of the Best Leg Exercises for Hunting Season

How Do You Build Endurance for Hunting?

Deficit Reverse Lunge: Try This in Place of Step-Ups

Hunting Fitness: In-Season Performance Starts Off-Season

How Do You Stay in Shape for Hunting Year-Round?

Why I do MTNTOUGH: Online MTNTOUGH'er David Lindley

What Are the 5 Survival Skills? Survival Essentials to Master

What Cardio Workout is Best for Western Hunting?

Hunting Fitness: When Should You Get in Shape for a Hunt?

Spike Camp: The Key To Backcountry Versatility

Eric McCormack on Fitness Nutrition

Minimal Gear Daily Workouts - The Most Convenient Way to Get Mountain Ready

Brian Barney on Epic Hunts, and the Requirement of Mental Toughness

A Guide to MTNTOUGH Programs: Where to Start, Where to Go Next.

Mountain Training: A Beginner's Guide For The Gym

Jimmy's 2 Favorite Postseason Strength Workouts

MTNTOUGH Crew: 2022 Hunting Stories