Let’s Set the Scene…

The hunt draws to a close. Hours of stalking come down to this one instant. Your breath hangs heavy in your throat, time slows in concentration… You make your move. Blasting into the open you sprint forward, tearing through the clearing, your entire awareness focused, channeled into this one moment. The deer bounds, but you are one step ahead. In an arcing slice your spear cuts through the air, piercing its thick hide. The deer falls to the earth. You kneel beside it, thanking it and carrying it back to camp.

For this wild scenario you will need two primary aspects of strength:

1. Explosive sprinting speed

2. Lifting and Carrying Strength

With these two aspects in mind and the primal image of a prehistoric deer hunt, I designed this workout.

As with all the workouts I promote here at Wild Movement, this workout is meant to be fun but challenging at the same time.

Instead of giving you a set number of reps and weights, this workout is solely based on time. The key to its effectiveness is to keep the intensity high regardless of your current fitness level.

The “Primal Hunt” Workout

Complete as many repetitions of each exercise as you can in one minute. Rest for one minute between exercises. Complete 3 cycles.

Note: If possible, all exercises should be completed outside in a natural setting. The wilder, the better.

Short Sprints - Pick a spot 50-100 meters away from you and sprint to it, jog back to where you started, repeat.

Overhead Rock Lifts - Stand beside a fairly heavy rock. Squat down keeping your back straight. Pick it up and lift it over your head. Slowly lower it back to the ground. Repeat.

Rock Carries - Run or walk while holding your rock for one minute.

Rock Squats - Hold rock close to your chest. Squat down using proper form. Repeat.

Test your Skills

It’s time to put your skills to the test. If possible, after the workout is complete, perform this “role play” and bring the workout and the strength you’ve been developing to life.

Stand 100 meters away from a rock or anything heavy. Sprint towards it (spears and Indian war cries are optional), Lift your object and carry it back to where you started.

Final Thoughts

If you live in an urban area and don’t have access to nature, or heavy rocks for that matter, work with what you do have. Sprint around a park, do pushups and air squats, crawl around on all fours, lift anything you can find, do pull-ups on a playground… It might take a little creativity, but moving naturally is possible even if you don’t live in a natural setting. The key is to perform movements that work your entire body in natural, functional ways. Be safe but have fun with it, go explore like we all did as kids!

So get outside, get moving, and bring home dinner.

Decide to better yourself, your relationships, and the planet by making a positive shift in your life today.

To your health and happiness,

Logan