Simulate Real Hunt Stress: CNS Training + Shooting Drill for Hunters
Jul 31, 2025
By MTN OPS TEAM
Presented by MTN OPS x MeatEater
Imagine your target steps out in front of you. Your heart rate spikes. Muscles are already burning. Nerves are setting in. You’ve got a split second to steady yourself and make the shot. Can you stay calm?
That moment isn’t won just by practicing at the range—it’s built under load, under stress, under fatigue. And that’s exactly what we’re simulating in this week’s Fitness Friday with Rich Froning.
Welcome to a new layer of training: CNS (Central Nervous System) Fatigue + Precision Shooting.
Why CNS Fatigue?
In the real world, the shot often comes after effort. After climbing. After dragging. After packing. Your CNS is already taxed, your body’s response times are altered, fine motor skills are compromised, and your breath control is anything but steady.
So, we create that in the gym.
Lifting heavy, especially big compound lifts like the deadlift, lights up your CNS. Combine that with a tight rest window and a shot under pressure, and you start to simulate the physiological chaos of a real hunting scenario.
The Protocol
6 Sets – Start a new set every 90 seconds
- 3 Deadlifts @ 80% of your 1-rep max
- 1 Arrow from 20–40 yards
Choose a weight that challenges you, but still allows for proper form. The goal here isn’t to max out, it’s to apply a consistent sub-max load that forces your nervous system to work hard, then immediately shift gears to execute a clean, accurate shot.
Your rest period is short. Your body will feel scrambled. That’s exactly what we want.
Why It Works
We’re not just building strength, we’re building adaptability. When you train to shoot after taxing your nervous system, you sharpen your ability to regulate stress, find your breath, and settle into a moment that demands precision.
It’s one thing to hit your mark in perfect conditions. It’s another thing entirely to do it when your hands are shaking and your heart is racing.
This method forces your body and brain to work together under pressure, just like they will when it counts.
Safety First
Whether you’re using a bow or rifle, make sure you’re training in a safe, controlled environment. Always check your background, follow proper shooting protocols, and don’t sacrifice safety for intensity.
Up Next
In the coming weeks, we’ll continue stacking stressors and exploring different ways to mimic real-world fatigue so you’re better prepared when the moment comes. From metabolic conditioning to stability work and terrain simulation, we’ve got more in the pipeline.
Stay tuned. Stay sharp.
And remember, calm is a skill. You just have to train it.
