Whether you're months away from opening day or just finished packing out your last animal of the season, your training doesn’t stop—and neither should your gear. At ONUS Training, our modular weight system is built to help you train smarter year-round. How you load and use your ONUS bag can make a big difference depending on your goals.
Here’s how to customize your training bag to build strength, improve endurance, or sharpen tactical movement—before and after the hunting season.
Strength Training: Build Power for the Pack-Out
Goal: Improve raw strength for uphill climbs, heavy pack-outs, and full-body control under load.
How to Load:
- Go heavy: Load your ONUS bag with near-max weight capacity using pea-gravel, sand or another dense filler material. Start with a difficult but manageable weight, such as 50–80 lbs, depending on your current level.
- Focus on form: Do short-distance, high-effort rucks. Think steep hills, stairs, or sled drags with your bag on your back or shoulders. Feel free to experiment with utilizing the training bag in and out of your pack during workouts.
- Add compound movements: Include squats, lunges, and deadlifts using the loaded bag as resistance. (Just be sure not to lift or throw your bag by the buckle and strap)
- Use intervals: 3–5 sets of 20–30 yards or 30-second bursts. Long rest periods between sets.
Pro Tip: This phase is ideal for the off-season, when you're laying the foundation for a more durable frame.
Endurance Training: Stay Strong for the Long Haul
Goal: Build cardio, lung capacity, and muscle endurance for multi-day hunts or long stalks.
How to Load:
- Moderate weight: Load your ONUS bag with 25–45 lbs to simulate your actual hunting pack.
- Ruck for distance: Hike or ruck 2–6 miles at a steady pace, aiming for time under tension rather than max effort.
- Mix terrain: Hit uneven trails, elevation gains, and variable weather to mimic hunting conditions.
- Track pace and HR: Keep your heart rate in Zone 2 (60–70% of max) to train aerobic efficiency.
Pro Tip: Start this phase 8–12 weeks before your hunt to develop real-world stamina and minimize injury risk in the field.
Tactical & Functional Training: Move Like You Hunt
Goal: Train movement patterns that mirror real hunting situations—crawls, climbs, and quick transitions.
How to Load:
- Light to moderate weight: Keep your ONUS bag between 15–30 lbs for agility and speed.
- Add dynamic drills: Practice get-ups, bag carries, lateral bounds, and duck walks with the bag.
- Incorporate cover-to-cover drills: Practice moving from kneel to sprint, or prone to crouch, while wearing the pack.
- Simulate stress: Do circuits that elevate your heart rate, then immediately practice fine-motor tasks like shouldering a rifle, drawing your bow, or glassing.
Pro Tip: This training style works well just before and during hunting season, keeping your body adaptable without over-fatiguing.
Why It Matters
Training is only effective if it reflects your real-world goals. Whether you're hauling out a backcountry bull or covering miles of open terrain, your success depends on being prepared, conditioned, and capable under load.
The ONUS Training System is designed to adapt—just like you. By loading your bag with purpose, you make every workout a step closer to your next successful hunt.
Ready to Get After It?
Grab your ONUS bag, set your goal, and train like it matters—because it does.