Todd Bumgardner | Training Hunters Like Military Operators | Tom Rowland Podcast Ep. 510

Todd Bumgardner is a strength coach, writer, and gym owner based in Roanoke, Virginia who specializes in training everyone from tier one military operators to everyday fitness enthusiasts, focusing on functional training for outdoor pursuits including hunting. When Tom watched him pack out a massive mule deer in steep terrain, moving quietly despite carrying hundreds of pounds, he knew he'd found someone who understands what it really takes to perform in the backcountry. In this conversation, Todd reveals why hunting is ninety percent mental, how barefoot training creates stealth in the field, and why most hunters train completely wrong for the demands they'll face. If you're preparing for hunting season or any serious outdoor pursuit, this episode will change how you think about training.

Why Hunting Is Ninety Percent Mental

Most people focus exclusively on physical preparation—getting strong, building endurance, practicing their shot. But Todd drops a truth bomb early in this conversation that reframes everything: hunting is probably ninety percent mental. You can be incredibly fit and shoot a gun really well, but if your mind isn't in it, if you're not mentally tough, if you quit too easily, then all of that goes out the window. Todd trains his clients through uncomfortable situations in the gym—high intensity workouts, long duration sessions, working through genuine discomfort—because hunting is uncomfortable. You're going to be cold, wet, hungry, and tired, and if you haven't trained yourself to work through discomfort, you won't function effectively in the field. Todd explains his mental training philosophy and why it matters more than strength at 03:44.

Training Carrying Capacity the Right Way

Here's where most hunters get it wrong: they think doing squats and deadlifts in the gym will prepare them to carry heavy loads in the backcountry. Todd explains why that's not enough. You can't just go into the gym and do conventional strength exercises and expect to carry heavy loads efficiently and safely. You've got to train the specific movement patterns you're going to use in the field—loaded carries, farmer's carries, sled pushes, sled pulls. But there's another critical component most people miss entirely: training for the specific terrain you're going to encounter. If you're hunting in steep, rocky terrain, you need to train on uneven surfaces and inclines. The gym is a controlled environment, but the backcountry is not. The complete breakdown of his carrying capacity training approach starts at 04:53.

The Barefoot Training Secret to Moving Quietly

Tom watched Todd move through the backcountry carrying a massive load with almost no noise, and it wasn't an accident. Todd reveals that most people move inefficiently and create tons of noise—they bounce when they walk, land heavy, make sounds that alert everything within earshot. His solution? Barefoot training. When you're barefoot, you become much more aware of the terrain beneath your feet, and you naturally move more efficiently. But he doesn't stop there. Todd has his clients practice on different surfaces—concrete, dirt, gravel, leaves—learning how to adjust their movement based on what they're walking on. This develops proprioception, foot and ankle strength, and the neural pathways that help you move efficiently and quietly. It's a training method that sounds simple but creates profound results in the field. The full barefoot training protocol and how it translates to stealth starts at 09:36.

Visualization and the Timeline for Preparation

Todd uses visualization as one of his most powerful mental preparation tools, but not in the vague, motivational-poster way you might expect. He has his clients close their eyes and visualize themselves doing everything—heading up a mountain, glassing, stalking an animal, executing the shot, packing it out—in as much detail as possible. The goal is that when they're actually in the field, it feels like they've already done it. On the timeline front, Todd drops a hard truth: ideally, you should be training year-round for hunting season. But if you're starting from scratch, he recommends six months to get in reasonable shape, and if you want to be really well prepared, you should ramp up training eight to twelve weeks before your hunt. It's a longer preparation window than most hunters give themselves, but it's what separates the prepared from the struggling. The complete visualization technique and training timeline starts at 11:41.

Final Thoughts from Tom

When I watched Todd pack out that mule deer, I knew I was seeing something different. This wasn't just a strong guy grinding through—it was someone who had trained specifically for that exact scenario. Every step was deliberate, quiet, efficient. That pack out was the result of years of training philosophy that most hunters never even consider.

What impressed me most about this conversation is how Todd breaks down the mental component. We talk a lot about physical preparation, but the idea that hunting is ninety percent mental reframes everything. The visualization technique he uses, the uncomfortable training sessions, the emphasis on working through discomfort—that's the training that matters when you're cold, tired, and miles from the truck.

Whether you're preparing for a backcountry hunt or just want to move better in the outdoors, Todd's approach to functional training makes complete sense. Start preparing now, train for the specific demands you'll face, and build the mental toughness that keeps you going when it gets hard. This conversation is packed with practical knowledge you can apply immediately. Listen to the whole thing.