#93 | Faith, Fitness & the Backcountry | Rich Froning

In this episode of the Eastmans' Journal Podcast, host Ike Eastman sits down with four-time CrossFit Games champion Rich Froning at the Western Hunt Expo to talk about the crossover between elite fitness and Western hunting. Rich shares how his competitive CrossFit background eventually led him deeper into hunting and how that journey inspired the creation of Mayhem Hunt, a fitness program designed specifically for hunters who want to be physically prepared for the mountains. The conversation dives into training for backcountry hunts, why hunters should treat the mountains like competition, and how simple workouts can make packing an animal out far more manageable. Beyond fitness, Ike and Rich swap hunting stories from recent seasons, including elk hunts across Idaho, Wyoming, and Colorado, lessons learned from tough archery encounters, and the brotherhood that comes from time spent in hunting camp. Rich also opens up about faith, family, and raising kids in the hunting lifestyle—from cooking a fresh heart after a harvest to getting children comfortable behind the trigger. This episode is a mix of mountain hunting, mindset, fatherhood, and the drive to keep pursuing hard things—whether that's chasing elk in September or training for the next challenge ahead. 👉 Watch all of the EHJ Podcast episodes: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL3oV1kEbu74HrR_GEK5VL9pCc6dME5py_ 👉 Eastmans Journal Podcast Sponsors: Browning: https://bit.ly/Browning-Eastmans  Eberlestock: https://bit.ly/Eberlestock-Eastmans  Stealth Cam: https://bit.ly/StealthCam-Eastmans  Hornady: https://bit.ly/Hornady-Eastmans  Leupold: https://bit.ly/Leupold-Eastmans  Precision Pay: https://bit.ly/PrecisionPay-Eastmans