Wilderness Fitness Podcast with Dr. Rob Minturn PT, CSCS

By Dr. Rob Minturn PT, CSCSHealth & Fitness Fitness

Wilderness Fitness Podcast with Dr. Rob Minturn PT, CSCS episodes

October 12Ep 83: Focusing on Your Post-Season Training
Dr. Rob returns to the mic after a summer of hunts, trips, and time with clients. He shares how mountain hunters can use the offseason, the stretch between the end of hunting season and the start of preseason training, to feel strong and ready for next fall. His framework is simple: during the postseason, aim to recover and build. These two goals can work side by side.
Part 1: Recover
Physically
Rehab: The offseason is a great time to address anything you've been working around, whether it's a recent tweak from the season or something you've carried for years. Dr. Rob encourages finding a therapist who partners with you, even if past rehab didn't give you the results you hoped for.
Sleep: After a season of early mornings and short nights, he encourages listening to your body. Sleeping in for another cycle can be a smart choice, and one missed workout fits easily into a strong year.
Return to training gently: Aim to finish each workout feeling like you could do it again. You can always add challenge as you feel ready.
Cross-train: Keep your heart and tissues active with something different from your preseason routine.
Mentally
Seasonality: A structured plan with times to push and times to maintain gives your mind a break and makes returning to structure easier.
Enjoy the holidays: Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's can be intentional, planned breaks. Enjoy the candy, stuffing, and cookies, then return to your routine the next day. Planning ahead keeps indulgences from sneaking up on you.
Part 2: Build
Aerobic base: With your next hunt months away, the pressure is low, which makes it a great time for steady, easy aerobic work. Dr. Rob compares each session to depositing a check in your bank account.
Winter cross-training: Jogging, snowshoeing, ice skating, and cross-country skiing all fit. Cross-country skiing is his top recommendation, since it works the upper and lower body together. Getting outside also brings daylight and fresh air in the winter months.
For runners: Many people keep about 50-60% of their preseason running volume to hold their adaptations while giving their bodies a break from heavier mileage.
New skills and movements: Use this window to work on mobility in the spine, shoulders, and hips for movements like the overhead squat and the quiet crawl on a stalk. He highlights Pilates and yoga as underused tools in the hunting community that complement weight training and aerobic work.
Closing Thoughts
Postseason training can look different from preseason training, and that's by design.
Taking the whole offseason completely off can make spring feel harder, so staying active in some form helps.
Explore new hobbies, winter league sports, or activities you loved as a kid for a mental and physical change of pace.
Announcements
Free potluck and seminar, Palmer, AK: Friday, October 16 at Health Lab Physical Therapy and Fitness. Doors open at 7, seminars at 7:30. Bring a dish to pass. Dr. Rob will present on postseason training, with two guests from the Alaska Department of Fish and Game discussing the TAG allocation process (deadline December 10). HERE
Free seminar, Durand, WI: Tuesday, November 3 at 7:00 PM at Durand Fitness Center, on preparing for a Western hunt. Reach out to Dr. Rob to register. HERE
In-person PT: A few openings remain at Health Lab for October and November, for Mat-Su Valley and Anchorage-area clients. HERE
Online coaching: Enrollment is paused while the program is updated based on client feedback, with a planned relaunch around mid-November. Book a call to join the list, and use the questionnaire in the fitness camp to prepare. HERE
Western Hunting Fitness Camp: A free community with lots of resources. Join with your name, email, and the states and species you plan to hunt. HERE
28 min
June 18 Ep 82: What To Do Immediately After An Injury
Pain flared up after training, hiking, hunting, or everyday life? Before you panic, take a step back and assess the situation.
In this episode, I discuss the three key steps to recovering from a setback: understanding what may have triggered your symptoms, knowing what to expect during the healing process, and progressively rebuilding tissue capacity.
I cover the stages of inflammation, when to modify activity, when to reintroduce exercise, and how to safely progress loading so you can get back to doing what you love with confidence.
Reserve Your Webinar Spot HERE
Health Lab HERE
Join the WiFI Physio Fitness Camp HERE for a TON of free resources including rehab/prehab programs, a 5 week workout block and other hunting fitness guides
Check out the website for more information about what I do HERE
Follow along on Facebook HERE and Instagram HERE
If you’re interested in working together, you can start by answering a few questions HERE to help guide our initial call to see if we’re a right fit for each other.
16 min
June 13 Ep 81: What's the Scoop with Caffeine?
Dr. Rob Minturn hosted another episode of the Wilderness Fitness Podcast, focusing on the effects of caffeine on hunters and mountain athletes. He discussed nine key research findings about caffeine, covering topics including aerobic exercise performance, resistance training benefits, hydration, sleep effects, and mountain-specific considerations. The podcast covered how caffeine can enhance low to moderate intensity aerobic exercise, improve barbell velocity during resistance training, and potentially benefit heart health when consumed in the morning. Dr. Minturn emphasized the importance of proper timing and dosage, warning that caffeine can disrupt sleep architecture and contribute to bladder irritation, particularly when consumed later in the day. He concluded by advising listeners to be mindful of caffeine dose and timing, especially during mountain hunts where sleep quality is crucial for recovery.

Join the Western Hunt Fitness Camp HERE for a TON of free resources including rehab/prehab programs, a 5 week workout block and other hunting fitness guides
Check out the website for more information about what I do HERE
Follow along on Facebook HERE and Instagram HERE
If you’re interested in working together, you can start by answering a few questions HERE to help guide our initial call to see if we’re a right fit for each other.
LINKS
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8929583/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41206802/
https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/coffee-day-keep-afib-away-decaf-trial-discussed-2025a1000v5z?form=fpf
https://journals.lww.com/nsca-jscr/abstract/2025/12000/effects_of_caffeine_supplementation_on.9.aspx
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39776171/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39888446/
23 min
May 08 Ep: 80 Tactile Performance with Dr. Tommy Miller PT
Tommy and I sat down for what I figured was going to be a 45 minute podcast about his experience working with tactile athletes.
I wanted to gain insight, and ultimately give you as a listener, insight as to what rehab looks like with a physical therapist who specializes in working with police/fire.
The demand of the tactile athlete, is very similar to the demands placed on our bodies when we're hunting in the mountains.
Tommy and I talk rehab, strength and conditioning, nutrition, sleep, and stress management; and how they can impact performance in the field/streets.
Enjoy!
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Join the WiFI Physio Fitness Camp HERE for a TON of free resources including rehab/prehab programs, a 5 week workout block and other hunting fitness guides
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Check out the website for more information about what I do HERE
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Follow along on Facebook HERE and Instagram HERE
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If you’re interested in working together, you can start by answering a few questions HERE to help guide our initial call to see if we’re a right fit for each other.
1 hr 50 min
April 30Ep 79: Is My Home Exercise Program Lifelong?
In this episode of the Wilderness Fitness Podcast, Dr. Rob addressed the common question from patients about whether they need to continue their exercise program for life after physical therapy.
He explained while exercise should be a lifelong habit, the specific exercise routine should change regularly to prevent adaptation and maintain progress.
Dr. Rob outlined three key principles that made physical therapy effective: specific movement selection, progressive overload, and variation in training parameters.
He emphasized that continuing the same exercise program long-term would lead to deconditioning and potential symptom flare-ups, advocating instead for systematic changes to exercise routines.
The episode concluded with updates about an upcoming seminar at Grizzly Family Fitness and information about the program for helping people transition from rehabilitation to performance training.
Join the WiFI Physio Fitness Camp HERE for a TON of free resources including rehab/prehab programs, a 5 week workout block and other hunting fitness guides
Check out the website for more information about what I do HERE
Follow along on Facebook HERE and Instagram HERE
If you’re interested in working together, you can start by answering a few questions HERE to help guide our initial call to see if we’re a right fit for each other.
18 min
April 23 Ep 78: Home Gyms Under 1K w/ Justin Burkett PTA
In this podcast, Dr. Rob sits down with long time friend, physical therapist assistant and former CrossFit coach, Justin Burkett.

Justin and Dr. Rob weigh in on the best pieces of equipment to purchase when ballin' on a budget. Both points of view are unique, and easily justifiable when it comes to mountain preparedness. Preparing for an elk, sheep, goat, or high country mule deer hunt isn't easy, and sometimes the gear heavy hunts require a bit of a budget elsewhere. So, that's what we talk about in today's episode. Enjoy!

I'm aware I said I'd attach links in the episode, and they are nowhere to be found. If you have questions about the particular pieces of equipment just used, shoot me an email and we'll somehow get you the links.

Join the WiFI Physio Fitness Camp HERE for a TON of free resources including rehab/prehab programs, a 5 week workout block and other hunting fitness guides
Check out the website for more information about what I do HERE
Follow along on Facebook HERE and Instagram HERE
If you’re interested in working together, you can start by answering a few questions HERE to help guide our initial call to see if we’re a right fit for each other.
41 min
April 15 Ep 77: Ditch Weight Loss Goals
Dr. Rob Minturn hosted a podcast discussing why weight loss should not be the primary focus of exercise programs, particularly for mountain athletes and hunters. He explained that while weight loss is important for performance and health, training specifically for weight loss can bias exercise selection toward high-intensity activities like Zone 4 and 5 workouts, which may not be optimal for sport-specific performance. Rob emphasized that mountain athletes should focus on training for their specific sport rather than weight loss, allowing performance improvements to naturally lead to weight reduction as a byproduct. He also discussed how program variety and focusing on function rather than numbers on a scale are important considerations when designing fitness programs.
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Join the WiFI Physio Fitness Camp HERE for a TON of free resources including rehab/prehab programs, a 5 week workout block and other hunting fitness guides
*****************************************************************
Check out the website for more information about what I do HERE
Follow along on Facebook HERE and Instagram HERE
If you’re interested in working together, you can start by answering a few questions HERE to help guide our initial call to see if we’re a right fit for each other.
25 min
April 09 Ep 76: Faith, Mental Health, Fitness, & Women's Retreats with Courtney Prete of HOJ
Join the WiFI Physio Fitness Camp HERE for a TON of free mini workouts and hunting season prep tips
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In this episode, I sit down with Courtney Prete for a powerful and honest conversation that weaves together fitness, mental health, faith, and the impact of women-centered retreats.
We kick things off by exploring Courtney’s journey into fitness and how physical training became a foundation for resilience and personal growth.
From there, we dive into the connection between fitness and mental health, unpacking how movement can be a catalyst for clarity, confidence, and emotional stability.
Courtney shares openly about her faith and how it shapes her approach to both life and wellness. We discuss how grounding yourself in something bigger can provide direction, especially during challenging seasons.
A major focus of the episode is the power of women’s retreats—creating space for connection, vulnerability, and growth. Courtney breaks down why these environments are so impactful, how they foster community, and why stepping away from daily life can be transformative.
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HOJ Website HERE
HOJ Instagram Page HERE
HOJ Facebook Page HERE
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Check out the website for more information about what I do HERE
Follow along on Facebook HERE and Instagram HERE
If you’re interested in working together, you can start by answering a few questions HERE to help guide our initial call to see if we’re a right fit for each other.
36 min
April 02Ep 75: Stop Letting It Heal
Join the WiFI Physio Fitness Camp HERE for a TON of free mini workouts and hunting season prep tips
In this episode, Dr. Rob breaks down a counterintuitive concept in injury recovery: the idea of “letting things heal” passively. Instead, he explains how strategic, progressive loading is essential for proper tissue adaptation, strength development, and long-term resilience.
What You’ll Learn:
Why completely resting an injury can actually slow recovery
The role of controlled loading in rebuilding stronger, more capable tissue
How inflammation and tissue damage are part of the healing and adaptation process
The balance between respecting healing timelines and avoiding excessive inactivity
Special Focus: Postpartum Pelvic Floor Rehab
What can and should be addressed during early recovery:
Monitoring vitals
Supporting mental health
Optimizing nutrition
Improving lifting mechanics
Practicing effective breath work
Special Focus: Orthopedic Rehab
Non-operative and post-operative recovery:
Tissue healing
Blood flow
Progressive loading
Key Takeaway:
Your recovery is only as good as your overall health. Fitness level, lifestyle habits, and daily behaviors all play a major role in how well—and how quickly—you bounce back. Staying proactive, even during injury, is the difference between simply healing and coming back stronger.
Bottom Line:
Stop letting "it" heal...facilitate the hell out of healing.
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Check out the website for more information about what I do HERE
Follow along on Facebook HERE and Instagram HERE
If you’re interested in working together, you can start by answering a few questions HERE to help guide our initial call to see if we’re a right fit for each other.
17 min
March 26 Ep 74: The Feeling of Regret is Worse w/ Corey Hiben
Check out the website for links to the podcast, social media, and the WiFI Physio Fitness Camp HERE
Corey and I met through a mutual physical therapy friend who utilized Corey for his web design services. Corey ended up designing my new website.
Through working with him, I discovered he has made some very incredible life changes.
Corey doesn't hunt, although he's dabbled in the idea. Corey is a guest on the podcast because he utilized food and exercise as a way to improve his mental and physical well-being.
Corey now focuses on helping chiropractors grow, and scale, their businesses.
You can find more information about Corey at his website HERE
48 min

About Wilderness Fitness Podcast with Dr. Rob Minturn PT, CSCS

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This podcast will be packed with information to better serve your own wellness and enhance your wilderness experience. The show will be a combination of solo and guest sessions covering topics such…

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Wilderness Fitness Podcast with Dr. Rob Minturn PT, CSCS

Wilderness Fitness Podcast with Dr. Rob Minturn PT, CSCS episodes

About Wilderness Fitness Podcast with Dr. Rob Minturn PT, CSCS