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
