Heart Rate, VO2 Max, and Hunt Readiness with MTNtough

Heart Rate, VO2 Max, and Hunt Readiness with MTNtough

From The Rich Outdoors by Cody Rich

February 5, 2026 · 54 min

About this episode

Cody Rich discusses health metrics and fitness for backcountry hunters with Jason and Nick from MTN Tough Fitness.

EP 676 Heart Rate, VO2 Max, and Hunt Readiness with MTNtough What’s up! This week on the Rich Outdoors Podcast, I’m sitting down with Jason and Nick from MTN Tough Fitness to talk about something we’ve been geeking out on for a while—health metrics, performance tracking, and what “hunt readiness” actually means for backcountry hunters. As we’re building the Bridger Watch (yeah, the smartwatch for hunters), we’ve been having deep conversations with the MTN Tough crew about what metrics actually matter when you’re training for elk season. Because here’s the thing: most fitness wearables are built for runners, cyclists, and gym rats—not for hunters humping 60 pounds on their back through deadfall at 9,000 feet. Nick is a MTN Tough coach and physical therapist who programs their daily workouts, and Jason is one of their athletes who’s joining the Bridger team. These guys know what it takes to train for the mountains, and more importantly, they understand the difference between sustained Zone 2 cardio and getting absolutely crushed by a 42-minute Mountain Tough workout that leaves you laying on the floor. We dive into what a…

People in this episode

Host: Cody Rich

Guests: Jason, Nick

Topics covered

  • health metrics
  • performance tracking
  • hunt readiness
  • fitness for hunters
  • mental fitness

Keywords

  • heart rate
  • VO2 max
  • hunt readiness
  • fitness wearables
  • rucking strain

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: MTN Tough Fitness

Products: Bridger Watch

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