How one can Construct and Keep Through-Mountaineering Health

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Last fall, after backpacking 270 miles on the Long Trail through Vermont’s rugged Green Mountains, my campers and I discussed how we were now in the best shape of our lives. By the campfire, we thought about how to maintain our fitness after returning to our normal home routines. Some said it was impossible. Others thought we could do it by climbing a super steep mountain once a week. The rest of the group believed that the best strategy would be to run regularly.

What is the correct answer? In fact, it is almost According to Lee Welton, an Idaho-based online personal trainer and founder of Trailside Fitness who completed the Pacific Crest Trail in 2018, it’s impossible to maintain fitness while hiking unless you’re hiking. consuming, he says, there is no way of repeating the same physical and mental challenges while balancing the work and social obligations of our everyday lives. A little more upbeat is Jenn Cadorette, a physical therapist who owns Wellfound Physical Therapy and Fitness in Vermont with her husband and who completed the Long Trail in 2017. “It’s not impossible,” she says, “but it takes a lot of work.”

Aspiring hikers, especially those who need to build fitness rather than simply maintain it, face an even greater challenge when exercising. Different versions of the question “How do I train for my upcoming hike?” appear frequently on online backpacking forums such as r / AppalachianTrail or r / PacificCrestTrail on Reddit. The following pieces of advice are often taken into account in the answers: “You don’t need to train to hike through. Hike slowly at first and then get on your way. “According to Welton, this widespread belief is one of the biggest misunderstandings when preparing for a long hike. “It’s one of the laziest and most sloppy pieces of advice an aspiring hiker can ever hear,” he says. “Some of the younger hikers will go out and maybe make it, but older hikers definitely need to exercise. And they should have a smart one too plan to do the right type of exercise. “Here’s how you should break it down whether you want to keep existing ones Fitness in the off-season or hiking for the first time.

Why exercise is important

The workout will help you avoid the kind of discomfort or injury that could dampen or derail your great adventure altogether. After all, the Appalachian Trail Conservancy only reports that One in four hikers makes it to Mount Katahdin, and injuries are one of the most common reasons they’ve stopped.

Perhaps you dream of visiting one of the country’s legendary Triple Crown Trails as a beginner. Or maybe you’re a seasoned hiker like me and just want to stay fit enough to tackle the Grand Canyon from rim to rim, climb all 46 high peaks of the Adirondacks, or another great hiking dream. Regardless of your particular destination, trekking is a tremendous investment of money and time. So you should do everything in your power to make it a success. “You went through all of this effort and you could go 500 miles and get injured,” Welton says. “If you can reduce this risk through training, I would advocate it.”

Start with steady state cardio

Creating and running the right training plan will prepare you for success in hiking and should stay active year round. But not all workouts are created equal, and not all workout plans lead to fitness on the trail. Despite the general popularity of programs like HIIT training, this isn’t exactly the best way to prepare for an upcoming hike. “It doesn’t translate to hiking at all,” explains Welton. “It uses the wrong energy systems.” Instead, prioritize stationary cardio – focusing on off-foot activities like rowing and cycling is especially beneficial for beginners. Exercise hikes have a fairly large impact on the joints, but these activities will not overload them.

Seasoned backpackers looking to maintain their fitness after the trail might consider something a little more intense like trail running to stay conditioned. “I did a lot of trail running after finishing the long trail,” recalls Cadorette. “I felt like I almost had to because my muscles missed the exercise.” Running and climbing stairs are other options to consider if you already have a solid fitness base and your joints can take the stress out. Remember: hiking requires a steady endurance of the heart. Welton is a general guideline recommends aiming for at least 30 to 60 minutes of endurance training twice a week, in addition to exercise hikes.

Add resistance training to prevent injury

Strength training is an equally important part of the hike preparation puzzle. Exercises like lunges, squats, and planks prepare your muscles, bones, and connective tissue for the stresses and strains of the trail. “When hiking, you should focus on less weight and more repetitions to hit the endurance fibers in your muscles,” says Cadorette. Welton recommends two or three sessions of 30 to 60 minutes a week.

Sore muscles will always be a fact along the way, but regular weight training will vastly improve your movement efficiency and strengthen tendons and ligaments. It also reduces the likelihood of common overuse injuries (e.g., knee and ankle pain, shin splints, and plantar fasciitis) that can lead you astray because it takes so long to heal.

Gradually increase the difficulty of training hikes

While most training advice from internet forums is oversimplified, the principle of specificity still applies when preparing for a hike. Completing several long hikes is of course vital in preparing for a long distance hike as it is the best way to simulate the conditions on the trail. But be patient and increase that difficulty gradually to avoid injury.

While practicing the Long Trail as a beginner, I buckled up a loaded backpack and gradually increased the distance and height of each exercise hike by 10 to 20 percent each week. I did my first training hike six months before my Long Trail start date, after following a six mile trail up and down Mount Greylock, the highest peak in Massachusetts. gain an altitude of about 2,000 feet. Then I did a slightly longer and more demanding trail every week or two. As spring turned into summer, I climbed about three mountains a month in the Catskills, sometimes hiking up to eight or ten miles at altitudes of 2,000 to 2,500 feet. My training eventually ended with the summit of Mount Phelps in the Adirondacks, where I gained 2,200 feet in eight miles, and a 12-mile hike to Avalanche Pass in the High Peaks Wilderness, which gained approximately 2,500 feet. I finally felt ready for the Long Trail.

Welton recommends a systematic approach to gradually increasing distance and altitude by starting weekly walks of four to eight miles with a maximum of 1,000 feet for the first month. Experienced hikers may be comfortable starting out eight to ten mile or ten to 12 mile hikes at 1,500 to 2,000 feet or 2,000 to 3,000 feet to keep their fitness in check. No matter where you start, the goal is to hike 12-14 miles with a maximum elevation of 3,000 feet by the fourth month.

If you don’t live near mountains or are having trouble finding the time to meet them regularly, don’t fret. You can still prepare by walking as much as you can. Welton encourages people who live in flat areas to look for stairs in a parking garage or building. “You can even look at things like an upward motion with a step eight to ten inches high,” he says. “It’s not as big a hurdle as people think. If you’re serious about hiking, load up a backpack and use the stairs. “

Don’t skimp on recovery

As you prepare, make sure to allow some time for physical and mental recovery – at least a full day a week – especially if you are not in your best shape. “I’m a big fan of foam rolling,” says Cadorette. Along the way, she carried a tennis ball to roll out her hip flexors and tensor fasciae latae, or the TFL muscle that starts on the side of the hip in the upper part of the pelvis, attaches to the IT tape and helps flex the knee and Hip. And at least once a week, make time to stretch your entire body, especially your calves, hips, quads, and hamstrings.

With the right exercise and recovery program, everyone can be prepared to step on the trail of their dreams. Whether you prepare For your first adventure or attempting to maintain a certain level of fitness, consistency is of the utmost importance. “You just have to put in the work,” Welton says. “Make a plan and follow it. And if you need help or guidance, find a personal trainer with hiking experience. “

Main photo: Paul Schlemmer / Stocksy