Fitness for the trail. Thoughts?

[plexusbritt]

Since getting a lot more serious about hiking/backpacking the past two years or so, I've found my physical fitness to be super important. I try and hit the trail at least once a week for a few miles with a loaded pack (this also let's me make adjustments without an itinerary that I'm trying to keep). Here lately though, I've been grabbing the pack for my twice daily jaunts (1-2 miles per time out) with the dogs.

Major improvement in my hiking stamina?

Do any of you ladies have any fitness tips specifically for your hiking?


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[Malto]

Not a lady but I once stayed in a Holiday Express. Physical conditioning is important but so is mental conditioning. I would suggest doing hikes in rain, snow, heat, dark, wind, sandstorms or any other natural condition you may face. This prepares you to deal with those "sucky" days that last for 50 hours and give many hikers way too time to think about home.

you may find a couple of useful tidbits in my PCT journal. It was written for hikers looking to do a fast hike but the concepts, scaled down applied to anyone. Good luck in your prep and hike.

http://postholer.com/journal/viewJou...entry_id=27590

remember, this was training for a 100 day hike, scale accordingly.

[Dogwood]

Fitness involves a total lifestyle for me. It includes dietary choices as a matter of lifestyle not a short term wt loss thing. It means staying within a rather limited body wt range while not letting muscle mass seriously wane at any time although I'm sure not the most muscular guy in my upper body. It doesn't always entail spending time at a gym. It's things like always living an active lifestyle, walking often even when the opp presents itself to drive or jump on the moving sidewalks in airports, riding mountain and road bikes, playing competitive tennis, martial arts, paddling canoes and kayaks, jumping on a trampoline, taking the stairs rather than the elevator or escalator, swimming/water exercises, doing trail maintenance, engaging in garden maintenance, endless balancing, timing, and footwork excises, and, yes, occasionally getting on the elliptical machine, treadmill, lifting light free wts with higher reps just to keep toned, running, stretching/flexibility training, and doing steps at the local high school, Nature Center, and summits in Georgia and Hawaii.

Like you Plexusbritt, it's always fitness time even if it means a short but brisk walking of the dog or an afternoon day hike or a see how fast I can get the shopping done at the grocery store while walking to the store and carrying the groceries home in a backpack or a walking of road lines or curbs through the parking lot at 12 a.m. on a rainy or snowy early morn or a challenging 1/2 hr on the trampoline in the yard.

As Malto wisely stated trail fitness also includes mental fitness. It's critical for sports, biz, and hiking activities! Yet, it's sometimes overlooked by those gung ho on only physical/muscle/cardio fitness. Learning to envision in your mind positive attributes, having a willingness to always find something to be appreciative of, having a sense of humor/light heartedness, a willingness to sometimes go with the flow, exhibiting patience, peace, and a willingness to think your way through even trying stressed situations, and guarding your heart and mind from NEVER allowing your thoughts to go over to the dark side are a key necessary component to hiking success. Regularly placing oneself outside of current comfort zones while developing effective coping and overcoming mental skills is a great way to advance mental fitness.

[plexusbritt]

Dogwood, I think you hit what I just couldn't get into words right. Yes, I have worked with a personal trainer for months and enjoy the gym but my long walks with the addition of the pack (walks have to happen anyways with high energy dogs), hiking every chance I get, and so on are things I do with the trail in mind. But fitness IS more than the gym. In fact, my membership is frozen bc I'm going through a job change and can't fit their hours right now. But I've seen no decrease in my overall fitness.

Have been known to do planks and such with my pack too just to up the core strength.


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[plexusbritt]

Interesting too though that you brought up mental fitness, Malto. Being "that" dog owner we do walk in the rain and such but I do need to get out in the elements more.


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[yoyo123]

I'm new to backpacking so take this for what it's worth, but if you normally walk the dogs around town (rather than on a trail), at least try to walk on uneven grass, in the shoes you hike in, as much as possible. This helps me with the stabilization muscles on the outside of my legs, just above my ankles, if that makes sense? Walking on the sidewalk doesn't help much with that. Also, if your dogs are big, try to walk at their pace...it's probably faster than you normally hike and they'll keep you honest!

[plexusbritt]

@yoyo123 no sidewalks where I live! only ditches and pothole filled gravel. And I'm cheap and only own one pair of tennis shoes which are trail runners that go hiking on my feet.

Great point tho. I never thought about how sidewalks would affect fitness simply bc we don't have them.


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[Pedaling Fool]

Since getting a lot more serious about hiking/backpacking the past two years or so, I've found my physical fitness to be super important. I try and hit the trail at least once a week for a few miles with a loaded pack (this also let's me make adjustments without an itinerary that I'm trying to keep). Here lately though, I've been grabbing the pack for my twice daily jaunts (1-2 miles per time out) with the dogs.

Major improvement in my hiking stamina?

Do any of you ladies have any fitness tips specifically for your hiking?


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When it comes to physical fitness everyone immediately conjures up images of various types of aerobic exercises, probably because heart disease is the number one killer. And it's important, but it's just as important to not only maintain, but build up your musculoskeletal system for the rigors of hiking with extra weight (backpack) going up and down hills. I know not all backpackers do weight training, actually probably most don't, but also most experience various pains in their musculoskeletal system, especially the knees and weightlifting is a great way to manage these problems, not only for hiking, but also for keeping a healthy strong body as you age.

There's a lot of information out there that talks about the importance of weight training for women and they all bash the myth of weight training causing women to "bulk up" and look manish; that won't happen, unless you start taking drugs and really hit it super hard. Another thing to remember is not get the false impression that since you hike a lot that you don't need to work the legs with weights. That's also a myth. Walking only works certain muscles/connective tissues, meaning that if all you do is walk, over time you'll build up some areas, but other areas will weaken as you age, hence sore knees....

Here's a good little article on lifting for women, plus a lot of good info out there on the web. Just remember, if you don't use it, you lose it. That's why weight training is so important for everyone, especially as we age. http://health.usnews.com/health-news...d-lift-weights



However, I do have one thing to say about cardio conditioning. Hiking the AT is great for developing a very strong aerobic base. However, once you develop that base, even if you develop it during the course of a thru-hike of the AT, your aerobic system will still not be the best it can be. To build it up further, i.e. to put the icing on the cake, you need to develop your anaerobic (notice spelling -- not aerobic) system.

In other words you got to make it comfortable to get uncomfortable during cardio workouts, such as hiking or running... I've been working on my anaerobic system since 2008 and it really does work, what's really amazing about this training is that when you do perform at normal aerobic levels, say with a HR at 140 bpm, you perform much more proficiently (meaning you go faster and farther). I really believe HIIT does wonder, at least for me, because now that I have a well-developed cardio system, thanks to training in the red zone, that on the days when I'm not feeling good, either from over training or sickness and just do a easy workout, my level that I perform at is still enough to allow me to pass younger guys on the bike, not even working hard (I'm 50 years old).

As I said, I'm 50 and suppose to have a max HR of 170 (according to most charts), meaning my aerobic training HR level should be <145. Even when I'm sick a HR of 145 is easy for me, all-day easy. I can operate for a good amount of time at my supposed max HR of 170 and my resting HR is in the upper 40's. I attribute this to HIIT (but only after establishing a solid aerobic base). A few good reading stuff on lactate threshhold/HIIT training... http://www.runnersworld.com/running-...g-your-max-vo2 http://www.active.com/running/articl...-for-beginners http://healthyliving.azcentral.com/a...ity-15042.html

[SkeeterPee]

As I said, I'm 50 and suppose to have a max HR of 170 (according to most charts), meaning my aerobic training HR level should be <145. Even when I'm sick a HR of 145 is easy for me, all-day easy. I can operate for a good amount of time at my supposed max HR of 170 and my resting HR is in the upper 40's. I attribute this to HIIT (but only after establishing a solid aerobic base).

If you are operating at a good amount of time at your supposed max HR, I am betting your real max is higher. The 220-age estimation is wrong for most people. that is an average. People are easily 20 bpm higher or lower. if you have a HR monitor, a good test, if you are in good running condition, is to sign up for a race and run a hard 5k. see what the monitor records during your final sprint to the finish. That will be close to your max if you are in condition to run a hard 5k. If you are dead on your feet at the end you won't hit your max.

[Pedaling Fool]

If you are operating at a good amount of time at your supposed max HR, I am betting your real max is higher. The 220-age estimation is wrong for most people. that is an average. People are easily 20 bpm higher or lower. if you have a HR monitor, a good test, if you are in good running condition, is to sign up for a race and run a hard 5k. see what the monitor records during your final sprint to the finish. That will be close to your max if you are in condition to run a hard 5k. If you are dead on your feet at the end you won't hit your max.

It is much higher, I haven't checked it lately, but I've seen figures on my HR monitor upwards of 200, but that was a few years ago.

And it's true that the common formula is wrong and actually all the different formulas I've seen are equally wrong and don't work for me.

This is an outstanding article that explains why they are wrong and actually what is says is that the most important thing is how quickly you HR drops after you stop. Great Article! http://www.nytimes.com/2001/04/24/he...hallenged.html

[Dogwood]

We can get so hung up believing that we absolutely or always need gym memberships, personal trainers, dietary/nutritional/muscle building supplements, that new fangled no effort needed get in the best shape of your life exercise contraption being pitched through a early morning info commercial, high priced specialized apparel/shoes, subscribe to Fitness or Muscle mag, read diet books, or get real technically detailed oriented about fitness when you can begin where you're at working with what you already have.

This morning I had two large Smoothies containing Organic strawberries, Organic blueberries, an apple, two kiwi, peanut butter, coconut oil, shelled hemp seed, chia seed, Organic cocoa nibs, Goji Berry powder, Maca powder and fresh ginger. I took down, put up, cleaned, dried and broke down again, a large 6p Coleman tent that had 2" of water in it and a ton of debris while doing the same for two muddy drenched sleeping bags(this is what can happen when you leave these camping things to a 9 and 10 yr old unsupervised with last night's downpours), did two loads of laundry, and put up a 22 lb iron chandelier by holding it over my head for 15 mins attempting to attach the wires and screws. I live in a 3 floor/story home w/ living, kitchen, storage, garages, laundry etc on different floors. I must have jogged up down at least 2000 steps SO FAR this day. I'm heading out the door shortly to mow the lawn and do some weeding. After that I'll give a 2 hr tennis lesson to my nephew while jogging 2 miles to the tennis courts carrying our tennis bags and tennis gear. Sometime tonight, rain or not, I'll be taking the dog for a walk. I've also sat down at the computer to do some computer aided drawing(CAD) for work. I've been doing all this while answering biz calls and posting here while maintaining a positive mental outlook even managing to laugh at some of the absent minded things I could have done more wisely THIS IS DEVELOPING FITNESS TOO!

[plexusbritt]

Dogwood, I'll agree that there is a weird obsession with the fitness industry. My months with a personal trainer were recommended because of my job. He's a phenomenal coach in that he always stresses that whatever is on trend is generally the LAST thing someone needs. His focus is functional fitness. Which probably explains why a lot of his clients are either in work fields that need a high level of fitness or are people trying to preserve their active lifestyles as they age.

I spend three days a week actually "using my education" (dad's words) and then two days a week working on a horse farm. I spent this morning exercise riding the horses on trails to give them a brain break from the arena. My core is feeling it and my hiker heart was glad to be in the woods.


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[q-tip]

The best training program I found is "Mountaineering-training for peak performance - Clyde Soles" . . Three month fully integrated weights-cardio. . Been using it for years. . Also, a heartrate monitor was the best investment for me. . Eliminated standing 8-counts climbing steep hills.

[Pedaling Fool]

We can get so hung up believing that we absolutely or always need gym memberships, personal trainers, dietary/nutritional/muscle building supplements, that new fangled no effort needed get in the best shape of your life exercise contraption being pitched through a early morning info commercial, high priced specialized apparel/shoes, subscribe to Fitness or Muscle mag, read diet books, or get real technically detailed oriented about fitness when you can begin where you're at working with what you already have.

This morning I had two large Smoothies containing Organic strawberries, Organic blueberries, an apple, two kiwi, peanut butter, coconut oil, shelled hemp seed, chia seed, Organic cocoa nibs, Goji Berry powder, Maca powder and fresh ginger. I took down, put up, cleaned, dried and broke down again, a large 6p Coleman tent that had 2" of water in it and a ton of debris while doing the same for two muddy drenched sleeping bags(this is what can happen when you leave these camping things to a 9 and 10 yr old unsupervised with last night's downpours), did two loads of laundry, and put up a 22 lb iron chandelier by holding it over my head for 15 mins attempting to attach the wires and screws. I live in a 3 floor/story home w/ living, kitchen, storage, garages, laundry etc on different floors. I must have jogged up down at least 2000 steps SO FAR this day. I'm heading out the door shortly to mow the lawn and do some weeding. After that I'll give a 2 hr tennis lesson to my nephew while jogging 2 miles to the tennis courts carrying our tennis bags and tennis gear. Sometime tonight, rain or not, I'll be taking the dog for a walk. I've also sat down at the computer to do some computer aided drawing(CAD) for work. I've been doing all this while answering biz calls and posting here while maintaining a positive mental outlook even managing to laugh at some of the absent minded things I could have done more wisely THIS IS DEVELOPING FITNESS TOO!

Maybe you should take that fat dog for a run...walking is a waste of time. You call it "DEVELOPING FITNESS TOO"; I call it, "Working harder, not smarter".

[Dogwood]

That's the answer I would expect from one infatuated with riding a bike. :eek

[Rebeka]

Nice thread, thanks. It's good to hear from others what they do. I'm preparing for next year's hike by walking and hiking. I live close to world class mountains. I'm up to 45 miles a week. Unfortunately, I still have to go to work After reading this thread I'm going to add strength training.

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[Smoky Spoon]

I agree, it gave me some pretty insightful tips too. Been putting them to use since I first read it.

Nice thread, thanks. It's good to hear from others what they do. I'm preparing for next year's hike by walking and hiking. I live close to world class mountains. I'm up to 45 miles a week. Unfortunately, I still have to go to work After reading this thread I'm going to add strength training.

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[plexusbritt]

I just got back from a 3 day kayaking trip and I'll tell ya-all I could think of was how much I wanted to be hiking. Lol don't get me wrong, it was great but I can hike all day long, pulling a kayak over obstacles up stream, not so much.


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[Dogwood]

The Pinhoti Tr in Alabama jumping on the trail near Sylacuaga going NOBO or at Cave Spring GA going SOBO would be a great place for a tune up hike and gaining some fitness. That's a great trail in Alabama with basically a 10-12 month hiking window.

Don't forget to include any beaches to hike with a loaded 35lb + backpack. It's a great workout in deep sand. Doesn't have to be a beach on the Gulf either.

[Pedaling Fool]

I just got back from a 3 day kayaking trip and I'll tell ya-all I could think of was how much I wanted to be hiking. Lol don't get me wrong, it was great but I can hike all day long, pulling a kayak over obstacles up stream, not so much.


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I've done those type trips, except in canoes, not kayaks, and they were heavily loaded down with gear, but mostly beer

Not an activity for hikers with toothpick arms, and not just the paddling, it's very tough dragging a canoe over obstacles, especially loaded.