View Full Version : Staying in hihing shape all winter
It is now almost November and winter will soon be on us. I live in Maine and often we don't see bare ground from Thankagiving until Easter. The days are short and the nights long and it is very easy to become a couch potato, get soft and gain 20 pounds. I have the good fortune of serving on The National Ski Patrol and can x-country ski on my off days but I was wondering what my fellow long distance hikers do to stay in shape during the long cold winter.
:welcome To Maine, natures icebox.
saimyoji
10-22-2005, 20:30
12 oz. curls.
theurbansuburban
10-22-2005, 21:17
I recently found out how well backpacking keeps you in shape for Skiing and vis vers.
After going through 3 "cheap" Sears treadmills, I went out and bought a good $1800 "professional" one. I do an hour and a half every day at 4.9 mph and 15 % elevation with five 3 minute "slow downs" interspersed. Of course, I have a TV in front of me tuned mostly to The History Channel.
fiddlehead
10-23-2005, 07:32
i jog but if i were you, i'd get some snowshoes. It's fun!
Whistler
10-23-2005, 08:48
Not enough snow down here for those northern winter sports; I stick to hiking and especially running/ black ice pantomime.
-Mark
Winter: cross country ski and snowshoe. Can't wait for snow!
walkin' wally
10-23-2005, 12:36
Cross country skiing and snowshoeing for me too. My Wife and I are getting new skis this winter. :sun
Cookerhiker
10-23-2005, 12:40
I try to hike once a week. When not hiking, I'm on the stationary bike 5 times a week.
the goat
10-23-2005, 12:49
i run, run, and run. when there's snow, i run, run, and run...only slower...and i appreciate the evening bourbon all the more.
Nightwalker
10-23-2005, 13:35
After going through 3 "cheap" Sears treadmills, I went out and bought a good $1800 "professional" one. I do an hour and a half every day at 4.9 mph and 15 % elevation with five 3 minute "slow downs" interspersed. Of course, I have a TV in front of me tuned mostly to The History Channel.
I do the 15 degree grade thing, but not as fast yet, and only for 30 minutes a day so far. But the high grade really helps my hiking. Lastweek when I went hiking in Ga., it was easier and I went further with less effort.
Kerosene
10-23-2005, 14:57
I play indoor soccer 3-4 nights a week, interspersed with 3-4 gym workouts so I can keep playing with the youngsters.
Auntie Mame
10-23-2005, 15:29
Great topic. I am getting into shape for '07 thru, GA-ME, and coming back from years of sloth. Have a nice hilly area in which I live, so have been going out walking fast, and choosing certain sections to challenge myself. Depending on how much time I want to put in, I can tailor the "hike" accordingly. Also found a series of excercises that address hiking muscles, and am starting them. Since GA is snowy in the hills in March-April, I feel much more willing to slog around outdoors in the slush and snow this year. It gets filed under like acclimatization, where before it was just offensive!
It is now almost November and winter will soon be on us. I live in Maine and often we don't see bare ground from Thankagiving until Easter. The days are short and the nights long and it is very easy to become a couch potato, get soft and gain 20 pounds. I have the good fortune of serving on The National Ski Patrol and can x-country ski on my off days but I was wondering what my fellow long distance hikers do to stay in shape during the long cold winter.
Being from the southeast, I just hike through the winter. There's only a month or two where's it's really bad most years. God provides those for hammock testing... :cool:
You guys might be able to reduce the amount of time you spend on weight training and aerobics by adopting a HIT protocol. Check out Clarence Bass' website at www.cbass.com. Yea, it's a sell-site for his stuff, but scroll down a couple of pages for tons of articles, arranged by category--note esp. articles 10 and 152 under Aerobics. (If you're over 50 check out his Challenge Yourself book.) For more general info google tabata protocol.
Doug Frost
FFTorched
10-23-2005, 16:43
I think I'm gonna get some snow shoes for this winter, I'd love to do some winter hiking and get some beautiful snow pictures. Also I might be joining the Army Reserves so I'll have to be getting ready for Basic Training after school ends in the spring sememster. I just hope I don't get to lazy like I have in the past. The beer keeps coming but the exercise ceases in most cases.