View Full Version : Being Physically Ready
ac2rivers
01-13-2009, 21:58
I just bought a new mountain bike and was wondering if anyone has ever done a majority of the physical training training on one?
Blissful
01-13-2009, 22:08
The best training really is to hike, hike hike. :)
My son did nothing but was the picture of a couch potato yet did the whole trail.
At your age, you'll do fine. If you have the motivation and the money. But I did know of a hiker your age that rode bikes then went out on the trail and tore up his ITB. You use different muscle groups esp in the knee areas and tend to develop stronger groups which weakens others, causing knee issues when you attempt to hike long and fast. Suggest you quit riding 6-9 months before your hike and start walking.
My husband was all-biker as I was getting ready to thru-hike. He was planning to hike up and down Katahdin with me, so he went to Table Rock SP with me for the weekend, to see how his hiking fitness was. Turned out it was terrible. Biking and hiking involve remarkably different sets of leg muscles. So he started running twice a week, plus the biking. That worked well for him.
Johnny Thunder
01-14-2009, 01:26
Biking will do you well to get your heart and lungs ready for the hours of physical activity but don't expect to build the right leg muscles. It's strange but it just doesn't happen. Even running doesn't do it quite right (although it's closer than biking). I took Flyin' Bryan's advice...or maybe it was someone else...to load 30 pounds in a backpack and walk around. Before my hike I lived at the top of the major vertical obstacle along the route taken by the Philadelphia bike race...even walking that daily didn't get me as far as I expected. Be in decent shape and pace yourself through Erwin and you'll be fine.
Think about it. After a hard ride you get of the bike and you hobble around trying to get your walking muscles going again.
Biking is a low impact activity like swimming. Hiking is not normally High impact like running but can be real close. Poles tend to decrease the impact effect some when hiking.
skinewmexico
01-14-2009, 01:45
I had a friend who was a marathon guy, and he was in a feud with some bicycle guys. They did a competition. They all biked, and they all ran. The runners could bike well, but the bikers couldn't run; apparently they weren't used to carrying their upper body weight. I'm sure a bike would be a good part of a conditioning program though.
Stumpknocker biked from San Diego Ca. to St. Augustine Fl. and then went directly to hiking. He complained about being outta shape.
Clyde
Lone Wolf
01-14-2009, 09:52
Stumpknocker biked from San Diego Ca. to St. Augustine Fl. and then went directly to hiking. He complained about being outta shape.
Clyde
he hiked georgia to dennis cove FIRST, then drove to Ca., biked to fla. then continued hiking north from dennis cove
jersey joe
01-14-2009, 10:00
Biking will increase cardio and leg muscles which can only help on a thru hike. I find that biking is good cross training when I am running(which I know is different then hiking).
gsingjane
01-14-2009, 10:50
It would seem like biking could be a good part of an overall conditioning program, but not the sole basis for one. If you are mountain biking, are you trail riding? That is different than road riding for sure, so maybe some of the comments relating to road biking don't apply. I know when my daughter has trail biked, she's wound up carrying her bike almost as much as she rode it... that's got to use different muscle groups!
The issue I have with the idea of "hike and hike some more" as the basis for trail-readiness is that most people are a little too busy in their everyday lives for this to be practical. If someone can get an hour a day to exercise, that's a lot! I guess if you could figure out a way to fit long walks into your life, such as commuting to and from work with a pack, this might work out, but otherwise I just don't see how it would be do-able.
It would seem that the best program would be one that combined a bunch of different elements, maybe a couple of days in the gym on the weights for upper body and core, some time on the cardio machines (treadmill, elliptical, stepper, spinning) and then something concentrated outside for cardio as well such as running, racewalking or biking, or maybe swimming. Maybe a yoga class or at least some good stretching a few times a week? Then long hikes on the weekends. This would also have the advantage of helping you work your entire body, with not as much chance for some kind of a repetitive stress injury to occur even before you leave on your big hike.
The biggest obstacle to any exercise program isn't going to be formulating one, it's going to be sticking to it past the second week, or when you get busy at work, or get a cold. By mixing it up and keeping it interesting, yet not requiring you to spend 1/2 your waking hours at it, you'll be more like to hang in there and start your hike in the best shape possible.
Take care!
Jane in CT
Biking is a low impact activity like swimming. Hiking is not normally High impact like running but can be real close.
This is an important point that a lot of people miss. You should do some high-impact training (like running or lower-body weights) to improve your bone density and the strength and flexibility of your tendons. Lance Armstrong decided to run a marathon after he retired from biking--he did some training runs but not a lot and ended up getting a stress fracture in his shin during the marathon (which he still finished in a great time). So, biking is great for cardio, but you should mix in some weight-bearing activities, too.
Gator 65
01-14-2009, 11:24
Interesting question? I am getting ready for a thru hike in March (1st one) and spoke with a Certified trainer at our fitness center. He program was to have be ....
1- Eliptical (?)trainer
2- Stepper
3- treadmill
Then he said to bring in my back pack and he will put 35 lbs. in it have have me do 40 minute walks on the track
Let's sum the invariable discussion up:
One party will say CROSSFIT!!!! (A popular exercise program. Please google it for more information)
Then I'll link to this:
http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?p=184425#post184425
Not debating it. just giving the info.
I had a personal trainer volunteer to get me ready for my thru-hike. I was never out of shape... Here is what I did for 3 months prior to the trail:
1 hour on the stair machine (stair mill is best) or one hour on the treadmill at 3mph with a very high incline and a 50lb pack on.
CORE strengthening weightlifting... as in, back and ab muscles. I did all my bench presses on a ab ball that made me also balance with my ab muscles while I weightlifted. Lots of planks and crunches and pilates-like stuff. I also went running without a pack sometimes.
In truth, the trail gets you in shape... but you can help ease the pain of it by preparing hardcore before.