View Full Version : How to train
stilllife
07-28-2011, 22:00
I have not hiked this year. I want to start training myself for the hike in March or April. I would like suggestions on how to train.
Thanks a lot. This is a great site. Thanks to all who work on it.:banana
Sierra Echo
07-28-2011, 22:03
Start with small trails and a light pack and work your way up. Work on your cardio too.
stranger
07-28-2011, 23:27
Don't believe the BS about only being able to get fit for hiking by hiking, that's a good place to start. That's like saying that Roger Federer only plays tennis to get fit, of course he doesn't, he does alot of gym work and regular exercise.
The problem with training for a long hike is that while you are training, you are likely to have other responsibilities that take up your time, so finding time to train can be problematic for some people. Also, having access to the resources determines alot...like do you live 5 mins from a loop trail or do you live in the city? WHen training serious, I try to take a couple days off from work in the peak period, so I can spend an entire day hiking, but sometimes this is not possible.
I find a mix of doing stairs (actual stairs, not a machine, about 1500 per session, up and down) with a pack on twice a week, a run/walk combination of about 6 miles twice per week and a solid hike once per week can really do alot for fitness levels. Ideally, I would probably prefer to hike 10 miles, about 3 times per week with a pack on over moderate terrain, plus do some cardio work, but at the moment I can't do something like that.
In 2008 I trained by hiking a 3.6 mile loop trail, 3-4 times per week, for about 6 weeks. It was a fairly moderate/difficult trail including hundreds of steps in places. I would try to do it in about 65-67 minutes, which seemed to be the average when I pushed it. This helped so much. That year my shortest full day on the AT was my first day, which was 16 miles, plus I was then a smoker, aged 33.
Sir-Packs-Alot
07-28-2011, 23:30
Hey - I DO think real hiking is the best way to train - but try the following to get started and the use of a BOSU ball to increase your core strength. A 20 lb weight vest only cost that many dollars at walmart as well.
ESTABLISH A BASELINE OF DAILY CARDIO :. (Note: Please be sure to get checked by your Doctor first if you haven't been working out for a while or have any accompanying prohibitive health conditions). Start slow if you are starting from scratch - but make it daily. A slow building consistency is the key here - but we only have a few months. You are training for endurance - not a race. If you have a treadmill with a climbing program that goes up & down during your workout - use it to simulate climbing - maximize the incline / declines after a week or so. Try for 30 minutes EVERY DAY. Decrease the pitch of your treadmill if you need to - to make it to 30 minutes. If you have a neighborhood with some hills - walk that instead - as real walking is best.
TAKE THE STAIRS - AND STAIRS - AND STAIRS...
This is as "Rocky" "old school" type of training as it gets - training on stairs, stairwells, stadiums steps, etc. - IS THE BEST PREP ! Climb up and down stairs for 30 minutes twice per week and get used to it!
GET BOARD
Put a 1" thick board on the ground and place your toes and balls of your feet onto the board - with most of your foot to the heel off the board (wearing your shoes). Do slow push ups in sets of 6 - and do 3 sets.
Do your walking and stairs on some days - and combine the walking with the board exercise with the walking on the other days. (Walk Sunday to Saturday, Combine walking with stairs Monday & Wednesday, Combine walking with board Tuesday and Thursday!
stranger
07-29-2011, 04:57
Hey - I DO think real hiking is the best way to train - but try the following to get started and the use of a BOSU ball to increase your core strength. A 20 lb weight vest only cost that many dollars at walmart as well.
ESTABLISH A BASELINE OF DAILY CARDIO :. (Note: Please be sure to get checked by your Doctor first if you haven't been working out for a while or have any accompanying prohibitive health conditions). Start slow if you are starting from scratch - but make it daily. A slow building consistency is the key here - but we only have a few months. You are training for endurance - not a race. If you have a treadmill with a climbing program that goes up & down during your workout - use it to simulate climbing - maximize the incline / declines after a week or so. Try for 30 minutes EVERY DAY. Decrease the pitch of your treadmill if you need to - to make it to 30 minutes. If you have a neighborhood with some hills - walk that instead - as real walking is best.
TAKE THE STAIRS - AND STAIRS - AND STAIRS...
This is as "Rocky" "old school" type of training as it gets - training on stairs, stairwells, stadiums steps, etc. - IS THE BEST PREP ! Climb up and down stairs for 30 minutes twice per week and get used to it!
GET BOARD
Put a 1" thick board on the ground and place your toes and balls of your feet onto the board - with most of your foot to the heel off the board (wearing your shoes). Do slow push ups in sets of 6 - and do 3 sets.
Do your walking and stairs on some days - and combine the walking with the board exercise with the walking on the other days. (Walk Sunday to Saturday, Combine walking with stairs Monday & Wednesday, Combine walking with board Tuesday and Thursday!
I agree hiking is a very effective way to train for hiking...however, there are other ways to accomplish the same goal.
Blissful
07-29-2011, 12:53
Running helps my cardiovascular status. But the muscles you use for many activities is not the same for hiking nor for carrying a burden like a 30 lb backpack which stresses the limbs. So when you do go hiking you need to start slow and build up. You could likely do a big mile day the first day out, but guarantee if you keep up that pace, esp older folks, you're knees will get you sooner or later.
I'm getting ready for this April as well. I throw dumbells in my backpack and walk up and down the local sledding hill for a few hours, closest thing to a mountain we've got around here.
stilllife
07-29-2011, 14:27
Thanks for the suggestions. they all have benefit
Sir-Packs-Alot
07-29-2011, 15:17
Yep - many folks who are runners somehow don't think they'll have a problem backpacking. Runners definetely understand how a sprinter cannnot run a long distancers race or vice versa - different muscle groups. They somehow don't apply it to backpacking and are often surprised. If you cannot actually hike - I recommend climbing real stairs with weight on your back.
topshelf
07-29-2011, 16:56
hike hike hike hike hike hike hike
only way to get better at something is by doing it. The running, cardio, weights, and other forms of getting in shape should be supplemental.
Majortrauma
07-29-2011, 18:08
Load a pack with 50 lbs of plates, hop on a treadmill, set elevation at 15.0, speed at 2.5 for starters and go for 30 minutes.
Time it of course and when you can beat your first recorded time by 3 minutes for 3 consecutive humps move the time to 3.0.
Do this 3 times a week and on alternate days do leg presses and/or cardio with no pack for 30 minutes.
Other than impact issues, cycling is as close to a 1:1 to hiking as you can get. It's just hard to hike for a workout at home--once you can hike for 2-3 hours without getting tired, how do you have time to train? Get a bike (with real pedals/shoes) and you can drop the hammer and get a great workout in a brief period of time.
Jumping rope is great.
Running is good, but distance runners tend to be injury prone as hikers from what I've seen--too little muscle mass. Perhaps repeats of middle distances would be better, but I don't know of any middle distance runners that hiked, so you'd be the guinea pig on that one.
Weight training is great if you have good technique and have a good free weight routine. Using machines usually does more harm than good. If you want to weight train hire a qualified trainer until your form is 100% spot on.
MuddyWaters
07-30-2011, 22:04
If you are thru hiking, after a couple weeks you will be a hiking machine. Whether you have pre-training or not.
singing wind
07-30-2011, 22:37
Flexibility + cardio + strength + consistency is one way I tend to look at training for a long distance hike. I've found simple yoga warmups and basic poses help keep the body more fluid, especially since getting past 50. I try to walk 3-4 miles at least every other day - usually with a 5-9 kg daypack. The only thing I will likely change this year is to take more frequent walks of longer duration with the pack I will be carrying on the trail.
All the best with your hike!
If you are thru hiking, after a couple weeks you will be a hiking machine. Whether you have pre-training or not.
Yeah..but those who don't live an active lifestyle are more likely to drop out quicker. :)
This may help:
http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?13696-Physical-Preparations-for-Long-Distance-Hiking&p=184425#post184425
My own 'training' is to be active: Bike commute, hike and backpack a lot, climb 1-2 times a week after work, workout in the gym during winter and lots of ski touring during winter as well (best all around outdoor exercise: Works all the muscles, works on the balance so you are working the small muscle groups as well, cardio, core, strength..and it is fun!)
And the benefit from all this? When I do an multi-day backpack like this past week, I don't have to work my way up to fitness like many thru-hikers starting from Springer. Hiking is enjoyable and not a trudge. :)
I used the program from the book "Climbing: Training for Peak Performance" for three months, it was all worth it. also, I lost 23 lbs on Weight Watchers--In essence I go t my pack for free. these two approaches worked for me.
Hiking should be on the top of your training list. That being said if you thru-hike you will be in shape by a couple of weeks regardless of whatever you did prior to beginning your hike. Hike with good technique and posture, try different cadences and/or speeds to find your style. Poor posture over 2000 miles adds up. Also try interval hiking for a robust cardiovascular system.
A couple things to consider:
- Feet are most important, if hiking to get into shape for hiking wear your boots to break them in and to determine if they are the right shoes for you. Also maybe find an nice grass field to SLOWLY build up a barefoot training regimen, running, jumping, calisthenics, jump rope, etc. Intrinsic foot muscle strength and ankle stability will benefit from barefoot training considering you DO NOT get an overuse injury whilst doing so. Refer to Vibram fivefinger precautions... build up slowly.
- Functional training would be helpful. CORE CORE CORE. This does NOT mean just go do sit ups/crunches. Glute max and traps will help build a strong back. Glute max, Glute med, hamstrings, hip flexors, and all of the abdominals will help give you a strong pelvis. Planks, lunges, squats and/or deadlifts. Yoga warrior poses are good also.
- Practice good Posture with everyday activity. Including while you sit here and read this.
Technique matters otherwise you might be setting yourself up for injury. Stay away from the machines. Because you asked how to train this far in advance I am assuming you wanted more than just advice to go hike. Feel free to PM me and I would be happy to help you with designing a training protocol.
May the Hike be with You!
Feral Nature
08-09-2011, 11:50
- Practice good Posture with everyday activity. Including while you sit here and read this.
I wonder how many people suddenly sat upright while reading this.;)
Spirit Walker
08-09-2011, 13:04
You have plenty of time to get in shape before your hike. Walk every day 2-3 miles. (Rain, snow, sun ... what do you think you'll experience on the Trail?) Then once a week get out and do a real hike. Put weight on your back - a daypack at least, but preferably your loaded pack. Do some overnights to get yourself comfortable with sleeping in the woods and using your gear.
As Mags said, while you CAN get into shape on the trail, a lot of those who leave the trail the first week do so because they never realized how hard it can be to walk all day, every day. The better shape you are in to begin with, the less pain you'll feel. The more you enjoy the hiking, the more likely you are to stick with it. If you really want to thruhike the AT, you should be making a real effort now to optimize your chances.
lush242000
08-10-2011, 07:09
When I need to get into hiking shape, I put on a small to medium backpack with about 20lbs inside it and start walking around town for an hour to an hour and half every day without stopping. After about 4 weeks of this, you will be in pretty good condition. I never understood why people pay for a gym or drive an hour to walk somewhere. Just go out your front door and start walking. While you may not live near mountains or elevation changes, any walking with weight over time will get you in shape.
First thing: Start losing weight if you need to.
People spend hundreds of dollars saving a pound on gear weight but don't think twice about hitting the trail 20 lbs overweight.
-SEEKER-
08-10-2011, 11:42
This may sound stupid to some people but, I have two things I am adding to my training for next year.
1. Walking around the neighborhood in rain and thundershowers. (I am fearful of them and got stuck hiking in a couple again this year).
2. Training my brain not to stress when a bunch of little things go wrong. (This year my sleeping pad malfunctioning and the manufacturer sending the replacement to themselves instead of to me at Glencliff, NH. Boots beginning to come unglued because of rain after less than 300 miles, and damaged and late mail drops. )
I tend to subscribe to Lone Wolf's philosophy: It's just walking.
Another thing you can do is go to your local gym and spend 4 hours a day on the treadmill to build up mental stamina.
Because.... before too long there will be a lot of days where it's just like you're on a treadmill and you feel like shooting your face off.
Jack Tarlin
08-10-2011, 14:16
By all means exercise, get in shape, lose some weight.
But most important of all, well before your trip, get into the woods. Get comfortable with being and living outside. Get comfortable with your gear, both how it works and how to fix it. Learn to deal with injuries, bad weather, insects, equipment failure, and so on.
The single best way to prepare to spend a great deal of time in the out-of-doors is simply to spend as much time as you can out of doors.
I live in a relatively flat area. I bought a used stairstepper on CraigsList and used that 2-5 times a week for the two months before I started my hike. Typically did 45-75 minute sessions, which would equate to 1200-2400 ft vertical elevation gains. I think it definitely helped in the first 1-2 weeks. Got to Hot Springs in 21 days (avg about 13.5 miles/day), at age 56, 5'10", 220 lbs (not thin).
ChinMusic
08-10-2011, 21:42
Another thing you can do is go to your local gym and spend 4 hours a day on the treadmill to build up mental stamina.
Because.... before too long there will be a lot of days where it's just like you're on a treadmill and you feel like shooting your face off.
I don't think that is fair to the trail. I have never dreaded ANY trail to the level of it being a treadmill.
Re the OP: Walk often (pack on back at times), do some light to moderate weight training, get your weight to a reasonable level (20 pounds over ideal aint nuttin' :cool:), doing some REAL backpacking helps to develop little muscles not used much in daily life. Once you hit the trail plan on hiking 50-70% of what you are capable of for the first week or so. Let your body catch up. This ain't an Olympic Marathon you are training for........."it's just walking"®
I tend to subscribe to Lone Wolf's philosophy: It's just walking.
It may be just walking, but it is a lot more fun if you aren't carrying 50 lbs of extra weight on you. :O
Besides preparing for a hike, being in good shape is needed for good health.
But, far easier to buy gear in REI for an hour than say..oh take a walk for an hour. :)
While I do a lot of walking and hiking as part of my training, I do supplemental training to strengthen my joints and feet. I'm not worried about muscle strength or cardiovascular since that will come quickly on the trail, whereas joints and feet tend to get worse.
Plodderman
08-11-2011, 11:40
Not real complicated just get out and start hiking a couple of days a week. I always start small 2-3 miles then move to 2-4 miles with hills and move onto some 8-10 miles hikes after a couple of months. Then about a month before the hike I start carrying my pack on a few hikes to get a feel for it. Mainly getting your legs in shape and your feet ready. I try to hike at leat 100 miles in the shoes I am going to hike in so they are broke in. Good luck.
I have not hiked this year. I want to start training myself for the hike in March or April. I would like suggestions on how to train.
Thanks a lot. This is a great site. Thanks to all who work on it.:bananaWell as other's have said, if you are way overweight it would be best to begin training yourself right at the kitchen table by eating somewhat less in an effort to lose weight. Showing up grossly overweight is no way to begin a long, arduous hike. Unknown what type of condition you are in already, but as other's have said, you can incorporate a whole host of different fitness activities into your schedule, not just hiking and backpacking. If healthy enough, weightlifting, bicycling, plain walking, and other forms of aerobic activity all will help to build up to an enhanced level of physical fitness. One thing I would be cautious of though, is repetitive non-stop stair climbing. Stair climbing and descending is very hard on the knees, and if you are very overweight, or even if you are not, you could easily injure your knees if too much of it is done too fast. On the trail, you will be climbing, but in the beginning of training in an attempt to build up to a good level of fitness, I don't think it's really necessary to knock yourself out stairclimbing. Just do different activities you enjoy in an effort to get fit. You will definitely want to do some backpacking with a fully loaded pack, as certain muscles in your shoulders and back need to experience the stresses of backpacking before you actually begin your hike, or you will wind up in discomfort once your hike begins.
Good advice Dapper.
A typical rule in any repetitive stress type training is to increase total workloads by about 10% per week. That holds for walking, running, biking, etc. 10% a week doesnt' seem like much, but if you stick with it, it adds up fast. The typical novice mistake isn't not working hard enough, but rather overtraining.
Per Lone Wolf's 'its just walking' I agree. But remember the dude runs ultras, so 'just' means something different to him than it does to most people.
Weight is an issue as well. I've started off in great shape (about a month after NCAA wrestling season ended) and I've started long hikes in absolutely horrific shape (40 pounds overweight after working 100 hours a week over a deep fryer all winter saving up enough money to hike, after spending 6 months of being sedentary after having my shoulder reconstructed).
The hikes where I started off in shape were FAR more enjoyable than the ones where I started off out of shape.
Also, have a realistic idea of what you do weigh and what you should weigh. Our standards in the US are pretty broken. There are plenty of gyms that will check your bodyfat with calipers (BMI is damn near useless, ignore that crap).
Doing a variety of exercises will help with lung capacity and perhaps muscle mass, but the best way to train for dragging a pack up a hill is to, you guessed, drag a pack up a hill. Do small, local hikes in rapid succession. It's better to hike a mile or two for a week than to do a 15-mile knee buster and then sit around for a week or two.
Also, try to walk to wherever you can.
ChinMusic
08-15-2011, 21:27
Park a long way from the door at stores. Take the stairs at work/apartment. Those little things help too.
Feral Bill
08-15-2011, 22:45
Other than impact issues, cycling is as close to a 1:1 to hiking as you can get. It's just hard to hike for a workout at home--once you can hike for 2-3 hours without getting tired, how do you have time to train? Get a bike (with real pedals/shoes) and you can drop the hammer and get a great workout in a brief period of time.
.
If it's at all possible, you might cycle to work. Replace driving with fun exercise every day.
CaptainNemo
08-15-2011, 23:03
I think the best way to train is the way you have the most fun while training. I switch up my regiment constantly as I think most everyone does as well. Right now I play soccer with a pick up league. I think mental training is more important than physical anyhow... that is a whole nother ball game and I can't tell you where to start on that one.
CaptainNemo
08-15-2011, 23:04
And 10 K has a marvelous point.
Balance and core body strength helps a lot.
I have been using a "bosu" or half ball at the gym for years. Turn it flat side up, stand on one foot and do as many one legged squats as possible on each side.
Rest or do another exercise and come back to it again. It sounds easy but after just a few you know it is a workout.
Very fast improvement in balance, allows you to be more confident on your feet, and the squat part strengthens all of the quad muscles.
After that hit the eliptic or treadmill for at least 50 minutes.
TZ
fyi,it took me all winter to get pack weight below 40 lbs and get boots to fit and get to where i could walk flat ground at 20 to 25 mins per miles for a max of 9 miles.yes, i have a long way to go but not as far as when i started last year.good luck hang tough
Fixed gear bicycle in Brooklyn. :)
fixed gear bicycle in brooklyn. :)
hipster alert!
Feral Bill
08-16-2011, 23:13
Fixed gear bicycle in Brooklyn. :) The guys from Mississippi. He would need a translator. Both ways.
Tom Murphy
08-17-2011, 14:10
If you want to be a better hiker, you have to hike.
Hike regularly.
Hike consistently.
Develop a training plan that forces you to gradually increase your weight and distance.
ChinMusic
08-17-2011, 14:24
If you want to be a better hiker, you have to hike.
Hike regularly.
Hike consistently.
I am heavier than I was 7 years ago and not as aerobically fit. Oddly enough, I hike BETTER now than I did back then. I can only attribute that to experience better mental preparation (I know what to expect now and don't get bent out of shape when things turn bad).
So, I agree. Hiking regularly does make a big difference, probably more than just pure conditioning. YMMV