View Full Version : Your 2013 Hike
Many Moons
11-11-2012, 23:08
What are You doing to prepare for your 2013 hike/hikes??
I have been doing weights Monday thru Friday and long walks on weekends with dogs followed by Cardio Monday thru Friday the next week and again long walks with dogs on weekend. Lots of leg curls and extensions on weight week. Hike On!!!
Miller
ILMT
ChinMusic
11-11-2012, 23:46
Continuing my usual moderate strength training. Doing one longish dayhike on the weekend. Will be adding treadmill work now that it is dark when I get home from work. Have a week-long trip planned in Arkansas in December. I plan on upping my treadmill and weekends hikes after that trip to try and hang onto what my body gains from that trip.
And most importantly, reading this thread: http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?88306-How-are-your-preparations-going ;)
swjohnsey
11-12-2012, 08:26
Lookin' back . . . hiked last year, I think I would concentrate on upper body. Your legs and cardio will get in shape on their own. Your upper body strength will take a beatin'. I am in the process of gettin' back to where I was before the hike. Knees still hurt, feet still hurt, push-ups, pull-ups, sit-ups and some walkin'.
It don't matter what you do to get ready for a thru-hike you can only get ready for the AT by hiking the AT, trust me you will see what i am talking about once you get out their.
What Red-Dog said. You want to get ready for the AT? Put 40 pounds in your pack and section hike. Then your upper body/back will enjoy the 30 pounds you do carry and your legs will recognize the real hiking you'll do. Then take it easy until you do at least 100 miles or more.
I have been hiking once a month for a weekend when possible and running/biking during the week.
max patch
11-12-2012, 14:05
The only thing I'm doing is reducing the amount of mail I get as much as possible; being billed online instead of mail, changing bank account to online, changing newspapers and magazine to tablet versions, etc.
I exercise regularly anyway so I'm not doing anything special there. While I agree thats its best to be in as good a shape as posssible when beginning, the only way you're gonna get in hiking shape is to actually hike.
MuddyWaters
11-12-2012, 20:06
I stay in good shape all the time, because I want to enjoy various activities I partake of.
But I dont really think it matters a lot. As long as you arent seriously overweight, you will be OK. Also, being forced to start slowly, may help protect you from injury.
Even if you can do 20 miles per day from day 1, its not smart too when you are in it for the duration of a thru hike. What you need to be concerned about are repetitive motion injuries, and there is no way to prepare against them except to slowly work up the miles.
A dayhiker or section hiker can get by with injuries for short duration that will eventually end a thru hike attempt. Dont be in a hurry at first.
Put my waist out where I can keep an eye on it.:D
justmike
11-13-2012, 09:25
just ordered the maps from ATC for my thu hike in March 2013. I walk at least 5 days a week for minn 1 hr. Do weights 3 times a week. Trying to get pack weight down. Hiked Mohawk trail in CT last month four days. Cant beleive only 4.5 months left to prepare.
Camel2012
11-14-2012, 03:06
Like the others said, the only way to train for climbing mountains, is to go do it, but i would say the number one thing you can do to make your hike easier is cardio, cardio, and more cardio. Trust me, no matter your physical abilities, the trail will get you in shape.
I use the program in the book "Climbing: Training for Peak Performance" Clyde Soles- I found leg strength is the key. If I can't get up the hills it is really tough...
Raymond James
11-14-2012, 21:59
I packed my pack, base plus two weeks of food/fuel, and then added 30 lbs to it. I started walking a coule miles a day with it now up to 7. Plan to get up to 15. I have a rather steep hill on my property that I walk up and down several times then I walk the pastures till I get my heart rate back down then walk over and do the hill again. I live near a trail but it is very flat built on an old railroad bed. Going to do part of the Ozark Trail in Missouri in December, planning on doing the whole thing before heading east but will most likely do it insections.