physical prep for AT thru hike.. does one need to?

[DavidNH]

Hello,

I know this has been discussed a bit but I am a little confused and conflicted on this at this point.

I plan to do a northbound AT thru hike this coming starting late March of '06. I have heard various views on the subject of conditioning. to wit:

1) the only way to really prepare for hiking is to hike and the only way to backpack the AT is do do just that.

2) a caretaker at the Kinsman Pond Campsite in the White Mountains (himself a thru hiker) that the best way to prepare to hike the AT is to hike the AT in Georgia.

3) there are others, my brothers for example, who say I should walk 20+ miles a week, work out in the gym, and lose 20-30 pounds at least to maximaize my chances.

Now I am going to the gym now a couple times a week and get walks in on the weekends when I can. I prefer to do practice hikes when the weather is descent. I am in at least average shape though at 6 ft2 240+ I could probably stand to lose a few pounds. But I dont want to stop eating either.

Now a part of me is saying, well.. I can sit on the couch and eat my Ben and Jerry's ice cream all winter while I watch TV (so to speak!!)...and I will get conditioned on the trail and after a couple weeks all is good. Just gotta keep pack weight within reason. Another part of me says perhaps I should get out as much as possible. But there is winter coming on, the days get very short, and the weather can often be nasty (ie sub zero temps. and gale winds..not much fun for hiking.

If the folks who don't exercize much are not much better off after a few weeks than the gym fantatics and the runners perhaps the whole physical conditioning deal is a bit over done?

One thing I learned while hiking the vermont Long Trail: no matter how bad things may be or how miserable and tired I may feel at a given moment..things will improve in time. the mud will dry out given enough miles, the rain will stop, the feet will feel better after some rest, the sun will come out. It is just a matter of sticking it out and gettin through!

David

[Jack Tarlin]

I tend to agree with your brothers: The better shape you are when you start your trip, the better off you'll be, especially as regards the extra weight you're carrying. Thru-hiking is tough enough, but believe me, it's tougher for overweight people, as I discovered this spring after hitting the Trail in really poor shape. You'll make it much easier on yourself if you lose some of that weight now.

I also suggest you do some short hikes before you do your big one. It'll prepare your body well for what you're about to do, and will help you get used to your equipment, including, of course, your pack.

And speaking of which, it can't hurt to load your pack up in the weeks before the trip and actually wear it for a few hours each day around town, which will help your body get used to carrying around the extra weight. I'm convinced that one of the reasons a lot of people quit in the beginning is because of the shock to their system, of both the ammount of heavy exercise suddenly required each day COMBINED with the extra weightload that the body isn't used to.

In short, getting your body in better shape, and getting acclimatized to your gear and load will make things a lot easoer for you once you hit the Trail, and may even improve your chances.

[The Will]

David,

Before my thru-hike I was running regularly 4-5 times per week. Notwithstanding this training, lower Maine with a (over) loaded pack still presented a physical test. Making that transition from running to the thru-hiking, I think it is fair to say that my cardiovacular conditioning probably receeded some, while the hiking definitely improved my lower body strength. Even with my training, I still noticed about a two to three week period to get into day after day hiking condition.

This begs the question: was all that effort to get physically preped for the hike of benefit since I still recognized an additional period to get in hiking condition? I would have to yes. It is impossible for a person completing a thru-hike to remain out of shape. After hiking for a month you should be primed. The key is being able to persevere for that initial 2-4 week period, and a large part of that is avoiding any type of injury.

Injury prevention alone is good enough reason to be doing some training early, even if it is only regular walks through the neighborhood. I'd consider anything else that makes the start to your hike easier a bonus. Simply stay injury free and persevere and the trail will take care of your fitness level.

[Peaks]

Dave, if you have hiked the Long Trail end to end, then you already know a great deal about backpacking.

Some people do very little conditioning prior to starting a thru-hike. Others train and are in excellent shape. The answer to your question is, as Jack posted, the better shape you are in, the easier the first several weeks is going to be. And thus, will improve your chances for success.

Best conditioning is backpacking itself. Second best is almost any exercise that works your lower body, and gets your heart rate up. And almost anything that you do is going to be better than nothing.

[Frosty]

My experience last year:

I had hiked quite a bit and backpacked some, but for various reasons was pretty inactive for the last three months before startng a thru (April 11). I had gained a few pounds over my normally heavy weight (startedhiking 6'5", 255#).

I made it 67 miles, to Dicks Creek Gap, where my right knee betrayed me. Iliotibial band syndrome was the immediate concern, but it was complicateed by my weight, too many miles a day, and arthritis in my left hip. The doctor figured that I was favoring my left hip while walking and putting a strain on my right knee. He opined that I had beendoing this quite a while, but the stress of hiking every day brought matters to a head.

My goal for 2006 was to start sooner,hike fewer miles, and be in better shape. This plan took a major hit in early August on the Northville-Placid Trail.I got very sick, and haven'tbeen right since. Very low energy, little stamina, night sweats. Giadia and Lyme have been ruled out and I have taken tests for about every viral possiblitiy my doctor could find. He even called people in the Adirondaks asking about unusual possibilities that occurred locally in case I had picked up something rare/unusual.

Because the night sweats have been increasing, he recently sent me for me an X-ray for TB. No TB but evidently an aneurysm (***?!?!) in my aorta. Just had a CAT scan to look at that.

I guess I rambled from your question, but I did have a point, and that is that I wish I had been in better shape to complete the 2005 thruhike, as I may not be able to go in 2006. So my advice is to get into the best shape your can and give yourself the best opportunity to complete your hike the first time.

[johnny quest]

i believe the biggest physical prepping you can do for a long hike is 1)toughen your feet/break in your shoes and 2)lose weight. the stress on your knees and lower back can greatly be reduced by losing that extra ten pounds before setting out on the trail. we spend so much time and money cutting our pack weight...and ignore the harder, yet easier weight reduction around our middle. that being said...the best way to lose that weight pre-hike is exercise. so running, walking, stairstepping, etc. all are good pre-hike activities...not so much because they correspond with the activity of thru-hiking, but because the make us more physically fit, easing our transition into the thru-hiking life and reducing chance of injury in the critical first few weeks.

[One Leg]

In 2003, I took my spring break & hiked the Laurel Highlands Hiking Trail in Pa.

A friend, who is an experienced hiker, advised me to try that trail first, as it would "equip" me for the A.T.

It was challanging, but did little to prepare me for the AT's northern states. (NOTHING can prepare you for that.)

But, all in all, I am glad that I took the time to do the LHHT beforehand. It did give me a very realistic repesentation of what to expect, as it rained throughout the first half of the hike.....

Notes on the LHHT: They operate a shelter system, and it's required that you stay in the shelters......Not that I did, as I didn't always end my days at a shelter.... And it costs about $40 for out of state residents to hike it, but it's well worth the money..... The scenary is outstanding. You can't rely on the topo map being realistic with regard to the elevation variations.... One area, Blue Hole Gap, is about 1/2-3/4 mile straight down, then straight up out of the hole..... For a one legger, it seemed like hell, but probably wouldn't be so bad for anyone else.

I liked the LHHT so well that I'm planning a return in '06.... It's an experience worth reliving......

[the goat]

as long as you're not obese, you'll be alright. hell, even if you are, you'll be alright, you'll just move slower.
there was a nobo in '01 named "deuce and a half" she weighed 250 lbs when she started & she was only like 5'2" or 3", she was in VT when i passed her going south, she had shed most of it.

[fiddlehead]

If you can't get to the trail to hike, and the weather is not good, I think a STEP MACHINE at the health club (or i have a friend who owns his own) is the next best thing you could do to get in shape. It's easy to carry a pack on the level. It's a lot harder to climb mtns with one. In '98 my niece wanted to do GA with me in march. She worked out twice a week on a step machine and we were doing 20's by Bly gap. She even wanted to do more one day. I was pleasantly surprised at her stamina. Since you have done the Long trail, i'm sure you know the advantages of being able to climb steps vs someone who ate the Ben & Jerry's all winter. Good luck and have fun!

[tlbj6142]

Stair machines don't work your knees enough. Use real stair and make sure you make slow deliberate steps. Don't just skip down the stairs. Frankly the more you do "real trail" work before your hike the better. Walking, running, Gym work, etc. probably won't let you know your knees are "bad", or have hammer toe issues, etc.

[Blissful]

Not only is physical conditioning important but also what to do with different trail situations. Being too cold, being dehydrated, being hypothermic, getting stung, getting poison ivy, getting rained on (and thunderstorm above the treeline), snowed on, walking in snow, walking in difficult terrain, shelter life, etc. etc. We did seven backpacking trips this year and in every one I learned something new that I can use toward my thru hike in 07.

[hustler]

I think being in good physical shape has it's advantages. I was coming off the marathon circuit both years before jumping on the trail. The physical challenge of the trail wasn't there because my body could handle doing 20+ mile days with no problem. My feet were a much different story. However, the trail is a mental challenge, anyone can complete a thru-hike if they have the mental strength.

[DMA, 2000]

Don't believe the "only way to get in shape for hiking is to hike" BS. Yes, hiking is a unique challenge, and nothing will prepare you perfectly for it, but fitness is fitness - and there are a lot of ways to achieve it that are more time-efficient than hiking.

As others have said, losing weight and getting stronger/fitter will help you avoid injury. More weight will make you more prone to falls. Better to have fit legs and ankles, and less weight to slow down when footing becomes treacherous. More weight will also make you more prone to stress fractures.

I don't speak from experience. I started the trail woefully out of shape, and I was fine. No stress fractures, painful falls, or even foot problems until way up the trail. But my lack of fitness and extra weight (in the pack and under the skin) made for some pretty slow going up to the Smokies. (Actually, until the day I arrived at Fontana, I was unable to fasten the hip belt on my pack...I wasn't going to waste money on a "fat pack"...so don't think that you won't get in shape anyway, or can't slog through an unfit start. Just that you can make things easier on yourself now.)

[The Hog]

By all means, get out in the nasty weather and walk or jog or ski or whatever. Why? Because you'll enjoy your hike WAY more if you're in good shape to start, and if you're semi-used to mentally dealing with all kinds of weather.

I would wager that people who enjoy their hikes more, right from the start, are the most likely to continue on and finish the trek. Those who aren't enjoying it early on get to road crossings and start to think about quitting. Many follow up on the idea.

And here's the next step: do yourself a favor and make your daily jogs/walks/runs/whatever a lifetime habit. You'll feel better, live better, look better, and live longer.

[Frolicking Dinosaurs]

The male dino and the female dino have a major disagreement on what the best way to train for the trail is.

The male dino feels that gym type workouts every other day and walking on paved surfaces with a backpack loaded with about 10# more than he plans to carry on non-workout days is the best.

The female dino (who hates the gym after over a year of intense physical therapy 3X a week) feels daily walks on non-paved surfaces with weight at or below that normally carried on the trail is enough.

DMA - would you elaborate on the "more time-efficient" ways to achieve trail fitness?

[walkin' wally]

If you can't get to the trail to hike, and the weather is not good, I think a STEP MACHINE at the health club (or i have a friend who owns his own) is the next best thing you could do to get in shape. It's easy to carry a pack on the level. It's a lot harder to climb mtns with one. In '98 my niece wanted to do GA with me in march. She worked out twice a week on a step machine and we were doing 20's by Bly gap. She even wanted to do more one day. I was pleasantly surprised at her stamina. Since you have done the Long trail, i'm sure you know the advantages of being able to climb steps vs someone who ate the Ben & Jerry's all winter. Good luck and have fun!

I agree. The stairmaster has worked for me quite well. At my age I believe I have just average ordinary knees. I have had no knee trouble on the trail. I feel the best benefit has been to use the step machine to raise my heart rate consistently. This machine for me has made the first hike of the season a lot less strenuous that if I had not used it at all. I can gain some leg strength from it too. It also gives a good burn to my legs. A person can go as fast or as slow on it as he or she wishes. Any exercise for me at my age is better than not doing anything at all.

Also my first trip in the spring on the AT usually involves carrying a chainsaw on a frame pack with other gear. That trip can be murder without some winter exercise.

[CynJ]

Don't know what's best specifically - but I am conditioning on a treadmill that inclines. I load up a pack with about 30lbs of weight and do a 30min program with a lot of ups and downs and speed changes. Its a very intense workout and I (and my doctor) feel its right for me.

I had really looked at where I was miserable when we were actually hiking. For me that is on the extended uphills. I would get exceptionally winded and a couple of times in the summer almost had heat stroke. I am fine on the flats and down hills but just die on the uphills.

So I built my conditioning program around increasing my endurance (ie the treadmill), learning better hydration techniques, and learning to better pace myself and use a rest step. Doing all this has really helped me. My next step is to get a pair of Leki's and learn to use them properly -I think it will really help my knees on the uphills.

[DMA, 2000]

Time efficient:

You can hike 15 miles a day, 6 days a week. After a couple of months, this will get you in pretty good shape. It will also be tough to work and live a normal life. It's effective, hella fun, but not a very good use of your time if you want to do anything else.

Or you can run for 45 minutes every day, and spend an hour a day doing gym work - situps, lifts for the back, lots of leg exercises. After a couple of months, this will also get you in pretty good shape. And, you can work, live a normal life, keep working right up to the time you hit the AT, and have more money at the start of the trail. But throwing in the odd Saturday hike, even an overnighter or three, will help out too. It will get your feet better, your gear and such sorted out.

[starvingmusician]

One Leg --
Drop me a line when you get ready to do the LHHT again. I'm only about 15 minutes from the Route 30 access point (Laughlintown). We'd be happy to have you as a houseguest and provide any shuttle service you'd need.

[One Leg]

One Leg --
Drop me a line when you get ready to do the LHHT again. I'm only about 15 minutes from the Route 30 access point (Laughlintown). We'd be happy to have you as a houseguest and provide any shuttle service you'd need.

Hey, thanks... I will happily take you up on that offer.