Training, preparing for hiking

How does a person train for a long distance hike?

First of all, if you are overweight like I was before beginning my Appalachian Trail hike on March 1, 2019 I suggest you lose some of that excess weight, especially if it’s mostly belly fat, which was my case. I had people tell me “Keep that fat, you will need it on the trail.” I think nothing could be farther from the truth.

Carrying excess weight in that form only makes it much harder and increases your risk of injury. Many people preach about pack weight, so why carry excess body weight in the form of fat?

So how does one lose that excess weight? Many people think you can simply exercise it away while continuing to eat like there’s no tomorrow. Especially as we get older, I have learned that it doesn’t matter how hard you train, how much you work out in the gym, how many miles you walk each day, if you eat like a hog you will be fat as one.

And what are some good exercises to do to prepare for a long distance hiking endeavor? Outside the gym there is always the option to just walk. A lot, preferably with the backpack loaded to the approximate weight you will be carrying when you start that backpacking trip, and don’t forget your hiking boots! If you can go to the mountains for this, so much the better.

When I was preparing for my long hike I was limited to a nearly flat area but it was better than nothing. Maybe you have access to a building with lots of stairs? Walk up and down those stairs with your backpack and hiking boots.

Now, what exercises in the gym will work well? Anything that strengthens your body and burns calories will suffice. Many people (myself included) tend to ignore core strength. Core strength is important as that is what carries your backpack and keeps you balanced over rugged terrain. So work those abs! Crunches are good but NOT full sit ups! Full sit ups are eventually going to cause back problems.

Don’t forget your legs! Many gym bunnies concentrate on building their chest, shoulders, arms and lats but ignore those legs. Of course the stronger your legs are the less difficult it will be climbing those endless hills on the trails. Squats, leg presses, calf raises, leg extensions,and leg curls are all highly recommended.

How about nutrition? As you work those muscle groups in the gym the tissues will break down and it’s ONLY when the muscle tissue is repaired that the muscles will grow slightly larger and a little bit stronger each time. So be sure you are getting plenty of protein in your daily diet. This can be from red meats, fish or chicken. Also, there are protein supplements. It is best if you use a protein supplement/powder that you consume that within 30 minutes AFTER a hard workout.

I have also found that for me, it doesn’t matter how many miles I have walked with my backpack and how long I worked out in the gym on any particular day, if I eat in the afternoons I will gain some weight in the form of belly fat. If you are younger and are blessed with a faster metabolism this may not apply to you. You will just have to listen to your body and watch those scales and make adjustments according to what works for you.

I hope you have learned from this article. Stay tuned for more to come. Thank you for reading!