How do you know when you’re ready for your dream treks?? Truth be told, you’ll never really know exactly until you do it. However, there’s a lot you can do to be as prepared as possible.
First, what are you training for? Are you backpacking, climbing, biking, kayaking, doing big day hikes, or pushing into higher elevation? Are you from a state or country that sits at a lower altitude than your upcoming adventure? Depending on your adventure, your training is going to vary. You can always go for the general “get in shape” routine and just do the workouts you know make you feel stronger and build your endurance but that is never going to be as effective as getting specific about what kind of endurance you are going to need on your trip.
I want to put out the disclaimer that I am not a personal trainer or fitness professional. I am a backpacking instructor, climbing instructor, multisport adventure guide, kayaker, trail runner, and all around outdoor enthusiast. I’ve also been a 4 sport athlete consisting of gymnastics, softball, basketball, and volleyball from elementary school through college and captained most of those teams. These are the training tools I have picked up along the way as well as feedback I have received from the clients I have guided on treks through state and national parks all across the United States.
If you’re here reading this you must be someone who is taking your training seriously which is the first huge green flag on your part. Search and Rescue teams often recover hikers and climbers who took on way more than they were ready for and found themselves incredibly humbled by the mountains having perhaps gotten lost, obtained injuries or worse. Depending on what adventure you have coming up and your current physical state is going to determine how soon you need to start training. Of course the earlier the better!
One training tip I can pretty much guarantee will benefit almost every adventure is to start running! That’s something you can start today! Almost every one of my clients who has a regular running regimen typically does very well with endurance for the long hall including big uphill treks and changes in altitude. Respiratory endurance and cardio vascular endurance are crucial for the mountains. My favorite tool for this is the Nike Run Club app. This app provides guided runs with a Nike coach right there in your headphones. You can choose runs anywhere from 5 mins, to 5, 10, 30K runs, and even marathon training! You can track your progress right there in the app and have a little healthy competition with friends you link with for some great accountability. These coaches really helped me understand how to build my respiratory endurance SLOWLY. What I had a bad habit of was running full speed too soon, for too long, buring myself out, and discouraging myself from going back for more. Taking inventory of my body with these coaches and jamming out to my own music while they cheer me on, counting me down to the finish line changed my entire perspective on being a runner. Another thing that shocked me is that I had so much fun! I couldn’t wait to get back to the start line which even for me was bizarre! I absolutely suggest giving it a shot! Respiratory endurance is not the only thing you are gaining as a runner. You’re also building the muscles and ligaments in your legs, increasing ankle stability, and another detail many don’t think about is learning to manage your knees!
Running is obviously a lot on your knees which if not managed well can do quite a bit of damage. I myself had awful knee issues for most of my athletic career. I even wore a knee brace for nearly every game and practice. Today I very rarely have any problems with my knees and I take on bigger adventures today than I ever have in my life. For me the biggest change was specifically targeting the muscles around my knees in surprisingly simple strength training exercises. It was like night and day! I can’t guarantee that this will solve all of your knee problems but its absolutely worth a try! It’s too easy and too accessible not to. There are an infinite amount of videos on the internet explaining how to “bulletproof your knees”. You can do all of them at home and you can work at it starting with very low impact to your knees if you are beginning your journey with some injuries. If you have a physical therapist or personal trainer they should be more than happy to provide you with loads of great training tips. Knee injuries are one of the top injuries I treat on tours. If you can take care of your knees before your adventure you’re way ahead of most.
HIIT or High-Intensity Interval Training exercises are always a great avenue as well! That will look a bit more like your CrossFit or Spartan Race friend’s work out. Yes, the crazy friend! HIIT workouts will have your clothes quite literally dripping with sweat but they will get your body in gear in a short amount of time. Once again there are plenty of videos and available material out there to find what works for you. I find that HIIT workouts are best with friends. It’s super easy to tap out early when you’re by yourself but if you have a few buddies who will push through every rep with you, that camaraderie can go a long way. Misery loves company right?? Just kidding. But conditioning with a team and collapsing on the floor together creates a different kind of hilarious and empowering bond that keeps all of you working towards your goals even though your whole face now has a heartbeat. You’ll thank yourself when you get to those mountains and feel great as you climb hundreds or thousands of feet of elevation.
Speaking of the mountains!! Everything I’ve mentioned so far is generally going to get you in a good place to take on your adventure. However, we can get more specific. One thing I thoroughly believe is that you have to train for the mountains in the mountains. You can do everything we just discussed but what your body is not acclimating to is all day treks where your muscles are at top performance for 8-12 hours in a day. You’re not thinking about the impact your legs are going to take when you are traveling down hill on rocky scrambles for 5-6 miles. Those are unique movements that you can only adapt to by doing it. So… how do you train for your trip without doing the trip? Just get on a trail! Hike a lot! Look for different types of hikes around you. If you are training for a backpacking trip put that backpack on! Load it up nice and heavy and do some technical day hikes. Go one step farther and try to challenge yourself to a decent time to be done with your hike. Get that heart rate pumping. Also observe your bag. Is your bag crooked feeling? Could you pack it a bit better for weight distribution? Are you noticing hot spots in your straps? Do you have it adjusted correctly? Are there items you realize you want conveniently in your hip belts instead of somewhere deep in the abyss of the main compartment? Where’s your headlamp now that dusk is coming fast? How much more water are you drinking while carrying this extra weight? How much slower are you traveling? Are there items you realize aren’t worth the weight in your bag? Every time you get home from a training hike give yourself the space to look at your bag and edit what could be more efficient. Maybe your Nalgene bottle was supper annoying to keep reaching for and you need to purchase a hydration bladder before your trip. And now that you have a bladder can you still fit everything you wanted to in your main compartment with an additional 2-3 liters of water? These are just some of the questions you can be asking yourself as you train in the months before your trip.
You also want to take inventory of your body. You should not be hiking for hours in pain and have done nothing to remedy the pain source. I watch my clients do this all the time. When I catch it, we address it. It’s best to catch potential injuries early and not just let them fester and become something unnecessary. How are your shoes serving you? Do you need arch supports? Ankle support? Tons of blister tape? Are your toes jamming in the front of your shoe going downhill? Do you need a bigger shoe? Are you getting the hang of your trekking poles? Really pay attention to things that hurt or are not working and rethink them or try to find solutions. Suffering in silence is not the way out here! You need your body to perform at its best for the long hall. The threats are much different than running out of steam on the treadmill in a gym. You don’t get to quit in backcountry until you reach camp, the water source, or the trailhead.
Caving, climbing, canyoneering, and kayaking are just examples of more upper body focused adventures. Finding a local rock gym in your area is, in my opinion the best way to strength train mid and upper body. Climbing is absolutely a full body work out but the focus on your upper body is going to give you a more dynamic workout verse upper body machines in a traditional gym. Indoor rock climbing allows you to build at your own pace. It has a great mix of calisthenics and yoga movements as you transition from one awkward position to the next increasing in grace the more you practice. You also test your mentality making clear, direct decisions through the stress of the height and physical fatigue. There are plenty of beautiful things to be gained in a climbing gym that can equipped you for adventures, including learning proper use of climbing gear, climbing etiquette, safety standards, communication lingo, advanced technique, etc. Another huge perk to getting into your local climbing gym is the outdoor community you’ll gain. Being able to connect and grow with the other outdoor fanatics in your town is bound to push you to the next level and give you great insight on the adventure scene!
I’m sure you all have clever tips and tricks that you have picked up along the way and hard lessons you’ve learned. I want to hear them! Pay forward the cautionary tails! What not to do can be just as important as the must-do list! Hopefully, you’ve taken something valuable from the lessons I’ve learned in my experience that brings you closer to your dream adventures! Be safe but get out there sooner than later!! I swear you’ve got this. You just have to start somewhere. When you need a pick me up on the rough days, ask me how to connect with some of the best humans who are just as in love with the outdoor rush! A community of positive energy, healthy habits, and high ambition might be exactly what you need to kill that last mile every time.