Question: Best exercises for hiking and pre skiing

[Pandita]

I am going on a weekend hiking/camping trip in about three weeks. I have been working out - ie read - lifting some weights, stationary bike and crunches/legpressess, abductors/adductors. I also have been swimming a little. Just to vary things up. Also I have gone on three hikes in the past 6 weeks.

Background - I live in an apt that has a small gym - no classess offered, just two elliptical (sp?), one stationary bike, four treadmills

For weights,leg presses, benchpresses free weights a few other arm and leg machines.


So my question is.. What is the best type of exercises or workout to do in prep for this. I just don't want to be seemingly way behind everyone. There is a high impact water aerobics that is offered.

Just looking for a routine and something to add to what I do. Also, I want to prep for sking so I won't die going down the first run.
Any advise would be helpful

 

[Robyn]

I'd say get on the treadmill or elliptical put the incline way up and start with a walk/jog on that. While the bike and the swimming help your cardio fitness nothing will improve your hiking fitness as well as doing something that simulates that motion as best as possible.

 

[SkiNurse]

Use the elliptical on a variable incline. For example, the one I use at the gym has a program that mimics walking up and down hill. Also, use the highest resistance you can for your endurance.

LUNGES!!! Front, walking lunges with weights. Standing side lunges with weights.

This will not only help you with hiking, will also really help with skiing. Most of all, have fun!!!

 

[Lisamarie]

What she said. Some people even like to use these machines while wearing a pack.
Also, I've been posting Mountain Fitness Articles on my Examiner page. Scroll to the archives. There are some cool videos.

 

[altagirl]

I think downhill biking (cornering) simulates skiing better than anything else. Maybe that's just me.

But I'm doing speed skating right now and hopefully that will get my legs good and strong. I've heard it does wonders for those skiing muscles - I'll let you know!

And for hiking, I'd say getting on a treadmill with the incline turned all the way up should help. My calves always feel it and that seems to simulate hiking pretty well.

 

[ski diva]

LUNGES!!! Front, walking lunges with weights. Standing side lunges with weights.

What she said. I've been doing these, and they're the BEST.

 

[SkiNurse]

Oops, forgot important part of the standing side lunges. With the weights, you want to do like a reverse shoulder press.

Stand tall, with weight in right hand straight up (like your raising your hand to use the bathroom in school) Then in one motion, side lunge with your right leg (keep left knee straight!!!) and bring right arm to a right angle. Then in one motion, bring right leg back to center while shoulder pressing with right arm. L arm is on your left hip during the movement.

Try to do 12 reps, than switch and repeat on L side.

Good for the tushie!!!

 

[Pandita]

Thanks to everyone for their input! I appreciate all of your advise

 

[toughgirl]

I hike as much as I can. I find the best prep is to get out in the woods and get some small hikes in on the weekend. But the easiest is to throw a pack on with some weight and go up down a flight of stairs

 

[tradygirl]

Here's one for ya....

I found this on mtnathlete.com. He gives a warning to keep a fire extinguisher nearby to put out the leg fire. He's totally right. It's called the Leg Blaster.

1 set (no rest between exercises):
20x air squat (squat with no weight - go deep!)
10 walking lunges, each leg
10 jumping lunges each leg
10 squat jumps (squat deep and explode into a jump)

He recommends 1-2 min rest between sets if you haven't been doing them at all. I did 3 sets, 1 min between each and OMG....the pain. Rob says his "strong" athletes can do 6 sets with no rest in between.

I think I'm going to do this bad boy once a week at least through the first of ski season.

 

[Gloria]

Here's one for ya....

I found this on mtnathlete.com. He gives a warning to keep a fire extinguisher nearby to put out the leg fire. He's totally right. It's called the Leg Blaster.

1 set (no rest between exercises):
20x air squat (squat with no weight - go deep!)
10 walking lunges, each leg
10 jumping lunges each leg
10 squat jumps (squat deep and explode into a jump)

He recommends 1-2 min rest between sets if you haven't been doing them at all. I did 3 sets, 1 min between each and OMG....the pain. Rob says his "strong" athletes can do 6 sets with no rest in between.

I think I'm going to do this bad boy once a week at least through the first of ski season.

OMG - we used to do this way back in Cross Country except the end was to push a 1' 2x4 wrapped in a towel from one end of the gym to the other. All of us would literally be collapsing on our way across the gym. I don't remember the exact set but included most of above and a couple other walking/skipping type excersises. It was really hard and we did it as a warm-up before we ran .

 

[Pandita]

Thanks to everyone's advice, I was able to keep up and I was not winded or anything on te hiking weekend. It was fun on the way down, but first day we did a 7 mile hike down was the easy part, but on the way back it was all the way up. Fun. We were hiking in the Shenadoah - beautiful and we saw bear!!!.

Now I am back to training for skiing.

 

[abc]

10 walking lunges, each leg
10 jumping lunges each leg.

What's a walking lunge? vs. a jumping lunge? Inquiring mind wants to know...

 

[tradygirl]

Walking lunge = step forward into a lunge with right leg. As you stand up, step forward into a lunge with your left leg. Hence, you are moving forward like walking.

Jumping lunge = step down into a right-foot-forward lunge. Jump explosively straight up and land into a left-foot-forward lunge. You should not be moving forward or backward. This can be pretty high impact, so maybe avoid it if your knees start to hate you.

 

[Marian]

Happy New Year, everybody!

Before I go on, if you're working out and getting ready for a big hike in 3 or so weeks, just a reminder: DON'T OVERTRAIN.

You need to have some days, maybe a week, off from heavy training BEFORE you get to the hike. Otherwise while hiking your muscles WILL let you know they're already burned out...

IMHO the best training/conditioning is a variety of cross-training all year round. That balanced with recovery days off - absolutely necessary.

Besides doing cardio & using machines to workout regularly, I favour *bodyweight strength training.* For LEGS I favour SQUATS and LUNGES. 2-4 sets of 10, 15 or 20.

I also love Beachbody.com's P90X home training system on DVD. It gives you cardio, strength training, plus yoga and stretching.

As for me, I just got myself a (discounted) Malibu Pilates bench (as basic home workout equipment that takes up next to no space)! Abs rock!!

cheers,
Marian

I am going on a weekend hiking/camping trip in about three weeks. I have been working out - ie read - lifting some weights, stationary bike and crunches/legpressess, abductors/adductors. I also have been swimming a little. Just to vary things up. Also I have gone on three hikes in the past 6 weeks.

Background - I live in an apt that has a small gym - no classess offered, just two elliptical (sp?), one stationary bike, four treadmills

For weights, leg presses, bench presses free weights a few other arm and leg machines.

So my question is.. What is the best type of exercises or workout to do in prep for this. ...

 

[Marian]

I just realised this was from, like, last September. But the info still stands. In case Pandita reads this, I'd like to know how her hike went.

Marian in DC

 

[Kano]

scroll back up to October 24th -- she has a brief "report" there.

Walking lunges, oh my, they're lovely! What a great multipurpose exercise! They stretch things that need stretching, work muscles that need working.....

Something my trainer had me doing the other day -- she called them "Curtsey Lunges" -- back leg crosses behind front leg like a fancy curtsey. "We" did this with a 20 pound bar on my shoulders. She says it's good for knee stability.

And everything she's had me do this fall has included having to keep myself balanced -- either standing on a ball, or on one foot, or something like that, to keep my core engaged as I do it all!

Karen in Boise

 

[Marian]

Curtsey lunges... That WO sounds good. And doing it while keeping your balance, what's the name of that thing: the wobble board or balance board? You stand and balance your feet on each side of it as you do your squats & various workouts. I love that one too; it's deceptively simple. Have one at home. I'm going to get in 20-40 squats tonight. Thanks for the inspiration!! : )