Backpacking physical training...

DOSS

DOSS

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Jan 17, 2012
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So what do you do for your physical training in regards to getting ready for the long mile hauls?

My personal training for backpacking this year is walking 3X a week for 2 hours (while my youngest is in preschool) with 5 lbs ankle weights and various pack weights up to 50lbs, Along the route I take is some train tracks so I also get my balance training in by walking the rail for a quarter of a mile or so. I have always preferred getting in shape for doing things by doing them, time spent in the gym is just not a way I want to spend time.
I also do some generic upper body workouts, usually on the climbing wall in the basement :)

So what do you do (we know Nick is currently training only his left leg :) )
 
DOSS said:
So what do you do for your physical training in regards to getting ready for the long mile hauls?

My personal training for backpacking this year is walking 3X a week for 2 hours (while my youngest is in preschool) with 5 lbs ankle weights and various pack weights up to 50lbs, Along the route I take is some train tracks so I also get my balance training in by walking the rail for a quarter of a mile or so. I have always preferred getting in shape for doing things by doing them, time spent in the gym is just not a way I want to spend time.
I also do some generic upper body workouts, usually on the climbing wall in the basement :)

So what do you do (we know Nick is currently training only his left leg :) )
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I like to fill my pack and head up the local canyons and hike as far up a trail as I can go while the snow is still flying. (Not always possible) I've that for me there's not a better substitute for actual elevation gain and terrain than that.
 
I'm using the gym a lot, especially during periods of really awful weather. Working with weights, stepper, leg press, you name it.
Sometimes I just fill my back with weights, grab my snow shoes and hit the trails.
 
Winter time is really hard for me, but I try and do exercise to strengthen my back, legs, arms, and then I try and get out and do some snowshoeing. Summer time I do a lot of day hiking, building up distances and steepness as I go. A month before I got into the Winds or Unitas I try and spend some time at as high as elevation as I can (just shy of 10k in Cache Valley). I find that if I can get up to near 10k a few times I do a lot better the first two days on my trip.
 
I'm just continuing hiking with my heavy camera bag all winter long like I normally do....hopefully that should be enough to be ready to try backpacking....
 
AustinCronnelly said:
Does anyone know what Crossfit is? I've been going for about 2 years and it's great conditioning for backpacking.
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My coworker who finally convinced me to go paleo is a crossfit junky but I've never done it. I feel awful going to the gym and leaving my three dogs locked up at home. I figure if I'm going to go out and do something active I ought to take them with me. Probably not a great way to go about it but...
 
ibenick said:
My coworker who finally convinced me to go paleo is a crossfit junky but I've never done it. I feel awful going to the gym and leaving my three dogs locked up at home. I figure if I'm going to go out and do something active I ought to take them with me. Probably not a great way to go about it but...
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I know what you mean, I've got a dog and it kills me when I can't take her for a walk. I imagine how you would feel with 3 dogs.

Good for you on going Paleo. Ive done a few 30 day periods of strict Paleo but try and maintain 80/20. But with my wife being pregnant its like 20/80. You live in PC, right? The owner of the crossfit in Park City is one of the best Crossfit athletes in the world.
 
AustinCronnelly said:
I know what you mean, I've got a dog and it kills me when I can't take her for a walk. I imagine how you would feel with 3 dogs.

Good for you on going Paleo. Ive done a few 30 day periods of strict Paleo but try and maintain 80/20. But with my wife being pregnant its like 20/80. You live in PC, right? The owner of the crossfit in Park City is one of the best Crossfit athletes in the world.
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I don't live in PC, just work up there. I live down in Cottonwood Heights. When I started paleo, I intended to do a cheat day every weekend but once we were done with our 30 day 'cleanse', it just didn't seem worth it. Amazing how you can feel all those other things once you get rid of them. And I've got a bit of weight to lose, perhaps once I'm where I need to be I'll be a tiny bit more lax. Down 38lbs since Thanksgiving! :D
 
ibenick said:
I don't live in PC, just work up there. I live down in Cottonwood Heights. When I started paleo, I intended to do a cheat day every weekend but once we were done with our 30 day 'cleanse', it just didn't seem worth it. Amazing how you can feel all those other things once you get rid of them. And I've got a bit of weight to lose, perhaps once I'm where I need to be I'll be a tiny bit more lax. Down 38lbs since Thanksgiving! :D
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38 lbs that's great! Does that diet allow you to still partake of the beverage?
 
Yellowstone 1 said:
38 lbs that's great! Does that diet allow you to still partake of the beverage?
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In moderation. I used to be a big fan of bourbon+diet coke, now I mostly have red wine on the weekends but I won't turn down some straight whiskey around a campfire. I suspect I'll even cheat a bit and have a nice, dank beer now and then too. I tried a sip of a PBR on my iSky trip and it tasted like microbrew! :lol:
 
ibenick said:
In moderation. I used to be a big fan of bourbon+diet coke, now I mostly have red wine on the weekends but I won't turn down some straight whiskey around a campfire. I suspect I'll even cheat a bit and have a nice, dank beer now and then too. I tried a sip of a PBR on my iSky trip and it tasted like microbrew! :lol:
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Water into wine and PBR into microbrew! :lol: Good drink around a fire is always a great way to end the day.
 
I do no special training. When it's time to hit the trail, I just go. I do however have a fairly active job as a service tech. Also when I go into buildings on service calls I take the stairs whenever possible. As an example the other day I walked up and down 11 stories. I also try to park further out in parking lots and walk into stores.
I imagine as I'm getting older I'm going to have to start exercising. Oh well it's been fun while it lasted.....
 
Conditioning... Hmmm... Whats that again? :) I spend all my working days hiking and descending/ascending ropes. My free days in the winter consist of skiing in the backcountry or skiing at Brighton. I manage to stay in great shape while keeping the "not fun" exercises to a minimum. I dread the day I have to get on a treadmill.
 
wanderinfinn said:
Conditioning... Hmmm... Whats that again? :) I spend all my working days hiking and descending/ascending ropes. My free days in the winter consist of skiing in the backcountry or skiing at Brighton. I manage to stay in great shape while keeping the "not fun" exercises to a minimum. I dread the day I have to get on a treadmill.
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you are a blight upon my day.....
 
Nice photo Nick! I guess I take the road less traveled? I was looking through those the other day, dreaming of future trips to there and the Winds. Packing the long lens for sure. ;)
 
wanderinfinn said:
Nice photo Nick! I guess I take the road less traveled? I was looking through those the other day, dreaming of future trips to there and the Winds. Packing the long lens for sure. ;)
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2012 is going to be the year of The Winds! Check out HomerJ 's trip reports in the backpacking forum. They've pretty much convinced me to scrap most of my plans for the Uintas.
 
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