Learn how to unlock your full hiking potential ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏
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Fitness Friday: Part 3
Last week we talked about the difference between exercise and training, how to make your workouts more effective by choosing the right exercises for your goal. PLUS, I gave you two valuable tools (a printable workout planner and exercise log sheet) to help boost your fitness journey success. Today we are continuing our Fitness Friday series discussion on common hiking fitness mistakes—and WHAT to do instead. The purpose of this series is to share valuable tools and advice to help guide you towards achieving better hiking fitness and ultimately reaching your goals.
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Mistake #3: The "cardio only" approach
I hear this a lot… “I'll just walk, jog, or hike to get in better shape for hiking.” As a fitness coach and avid hiker, I feel very strongly that cardio alone is not sufficient— it’s only one of three important components of the hiking fitness equation. Just like all your nutritional requirements won’t be met by exclusively consuming one food group, doing only cardio exercises will create deficiencies in your fitness. Pitfalls of the “cardio only” approach: - Risk affirming problematic movement patterns
- Insufficient when it comes to injury prevention
- Neglects important upper-body muscle groups
- Most people are doing cardio “wrong”
If you remember from last week’s email, I explained that hikers should focus their training on 1) improving hiking performance and ability and 2) injury prevention— cardio exercise alone does NOT accomplish this. In fact, seemingly simple cardio activities like walking or hiking can reinforce troublesome issues that you might not even be aware of (like muscle imbalances, improper movement patterns, or limited mobility)— resulting in pain, “wear-and-tear” action, and increased risk of injury on the trail. Even if you don’t currently suffer with knee, hip, or back pain while hiking, being proactive and engaging in preventive measures will safeguard your future experiences on the trail.
Often, we settle into comfortable routines, sticking to familiar exercises and habits. But what if you dared to explore beyond your comfort zone, and focused on what really matters? There’s tremendous upside and so much potential waiting to be unlock!
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Imagine...
- Every step being more effective and powerful— hike further, faster, & higher
- No trails are off limits (even the challenging ones!)—steep trails become less daunting
- Better balance & agility on uneven terrain— no worrying about falls or injury
- Moving with ease & comfort— less restriction, tightness & stiffness
- Hiking without nagging knee, hip, or back pain— YES, it’s possible!
- Fully enjoying the hiking experience— not being distracted by how your body feels
These are the benefits of including all three training components to your workouts!
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Unlock YOUR potential & fix “deficiencies”:
- Take a total-body approach (include upper & lower body exercises)
- Overcome new exercise resistance/opposition
- Incorporate strength, stability, and mobility exercises
- Aerobic zone training (aka the cardio “sweet spot”)
Regardless of your hiking goals, your training should include aerobic (cardio) conditioning, PLUS strength, stability, and mobility exercises. Try not to be resistant of an exercise just because it’s not what you previously thought you should be doing or because it’s unfamiliar—remember, there’s tremendous upside and potential waiting to be unlocked by stepping outside your comfort zone. A total-body fitness routine doesn’t have to be burdensome or complicated — PLUS it’s recommended and appropriate for all ages! Learn how to move your body in beneficial ways, so you can keep the doors open to more possibilities and have better experiences on and off the trail.
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Avoid These Mistakes:
CARDIO Mistake #1: Not understanding the “aerobic sweet spot” and unknowingly under- or over-training Often, the tendency is to engage primarily in higher-intensity cardio sessions (thinking you’ll get more “bang for your buck”). However you may be surprised to know that exercising at a lower-intensity (aerobic zone training) can actually be more beneficial, safer, and perhaps more enjoyable while still providing desirable fitness gains. Mistake #2: Activity Type When training for hiking, the majority of your aerobic exercise should be in the form of a weight-bearing activity. STRENGTH/STABILITY Mistake #1: Focusing exclusively on the lower-body and neglecting the core and upper-body Obviously the leg muscles are the powerhouse of hiking. However, you rely on your core muscles and the small, but very important stabilizing muscles of your upper back to keep you upright and in good posture. Your core muscles also assist with balance while on the trail. Mistake #2: Trying to strengthen inactive or poorly engaging muscles The focus should first be on activation and engagement of a muscle/muscle group, then progress towards building strength and endurance in that muscle. MOBILITY Mistake #1: Assuming that it’s the same thing as stretching Mobility exercises are essential “joint training” to keep your joints healthy and moving in the way they were intended. When joints are able to move freely, and through their optimal range-of-motion movements are more efficient and there’s less “wear-and-tear” action. Mistake #2: Not being consistent It takes both time and consistency, but it’s oh so worth it! Mobility training improves how you feel and move— on and off the trail!
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YOUR Action Steps:
- Ask yourself, “Do I have any “deficiencies”? “Am I neglecting one of the 3 components of hiking fitness?”. If so, identify the reason(s)— Is it due to lack of knowledge in that area, resistance to that type of exercise, lack of resources, etc?
- Add these 4 exercises (download the instructions below) to your workout routine this week. While not as common as the typical “hike prep” exercises you may be familiar with, they’re just as (if not more!) valuable. Try doing them during the commercial breaks of your favorite tv show or podcast.
- Find YOUR cardio “sweet spot” by taking the Talk Test (learn more here).
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Now that you have your hiking goals established, a toolkit to help you plan, and exercises to add to your routine, you’re well on your way to success! Next week we’ll be discussing how your body adapts to exercise and how to avoid plateaus so you can keep progressing towards your goals. Speaking of goals… how are you doing with the SMART goal(s) you set in week 1? Are you using the worksheets to plan and log your workouts?
The trail awaits... be ready for it!
Kristen P.S. If you're new to the Hiking Fitness Newsletter, WELCOME! Reply to this email and I can send you some helpful tools (worksheets, templates, and resources) that I shared earlier in this series.
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