Build Strength
Step1
Take an honest assessment of your physical fitness and strength. Imagine the rigors of a long, difficult and demanding backpacking trip and determine how prepared you are to meet the challenge.
Step2
Sign up with a gym, a trainer or find a training buddy. Commit to an earnest strength-training program using free weights and resistance exercise equipment.
Step3
Focus on the muscle groups that you will use most in backpacking: legs, back, shoulders and arms.
Step4
Start strength training months before a challenging backpacking trip because it takes time to build physical strength.
Develop Endurance
Step1
Start a running regimen. Backpacking is mostly about being able to traverse long distances under the weight of your pack. One of the best ways to develop the endurance required to do this is through cardiovascular exercises--the most popular cardio exercise is running.
Step2
Set a goal. Walk or jog a couple miles a day and gradually increase your speed and distance until you can sustain a good running pace for the distance you want to achieve.
Step3
Train by hill-running.
Consider endurance training focused on the type of backpacking experience you are preparing for. For example, if your backpacking trip will be along mountainsides and steep inclines, build endurance with hill-running or stair-climbing exercises.
Step4
Explore other types of endurance and cardiovascular exercises like ballroom dancing, tennis, swimming, cycling, martial arts and contact sports.
Hone Outdoor Skills
Step1
Your feet should become familiar with challenging conditions.
Use an obstacle course to practice agility and balance. Outdoor adventure involves traversing terrain that could be rocky, slippery, muddy or under water. Your feet, legs and body should learn to be familiar with these conditions. Practice with a relatively challenging obstacle course.
Step2
Learn outdoor skills like swimming, digging and climbing up and down a rope, a wall or a tree.
Step3
Brush up on CPR, first aid and other survival skills.
Comments
LilacGirl said
on 4/30/2008 Great informative article.