Ways to Prepare Physically for a Backpacking Trip?
February 6, 2010 by admin
Filed under Outdoor backpack Q&A
In the middle of June, I’m planning to go on a four week backpacking trip with NOLS (National Outdoor Leadership School). It will involve hiking with a 60ish pound backpack in mountains at altitudes 8,000-13,000 feet. Right now I lift weights and jog 3-5 miles as often as I can (about 3-5 days a week), and in the Spring/Fall I normally ride my bike for 30 miles once a week. Still, I’m not really sure how else I can prepare for the trip. I know it’s a long ways away, but the earlier the better. Are there any good rule-of-thumb goals I could work to (such as being able to run X distance in X time, or something else like it) or any creative ideas? I’d love to hear from somebody, because I really just don’t have a lot of experience.
It sounds like you are already in pretty good shape and are doing a good job with the cardio-vascular exercise and prepartion. It sounds like you just need to focus on things that are not covered by your current exercises.
As the poster above notes, it would be good to do some practice trips with a full pack (similar to the one that you will be carrying on the trip). Making sure that you do plenty of exercises that strengthen your lower back and stomach muscles (situps, stomach crunches) will help with carrying a large pack.
Even aside from the weight itself, running or hiking without a pack is very different than with one - it takes some getting used to the lack of agility and change in your center of gravity. You should try to at least do some long weekend backpacking trips (especially if you have not backpacked before).
Another biggie based on your current exercises, is trying to get your body used to moving over rough terrain instead of flat surfaces like roads and sidewalks. This can make a big difference since hiking over rough dirt trails requires more muscle control and more joint stress than flat surfaces. I have known people that were in good running/biking shape that have had problems with weak knees and sore joints when they go on a rough trail for the first time (also a danger of falling and tripping because your feet are not used to it).
Being at that high of an altitude will also have a big impact on you (although less if you are good cardio shape, which it sounds like you are). If you don’t live at or near that elevation, than it may be hard to train for it. Try to arrive at the area where you will be hiking a couple days before your trip begins to allow your body some time to adjust.
Lastly, make sure that you are training for long term endurance and not just exercises that involve a short burst of intense energy. With either biking or hiking, make sure you do some sessions that last for multiple hours - maintaining a good pace for a long time period is more important than speed or distance. You want a lean efficient body, not necessarily a muscle-bound one. I known some weight-lifters who have very hard times on even moderate packing trips because their big muscles add so much weight and drain so many calories that they hit the wall early (they have trained themselves for short bursts of intense muscle activity rather than very long periods of moderate activity).
Sounds like a great trip - have fun!
I would walk with your full pack on. Not only will you learn your equipment, but you will also find where that pack rubs you the wrong way and you will have time to fix it. Keep up the other training also.
References :
It sounds like you are already in pretty good shape and are doing a good job with the cardio-vascular exercise and prepartion. It sounds like you just need to focus on things that are not covered by your current exercises.
As the poster above notes, it would be good to do some practice trips with a full pack (similar to the one that you will be carrying on the trip). Making sure that you do plenty of exercises that strengthen your lower back and stomach muscles (situps, stomach crunches) will help with carrying a large pack.
Even aside from the weight itself, running or hiking without a pack is very different than with one - it takes some getting used to the lack of agility and change in your center of gravity. You should try to at least do some long weekend backpacking trips (especially if you have not backpacked before).
Another biggie based on your current exercises, is trying to get your body used to moving over rough terrain instead of flat surfaces like roads and sidewalks. This can make a big difference since hiking over rough dirt trails requires more muscle control and more joint stress than flat surfaces. I have known people that were in good running/biking shape that have had problems with weak knees and sore joints when they go on a rough trail for the first time (also a danger of falling and tripping because your feet are not used to it).
Being at that high of an altitude will also have a big impact on you (although less if you are good cardio shape, which it sounds like you are). If you don’t live at or near that elevation, than it may be hard to train for it. Try to arrive at the area where you will be hiking a couple days before your trip begins to allow your body some time to adjust.
Lastly, make sure that you are training for long term endurance and not just exercises that involve a short burst of intense energy. With either biking or hiking, make sure you do some sessions that last for multiple hours - maintaining a good pace for a long time period is more important than speed or distance. You want a lean efficient body, not necessarily a muscle-bound one. I known some weight-lifters who have very hard times on even moderate packing trips because their big muscles add so much weight and drain so many calories that they hit the wall early (they have trained themselves for short bursts of intense muscle activity rather than very long periods of moderate activity).
Sounds like a great trip - have fun!
References :
Frequent hiker and backpacker - have done up to a 2 week, 100 mile backpacking trip.
I can’t copy and paste it, so here’s the link to the NOLS physical requirements and recommendations. Sounds like 30-45 minutes of aerobic exercise 3 times per week should be sufficient. http://www.nols.edu/pdf/lnt/lnt_physical_safety.pdf
References :
It sounds like you’re doing everything right. However if you don’t live at an altitude of over 6500 feet you could experience altitude sickness. To prepare for this, 1 week prior to your trip start drinking twice your normal daily intake of water and take a baby aspirin daily. It helps hydrate you and thin your blood. Altitude sickness can make you vomit, have headaches and feel very fatigued. Not everyone experiences it but many do. I live at 8000 feet and have seen it affect people, luckily I was not one of them. An interesting fact to note: when you live at high altitude your body will produce an extra pint of blood within 2 weeks to help deal with the lack of oxygen. It’s during that 2 week period that altitude sickness can get you. Sounds like a great trip, have fun!
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