[pct-l] Training for a thru hike

[Thomas Jamrog]

??Can anyone offer some REAL words of wisdom for how to train for a  
thru hike?

As my MEGATEX friend Lifetraveler so aptly put it, " Thru hiking is  
easy.  You put one foot in front of the other.  It all all about foot  
placement and balance control. "

However, there is also some excellent advice in the May 2008  
Backpacker magazine on preparing to backpack, on pages 87 and 88.  I  
found the url here:  http://www.backpacker.com/skills/12398?page=4.
      The usual advice falls short, because what you experience out  
there is not the straight line world, its a universe of ups and down,  
twists and turns.  Things like strength machines, treadmills, and  
exercise bicycles operate in only one plane.  Machines are not bad,  
but you need to train for the real world of irregular terrain, for  
example like stretching to get up a ledge, or jumping down off a place  
to a lower spot.  It happens.  You don't want to neglect the  
opportunity to really help yourself improve balance and agility at  
home, before you hit the trail.   Include hopping, with bench hops and  
scissor jacks. Most people think it will be weird to do these in  
public, like a gym, but you can figure it out.   While I agree that  
the best exercise that improves your fitness for backpacking is to  
backpack, these unique exercises really help.

Uncle Tom
=========
Blogging about the Great Outdoors
on http://tjamrog.wordpress.com ( hotlink)


On Jan 2, 2009, at 11:36 AM, Robert W. Freed wrote:

>>
>
> Some strength training. Squats, lunges and other calf and thigh  
> exercises.
> Some cardio. Stationary bike or jogging.
> But all of that will not get you ready for the real thing. It will  
> help but you have
> to get out there and hike. You use muscles in ways that you just  
> can't train
> for with weights or jogging. I have found that I don't really need  
> to train at all.
> No matter how much you work out you are still going to have to get  
> your trail
> legs the hard way, a couple of back to back weeks on the trail.  
> You'll know
> when you are there. You will be walking up to some pass and realize  
> you
> have been waking uphill for hours without rest, pouring sweat and  
> not tired
> or out of breath. It's a great feeling.
> The only thing I would suggest is that you do a few long hikes  
> before you start
> to avoid getting sore.
> Robert
> _______________________________________________
> Pct-l mailing list
> Pct-l at backcountry.net
> http://mailman.backcountry.net/mailman/listinfo/pct-l
>