Hello,

I'm hoping to do the West Coast Trail this summer and I think that now would be a good time to begin prepping. Yes, I know that hiking is the best way to train, but I can only get out about once a week so I'm looking for exercises that I can do between hikes. What would you recommend? I've heard that upper body, core/lower back, and of course leg exercises would help, as well as ankle exercises and yoga.

Thank you,

Colin

One thing that I forgot to mention is that I don't have a gym pass, so I would prefer to do the exercises at home.

Buy these reistance bands then you can do all sorts of exercise.
http://www.bodylastics.com/

By far the best is fast walking in the footwear you will use on the trip, with a heavy pack on. Nothing else comes remotely close. I hear there are paths and trails in Coquitlam... Doesn't have to be remote hiking trails. I know it's all dark and rainy this time of year, but still just get out and do it!

Many people find that blisters and sore back/shoulders are their biggest problem on a trip, because their feet and shoulders have not been accustomed to boots and packs.

Somebody once said "you get your summer body in the winter gym". I'm not a gym fan but there's some truth in that idea. Winter strength building workouts greatly improve one's ability to jump out onto the trails once the snow is gone.

Among the most efficient routines I've ever used are kettle bell exercises. You can pick up two or three kettle bells and run through the stock patterns such as 'swings' and build remarkable endurance very quickly. These can easily be done at home and the cost is low. A good sporting goods store can easily get you started.

I do these routines twice a week at home and drop into a gym once a week for a 1/2 hour of raging cardio on an upright bike or stair climber.

You don't really need to train your 'core' for hiking. When was the last time anyone came back from a trip and thought "wow, that hike really trashed my obliques". :P

I'm not expert, but here's some suggestions;

Calf raises can easily be done on indoor/outdoor steps/stairs, and resistance can easily be added by switching to single-leg raises or adding a weighted pack.
http://www.exrx.net/WeightExercises/...CalfRaise.html

I think reverse calf raises can also be an important component of training:
http://www.exrx.net/WeightExercises/...CalfRaise.html

Step ups - targets the glutes, hams and quads. Difficulty can be increased by making the steps taller, and adding resistance. http://www.exrx.net/WeightExercises/.../BWStepUp.html

I'd also recommend some long walks with a heavily weighted pack, even if its on a level paved surface.

And like alex said, even a short 30 minute hike on a weekday evening, with a weighted pack, can be helpful.

This is a good point. In the winter my wife does a lot of fast-walking up and down our local roads, which are very hilly. Works for her.

I work with a guy who used to do endurance training for the BC Lions. He is rock solid. For legs he does 1000 squats a day in one session and for abs/core/lower back 200 ab rolls in a session. The squats work your cardio as well. I can't do 1000 and neither can you but try to do 300 a day. 100 in the morning when you wake up, 100 in the evening and another 100 before you go to bed.

Once you master that, put on your full pack that you will carry with you on the WCT and do as many as you can, aim for same 300 a day.Also pistol squats are good for increasing the strength of an individual leg. Good for balance and hiking downhill with a heavy pack where you shift all the weight on the stepping foot.It is known that when you hike downhill your knee receives 3 times your body weight of pressure. So because you dont go to the gym those will be good for home training.


Secondly try to get into trail running. Good beginners trail runs are the Quarry Rock trail at Deep Cove and the Velodrome trail known as the Burnaby Mountain Grind. Run up and down,maybe do each alternate once a week.

When Grouse Grind opens try to do it with your full pack on as often as you can and go down via BCMC trail.

Other exercises that you could do at home:

mountain climbers

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nmwgirgXLYM

pistol squats as mentioned earlier:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t7Oj8-8Htyw

And also core is very important because it supports the weight of your pack and helps it transfer to your legs. If your core is weak you will get tired faster. Here are some basic core strengthening exercises:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XKwNk-FBd0k

Also worth looking into and learning is the rest step. When you hike uphill it helps to preserve your energy and rest your leg muscles while you walk.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rest_step

Those work for me If you had gym access you could get into more options. Cross Fit training its a good one.

Also for treating and preventing blisters this is one of the best books.I have it and it helped me a lot to be blister fee:



You can get it from MEC.

When I was training for hiking in the past what worked for me was generally training in the higher rep ranges. Barbell squats in the 20 rep range. Lunges in the 25/side reps. Weighted abs to failure. Bench 15-20 reps. Barbell rows 15-20 reps. That kind of thing. Combined with some HIIT cardio and I was primed for hiking.

I'd say there are four things to think about:
- Strength
- Cardio
- Being comfortable in the equipment (breaking in boots, figuring out the right fit for the backpack, etc.)
- Body weight

If you are carrying a few extra pounds of body weight, losing that can help a lot and you can do that with diet. I'm sure many of us have been in a situation where we are trying to save grams from our backpack while carrying around an extra kilogram or two or more of body fat. I slimmed down last year and it helped me a bunch.

Bulgarian split squats are a killer leg exercise that you can do at home. You can do it as a body weight exercise or you can do a smaller number of reps (like three sets of eight,) while holding weight.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2C-uNgKwPLE

Keep it simple, leave the car in the driveway. You want groceries, off you go with your pack. If it's too close, take the long way. Sat am brisk walk, load that 40+lb sandbag in your pack( unless you just keep it there between grocery runs) and churn out 5 to 10km, or more. Stop along the way and do some squats. Get creative.

Optimal training is in a weight room, though an increase in strength can be done almost anywhere. You must commit to it as training though, that means 3 times a week minimum with a zero tolerance policy for missing sessions.

Don't forget a good stretching program. Stretching before and AFTER exercising (and hiking) will help a lot in your performance and recovery. Get into a daily and pre/post stretching routine. It will do wonders. When I did the Great Walk (a 64km one day pledge walk) I had a very dedicated stretching program and the day after the event I was good to go for another 64km.

There are lots of programs and theories on stretching, the one that works for me but is different than most theories is by a Dr. Stark. His books is called "The Stark Reality of Stretching" his book can be found here...
It only focuses on the lower body (and that's all you really need for stretching for hiking) and the stretches are gently and effective. None of those dynamic stretches or whatever baseball players are doing before a game that looks like a theater dance practice.

After a good stretching program, just hiking and walking. Or time on feet (while moving) in your hiking boots. Hiking on anything other than a hard surface is best, unless you're training for a long alpine ridge walk. Adding a backpack gets your shoulders and body use to having a load. Google or find books on training for long distance runners and then modify it for hiking/backpacking. Basically gradually increase your weekly distance, intensity and load up to about a week before a big hike, then basically take that last week to ten days off, other than some light and short hikes. This allows your muscles to rest up before the big hike.

Doing a few abs and upper body exercises don't hurt. I would focus on 2 - 3 days a week, and focus on simple and easy free weights. Light weights, high reps, increased gradually over time (increased to a point). Nothing too major, at the start 5 mins for abs, 10 - 15 mins total for the upper body. Once you build up muscle, 1o mins max for abs, and 20 - 30 mins for the upper body (per workout).

You can do lunges and squats, but if done incorrectly those can cause injuries. So find a good resource on how to do them properly. And only after you've spent a month or two doing a good stretching program.

Hiking is my favourite way to get fit for hiking.

Throw on your favourite boots, tunes, put some weight in your pack, and off you go... even just around your neighbourhood for an hour or two.

Early in the season, 5km with 10lbs and increase to your full pack weight and distance as time goes on. Mine maxes at 30lb, and 12km FAST city walking. When I can do that easily with a couple of brief water breaks, I'm not worried about long hiking days, where I tend to stop more and go more slowly. Throw in weekend mountain hikes with the family, and I feel ready to rock.

I also try to take stairs two at a time up and also down. Slowly and in control.

What's your WCT plan? I'm booked to go in on July 30 this summer!

http://ebookandpdf.com/other/17107-f...ments-for.html

GG/BCMC 2-3 times per week (take gondola down of course), you even can do it twice every time you go there. it's better than any gym IMO. Gambier island loop is also a great one for preparing WCT