Unstable and Imbalanced – A Hiker’s Workout

[Roleigh Martin-2]

http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Sectionhikercom/~3/P5Ljyb79B04/

On the JMT hike this year, a 40 year old lady was so fast, we called
her SuperGirl. She hardly trained at all but did interesting weight
exercises so I found this article of considerable interest.

Sent to you by Roleigh Martin via Google Reader: Unstable and
Imbalanced – A Hiker’s Workout via sectionhiker.com by Earlylite on
10/25/09



A lot of us wish we could go hiking everyday, but we have other
responsibilities that require us to stick around like family and work.
I'm lucky that I get to go on 3-4 day hikes a month and a half dozen or
so short backpacking trips a year. So, when I can't enjoy the
wilderness, my strategy is to bring it into my daily gym workouts by
simulating natural conditions as much as possible.

Hiking, especially with a backpack, is a full body exercise that
requires a lot of strength, endurance, coordination and agility. As you
walk or climb, each of your legs takes the full load of your body and
pack. As you scramble up a slope, your torso rotates, your core muscles
tighten, your hips take more of the load, and your shoulder and arm
extend forward to grab a handhold and pull you up. The fact is that
hiking and climbing is a full body activity that requires remarkable
synchronization between different muscles groups in your body.

A lot of gym workouts these days isolate specific muscle groups using
machines that lock you into a rigid pose and eliminate assistance from
other muscle groups. However, what they fail to do is to train the
coordination of all of your parts and stimulate the neuro-muscular
pathways that help us learn and adapt the complex choreography of
movements required for locomotion.

To counter this in the gym, I do a lot of compound exercises that
combine movements from multiple muscle groups at the same time, or in
sequence. This leads to a much more efficient workout, time-wise, and
provides a cardio benefit as well because it keeps my heart rate up. In
addition, I add in props like the Bosu Ball, stability ball, medicine
balls, and spongy surfaces that add a significant degree of instability
to my routine. I also do a lot of exercises while standing on one leg
to improve my balance while carrying a load.

To illustrate this, here's an example of a compound shoulder raise and
lunge exercise with an inverted bosu ball. The lunge movement shown
here is like hiking up a steep hill and the shoulder raises simulate
using hiking poles. This is a very difficult exercise, so don't try
this one first. I'll have some suggestions at the end of this post
about simpler exercises to get you started.



When you watch this video, notice how all of the muscles in the body
are tensing to facilitate the exercise. Adding instablity to your
workout forces all of the muscles in your body to work together at
once, just like carrying a pack. If all of the exercises you perform in
the gym add an element of instability or imbalance, you'll quickly
start to feel much stronger in your lower back, butt, and abdominals
because you'll be constantly working them indirectly.

If this sounds like an interesting dyamic to add to your workout
routine, I suggest you sign up for a FREE account at a site called
Trainwithmeonline.com. They provide video demos of hundred of exercises
including dozens that include an element of instability. These videos
can be downloaded to your phone which is handy when you're trying to
learn them. Unfortunately, you need to login and register to view the
videos, but like I said it's free and they won't spam you.

Here are a few exercises to get you started:

Beginners


- Stability Ball Hamstring Curls


- Glute Bridge on a Medicine Ball


- Kneeling Bosu Side Dumbbell Raises

- Step Up on a Bench


- Side Glute Kick outs


- Step Over Knee Drive


Intermediate

- Bosu Squat


- Bosu Squat and Press


- Frogs on the Bosu


- Leg Raise Knee Outs on Bosu


- Plank to Push Up on Bosu


- Single Leg Bosu Shoulder Press

- Bench Supermans

Advanced

- Bosu Woodchops

- Bosu Squat and Row

- Lateral Shuffle Side Raise on Bosu

- Single Leg Deadlift Press on Bosu

Before you start this kind of routine: Warm up for 10-20 minutes doing
some form of cardio until you break a sweat. Then perform each of these
exercises for 8-12 reps, and pre-stage the necessary props to ensure
that you can move form one exercise to the next without rest. Break the
exercises into groups of three that focus on different primary muscle
groups (for example: glutes, followed by abs, followed by shoulders)
and work your way up to three sets for each group, shooting for a total
of 20 sets per workout.

How do you train for hiking and backpacking?

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[Kalalau]

Roleigh Martin wrote:

>
>  
>
> If this sounds like an interesting dyamic to add to your workout
> routine, I suggest you sign up for a FREE account at a site called
> Trainwithmeonline.com <http://trainwithmeonline.com/>. They provide
> video demos of hundred of exercises including dozens that include an
> element of instability. These videos can be downloaded to your phone
> which is handy when you're trying to learn them. Unfortunately, you
> need to login and register to view the videos, but like I said it's
> free and they won't spam you.
>

I tried to sign up but they required a credit card to pay five dollars a
month for the service.

The idea of training to most closely simulate actual backpacking is a
good one. The idea of doing complex motions rather than isolated motions
is a good one.
The idea of avoiding machines that force you into a certain path and
don't require accessory muscles is a good one.

My main weight training exercises for   backpacking are the full squat
and straight legged dead lifts done with free weights. For those who
have attempted the full squat with free weights, it does require
auxiliary muscles to maintain proper balance. I also do the one legged
squat with free weights that is much more difficult.

I use the elliptical machine to simulate using walking poles and
climbing hills. I will sometimes wear a loaded backpack while on the
elliptical trainer.

Rich

>
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[James D. Marco-2]

        Wow, Rich this is quite the workout and looks like a good one!
While I do not use machines, I do recognize their value. Especially,
a stair stepper and elliptical machine for climbing. My brother in law
uses a stair stepper and easily climbs hills I have to stop and take
a breather on for a minute. My daughter has an elliptical that lets
her keep up. (She will be out of action for a few years...pregnant with
her first, due in April.)
        Living in what most would term a country setting, I don't get
too wrapped up in gym machines. I have had memberships in the
past, mostly gifts or complimentary, and have used them. They
do a good job of burning calories and getting you in good shape.
        But, there is really no substitute for just strapping on a pack
and heading out the back door, for me. In a mile I have several
smaller hills, up and down (something none of the machines
properly simulate.) Balance becomes second nature. Muddy trails
are usual, only in high summer do things ever dry out.  My usual
training pack is ~50# with 7-1/2# of wrist weights and 2 staffs.
I think this shows that hiking with a pack is at least as good as a
gym exercise, and I feel it is the best exercise for hiking.
        Any thoughts on hiking down hills? This would be quite
helpful.
        My thoughts only . . .
                jdm
At 07:05 PM 10/26/2009, you wrote:
<...deleted>

>The idea of training to most closely simulate actual backpacking is a
>good one. The idea of doing complex motions rather than isolated motions
>is a good one.
>The idea of avoiding machines that force you into a certain path and
>don't require accessory muscles is a good one.
>
>My main weight training exercises for   backpacking are the full squat
>and straight legged dead lifts done with free weights. For those who
>have attempted the full squat with free weights, it does require
>auxiliary muscles to maintain proper balance. I also do the one legged
>squat with free weights that is much more difficult.
>
>I use the elliptical machine to simulate using walking poles and
>climbing hills. I will sometimes wear a loaded backpack while on the
>elliptical trainer.
>
>Rich