How do you prepare for the rigorous physical requirements of high elevation adventure? Strength and endurance are key, but are only part of a more complex equation. How do you prepare for changes in altitude, exposure, diet, etc.? How do you mentally prepare? Learn from others and share what you know about training in advance for outdoor adventures.
Thank you Sierra Maclure:sipping bourbon and watching the shadows change,think i'll give up peak bagging.Sierra Maclure,sounds like a character from the 1950's TV show Sky King.I didn't think anybody
sipped bourbon anymore.
Trekker,thanks for your thoughts,think i'll heed them.Snowy has a lot of good things to say about you.
Weight training and flexibility have always been the keys for me. I'm 48 and have had fairly major knee issues since my knee injury (ligament damage from side impact in basketball game) at the age of 17. I had my second major injury and an operation at 18 and a second operation at age 38. That's the "bad" (right) side that has been victimized by a number of nasty injuries, all but one being basketball related (the one exception was a skiing injury). My "good" side has been battered, too, with the worst injury being a hyper extension when I came up a tad short jumping across a stream with a full pack (aged 28 at the time). What has kept me functional all these years has been weightlifting to build up the quads and hammies, coupled with various flexibility exercises. One can do a number of other types of training, but only weightlifting can isolate one's weak side (or parts). No matter how symmetric I thought I was in running, jumping, etc., I would find that I was favoring my bad side. Even doing 2 times the number of quad sets on my weak side, it would still be less developed owing to me favoring it during various activities. I quit basketball about 2.5 years ago and my weight training routine has finally come close to equalizing the size between the two thighs.
The idea of that sends chills down my spine, as that and ice hockey are my favorite sports (do each 2x/week). I'm 44, and I know my time is coming though.
I have had knee troubles on my last few long hikes, and have used trekking poles for many years now. My biggest problem is the last ~6 inches in stepping down from a boulder with a full pack... without the poles it's just about impossible, but with the poles it's still a bit harry. Maybe I need to do the weight training.. hard to believe as my quads are quite strong.
I agree on using the poles. My wife needed to wear knee braces when we
started backpacking about 15 years ago. The downhills were killing her.
I bought a couple of pairs of Leki poles about 12 years ago and the knee
problems went away. They also make great tent poles and help crossing
rapidly flowing water. We also like giving our arms a workout along with
our legs. She did 10 days of the southern JMT in 2008 without any knee
problems at all. She hasn't worn the knee supports since using the poles.
We are 52 and are stronger hikers know that when we were 40. If you
hike in the Sierras, be kind to your legs and use poles.
