mountain hike

Mountain climbing is by no means an easy activity. It can strike fear into the heart of those planning to do it. That notwithstanding, with adequate physical and mental preparation you can be well armed for the climb. Here are a few things you need to consider.

Outdoor Activities

The aim of these is to push your body as hard as possible within safe limits. Start slowly then increase the difficulty of the activities over time. Choose activities that involve actual climbing so as to train the muscles you’ll be exerting during the mountain climb. These include hiking (while carrying a heavy backpack), mountain biking, climbing (or running up and down) stairs, skiing and rock climbing.

Gym Exercises

You need to exercise your arms, shoulders, legs, heart and lungs to strengthen them for the climb. Begin each exercise session with a cardio warm-up to get the blood flowing. Some workouts you can do are: bench presses, ab crunches, ab pull-ups, machine rows, dumbbell curls, lunges and running on the treadmill at an incline. Immediately after the session, stretch the muscles you’ve just worked on to reduce soreness.

Diet

Choose your food groups wisely. During the mountain climb you’ll be exerting the muscles a lot, so you need to increase protein intake. You could also increase fat intake to buff up reserves for the climb. This provides lots of calories without having to eat a lot while on the mountain. Have a properly drawn out plan with clear goals to help you stay on track.

Training Plan

This should be tailored to what you’re trying to accomplish, as well as your physical condition. Moderate mountain climbing requires a different level of training from extreme mountaineering. Consider the muscle groups you’ll be exerting the most, length of the climb and endurance you’ll need to guide you.

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