PREPARE FOR HIKING IN THE GREAT OUTDOORS

PAM MOORE

IF YOU took up hiking during the pandemic, you’re not alone.

If winter’s chilly temperatures and short days are keeping you away from the trails, don’t sweat it. The off-season is an excellent time to work on developing the mental fortitude, endurance, strength and flexibility to hit the trails running.

Any winter workout routine will depend on a number of factors, including your fitness level, your goals and how much time you can devote to training. Below are a few suggestions to get you going – most of which can be done in the warmth of your home.

Try something novel

Taking time off from hiking now can prevent future injuries, says Gwen Buchanan, a physical therapist in Pennsylvania. Buchanan, 50, uses the offseason to experiment with novel activities, such as tap dancing. She discovered it at age 44 and finds it requires balance, co-ordination, ankle strength and cardiovascular stamina – all of which support the physical demands of hiking. Her primary motivation, however, is to have fun – and to leave her comfort zone.

“Try something you haven’t done before,” she suggests. According to Buchanan, the more experience you have with tolerating discomfort, the better equipped you’ll be to handle the inevitable challenges on the trail.

Wear a weighted vest (even if you’re not working out)

Wearing a weighted vest does more than prepare you to carry a heavy backpack. It works nearly every muscle in your body, including your core, Buchanan says. Plus, it offers an effective workout without taking time out of your schedule. She wears a 9kg vest while seeing patients.

She suggests starting with a 4kg vest for an hour each day, and gradually increasing to eight hours daily. Once that feels comfortable, try a slightly heavier vest, again working up to eight hours.

Add resistance training

Resistance training helps prepare your body for the rigours of the trail, whether you’re using your body weight, dumbbells or household items as stand-ins for traditional weights.

For a resistance-training sequence that hits most of the major muscle groups associated with hiking, Lee Welton, a physical therapy assistant, suggests the following: a set of 10 to 25 lunges per leg; a set of 10 to 25 door-frame rows per arm; and a set of 10 to 25 calf raises, resting as needed. Aim to complete this sequence three to five times, two to four times per week, depending on your fitness level and how much time you have.

WEAR the right gear and check the weather if you’re going on a winter hike.

To do a door-frame row, which targets your arms and back, stand in front of an open doorway. Grasp the door frame with one arm extended in front of you, and perform a squat, keeping resistance through your arm as you stand back up. Repeat, holding onto the door frame with the other arm.

Calf raises may be “unsexy”,” Welton says, but they can prevent ankle sprains by working your calves, ankles and feet.

Aim for two to three strength training sessions per week. If your packed schedule leaves little or no time for a dedicated workout, try sprinkling short, frequent sessions into your day. Welton and Buchanan suggest doing squats or calf raises while your leftovers heat up or lunging down the hallway between meetings.

Strengthen your core

A strong core helps improve your balance and body awareness, ultimately guarding you from falls and injuries, says Rue Mapp, founder and chief executive of Outdoor Afro, a non-profit that connects black people with nature. Hiking, she says, is “not just your legs. It’s your whole body”.

Core strength also protects your back, Buchanan says. Without it, hikers get “sloppy”, especially when they’re tired. Then, “they twist and they turn and they jerk a certain way, and poof: a back injury”.

Both Welton and Buchanan say planks should be a key part of your core routine, using modifications as needed, such as starting on your elbows. You can also incorporate variations, such as side planks. The beauty of planks, Welton says, is “you don’t have to get too inventive with these exercises for them to be effective”.

Improve your mobility

A well-rounded off-season program also includes stretching. According to Buchanan, an improved range of motion in your joints helps you safely navigate hilly, uneven, rocky and/or slippery surfaces. Otherwise, “when your body weight slides and slips” under a heavy backpack, “you’re going to snap something”.

Welton suggests doing a 20- to 30-minute gentle yoga class two to three times a week. .

You can also stretch solo. One of Buchanan’s favourite stretches for your feet, ankles and calves is simply standing at the edge of a step and letting your heels hang down. Downward dog also targets multiple muscle groups, including the shoulders, mid-back and hamstrings, Welton says. For your back and arms, Buchanan and Welton suggest child’s pose.

Keep walking

Your winter workout doesn’t have to be fancy to be effective. “Walking is perfect,” Welton says. To add intensity and keep it interesting, he suggests “fartlek” sessions. During this unstructured

workout, you vary your pace intermittently to “sneak in some of these little intervals”. This helps build cardiovascular fitness.

Another way to spice up your walk: Wear your backpack or weighted vest. If you’re pressed for time, Welton says, hill repeats offer a lot of bang for your buck.

Although you might be tempted to turn your walks into jogs, Welton discourages non-runners from doing so, because of the potential for injury. “You may feel great for three or four weeks, and then all of a sudden, you start getting shin pain and foot pain and calf pain.”

Try an easy hike

Winter hiking certainly isn’t off-limits. According to Mapp, provided you have the right gear and knowledge of trail closures and weather, you’ll probably enjoy thinner crowds during the colder months. An easy hike can also serve as an active recovery workout to complement your harder sessions.

But hiking doesn’t just do a body good; the benefits extend far beyond the physical. Sharing a hike with one or two friends, offers much-needed social connection. |

THE WASHINGTON POST

YOUR winter workout doesn’t have to be fancy to be effective.