It is really interesting reading your comments about how you get, or stay, fit for multi day walks.
When I got home from my first Overland Track (OT) trip I read lots of sports medicine research journals, to find out what I SHOULD have done to get myself fit for Marion’s steps. (Marion’s is the first big uphill grunt on the OT and challenges many who are attempting it for the first time)
The research unequivocally argued that muscles should be subjected to specific sequences of levels of stress and rest to ready them for the demands of multi day walking – to get fit for the task, and without injury.
The without injury bit appealed, as I do a …
As much as I spend a lot of time on the internet cruising around local and international outdoor, hiking and bushwalking websites I am still surprised by what I miss. There is some fantastic (often free) resources available with great content is out there that has slipped under my radar.
Wildwalks is one of these.
Based in New South Wales, Australia:
Wildwalks is a free online bushwalking and camping guidebook for NSW. There is currently detailed information on 938 walks, and more to come.
After checking out the great information on the site, I contacted Matt and asked him to write up a piece about Wildwalks for this site. He sent the following across (weeks ago, sorry Matt) I hope …
I am not naturally fit.
I am a 60 yo female, weigh about 75kgs and lug 18kg in my backpack. I am short and naturally stocky.
I go to the gym twice a week with a personal trainer, where I do weight-bearing exercises and a light cardio regime, designed specifically to strengthen my muscles and heart to haul my body and backpack up Marion’s steps (short, intense) and Pelion and Du Cane gaps (endurance).
To prepare for my first Overland Track hike two years ago, I hired a treadmill for 6 months. How good am I! For the first month I walked sedately every day for 20 minutes. But I got really bored with that. Then I read the manual …
When you were out shopping for walking poles, did you notice some long and lanky, light, one piece poles that wouldn’t look out of place on a cross country skier .
These poles are especially designed for the latest fitness craze – Nordic walking
Ski field operators in the northern hemisphere agonised over how to attract patrons during the snow-less summer months, until an innovative bright spark dreamed up the idea of a fitness regime for deprived snow skiing enthusiasts using cross country-like walking poles to hurtle around their familiar, but now grassy, ski trails. The idea took off and Nordic walking was born.
And there is no doubt that Nordic walking will get you fit. No ifs, no buts …
Posted on February 17, 2011, 10:46 am, by Georgie Bull, under
Advice and help.
We all know the dangers of hiking and backpacking in wilderness areas and so take due care, but should we necessarily label as irresponsible all the inexperienced people who venture out there less prepared than us? In this article we discuss who is responsible for hiker safety.
