Hiking: the 7 exercises that will boost you on the trails
Whether you are aiming for a long roaming hike or a very alpine course, a little targeted exercise is not a luxury after two months of confinement. Who would say no to more strength, stability and resistance on the pitch?
If you have a multi-day hike in sight, and at least three months to train for it, the best you can do is hike the max, experts agree. This allows the body to adapt to the effort. Not to mention that you will be able to get used to wearing and using your equipment.
Stability, upper body and core strength are also essential when hiking. And that works!
For weekend warriors reading this: try to do short rides in the middle of the week and plan longer runs during the weekend. Ideally, we increase the mileage by about 10% each week, but we must also take into account the difficulties, altitude gain, type of terrain. But beware, it is not very appropriate to increase both at the same time. As you go up in mileage and endurance, grab a bag with extra weight to do a double workout. An idea: bring a few bottles of water that you will carry during the climb, the contents of which you will throw at the top to spare your knees on the descent.
If you're only a few months away from your big trip, do the first three exercises below two to three times a week, and walk as often as possible. If you have more than three months ahead of you, keep hiking and try to do this full workout twice a week, with a few rest days in between. Focus on the correct position, not the number of repetitions. Those who are able to complete all reps of all sets without breaking a sweat can optionally add weights.
Material:
1 “Shoulder opener” or how to open your shoulders
What is it for? To warm up and make the shoulders more flexible, and therefore prevent injuries. How to do it? Stable position: back straight, feet hip-width apart, knees supple (never locked). Hold the stick in front of you, hands wide apart. Roll the shoulders gently back. Then, we put the back muscles to work: arms still stretched, raise the stick above the head until you feel that it pulls slightly on the shoulders, go to the end of the amplitude of the joint. Hold this position for five seconds and lower your arms to return to the starting position. Start over. How many times? Three sets of five to seven repetitions.
2 Squat facing the wall
What is it for? To warm up and soften the legs and lower back. Excellent for learning how to keep the correct lumbar curvature when squatting. How to do it? Facing a wall, tiptoe a few centimeters away, shift body weight to heels. Place the fingers on the edge of the hips and gently guide the joint back by bending the knees to squat. Why facing a wall? Because it prevents leaning forward too much, so that the knees do not go beyond the balls of the feet, which helps to maintain the correct position. Lower as low as possible without forcing, hold the position briefly, slowly return to the starting position. To compensate for any problems with balance or joint mobility, you can hold a small counterweight in front of you to stabilize yourself. Going down completely is not essential. The important thing is to focus on the backward movement of the hip. How many times? Three sets of six to eight repetitions
3 The board
What is it for? To strengthen the strength and stability of the postural muscles because the movement is done in an isometric contraction position – that is to say, a continuous contraction without movement. How to do it? On your knees, place your forearms on the ground, apart shoulder width apart, elbows vertical to them. Extend the legs, feet together and toes bent so that the body forms a straight line from the heels to the head. Keep your back flat – neither round nor arched, no bending of the hips – and raise your head just so that it is in the natural extension of the spine. Hold the position for as long as possible without slouching or shaking. Remember to breathe. How often? Hold until your hips relax or your knees touch the floor. If you can't hold out for at least a minute, start with shorter reps — 6 x 15-second planks, with 15-30 seconds rest, and increase the times until you can hold out for a minute or more.
4 Squat with resistance band
What is it for? Strengthen the quadriceps and glutes, while engaging the hip adductor muscles which contribute to correct knee position and stability. How to do it? Standing, place the resistance band around both legs, above the knees. Feet hip-width apart. Raise the back, pull the shoulders back and down engaging the core muscles. Then shift the weight of the body to the heels and squat as if sitting on a chair until the thighs are parallel to the floor. Push on the heels to get up. Throughout the movement, remember to push the knees outwards, against the band, to keep them parallel. You can increase the difficulty by holding a dumbbell in each hand, by wearing a weighted vest or by holding a "kettlebell" in front of your chest. Don't add extra weight to the squat unless you already have a good level of fitness. If your knees sag inward, you can't bring your thighs parallel to the floor, or you round your back, forget the weights. How many times? Four sets of 12 repetitions. Even better: add a one-minute plank (see above) between each set.
5 Step-ups – on a bench or a box
What is it for?To strengthen the whole “hiking machine”: quadriceps, glutes, hamstrings and calves.How to do it?Stand in front of a solid box or bench between the knee and mid-thigh height — higher, more difficulty will be encountered. Place one foot on the form making sure it is fully planted and not just the forefoot. Raise the body by pushing on the heel and engaging the quadriceps until the other leg is on the support. The upper leg should do all the work. Descend by repeating the movements of the ascent upside down. Alternate the first leg of each repeater. Remember to keep your torso straight, hips and shoulders aligned throughout the movement. Pay attention to the knees: avoid pulling them in during the ascent to avoid pain. You can increase the difficulty by holding dumbbells in your hands. Again, do not add weight until you have mastered the posture perfectly. How many times? Three sets of 12 repetitions (for each leg). Hold two dumbbells overhead for one minute between each set.
6 Static Lunge
What is it for?To strengthen the quadriceps, hamstrings and glutes and also to improve balance.How to do it ? Stand up straight, feet hip-width apart and knees perpendicular to the toes. Keep your hands on your hips or grab a dumbbell on each side. Contract the postural muscles. Take a big step forward – about 65 cm – and lower the hips until the front thigh is parallel to the ground (or as low as possible without straining). The back knee should not touch the ground. Return to starting position and repeat with the other leg. Repeat. You must keep the hips in line (no arch, no rocking) throughout the movement. As with step-ups, be careful that the knees do not turn inward. How many times? Four sets of ten reps—each leg. Do 10 to 15 push-ups between each set.
7 Bear Crawling – Crawl like a bear
What is it for? Mainly, to work deep muscles and stability. As a bonus, the legs and the upper body. How to do it? The starting point is "the table": on all fours with arms outstretched, hands vertical to the shoulders, knees to that of the hips, spine in neutral position. Engage the trunk and take the knees off the ground a few centimeters until you are resting on the front of the foot, on the toes. While maintaining this position, move forward on all fours, moving the opposite hand and foot at the same time. Move slowly, exaggerating the movement. As much as possible, bring the front knee towards the back elbow, making sure to maintain the correct posture throughout the exercise; flat back and level hips. Imagine there's a plate on your back and... don't drop it. You can make it even harder by picking up a dumbbell in each hand - lifting them off the ground completely with each movement, not sliding them down. Alternate with a few sets backwards. How many times? Five series of 15 meters. Do 15 to 20 reps of your favorite core exercise between each set.
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