What will not improve your hiking fitness
Training for your first Tasmanian Iconic Walk or first long day wilderness hike in? As event organisers we take your hiking fitness preparation quite seriously. We have chosen quite lengthy walks for a reason – we want to 
you prepare for it because being a fitter and more active human does reduce your risk of having a stroke. This is one of our primary messages – but we wont leave it totally up to you either. That’s why when you register for our event we offer a free training program. Follow this and we feel you’ll be well prepared. However our experience tells that people are generally optomistic beings and generally over estimate their abilities. Consequently we have put together this article that summarises and fleshes out a number of activities that WILL NOT on their own get you fit enough to complete this walk. Before we delve in to that though let’s start with what we need to know before you start your preparation for long day hikes in Tasmania.
These factors must be considered before we make a plan about how to get improve your hiking fitness:
1) how fit are you now?
2) how challenging is the hike is that you want to do?
3) what will you commit to doing that you will stick to (fitness wise)?
4) and what are you doing already?
So once you get your 12 week hiking fitness training plan (emailed to you when you register) you might already be at ‘week 6’ in terms of what you already do. If you are a seasoned and fit walker you are saying you go out at least fortnightly for long day walks. (6+ hour plus). Probably there is not a lot extra you need to do – perhaps a few weighted pack walks and top up your hill walking fitness. If you are saying you have moderate fitness you are probably starting at week 6, you just need a bit more specific hiking preparation and longer walks and weighted pack work (don’t forget those calve raises). If you are saying you are new to hiking and need a fitness regime start at week 1 of the fitness plan.
There are many ways to prepare for hiking but I’m always surprised at what some people think might be suitable preparation.
It is with tongue in cheek I share these activities that WILL NOT get you fit for hiking:
- Shopping – 8 hours of shopping is not the same as 8 hours of hiking through the bush. When hiking you’ll be wearing different shoes, on un-even surfaces, up and down hills and you’ll carry your load on your back. Hiking is nothing like shopping, although I do admire your endurance if you can shop for 8 hours!
- Pilates and yoga – while there are many benefits to both pilates and yoga both of these activities on their own will not prepare you for getting up a hill. I do recommend that as part of a more holistic fitness approach that you do balance, stability and core work though.
- Long hours on your feet – think waitresses and nurses who literally are on their feet all day (or night). Both these professions can have you walking 20,000 steps in a night, but it will not help you hike in the wilderness for all the reasons that shopping does not count
- Being hiking fit many years ago – just because you hiked a lot several years ago does not mean you have kept that fitness. I’ve met many a middle aged hiker (sore and injured) that used to walk in their 20’s without much preparation at all. However, if you are older act a bit more wisely – if you haven’t trained in the last few months and you are taking on something more than a few hours then I’d say you’ll definitely benefit from some shorter walks on urban tracks, add a pack – follow the plan!
- Walking your elderly dog around the streets – instead leave the dog at home for hiking fitness sessions, find some steep hills and get your heart rate up!
Think about the end goal, and aim to mimic your training to suit. You need bush tracks, un-even surfaces, hills to scale both up and down. Progressively do longer walks and aim to get your heart rate up, but still be able to talk. Need more help?
These general free hiking fitness resources can be downloaded here . Written by Tasmanian Iconic Walks founder and holistic personal trainer Jo Cordell-Cooper
A reminder if you register for any of our events you will received your free 12 week preparation for hiking plan, specific to the event you register for. Didn’t get yours? Email us here