I’m wondering what people have been doing to get themselves physically ready for an Appalachian Trail Thru-hike?
Canon
Fitness Plan - Appalachian Trail
system
#3
Walk if you so choose, but I suggest putting on about 15 pounds of extra wieght. There are things to get yourself ready a little, but the muscles you will use to lug a pack up and down mountians for those long miles…well, there is nothing that will get you ready for it but being out there doing it.
I never go for walks or anything directly before a long hike, because I figure I will be walking enough once I start.
It really doesnt take that long for your body to adjust to the grind, it actually begins to crave it, this is something you certianly notice after you have stopped for a while.
Good luck, and happy eating.:boy
lion King
system
#4
This is what I did in 1999 to prepare for my AT thru-hike in Year 2000:
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Beginning in the summer of 1999, I hiked at least 2 of every 4 weekends up to the month of December 1999 (some months it would be 3 out of 4 weekends). December is when it starts dropping below 0*F in northern Indiana. I basically hiked all the name brand trails in Indiana, Lower Michigan and Ohio and had a blast doing so for six months. The treadway is very uneven on the AT and hiking frequently will allow your leg/knee muscles to gain a little more strength to prepare for Georgia and North Carolina (much better overall physical training than the treadmill option I describe below because of the unevenness of the actual hiking footpath versus the flat treadway of a treadmill). Note that doing these activities you should be carrying your backpack and hiking – not just walking to a campsite and camping out for the weekend. Many long-distance runners get quite a sudden shock when they get a load of what it takes to carry a backpack a long-distance versus running a long-distance. So you’d do yourself some good to get your body a little used to carrying that backpack. When you do, you’ll find all these tiny little muscles that all of a sudden have to wake up and start doing work that they’ve never been required to do in the past. Boy do they groan about it too.
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I deliberately hiked during inclement weather. This gained me quite a bit of experience dealing with AT-like incessent rain as well as cold weather hiking. The purpose of this is to gain experience and mental know-ahead-of-time feeling about hiking during inclement weather (particularly rain).
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Beginning in December 1999 I did at least 30 minutes per day on the treadmill at least 5 days per week with the entire 30 minutes ramped at maximum incline (12-15% depending upon your treadmill model – mine was a max of 12%) at a forward speed rate of 3.6 miles per hour. During January of Year 2000 and subsequent months leading up to the start of my thru-hike in April 2000, I carried my backpack during the treadmill workout (it woulda killed me to have carried my backpack during the first months workout on the treadmill but I did work up to it). I started out carrying about 20 lbs total in my backpack on the treadmill workout and eventually moved the total pack weight up to 30 lbs while doing my treadmill workout. The purpose of this is to start getting your aerobic capacity geared up to what you might be facing on the AT. In reality, the mountains of Georgia and North Carolina will increase you’re aerobic capacity regardless of what kind of shape your in when you start at Springer (assuming a northbound AT thru-hike).
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If you live in the Midwestern United States, you might consider thru-hiking the Knobstone Trail outside of deer season. The KT is located just north of Louisville, KY in Indiana. That’ll give you a very good idea what Georgia will be like on the AT as far as a physical challenge. Best to spot water jugs at strategic places on the KT before you start.
Keep in mind, most of the thru-hikers still on the Trail after 30 days will be pretty much in the same physical shape. So the workout that you’d do ahead of time would only really benefit you as a head-start for the first 30 days.
Note that the Appalachian Trail is way more of a mental challenge than a physical challenge (even though we all make it sound like the AT was straight up and down for 2167 miles). The backpacking for multiple days during inclement weather will likely do as much for you, if not more, than the treadmill regimen.
Hope that helps.
Datto
Datto
system
#5
It varies. Some people go straight from the seditary life to thru-hiking. Others train and are in great physical shape before they take the first step. If you are looking for tips, in general, the best training is backpacking. Second best is anything that gets your heart rate up and works your lower body. Some people have used the step master in the gym wearing packs. Others have run up and down grand stands with packs on their backs. Others run, walk, hike, cross country ski, snowshoe, etc.
You can get to Katahdin without being in top shape to begin with. But, being in shape sure makes the first few weeks much more pleasant.
Peaks
system
#6
Over here in the West, I’m running 3-5 miles every other day training for a summer filled with sierra backpacking. I also ride a couple of miles on the days I don’t run. About a month befor my JMT hike I will carry a pack on the off days…I like to carry about 30lbs for training at low altitude. On the JMT my pack will range from 15 to 32 lbs depending on the day and the amount of food I’ll be carrying.
The weather here right now is in the mid 70s and has been that way for a couple of weeks. Where I live I can go running and bikeing durring any time of the year.:cheers
Thinair
system
#7
The first few days will be the most painful but you get over it for the most part. You could try a Stair Step machine for a couple weeks to get your legs used to the extra strain so that the first few days aren’t such a shock to them. You could also do some leg extensions with a light weight, excercising one leg at a time. You should turn your leg slightly so you are working the inside of the knee(point your right foot to the right when working the right leg and turn the left foot to the left when working the left). I was told this by an orthopedic rehab specialist. If you do the leg extensions straight out, you don’t work the muscles and tendons that support your knee as much. Finally, start slow when you start your hike especially on the downhills. A LOT of people drop out at Neels Gap due to blown knees because they came off Blood Mountain too fast.
Nooga
system
#8
yea, lots of folks just wing it. i have done that, but being in good shape eliminates so many problems, and makes the hike so much more enjoyable, and makes the afore mentioned mental challenge hella easier. walk with weight. as much as you can. anything helps. i go for 2-3 hours over fairly rugged trail with 25 pounds (my usual pack wieght) 2-3 times a week. the first time i did sit ups and push ups and ran. dumb. didnt help. the second time i walked to work when it wasnt raining in washington state, i gave myself about four leg injuries in the first 80 miles and had to quit. dumb. train.
milo
system
#9
I walked with an open, empty, trashbag-lined backpack on the rural farm roads around where I lived and filled it with trash from lazies throwing garbage out their truck windows. It got pretty heavy, and gave me an ulterior purpose that cleaned up the neighborhood. Also I got used to people looking at me like I was crazy. :boy
Tha Wookie
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#10
You rock. Thank you for picking up the litter. I am a litter picker-upper, too. Thinking of doing that while getting ready for the trail says something about you and I respect you for that.
:cheers
Morgan
system
#12
I try to sleep until noon, and make frequent walks to the fridge and/or coffee pot once I’m up.
bearbait
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#13
Well, I’ve always found that walking is a good way to train to walk?? :tongue . Seriously, get out there and walk, with a pack, and everything.
My neighbors know when I’m going on a long hike, cause a month or two before they see me walking around the blocks with a full pack, water bottle and all. :tongue
Of course the way bearbait does it sounds better.
Thunder
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#14
I am always complaining about the trash in my community–you just gave me a great idea–thanks!
Kyle
Kyle
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#15
I agree with Datto, long distance hiking, no matter what trail you’re on is a mental game. My brother and I frequenlty hike on the C&O Canal. It’s and old mule drawn canal that’s relativly flat but 180+ miles long (DC to Cumberland Maryland. Somehow my pack feels heavier there the AT because there are no downhill parts, and climbing while hard works more than just your legs.
If you want some distance work the C&O is great there are campsites every 5 miles with water and such. It’s a good endurance training exercise
Thunder
system
#16
Datto, if I remember correctly, you hiked all the way to Justus Creek your first day on the trail. I always wondered how the heck you managed to do that. Now we know. You’ve given us an excellent regimen to follow.
Kinnickinic
system
#17
Datto, if I remember correctly, you hiked all the way to Justus Creek your first day on the trail. I always wondered how the heck you managed to do that. Now we know. You’ve given us an excellent regimen to follow.
Kinnickinic
system
#18
How about lots of drinking beer?
I bet none of you guys ever even made it to Katahdin!
Probably couldn’t even get past druncannon, pennsyltucky…:cheers :cheers :cheers :cheers :cheers :cheers :cheers :cheers :boy
Hurl Schaefer