Preseason training/fitness for AT?

Z

zuren

New member
I'm curious if anyone actively trains in the off season for AT?

I'm located in the Midwest and do 1 multi-day AT trip a year with friends, so I'm always at a disadvantage when it comes to cardio and arriving at altitude. I'm trying to work on my cardio, but I find that AT uses a lot of muscles I don't regularly use. I'm trying to prevent injury and being the weakest link in our group. Other than a gym membership and time on an elliptical, I'm not sure what else I can do. Today in MI is close to 60 degrees and rain, with no snow in the forecast, so it isn't like I can do some cross-country skiing.

Part of me has considered finding a ragged out pair of AT skis (CHEAP!!!) with the sole intent of "touring" around my property (5 acres, with trails), across dirt, grass...pretty much everything you should not use skis on. Or see if I can find some used tech toe pieces and bolt those to some lumber (e.g., 1x6"), then go shuffling around my yard.

Maybe I'm just a little crazy and should just embrace the suck!

Thanks!
 
I don t train explicitly for AT touring during summer. My summer activities are just hiking and swimming. I am too broke for any serious biking or climbing. I have the advantage of living in the central alps so most hikes go above 10k feet easily. I have a high level endurance sport background so that helps as well but I am kinda killing that with ciggies. Somehow I still walk 500meter vertical an hour easily. Anyway I am getting off topic.

I d recommend faster long distance hiking, swimming (for endurance not useful muscles), running and mountain biking. The right walking/running and breathing technique helps soooo much when touring/running/swimming. Most people I meet when touring somehow can t walk and breath properly. They look like penguins. That may sound trivial but how will people nowadays learn how to walk properly when you have these super soft shoes for town, never ran barefoot or did athletics on a high level? With and without skis...

Maybe you could join a local running club...
 
Get a copy of Training for the Uphill Athlete. Read and implement it. Discusses both sport specific endurance and strength development. There is a section on flat land training for ski touring.

Fair warning the endurance adaptations you’re looking for take months and years to develop.
 
14086067:cozyco said:
I don t train explicitly for AT touring during summer. My summer activities are just hiking and swimming. I am too broke for any serious biking or climbing. I have the advantage of living in the central alps so most hikes go above 10k feet easily. I have a high level endurance sport background so that helps as well but I am kinda killing that with ciggies. Somehow I still walk 500meter vertical an hour easily. Anyway I am getting off topic.

I d recommend faster long distance hiking, swimming (for endurance not useful muscles), running and mountain biking. The right walking/running and breathing technique helps soooo much when touring/running/swimming. Most people I meet when touring somehow can t walk and breath properly. They look like penguins. That may sound trivial but how will people nowadays learn how to walk properly when you have these super soft shoes for town, never ran barefoot or did athletics on a high level? With and without skis...

Maybe you could join a local running club...
Click to expand...

What’s the proper way to breathe??
 
In my opinion, training and fitness are important, even during pre-season. I understand this now after I gained a lot of weight during the lockdown. I used to be very active, but now all exercises seem difficult for me. It is probably supposed to be like that since I noticed that for overweight people, it is harder even to walk. My friend told me about الصيام المتقطع when I am not supposed to eat during specific days or hours. I am trying to do that in addition to my workouts. I thought if I don't eat, I will feel a lack of energy, but if you have chosen the right time, you don’t feel hunger. Moreover, I feel full of energy, and I even sleep better.

**This post was edited on Oct 5th 2020 at 10:17:26am
 
I think I made my original post before my last AT trip to CO. Unfortunately, my trip this coming season has been cancelled due to the pandemic. My group had the hut reserved, but 10th Mtn changed their reservation approach. We had the option to keep the hut for ourselves but have to pay for 12 people (we are a group of 6), or give up the reservation entirely. We are a group that comes in from all over. Some of us have immediate family with health/immune issues so not worth the risk; we all bailed. So I have another year to get a training routine set.

My last trip (Jan. 2020) was my best/strongest yet. I had all of my own gear, and lightened my pack by a lot. I also spent a lot of time on an elliptical machine at the gym before I went. I felt it mimicked the motion of touring the best, and could program the resistance for steep climbs and flats. Most of the time I was on the elliptical, I wore the pack fully loaded (40+ lbs.).

I had zero issues once I was on the mountain. All my gear performed as expected and I wasn't the guy slowing the group down. I still have room to drop weight from my pack, so I think I'm starting to figure out my approach to all of this.

As far as the "how to breathe" questions, I found this link. I would assume it would apply to any aerobic activity:
https://flipbelt.com/blog/breathing-running#:~:text=The%20best%20way%20to%20breathe,to%20expel%20carbon%20dioxide%20quickly.
 
I read that Dav trains by hiking with a large water container in his pack and at the top he empties it and runs down. Pretty cool idea.
 
In a word, STAIRS. I do the stairs in my apartment complex. Use to do them at either a parking structure or a local park. No gym needed. Wear a weight vest for added muscle build. Wear your covid mask to learn what it's like choking on thin air at high altitude.

...kidding on that last part
 
Nice to see this thread is still alive!

So my Jan. 2021 trip was cancelled due to the pandemic. We'll see if Jan. 2022 happens, but my group should all be vaccinated, so I'm hoping it is a "go".

Considering my personal situation (2 young sons...too young for vaccination, live in the flatlands of the Midwest, no parking structures nearby, the childcare room at the local gym closed due to COVID), I'm considering an elliptical machine for home. Breathing heavy in a gym, even masked, doesn't sound like a great idea. Used units are pretty cheap on Facebook Marketplace and Craigslist, I just need to get educated on what all the different makes and models can do.
 
Walking backwards up an incline! Sounds simple but that will kick your ass!!! Set a treadmill at an incline reps and sets! Happy shredding!!!
 
Listen, man. You know, I’d never thought walking backwards could be so tough, man. I definitely used to underestimate this exercise. Thanks for the remainder. Now I do it every time I have my cardio training. You know, I track my progress with these scales https://www.vont.com/product/smart-scale-bathroom-scale-weight-scale/ and walking backwards has actually given me really great results. Now I have about 5% of body fat. That was really exhausting, but I’m so happy with the result. Thanks, man. Actually, jumping rope has always been my favorite cardio. It always helps in my preseason. Anyway, keep us updated.

**This post was edited on Jul 22nd 2022 at 6:14:04am

**This post was edited on Jul 22nd 2022 at 6:14:30am

**This post was edited on Jul 22nd 2022 at 6:14:44am
 
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