Walking is one of mankind’s oldest means of locomotion. Before we invented energy saving machines like the bicycle and the car or realized that we could use animal, such as horses to do the work for us, walking was the only way to move from point A to point B. This may way help to explain our enjoyment of this most basic form of physical activity.
Although many of us find it enjoyable, no one who has ever walked in the mountains would dispute that walking up a hill can be a strenuous activity. As with any other form of activity, physical training (exercise) can help to increase the amount of work that the human body can produce and help make the individual to perceive the work as less stressful. If you don’t believe me, think about how much work a marathon runner has to do in order to cover 26 miles in 2 hours and 26 minutes, the winning time for this years Marine Corps marathon. In the world of mechanics, work can be defined as force times distance. Many factors influence the amount of work necessary to move a body (Backpacker) through space. These include the weight of the body, which includes not only body weight, but also the weight of any equipment carried or worn, and the grade of the slope. The concept behind Ultralight fastpacking is to decrease the amount of work by decreasing the weight carried by the backpacker. This is a great leap forward in the evolution of the sport and and can increase one’s enjoyment of the sport.
Back to my physic’s lesson, about work = force x distance. The body produces force by contracting muscles and using bones as a series of levers to increase the mechanical force we can produce. Muscular contraction is a process that converts stored chemical energy (carbohydrates, fats and proteins) into mechanical energy. Training can help to increase the efficiency of these chemical process and thereby increase the body’s ability to do work.
What Type of activity is best to increase aerobic endurance?
Any type will do, as long as it is rhythmic and continuous like swimming, cycling, running, or hiking. In my opinion, impact activities are best for the reasons decried in taking care of those bones. It also pays to spend the greatest amount of time engaged in activities that are specific for backpacking, such as walking. The principal of specificity states that the adaptations to training will be specific to the imposed demands. That means if you want to get the best results you need to do activities that are most similar to the activity you want to increase your performance in. Although specific training is important, it is also a good idea to add some cross training to your workout routine. This type of training helps to alleviate boredom and decrease the risk for overuse injuries. Cross training consists of the use of several different exercise modalities during the same training session. An example for a well trained individual would be to combine 15 minutes of rowing, with 20 minutes on an exercise bike, followed by 10 minutes of the Nordic track and a 15 minute run. This type of training lets you work at a higher intensity for longer because you do not experience the same type of mental fatigue and also have an opportunity to rest some fatigued muscles. This type of training also helps to incorporate upper and lower body exercise, which leads to many benefits including an increased ability to clear lactate (the substance that makes your muscles burn) acid from the blood.
How much and how hard should I train?
The morale of this story is that it takes 20-60+ minutes of aerobic activity (running,swimming cycling, hiking) in your target heart rate zone 2-5 days per week to increase your cardiovascular endurance (this equals a greater enjoyment of hiking). These adaptations mean less huffing and puffing, less burning legs, faster walking and decreased muscle soreness the day after a hike.
How do I determine my Target Heart Rate (THR)?
1. First you need to find your maximum heart rate (MHR), the best way to estimate you MHR is to subtract 220 – from your age
for a 20 year old the MHR would be 200
2. Next, you need to measure you Resting Heart Rate (RHR)
The best way to do this is to take your pulse for 1 minute in the morning while you are still in bed. You can take it on your radial artery ( thumb side of your wrist) or carotid artery (Neck). Do not use your thumb to take your pulse since your thumb already has a pulse, and it will mess you up.
Average persons resting heart rate is between 60-80 beats per minute, individuals that are aerobically trained tend to have a lower resting heart rate.
3. Use this simple formula to determine you THR.
{(MHR – RHR) x .5}+ RHR = Lower end of THR
{(MHR – RHR) x .75}+ RHR = Upper end of THR
Example for 2o year old male with RHR of 50
{(200 – 50) x .5}+ 50 = 125
{(200 – 50) x .75}+ 50= 150
THR range for the 20 year old example e= 125-150 beats per minute
Warning: always consult a physician prior to the start of an exercise program
I will continue this discussion as time permits. Thanks for tuning in, I hope this information can help you!!
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