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Hiking Exercises
Hiking is one of the best exercises for the entire family. To be a good hiker, it requires that you are physically fit. The kind of exercises required to make you a better hiker are power exercises to get your core, shoulders, and legs ready for some great hiking. If you already have a solid base of conditioning and strength training, try adding these. No equipment needed! Remember to include a short warm-up prior to trying advanced exercises.
Lateral Hops
Build explosive power and quickness in the legs! Perfect for anyone who wants increased endurance for harder slopes or moguls. To increase difficulty, 1) add time to the length of your working interval, 2) decrease recovery time between sets, 3) maintain tucked position to keep constant tension in the thighs, or 4) increase the number of foot contacts per time interval.
Quickly hop sideways over the marker, keeping both feet together constantly. As you improve, try to increase the speed, distance hopped to the side, or height over the marker.
Variations: try these over yard markers on a football field where you can hop side to side while simultaneously moving. For increased intensity, add height to the object you’re hopping over -- a sweater, pillow, cone, or other soft object
Squat Thrusts
Also referred to by some as "burpees," these are super for the legs, core, chest and shoulders. From a standing position, squat down and place palms on floor in pushup position. In one smooth motion, kick both feet back behind you so that legs are extended straight as you land on the balls of your feet. Prevent the body from sagging by using the muscles in your lower back and abs to keep body level. Then explosively push off the balls of your feet and tuck the knees back underneath you, returning to the initial crouch position, and stand back up. Do this several times taking rest when required.
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| This article was published on Tuesday 09 May, 2006. |
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