For many people, climbing the high peaks is a major life goal. Women want to say that they’ve been there, done that, and scaled the highest summits in the country, even if it means wading through six feet of snow.
But how can you get your body into a shape that will let you do this sort of thing?
Don’t do what most beginners do and jump right into things. That’s a recipe for injury and harm.
The best approach, in my opinion, is to give yourself an on-ramp. No, you won’t get the results you want in a couple of weeks, but if you work at it for six months, it is amazing how much you can achieve.
So, what should you be doing for this physically demanding hike?
Building Your Physical Fitness
The first step is to get into a gym and start working on your physical fitness. Try to join local exercise classes if you can that are able to give you one-on-one advice.
Make sure you do a mixture of cardiovascular exercise and strength training. All great routines use a combination of both, giving you the muscles you need for climbing rock faces and the sudden bursts of effort that scrambling up rock screes sometimes demands.
For the lower body, train the calves, hamstrings, and quads. You’ll need these if you do a lot of movement on the mountain.
For the core, you want Russian twists, something that mountain climbers used to train with in the past. Then, for the upper body, focus on the muscles you need for hauling heavy backpacks and trekking poles. Usually, this means you need strength in the upper back, the shoulders and the biceps (for picking things up).
Remember to keep stretching throughout your training, especially if you’ve been out of the loop for a while. Focus on hip flexors and hamstrings to improve balance and posterior chain.
Acclimate To Elevation
You also want to acclimate to the elevation. The more you can cope with high altitudes, the better.
You don’t usually have to do this, even in Scotland, because the mountains aren’t tall enough. Only a handful are over 4,000 feet and that’s not usually enough for oxygen-related issues. But if you’re going above 6,000 feet in places like Norway or the Alps, then you will need to focus on this aspect of your training. Climbing at higher altitudes or even living in them will help your body adapt.
You also want to drink more in these settings because of the effect the additional water can have on you. Shorter hikes are best when you’re getting used to thinner air.
Build Your Hiking Skills
Lastly, you’ll want to build your hiking skills by training outdoors in the weeks running up to your adventure. Giving your body the time it needs to get used to the feel of the trails and the terrain is essential for success. You’ll notice that it helps you build confidence over time in your abilities.
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