BEST CARDIO EXERCISES FOR MOUNTAIN TREKKERS - "FIT TO TREK@50" SERIES.

 

BEST CARDIO EXERCISES FOR  MOUNTAIN TREKKERS - "FIT TO TREK@50" SERIES.

You need not turn yourself into a rugged body builder with well defined bulging muscles to get into trekking. You just have to consider trekking as simply taking a longer walk in nature at any pace, at any altitude, and for any number of Kilometres, hours, or days. Always remember, how complicated or difficult or easy your trail is, every trek has it's perks. The more challenging the trek, the more calories you will burn along with more melting of your stress. 

As you TREK , your heart pumps in a nice and relaxed manner, circulating oxygen-rich blood throughout your body. When your body is receiving this vital oxygen-rich blood & nutrients your body and tissues stay younger & healthier with improved immune system. The TREKKING benefits are infinite.

A 3-5 hours of TREK in a day can boost your metabolism for up to 12 hours after the trek ! Paring a healthy balanced diet with a trek can help you lose some amount of weight without even doing much exercise. Additional benefits of trekking include strengthening your bones & improving your attention & memory. When WALKING in nature, research has shown 20% increase in attention & memory. Sunshine provides VITAMIN D , breathing PURE AIR calms nervous system, the different COLOURS OF NATURE - GREEN walking or FOREST bathing (Nature Walking) is phenomenally  good for our overall physical & mental heath. 

It should be made a routine to at least go for a MODERATE / MID-ALTITUDE TREKKING for minimum 10-15 days in a year, considering the missing nature in most of our city life. 

In most of the treks you will get rough terrains where at times you will be walking up a hill or mountain, then again descend, a combination which is a great workout for your legs and core area. Trekking up a mountain is like climbing stairs, which activates and strengthens your glutes, hamstrings, quads and calves. Whereas, trekking downhill activates your glutes and quads , as these muscles need to do a lot of slow, controlled work to stabilise your knees and hips so that you do not tumble down. These types of contractions damage muscle fibres the most, as you are resisting the force of gravity against your weight. In my previous two blogs have discussed in details about the exercises to strengthen your lower and upper body muscles.

Today, we will discuss about the next important activity after strength training, that is also a must when preparing for a trek - CARDIO VASCULAR ROUTINE. These activities not only boosts your confidence level, but also make you enjoy the trek.

This CARDIO workout will be just a 3 minute routine that you can do from the comfort of your home. The thing about cardio is - more does not always mean better. Long duration cardio puts stress on your body after a period of time. Long duration cardio produces a hormone called CORTISOL & the more cortisol your body produces, the less TESTOSTERONE is being produced, which will directly hamper to your trekking efficiency.

BENEFITS OF CARDIO EXERCISES :

1) Decreases -

a) Daily Fatigue,

b) Anxiety,

c) Depression,

d) Coronary artery disease,

e) Hypertension,

f) Obesity, etc.

2) Increases -

a) Body Flexibility,

b) Work, recreational & sports performance,

c) Sense of well-being,

d) Blood Lipid profile,

e) Insulin sensitivity,

f) Glucose tolerance,

g) Immunity, etc.

A cardiovascular activity makes your heart strong, improves the circulatory system in the body , and enhances your lung capacity. When you go for high altitude trek , your body requires more oxygen inhalation for which you need to have lung with more capacity to inhale oxygen. The circulatory system helps in supplying more oxygen and nutrients to your muscles from time to time. As trekking itself is a high intensity cardiovascular activity where you have to trek for about 4-6 hours doing assents and descends at various terrain levels, therefore it is very much necessary to have a strong heart condition.

CARDIOVASCULAR ROUTINE :

Jogging is the best cardiovascular exercise, as it is very much closely related to trekking, where your knees and ankle movement increases, and their surrounding muscles get strengthened, this same movements get repeated during trekking. You should start your jogging at least 3-4 months before your trek starts, as a preparation. 

Your benchmark for jogging should be to cover 5 kilometres in 35-40 minutes.  Initially this number may look impossible for you, for your benefit let me break down the schedule - the day you start your preparation, start jogging just as per your capacity, may it be even 100-200 metres, but daily after the run note down the distance covered and time taken on that day. Now, daily try to increase the challenge gradually and you will see that within next 35-40 days you will be able to achieve your target of 5 km in 35-40 minutes. 

Keep in mind that during this preparation time, you should never over stress yourself, always move ahead gradually as per your capacity. This jogging routine you can do on three to four days in a week, with a rest day in between.

In case you are not in a position to go for a jog thrice or four times a week, then you can mix your jogging with alternative home cardio exercises which will consume just 3 minutes of your time. Here you can do jogging say on two days of a week and twice a week do the cardio exercises. Avoid doing Jogging and cardio home exercises on the same day. It is always better to go for such a mix.

BEST CARDIO EXERCISES FOR  MOUNTAIN TREKKERS - "FIT TO TREK@50" SERIES.

CARDIO DURATION :

I have mentioned 5 cardio exercises, which will activate all major muscles and joints of your body in just about 3 minutes. Each of these cardio exercises is to be done for 30 seconds, with a 10 seconds rest between exercises. Beginners or those in their 50's or above , and are not in any kind of fitness routine can start with 10-15 seconds doing each exercise , and take 20 seconds rest between exercises.

If me at the age of 58 can go for it and do it, then why not YOU ? 

LIFE should NOT slow down after 50, rather should accelerate on top gear.

In this 3 minute cardio home routine you will notice that you will be made to go up or stand  and then back again on the floor to increase the intensity of this short duration cardio routine. 

If you want to make this cardio routine even more challenging, then after completing these 5 exercises take 15 seconds of rest, and then repeat the 5 exercises once more. Once you progress, you can do these 5 exercises just one after the other (back-to-back) without any rest in between the exercises, then take 20 seconds rest , and then again repeat these 5 cardio exercises back-to-back. Maximum you can do 3 such circuits with 20 seconds of rest in between each circuit.

CARDIOVASCULAR HOME EXERCISES :

1) Jumping jacks -

This is a total body exercise targeting major muscle groups and improves cardiovascular fitness and heart condition. This workout is a combination of aerobic exercise and resistance work. Jumping jacks activates your glutes, quadriceps and hip flexors. It also involve your abdominal and shoulder muscles. This workout makes your movement more explosive, gaining more strength and agility for TREKKING that require multidirectional movement.

As with most exercises, in this workout also, there is risk of injury in the lower body joints like knee and ankle. So, it is advisable to first start out with a base level of strength and conditioning routine. But, most people can safely do this workout.

How to do : stand up straight with your legs together and your arms down at your side. Then bend your knees slightly and jump. As you jump , spread legs to about shoulder-width apart and stretch your arms out and over your head, so they almost clap together. Jump again and return your arms and legs to the starting position.

Make sure you are performing this workout on a flat, even surface. Wear supportive, athletic shoes, and listen to your body, and stop if you experience any sort of pain.

2) Burpees / Floor Push-ups -

Floor Push-up

this is a full body exercise which works on most major muscle groups, improves cardiovascular fitness, enhances your body balance and coordination. Burpees improves your strength and mobility. This workout is excellent to keep you TREK FIT.

How to do : this is a 4 point move. Stand straight, then drop into a squat with your hands on the ground just in front of your feet. Then kick your feet back behind you, keeping your arms extended so you are in a raised plank position., from here you can either go for a floor push-up, or from plank position jump to your feet back towards your hands, then leap into the air with your arms straight  above you. Then do it all again.

Initially, if you find doing burpees difficult, then can do just normal floor push-ups .

3) Squat jump -

Jump squats increase your explosive power, improve upper and lower body strength, and burn calories faster . This also improves flexibility in your ankles and hips, also this exercise helps prevention of  injuries during other exercise routine and TREKKING.

How to do -  stand straight with your feet hip-width apart. Hinge at the hips to push your butt back and lower down until your thighs are parallel to the floor. Then press your feet down to explode off the floor and jump as high as you can. Allow your knees to bend 45 degrees when you land, and then immediately drop back down into a squat, and jump again.

4) Mountain climber - 

This exercise targets your full body, but especially your arms, shoulders, quads  and core. This workout raises your heart rate. Mountain climbers builds cardio endurance, core strength, and agility. Several muscle groups are activated by this exercise.

Your shoulders, arms, and chest work to stabilize your upper body while your core stabilizes the rest of your body. As the prime mover, your quads get an incredible workout too. As this is also a cardio exercise, you will get heart health benefits and burn calories. So, overall this is a very effective exercise when preparing for a Mountain TREK.

How to do - get in a plank position, with even distribution of your body weight between your toes and hand. Your hands should be about shoulder width apart, back flat, abs engaged, and head in alignment. Then pull your right knee towards your chest as close as possible. Switch legs, pulling one knee out and bringing the other knee in. Keep your hips down, run your knees in and out as far and as fast as you can. Alternate  inhaling and exhaling with each leg change. Never hold your breath.

5) Skaters -

 these are a great cardio exercise involving jumping in a pattern that shifts your body weight  from side to side to create a skating stride. Though it mainly increases leg power, it is considered a full body , dynamic workout as it also targets your glutes medius and adductors of hip joints. Thus, making you ready for a mountain TREK.

How to do - stand with your legs hip width apart, bend one leg behind the supporting leg at a slight angle, while maintaining weight and balance on the supporting leg. As you exhale, simultaneously swing your arms out and leap over to the opposite side. Shift your weight and land with the opposite leg behind you. Be sure to land on the ball of your foot with your hips and knees bent slightly. 

IMPORTANT : 

💪 It is always advisable to consult your doctor before starting any new workout routine. 

💪To keep your body hydrated you may sip water as and when required during workout.

💪Take 10-15 seconds of rest between each exercise.

Your valued comments, questions & suggestions in the comment section below, about this blog will be highly appreciated.

Do FOLLOW my BLOG PAGE for latest updates on FITNESS.

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UPPER BODY STRENGTH TRAINING EXERCISES FOR TREKKERS - "FIT TO TREK@50" SERIES.

UPPER BODY STRENGTH TRAINING EXERCISES FOR TREKKERS - "FIT TO TREK@50" SERIES.

Your fitness level determines how much you are going to extract from your trekking trip. With altitude gain during a trek the air becomes thinner, trekking in such conditions will intensify your heart rate and burn extra calories. Here your age has nothing to do, it's only about your basic fitness level & mind set.

If me at the age of 58 can go for it and do it, then why not YOU. LIFE should NOT slow down after 50, rather should accelerate on top gear.

Strengthening your UPPER BODY  is one of the most overlooked ways to improve your trekking efficiency. Training your upper body will yield serious benefits for your body balance, power, and comfort in more demanding terrain. 

Upper Body - After lower body,that was discussed in my last blog, our next target area is the upper body, which comprises of Shoulders & upper back  muscles, mainly  - trapezius, deltoids, rhomboids, shoulder rotator cuff muscles. Lower back muscles, mainly - latissimus dorsi, external abdominals, lumber triangle, external oblique, posterior serratus. Arm muscles, mainly - triceps, biceps, brachialis anticus, supinator longus, extensors, flexors.

All the muscles mentioned above in the picture have some role to play during your mountain trekking activity. Therefore it is important to make these muscles strong, flexible, stable and keep them toned. The exercises that I will give you have been accordingly designed, considering your age,  keeping them simple, for you to perform at your home.

UPPER BODY STRENGTH TRAINING EXERCISES FOR TREKKERS - "FIT TO TREK@50" SERIES.

 

Training upper body is very much crucial for trekkers, as it strengthens your shoulders, back, arms and other muscles  while maintaining your body balance, stability, as also you may have to pull yourself up, lift few extra weights or carry your trek buddy in case of any emergency.

These upper body exercises have been designed as per requirement for trekking. These are very basic and simple workouts which can be done by men & women of all age groups. 

For best results you may do these exercises twice or thrice a week only, with rest days in between.

UPPER BODY STRENGTH TRAINING EXERCISES FOR TREKKERS - "FIT TO TREK@50" SERIES.

EXERCISES :

A.  Shoulders -

1) Side & Front raise -

This exercise targets your side (Medial) and front (Anterior) deltoids, enhancing their strength,mobility and formation.

How to do - Stand straight with your feet about shoulder width apart. Take a pair of dumbbells / water bottles in both your hands. The weight of of dumbbell to be such that with which you can do maximum 10 reps. If not having dumbbells, then can take 2 numbers of water bottles of 750 ml / 500 ml , as per your capacity to do 10 reps. 

Inhale through your nose while raising both your arms side ways, up to your shoulder level, then from that level bring your arms down to your side of your waist and immediately from there bring both your arms up in front of you while exhaling through your mouth, palms facing upwards. Now from the front position again bring your arms down to your sides of your waist and then again immediately spread your arms up sideways. The whole movement to be like a swing.

Initially, start with 6-8 reps per set , can go for 2 sets. As you progress can go for 3 sets of 10 reps per set.

2) Arnold press - 

this exercise gives roundness shape to your delts, enhances overall shoulder muscle strength and shoulder joint mobility.

How to do - Stand straight with your feet about shoulder width apart. Take a pair of dumbbells / water bottles in both your hands. The weight of of dumbbell to be such that with which you can do maximum 10 reps. If not having dumbbells, then can take 2 numbers of water bottles of 750 ml / 1 litre , as per your capacity to do 10 reps. 

Bring both your arms with elbows folded 90 degrees, in front with the palms towards your face at eyes level, now from here open your elbows side ways and push your arms up, again bring your arms down to your shoulders and then again in front of your face. Repeat this to required reps. Always exhale through your mouth when pushing your arms up.

Initially, start with 5-7 reps per set, as you progress can go for 3 sets of 8-10 reps per set. 

3) Pike Push-ups -

this exercise is an excellent shoulder exercise where you only use your body weight. It works on your delts & upper trapezius muscles.

How to do - be on a high plank position, let your feet close to each other, your palms on the floor about shoulder width apart, then inhale through your nose and slowly dip your head towards the floor between your spread arms somewhat like a push-up, then again push your head up with pressure on your palms and shoulders and exhale through your mouth, repeat this as per required reps. 

Initially, start with 5-7 reps per set, as you progress can go for 3 sets of 8-10 reps per set.

4) Shoulder Shrugs -

this exercise works on your upper trapezius and rhomboids. These muscles are vital in carrying loaded backpacks, pulling your body weight up and lifting loads.

How to do - stand straight with a pair of dumbbells/ water bottles in both your hands placed sideways. Then slightly bend both your elbows backwards squeezing your upper rhomboids and then from that position lift your shoulders up squeezing your trapezius muscles. Then again come to normal position and repeat.

Initially, go for 10-12 reps per set, as you progress, can go for 20-25 reps per set, can do 3 sets.

B. Back - 

1) Spider man - 

this exercise works on your Rhomboids, Posterior deltoids,Lower trapezius and lower back muscles.

How to do - lie on the floor face down, lift your feet keeping them straight slightly apart, and arms stretched in front , then slowly lift up your legs  & arms along with your chest raised from the floor, so that only your waist and part of lower abs only are in contact with the floor. Hold this position for about 30 seconds. 

Initially, go for 10-15 seconds per set , as you progress can go for 2 sets of 20-30 seconds per set.

2) Bend over twin arm row -

this workout builds your Latissimus Dorsi , lower Trapezius & Rhomboids. This exercise basically strengthens the mid section of your back.

How to do - stand straight with your feet about shoulder width apart, then bend your upper torso forward to about 45 degrees, with your knees slightly bent, hold 2 dumbbells in your hands with supinated grip (holding the dumbbells with your palms facing up or outside)  of weight with which you can do max 10 reps, or as a beginner can hold 2 water bottles in your hands. Stretch both your arms slightly forward and from there pull both your arms with bent elbows towards your waist , so that both your palms are in line with your belly button. While you pull your arms towards you make sure to make a squeez on back muscles, hold this for 2-3 seconds and then return your arms to original position. Repeat this as per the required reps.

Initially, go for 6-8 reps per set, as you progress can go for 3 sets of 10-12 reps per set.

C. Arms -

1) Tricep dips-

                                      Pic 1 👆

                                      Pic 2 👆

this exercise work on your chest and triceps, and will help you feel more stable on your trekking poles, taking some pressure off your legs and assisting you on rough terrain or steep climbs.

How to do - stand close in front of a bench with your back to the bench, squat with both your palms on the bench with your fingers in front on the bench edge, both your arms to be by your sides touching your lats. Then slowly slide both your legs to your front to make the knees straight, then slowly bend your elbows to 90 degrees with your hips going towards the floor, then from the elbows at 90 degrees again straighten your elbows with triceps contraction (Pic 1).  this up-down movement to required reps. 

As you progress, you can place the heels of both your legs on another bench placed parallel to the existing bench, and do the dips (Pic 2).

Initially, you can go for 5-7 reps per set, as you progress can go for 2-3 sets of 8-10 reps per set.

2) Bicep Curls -

this exercise is to build your bicep muscles, which is mainly used for lifting any form of load.

How to do - stand straight,  hold a pair of dumbbells / water bottles in your hands, now keeping your upper arm (part above elbow) tugged to your sides, slowly lift the weight towards your shoulders, then slowly bring your arms (lower arm) down and repeat to the desired number of reps. You may not take heavy dumbbels, as the idea is to increase muscle strength required to meet up your trekking needs, not to build muscle volume.

Initially, you can go for 6-8 reps per set, as you progress can go for 3 sets of 10-12 reps per set.

3) Wrist Curls - 

this exercise works on your forearms muscles strength and wrists mobility , which are very important while using your hands for pull, push, lift and tear/break any object.

How to do - stand straight, take a pair of light dumbbells and spread both your arms forward with palms facing upwards. Then curl your wrists inward and outward repeatedly 20-30 times, then turn your palms towards the floor and curl your wrists downwards and upwards repeatedly for 20-30 times.

D. Chest -

Push ups - This exercise is a compound workout working on a number of muscle groups. The main muscles that this workout targets is Pectoral major (chest muscles), it also acts on your delts, shoulders, arms, back and ab muscles. Push-ups are are a must and most useful workout for trekkers. The below mentioned variants of push-ups are based on their level of difficulty, in descending order.

1) Wall Push ups- 

this is for the beginners. Stand about 2-3 feet away from a wall, place both your arms on the wall about shoulder width apart , in line to your shoulders. Then move your chest towards the wall and on reaching to close to the wall push the wall with your arms to bring your chest to its original position. Do this for 8-10 reps per set and try for 3 such sets. Inhale through your nose while going towards the wall, exhale through your mouth only on returning to starting position.

2) Inclined Push ups - 

Same as above, as you progress & gain strength in your arms and shoulders after doing wall push-ups, then instead of doing wall push-ups you can do inclined push-ups, here your palms to be placed on a raised platform. Do this for 8-10 reps per set and try for 3 such sets.

3) Floor Push ups -

Once used to inclined push-ups, then to add level of difficulty start floor push-ups instead, this is the normal push-up where your palms & toes are on the floor and body parallel to the ground. Do this for 8-10 reps per set and try for 3 such sets.

4) Declined push ups - 

here the only difference is both your toes are on a raised platform , with your palms on the floor. Here the level of difficulty is much more than all the above. Do this for 6-8 reps per set and try for 2-3 such sets. 

IMPORTANT : 

💪 It is always advisable to consult your doctor before starting any new workout routine. 

💪To keep your body hydrated you may sip water as and when required during workout.

💪Take 10-15 seconds of rest between each set , and 20 seconds of rest between each exercise.

💪In case you do not have dumbbells at home, you can use any weight like - water bottles, bricks, water jerrycan, etc.

Your valued comments, questions & suggestions in the comment section below, about this blog will be highly appreciated.

Do FOLLOW my BLOG PAGE for latest updates on FITNESS.

- My Facebook Page : @fitnessfun50

- My YouTube channel : fitnessfun50

- Follow me on TWITTER : @ParthaD44328477

- Instagram : fitnessfun.50

- e-mail : partha63.pd@gmail.com