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fitness

Uphill Hiking: Which Exercises Help?

Last updated: April 19, 2022 by Canberk Koksal

  • Ryan Alston · April 2018

Although uphill hiking requires stronger core, upper legs and CNS (central nervous system), the main difference is in calves. 

  • Before you read further...

This post is about uphill hiking and how it is enhanced by calf training. 

I want to make it clear that whether you'll be uphill, downhill or flat terrain hiking - benefits of compound exercises (in our case, squats and deadlifts) are always more than any other exercise. Do not sacrifice even 1 rep of any compound exercise to do more of calves. Simply add calf exercises to your routine while still focusing on compound exercise progressive overload the most. 

As you'll read in a minute, when you're going to train calves you can forget about your entire lifting schedule and do them anytime without any gear.

Calves are used for feet movement and especially toe movement, which are more active on an incline. When you walk uphill or go upstairs, using your toes you active your calves more to be able to lift the heels that are down below. Things should be considered;

Table of Contents
Muscle Fibers
Fast twitch fibers
Slow twitch fibers
Genetics
Routine
Exercise
Cardio

Muscle Fibers

There are two types of muscle fibers: fast twitch and slow twitch.

Fast twitch fibers

Fast twitch fibers are used for explosive performances (e.g. sprinters). They're very powerful in short period, but get exhausted quickly. That's why they respond better to high intensity, low volume training. When trained and backed up with a decent nutrition, they grow a lot. Usually they aren't involved in our everyday activities and hence unless practiced, our control on them are limited. Examples: Chest, hamstrings.

Slow twitch fibers

Slow twitch fibers are used for endurance (e.g. marathon runners). They're weaker in the short term, but can perform for very long period of time without getting tired. That's why they respond better to low intensity, very high volume training. When trained and even backed up with a decent nutrition, they remain in a slim appearance and don't grow a lot. Usually they're more involved in our everyday activities and hence adapted to regular tension. Examples: Deltoids, abs, calves. 

Calves of most people have more slow twitch fibers. They're adapted to regular tension as they're used everyday, all the time.

Genetics

Another important thing you should know about calves is that they're one of the most genetic dependent muscles if not the most.

Generally speaking; the lower the calf (at right), the more fast twitch muscles and usually larger & more muscular appearance.

Their size are highly up to insertions.

This is why you can see a huge bodybuilder with baby calves (high insertions) and a skinny, untrained 18 year old fella walking with twice as big calves (low insertions). It's unlikely to see a similar trend in any other muscle.

Yes, it's true that the lower the calf, the more of fast twitch muscles. However, slow twitch muscles are always superior in number in our calves (soleus & gastrocnemius) [1].

And although they're very highly up to genetics (I'd say, around 90%) and hence tough to strengthen, there are things you can do to bring them up.

Routine

Exercise

Stand on a flat ground with your hip width stance.

Step 1: Slowly lift your heels as high as you can. When I say slowly, I mean it should take 2 full seconds to lift them completely.

Step 2: Squeeze your calves at the top for 2 seconds. No, don't just squeeze them, pretend as if God is pulling your heels from above with all his mighty power and making you stay there for 2 seconds.

Step 3: Lower your heels slowly for 2 seconds. DO NOT touch the ground.

Repeat 100 times.

It's 2 seconds concentric, 2 seconds squeeze and 2 seconds eccentric. 1 rep should last 6 seconds, and 100 reps 600 seconds, 10 minutes.

If you really want to reap the benefits of calf improvements, I recommend this routine everyday for 10 minutes. You don't need shoes, socks, stairs, certain time of the day etc. Just do them.

Cardio

When you're in the gym and will be doing cardio, going for inclined treadmill HIIT cardio will provide the best results for your calves and hence overall uphill hiking performance.

Step 1: Warm up. Walk on flat treadmill for 5 minutes.

Step 2: Up the incline to 15 degrees and walk at ~3.5 mph for 1 minute. Then rest walking at ~2 mph for 1 minute. Do not change the incline. Repeat 5 times.

Step 3: Cool down. Walk on flat treadmill for 3 minutes.

Filed Under: Basics Tagged With: calves, fitness, hiking, training

Bootcamp: How to Prepare for Hiking

Last updated: April 19, 2022 by Canberk Koksal

  • Ryan Alston · April 2018

It's April! We all know what that means, my fellow northern hemispherers. 

It means the local mountain in your town is saying goodbye to snow and waving at you. You wave back and think how much missed them - the way to escape the city rush and listen to yourself in the calm nature with fresh weather. So you open the group chat with your best friends, text them about how the local mountain invites you and make plans of hiking on next Saturday and camping the same night.

But... you've been living a sedentary life for months now. Or maybe, you have never hiked in your life. Either way, you aren't sure if your body can endure miles of hiking. And you're right not to be sure.

Although most hikers hit the trail without any preparation after a long break, there is a right way to prepare to improve your overall outdoors experience.

Table of Contents
1- Schedule walking
2- Incorporate endurance weight training
3- Pack the right way
4- Adjust calories... and your bodyweight
5- Don't forget a pack with hip belt
6- Stretch
7- Adjust your sleep cycle

Schedule walking

Walking, obviously, is the most effective preparation you can do prior to your hike. Wait, did I say most? Sorry, I meant second most. 

Because the most effective preparation is to schedule walking. 

I don't care who you are, how fit you "used to be", how good genetics you have, how you "got it" from birth or your confidence.

If you've been living sedentary for more than 6-8 weeks, cardiovascular training WILL improve your hiking experience. For your body AND your mind.

In my experience, for most people it takes around 2-3 weeks to adapt cardiovascular exercises to a degree (and much less to lose). So instead of walking 3 miles 2 days prior to hitting the trail, just start slowly 2 weeks before, and work your way up. 

For example:

Day 1

0.5 Miles

Day 2

0.8 Miles

Day 3

Rest

Day 4

1 Mile

Day 5

1.5 Miles

Day 6

Rest

Day 7

1.8 Miles

Day 8

2 Miles

Day 9

Rest

Day 10

Rest

Day 11

2.2 Miles

Day 12

2.5 Miles

Day 13

Rest

Day 14

3 Miles

It's just an example. No-one can tell you what is the BEST for you, you can only figure that yourself with trial and error. The important thing here is to start slow and incorporate progressive overload in time.

Incorporate endurance weight training

Most people think weight and cardiovascular training as two separate things. This isn't necessarily wrong, but also not true.

There are 2 different approaches to weight training; strength training and endurance training.

Most of the time, strength training requires progressive overload with weights. Meaning that if you squat 180 lbs for 3 sets and 8 reps today, to build strength, you must be squatting more weight the next time with the same set and rep range. You're trying to build an exploding power; i.e. strength.

That's why sprinters build strength.

On the other hand, endurance training is centered around the principle of progressive overload with duration. For example, if you squat 180 lbs for 3 sets and 8 reps today, to build endurance, you must be squatting the same weight for more sets and/or reps the next time. You're trying to build power that lasts, i.e. endurance.

That's why long distance runners build endurance.

For hiking, endurance is more important than strength.

You'd benefit building endurance with lunges, squats and deadlifts immensely.

Pack the right way

Although most hikers shove their stuff into their pack with no particular organization, there's a correct way to pack your backpack.

For optimal weight distribution, heaviest items should be carried closer to your body. This should be your primary concern while packing, although not the only one.

Check our post here to learn more about the correct way of packing. Plus, there's a bonus checklist!

Adjust calories... and your bodyweight

I know, I know... None of you want to hear this. Sorry, "see" this. Yes, it's more like a life preparation than hiking, and most of you won't adjust their calories.

But during hiking, it's very beneficial to stand at the weight that you feel comfortable (duh). So I'll leave the simplest tip below so that you know there's something you can do about it.

Most sedentary people are guilty for being fat. But under this heading I'll cover my skinny fellows as well.

Calorie balance is pretty much the only thing that determines whether you gain or lose weight.

If you want to gain weight, you need to be in a calorie surplus.

If you want to lose weight, you need to be in a calorie deficit.

  • Careful here

Calorie balance determines weight loss/gain - not fat loss/muscle gain.

For example, let's say Bob is 5'10" and 200 lbs and he calculates his TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure) as 2100 kcals. To start losing weight for his first hiking after a long break, he must be in a calorie deficit. To do this, he must either intake less than 2100 kcals - or burn more than 2100 kcals.

In most cases, 10-20% surplus/deficit is recommended to gain/lose weight. How much you eat determines you weight gain or lose, NOT what you eat.

Don't forget a pack with hip belt

Function of backpack hip belts are extremely important.

They convey the weight of backpack from your shoulders to your legs and hips. Legs and hips form the core strength of your body during hiking, and they are the strongest and largest muscles in your body as Library of Congress explained in 2017.

As a result, hip belt provides longer walks with less exhaustion as the study Epstein et al conducted in 2017 concluded. 

Stretch

If you're going to be hiking uphill or downhill for some time, especially leg flexibility and stretching becomes particularly important.

Believe me, guys, if you have a sedentary lifestyle, you need this even if you won't be hiking in your life once. You'll feel much better walking and sitting straight. Your lifts will go up inside the gym, too.

You don't have to do all the stuff Alan mentions in this video, although you can.

Adjust your sleep cycle

This is a little bit different than the previous ones. 

At least a week before hiking I'd start waking up at 8-9 am at most (and also going to bed equally early). If you keep going to bed after midnight and waking up at 11 am everyday before hiking, you won't be able to sleep early the night before even if you go to bed, and end up feeling lousy.

Getting enough sleep is crucial for your body performance AND cognitive performance. Yes, body performance seems like the primary reason here, and I don't disagree, but after all, we hit the trail for our own enjoyment. For me, my cognitive condition is as important as my body condition to enjoy fully experience the nature.

Plus... There are very few things that feel better than waking up early in the nature, feeling fresh and enjoying the breathtaking sunrise the morning after camping. I wouldn't risk oversleeping and missing it, guys!

Filed Under: Basics Tagged With: backpack, fitness, hiking, packing

2 Most Effective Real Life Tips to Stay Fit While Traveling

Last updated: April 19, 2022 by Canberk Koksal

  • Ryan Alston · April 2018

It isn't tough to stay fit while traveling, guys.

There I said it. IT ISN'T! You can start celebrating! It's doable!

Because otherwise, I wouldn't be able to do it for 6 years.

Don't worry, I'm not going to tell you to run hotel stairs, run 5 kilometers every morning, or eat 7 avocados and X grams of oatmeal (as if every traveler carry a kitchen scale) for lunch.

While staying fit you'll ENJOY traveling and stop worrying about your fitness completely.

  • In this post, I'll assume that
  • You're between 18 - 50 years old
  • You don't have any health issues
  • You've been hitting the gym seriously (3+ days a week) for a while (at least 5 - 6 months) and started seeing changes in your body
  • You want to preserve your current physique during traveling
  • You want to preserve with minimum effort (as you want to enjoy your valuable time wherever you are)
  • You'll be traveling for 3 weeks at most

If the above apply to you... You're so darn lucky...

Why?

Because in this post, an advanced trainee (me) about to give you the best-bang-for-your-buck tips which have had cost too much frustration and trial & error methods to learn in 6 years.

Hopefully, it won't take that long for you.

And I value this "know how" so much I'm not even mad that I sound extremely arrogant.

Yes, I've been going to the gym seriously for 6 years, I travel once every nearly 3 months, and I DO manage to stay fit while traveling. How? Buckle up.

First, let's start with some facts.

The single reason that your body gets fitter and healthier always comes down to two things:

1- Stimulation

2- Recovery. Sorry, I meant enough recovery.

You know that feel when you feel good in the gym and your stats continuously increase. Each time you hit the gym you lift more, run longer, get faster and be stronger. It's more common for newbies. As a reward, you feel and look much better.

I know, I know. It feels amazing.

After a while, you keep feeling good, but your stats somehow stop increasing. So you open your laptop (or, if I'm your friend, you text me at 02:00 AM as to why your squat is stuck at 200 lbs.) and start researching.

If you're researching from reliable resources, you'll definitely see this:

If you feel good in the gym but your stats don't increase, do a little more.

This is a great advice.

You hit the gym 1 more day every week and up the training session for 15 mins.

After a while, your stats somehow stop increasing but this time you don't feel that good in the gym. You feel tired. So you open your laptop (or, if I'm your friend, you text me at 04:00 AM as to why your squat is stuck at 220 lbs) and start researching.

If you're researching from reliable resources, you'll definitely see this:

If you feel tired in the gym, your stats don't increase, and you have been training continuously for nearly 3 months, deload.


1- Deload While Traveling

Do you know why you feel bad?

Do you know why you can't stop the barbell from rolling from your hands anymore?

Do you know why your grip strength decreased?

Your overall focus throughout the day decreased?

I do.

You have been doing more than your body AND mind can recover.

My beloved Alan Thrall from YouTube makes a much better job than me to demonstrate how overtraining works. 

If you have a life (e.g. you're not a professional athlete: you're a college student or you have a job), it means your recovery will be inferior to other people. The truth is that for you, reaching that level is much easier than you think.

But if you're reading this, I should probably assumed that you're a stubborn person and probably have OCD. You'll probably convince yourself not to listen to people that are telling you to stop. But that's not true.

When you start feeling not so great in the gym after a long period of training and your lifts stop increasing, you must forget about weights and deload for an entire week if you want to get stronger, healthier, fitter or faster.

When you let your body AND your mind (which, is as important as your physique if you want to stay in shape all the time) rest enough, you'll see you look and feel BETTER! 

Recently, I started to travel for my work around once every 3 months. Since I ALWAYS train hard when I have settled life, my must-take-deloads overlap with my traveling time.

As a result, when I travel, I enjoy the different food, and eat around maintenance. I swear I start to look BETTER since my body recovers, I enjoy the moment without worrying about gym as I KNOW that stopping for a week is BETTER than constantly going hard.

And when I'm back, I am always able lift more - which is not surprising at all. Read more about deloading and you'll find out.

What's more...

Being fit is a marathon, guys. If you want to stay fit ALL THE TIME, you're going to have to learn to EMBED it into your life and make it a HABIT. Gym is there to improve your life, not to consume it. If you sprint, you're going to burn out, and your fitness journey won't last than a few months. Long term goals don't come with sprints. Neither they have a finish line.

In short, deload while traveling & eat what you want but at maintenance.

But what if you'll be traveling more than a week?


2- Calisthenics

Calisthenics involve the exercises performed with minimal equipment - hence, in many situations, your bodyweight.

If you finished your deload, do the following for 1-2 weeks before you hit the gym. I guarantee you that it's the best bang for your buck while traveling.

For your nutrition, worry more about how much you eat than what you eat. You're not going to travel forever - focus on things that matter the most. I don't care if you're losing or gaining weight - stop your calorie deficit or surplus and eat at maintenance level (use your gut feel).

When applied, this tip alone works wonders.

I recommend you doing the following routine once every 3 days. Try not to eat anything at least 1 hour prior to training.

To optimize your time there, try to shower first and eat after that once you finish your training.

  • Program
  • Pistol Squats (3-4 sets x 5 reps)

It's very difficult to say how many sets and reps you should do, but if you've never done them before & if your mobility isn't enough, even a single rep will be very difficult. As a starting point, I'd recommend 3-4 sets of 5 reps.

  • Push ups (4 sets x until failure)

Push ups! The most underrated exercise in the world. Do you know what grinds my gears? "Serious" gym goers who have a life do 20+ sets of chest exercises A WEEK! This is more than overkill. I currently only do 3-4 sets a week. Only bench press. Yes, more of it does help once in a while, but 3-4 sets a week is more than enough for most people - especially during traveling when you're trying to preserve your physique. And push ups is one of the best chest exercises you can do even INSIDE the gym.

  • Pull ups (4 sets x until failure)

If you do have access to a pull up bar - do them as well. If not - skip and don't worry about them.

Filed Under: Pro Tips Tagged With: fitness, travel

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Hey, what's up? Canberk here. I try to approach outdoor gear from a scientific point of view. Here's more about me.

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