How to Train for Steep Hikes
Most people face challenges when they are climbing a steep trail or even when climbing the stairs. All this is as a result of lactic acid accumulating in the muscles. Running out of breath is caused when insufficient oxygen is supplied to the muscles.
The Benefits of Going for Steep Hikes
Even if you play online games with codes and promotion from Dunder, you would know that sports like football isn’t a game to be taken lightly. It deserves a lot of attention, and it needs you to stay on top of your game. Going in for hikes helps you build up on your breath and in turn, helps you improve in these games.
The Top Ways to Train for Steep Hikes
Everyone has a lactate threshold. This is the intensity at which lactic acid can build up in the blood than the rate at which it can be flushed. The following exercises can help out train for steep hikes increasing the lactic threshold.
- Anaerobic Threshold Training
Improving your body’s lactic threshold is essential to make you work harder. The following steps can help build up your anaerobic threshold training.
- Warm up by swinging side to sides and front-to-back leg swings.
- Calculate your maximum heart rate prediction. The easiest method is 220-your age.
- Start hiking or running to 80% or 85% of your maximum heart rate.
- Continue running at this intensity for about 20 minutes. This can be done either on the track or a cardio machine.
Make the training harder.
Each time you workout it is best to add an additional minute. Using a heart rate monitor will help keep your maximum heart rate at 85%.
Hiking-Specific Interval Training
Training at a specific maximum heart rate means you also need a low-intensity workout. This will help your body train and recover at a specific lactate period.
The following steps will help achieve a specific hiking interval.
- Do backward lunges at the trailhead.
- Hike as fast as possible uphill with a 5-pound backpack.
- Walk slowly downhill for about 10 minutes and repeat the same process.
- Add 5 pounds each week on your backpack until you reach 40 pounds.
Fartlek Training.
Fartlek training is a form of speed training or interval speed play that can improve one’s running speed and endurance. This involves varying runs and alternating between fast segments and slow jogs.
Beginners should try Fartlek training because it is not as hard as traditional running. Warming up by doing high knees and side shuffles can help improve energy. On a 400m track sprint the straightaways, always walk a lap to cool down after a hike.
If you are not breathing profusely or feel like throwing up when hiking the chances are you are doing it wrong. Fartlek and interval training are important and delicate to increase your lactic threshold. Always pay attention to your heart rate and if you end up feeling comfortable when hiking, then you are doing good.