for most of my adult life I've been a firm believer that everyone should try to keep themselves physically and mentally capable. When I say capable I'm not meaning 6 pack abs or a doctorate degree, what I mean is I believe everyone should keep their bodies and minds able to do the things they love to do.
Since my blog is on the subjects of the outdoors I will limit the idea of staying in "capable" shape for the outdoors. If one intends to be into the woods properly prepared with their ax, water, shelter, ect, then that should include your physical and mental well being too. Let's first break this topic down physically.
(Me enjoying finally setting my pack down after a fine day of backpacking in the desert of Utah)
It seems to be a bit asinine to wake up one day, pack a heavy rucksack from a gear list and go off on a strenuous week long backpacking trip when you probably can't carry that heavy ruck more than a few times around the block. When we build up these grand adventures that we want to have in our heads, we rarely take into account whether or not our bodies are physically capable of doing them. And while yes, you might be able to complete the trip, how much of it was agony and you looking down at your feet trying to catch your breath, all the while never seeing the beautiful scenery around you? If going on a week long trip was you're end-goal, you should make sure your body is prepared to handle it so that you can actually enjoy the trip.
(my good buddy and co-guide Jack enjoying a mountain bike trip. He enjoys bike riding and it's a great way for him to stay in shape while enjoying the outdoors)
Most of our physical activities we will be doing out in the woods on our adventures will usually consist of hiking while carrying a load, processing wood, building shelters, possibly rock climbing, maybe even dragging out game. So it's in our best interest to be physically capable of completing those activities. While hiking with a load or dragging out game we are utilizing our cardio ability and our leg and back strength. When building shelters or processing wood, we're talking about explosive strength and endurance, when climbing total body endurance and breath are key. So how can we help prepare ourselves for the challenges that lay before us?
Some things we can do as average-joes to get ourselves ready are really very simple and don't take much time our of your day at all. You could:
- Walk around the block a few times a week with a heavier backpack than you normally would. Steadily increasing the speed of the walk, the length of the walk, or the weight of the pack.
- Chop wood a few nights a week in your backyard, using the tools you will be using out in the woods. 15 minutes worth of hard wood processing is quite a conditioning workout!
- Start jogging on paths near your house, focusing on controlling your breathing. Transfers well to strenuous uphill stretches on hikes.
- Start doing overnight trips and day hikes with a load-out that you intend to use for longer trips.
We should make preparing ourselves physically as just another part of our daily routines. My father-in-law wanted to start summiting the mountains near where we live, so he began speed walking the stairs at his work multiple times per shift to help build his leg and cardio endurance for the uphill trudging he'd be facing. It was a simple task he set into his routine every shift and yet it paid off on his new few hard hikes because his body was now used to carrying itself up and up for long periods of time. He began to see the task becoming easier and easier, and soon he began to get hungry for the hard challenge that laid before him. Adding in simple tasks to our every day lives is a great way to start preparing us to better take on and enjoy the challenges we seek out.
(my father in law Shawn. check out that Huntsman's Hood! you can find it in our Etsy store. Just saying...)
If you've been in the woods quite a bit and seem to know what you're doing, but want to take you're physical preparedness to the next step, then I would recommend joining a strength training or cross-training program at your local gym or following an online fitness program designed more for the ourdoors such as Mountain Toughness. The health benefits of strength training are astronomical and a good coach and/or program will be able to help you reach new fitness peaks. If rock climbing is more your adventure of choice, then there really is no replacement for getting into a climbing gym and working on harder and harder climbs. Plus rock climbing is a community and where better to find climbing buddies!
(Me bouldering in Hueco Tanks, TX. check out the KTF swag!)
Physical fitness and strength has been a big part of my life for the past 8 years or so. For me I like doing something that makes me breath hard or lift something heavy. I was always the fat kid in school and I didn't like it. But when I go into the woods with friends, it doesn't matter who is fat or skinny, big or small. What matters is if we can all physically do the tasks we have set out for. I've been that guy who's gone out and winds up a few miles behind the group of a backpacking trip and can't catch up. It's not fun for anyone and can add unneeded stress in a situation. I've also been the guy who was physically prepared and had to carry someone who had gotten badly injured, and I was thankful for my preparation because it helped get someone safely taken care of.
(That's me on the far right. Sometimes being the guide means having to carry extra equipment to keep your clients safe)
Helping ourselves prepare physically for going into the woods will also benefit us mentally. You will build up your mental fortitude more each and every time you train yourself and that will help you so much when you're out on and adventure and situations get rough. Imagine if it starts freezing rain down on you and now you're forced to tie up your shelter with frozen fingers and also start getting fire going. There will be that small voice in your head telling you to quit. That it's too hard, and that its easier to tuck your arms under your pits while shivering and wish for everything to be done for you already. You're mental toughness is what will allow you to push that small voice to the side and say no, I can do this, because you will have said it to yourself time and time before and its always been proven right so far.
(Me on the left with a good buddy and co-guide. Miserably cold conditions, but we still kept our spirits up)
Preparing yourself mentally is more than just positive internal dialog while you're physically training. It's challenging yourself to deal with mental stress that you could come across while in the wilderness. Some simple exercises you can try are:
- Attending a CPR and First Aid course. This is HUGE and will help you feel more confident when a disaster strikes yourself or other in your group.
- Practice holding you're breath or power walking while breathing through a straw. This will help you keep calm when you can't catch your breath due to altitude, cardio output, asthma, or panic
- Meditation. Train your mind to see goals and to see yourself achieving those goals.
As we have done with your physical preparations, you should incorporate mental exercises into your weekly routine. If you want to take things further, you can challenge yourself to take on harder challenges by practicing skills at home. Want to have the confidence to start a fire in the pouring rain? Use the garden hose to drench some wood at home and try in your back yard to get the fire going. It's going to be more difficult that you realize, and the crux is going to be forcing yourself to stay with it until its done, rather than just walking back inside. Building the confidence in doing hard tasks while in a safe environment is the best way to practice so you can conquer them in the field because you will have already have the knowledge that you can push through and get it done! Finally, make sure you have a good support group. Have people who believe in you and enjoy the same outdoor experiences. Its a lot easier to tell yourself that you can keep going until the end, when you've got someone else's voice saying it in tandem with you.
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