Friday, August 17, 2007

Fitness for Trekking



As part of our recent holiday in Vietnam and Cambodia(we arrived back this week), we did a short trek in Sapa. It was a great experience but because of the combination of steep hills, clay soil and rain, it was not easy.

Here are some fitness ideas if you are planning a trek

- build up a good basic fitness level

- work on your flexibility, balance and agility - if you are walking on slippery steep ground, you will find these fitness elements are being constantly tested

- prepare yourself for the downhill sections - glutes and hamstrings will take a beating - if you have access to a elliptical machine, backwards stepping is a useful preparation.

- if your are going to use a pole for support (we would not have been able to do without our bamboo poles) - shoulder, back, arms and chest will all need work

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