If you are thinking of climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro with nothing but dreams in your eyes and fire in your heart, then you are in for some pretty major shock. Hiking without some preparation and training can give you lots of sweat and don’t forget sore muscles. Hiking is hard work and so you must make preparation as early as possible so that while you are on the trail, you only enjoy the breath-taking scenery and nothing else.

Here is some sensible and easy pre-trekking preparation that you can go for as a pre-training part of hiking and trekking.

Start with a Walk

It is one of the most obvious steps to start with and you will be surprised to know that not many people do it. Start your preparation with some small distance walking and gradually increase the distance. Also, do not forget about recovery time as your body needs rest to build up the muscle strength and heal the sore spots. So try walking some distance every alternate day. With time, your body will get fitter and then you can try walking every day, and build the stamina for a relentless walk while you are hiking. You will know that you are ready when you will be able to walk for 4 to 6 hours without taking any rest.

Include Leg Based Cardio

Apart from long walks, include some leg-based cardio in your routine. Try out something simple and fun like cycling, which is awesome for building muscles. Other than this, many sports activities will also have the same effect like squash, football, soccer, and swimming. If you are less into activities and more into gym workouts, then try combination of lunges and squats, spin classes, and cycling bursts.

Climbing Stairs

Sounds simple but is equally effective, climb up and down the stairs every chance you get. It builds your quads and calves. Try out slow climbing at first and then with time increase your speed of going up and down the stairs. It also contributes to increasing your stamina.

 

Try Walking Using Poles

Walking poles are an important part of any hiking or camping venture and so it's better you also include these helping hands in your training session to get a hang of it. The walking poles are well known to offer the trekkers and hikers much-needed assistance while climbing up and down the hilly trails, taking pressure off the knees and distributing them throughout the body. The best part of these poles is, they are versatile and can be used to mount tents. So do not forget to include them in your regimen and your journey to the top.

Train with Backpacks

Preparation for the much-awaited hiking trip is all about challenging yourself and pushing your limits so that you can get most of the trail and not vice versa. So it feels right to train with something you will actually carry on the trip – a daypack or small backpack. Doing so will allow you to face the challenge and get ready for the trip, and trekking with all the extra weight will feel like a walk in the park.

Accessorize Right

A good pair of shoes has no replacement, it will further add to your comfort and make walking with the poles as easy and simple as possible. Moreover, wearing a good pair of shoes means that it will keep you away from unforeseen problems like blisters, etc.