As you imagine your upcoming hiking holiday, your mind wanders to scenic vistas, summer foliage in full bloom, amazing waterfalls and maybe even a wild animal or two. Fingers roam across the map as you pick your exciting destination. Your healthy sense of adventure has led you to a very challenging hike that promises to invigorate and delight your mind, body and spirit. But as you envision how wonderful you are going to feel, you soon realize that maybe you will need to do some strengthening of your legs – the last thing you want to return home from your rejuvenating hiking vacation with, is an injury.

As the founder of LIFE (Live In Fitness Enterprise), I have known about the many benefits of hiking for years. I have seen clients come to regain a healthy connection with themselves as they are out on the trail; hiking not only provides an exceptional workout, targeting the quadriceps, hamstrings, gluteas muscles, and calves, but also improves the mood of my clients as they comeback reinvigorated, often realizing how many calories they have just burned.

I always want to make sure that my clients are well prepared before they go out for a hike, so we have designed a preparation programme consisting of several exercises, stretches, and balance activities. And as some people are more advanced than others, and we have a choice of beginning or advanced hikes, we have divided the program into ‘Advanced Preparation’ and ‘Beginner Preparation’.

To help you determine which category is right for you, consider that most advanced hikes are three miles or longer, and have a significant elevation component. The advanced hike that we use for an example is 3.2 miles, and has an elevation gain of 1,000 ft. On the other hand, most beginner hikes are 3 miles or less, and have a mild elevation gain, usually of less than 1,000 ft. Once you have determined whether you are advanced, or just beginning, you can follow either one of the preparation programs here.

Beginner programme

Strength Exercises

1. Assisted Squats: Holding on to a support bar, place your feet under your hips, carefully aligning your knees over your ankles, and keeping your back straight, squat down, as if you were going to sit in a chair. Your knees should not bend more than 90 degrees and your shoulders should be pulled back, with your head held up, looking directly ahead.
2. Knee Extension: Using a moderate weight, be careful to keep your back against the back rest, and lift the weight smoothly, avoiding locking your knees, or allowing the weight to fall quickly.
3. Knee Flexion (Hamstring Curls): These can be done seated or standing, and again, it is important to have good posture, lift the weight slowly and avoid allowing overextending your knees.

Cardiovascular Exercises

1. Walking: Using the treadmill to gauge your speed, walk at 3.0 mph for 30 minutes.

Balance Activities

1. Disc Balance: Stand on one leg at a time on a small inflated disc, attempting to maintain your balance for 10 seconds.
2. Bosu Balance: Standing with both feet, on the inverted Bosu ball, attempt to balance for 30 seconds at a time.

Stretches

1. Hamstring Stretch: Lying on you back, carefully lift first your knee to your chest, and then extend your foot toward the sky, attempting to make a 90 degree angle at your hip.
2. Quadricep Stretch: Standing with one hand on a support bar, bend your knee bringing your heel toward your gluteas. Keep your shoulders back, and your back straight as you align you knee directly under your hip.
3. Hip Stretch: Starting on your knees, place one foot in front of you, with your knee bent at ninety degrees. Keeping your back straight, slowly bring your hips forward toward the leg in front of you.
4. Low Back Stretch: Sitting on the floor, with your legs extended in front of you, slowly lean forward, extending your hands toward your toes. Maintain good posture, and keep your shoulders back, and your back straight.

Advanced programme

Strength Exercises

1. Unassisted Squats: Place your feet under your hips, and carefully aligning your knees over your ankles, and keeping your back straight, squat down, as if you were going to sit in a chair. Your knees should not bend more than ninety degree angle, and your shoulders should be pulled back, with your head held up, looking directly ahead.
2. Knee Extension: Using a moderate to heavier weight, be careful to keep your back against the back rest, and lift the weight smoothly, avoiding locking your knees, or allowing the weight to fall quickly.
3. Knee Flexion (Hamstring Curls): These can be done seated or standing, and again, it is important to have good posture, lift the weight slowly and avoid allowing overextending your knees.
4. Lunges: Spreading your legs about three feet apart, with your right foot in front of you, and your left foot behind you, keep your knees, hips and ankles aligned as you bend your left leg, bringing your knee toward the ground. Keep your back straight, and avoid bending either knee more than ninety degrees.

Cardiovascular Exercises

1. Jogging: Using the treadmill to gauge your speed, run at 6.0 mph for 5 minutes.

Balance Activities:

1. Disc Balance: Stand on one leg at a time on a small inflated disc, attempting to maintain your balance for 60 seconds. Now try rotating from side to side, with your arms held out at shoulder height.
2. Bosu Balance: Standing with both feet, on the inverted Bosu ball, attempt to balance for 60 seconds at a time. Again, try rotating from side to side with your arms held out at shoulder height.

Stretches

1. Hamstring Stretch: Lying on your back, carefully lift first your knee to your chest, and then extend your foot towards the sky, attempting to make a ninety degree angle at your hip.
2. Quadricep Stretch: Standing with one hand on a support bar, bend your knee bringing your heel toward your gluteas. Keep your shoulders back, and your back straight as you align your knee directly under your hip.
3. Hip Stretch: Starting on your knees, place one foot in front of you, with your knee bent at ninety degrees. Keeping your back straight, slowly bring your hips forward toward the leg in front of you.
4. Low Back Stretch: Sitting on the floor, with your legs extended in front of you, slowly lean forward, extending your hands toward your toes. Maintain good posture, and keep your shoulders back, and your back straight.

So now… Back to that upcoming hiking vacation, and your healthy imagination. You can now envision even steep climbs, and slippery water crossings, and smile, knowing you are well prepared.

Eric Viskovicz has a B.S. in economics and biology from the University of Pittsburgh, is a Certified Nutritionist, Child Fitness Specialist and Post Rehabilitation Specialist. He has also appeared on Dr. Phil, America’s Next Top Model, Fox Sports Network, Blind Date, and has been a consultant to NBC. He is president and founder of Live In Fitness Enterprise, a residential bootcamp in Marina Del Rey CA. For more information, visit:www.liveinfitnessenterprise.com, www.camptechnique.com, orwww.ericviskovicz.com