Three simple exercises to get you ready for a walking holiday
Three simple exercises to get you ready for a walking holiday
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One way to make sure you get the most out of your walking holiday is to prepare your body physically. Apart from walking, walking and walking some more, it’s also great to do some specific strength and balance exercises. We’ve already brought you ‘the squat’ in a previous blog post. By now, you’ve probably mastered that so here are some more great exercises to try at home:
For Balance
If you’re going to be walking on uneven ground it’ll be much easier, and safer, if you’ve got good balance and strong stabilising muscles in your feet and ankles.
One of the easiest ways to develop those stabilising muscles is simply to stand on one leg. Start on flat ground, counting to 30 on each leg.
When you’ve mastered that, it’s time to practice on sloped or uneven ground. The next step is to close your eyes while balancing on one leg – see how long you can stay balanced on each leg.
Finally, there’s nothing like practicing your balancing skills on the edge of a cliff, as Emily is demonstrating here on Mount Bruce in the Pilbara 😉
Hip raises
Hip raises are an excellent way to strengthen your ‘getting up hill’ muscles – particularly your glutes and hamstrings. Start with the basic version below:
Technique:
1. Lie on your back with your arms at your sides and your knees bent with your feet on the floor, about hip width apart.
2. Lift your hips toward the ceiling. Hold for one count, and then lower back down.
3. Repeat the lifts for a minute or so, squeezing your glutes and hamstrings at the top of the range of motion. Be careful not to overarch your spine.
Once you’ve mastered the basic hip raise, you can make it more difficult (and more effective at building muscle) by doing it with one leg in the air. Raise and lower for 30 seconds on each leg, holding for a count of one at the top of each repetition. Keep an eye on your grounded leg on this one, don’t let your knee move out to the side when you’re pushing up.
Lunges
Lunges can help tone your whole leg. They mainly work your glutes (bum) and your hamstrings and quads in your thighs. Your calves and abs help you keep balanced so they get a bit of a work out too.
Technique:
1. Stand up with your legs together and your arms at your sides.
2. Step about two feet forward with your right leg.
3. Bend both of your knees to lower yourself down into a lunge. Each knee should create a 90-degree angle. Don’t extend your right knee any further forward than you toe or you may strain your knee. Push off with your right leg and return to the starting position.Repeat with your left foot stepping forward.
These exercises are a great way to build the muscles you’ll need for walking on the uneven surfaces and hills we find everywhere in nature. They’re also pretty handy for creating better health in general. So why not pump out a few right now? And then again tomorrow…
Do you have a favourite exercise you like to do regularly to keep in shape for walking? Let us know in the comments.
