Backcountry Sports

If you''re the kind of guy who likes to take it outside, who likes to hike, to fish or hunt, to climb, to get into the woods and mix it up with Mother Nature, you may not do much exercise back home. And that might be your downfall.

"Most people who like the outdoor adventure sports tend to think they''re in pretty good shape, and most of them are. But no matter how good a shape you''re in, it''s foolish to think you can''t benefit from a little training back in civilization," says Dave Lillard, president of the American Hiking Society. Here''s why: If you''re not in peak form for sports like football or baseball, you could, say, sprain your ankle. Not good, but at least someone is there to carry you off the field. But when you''re in the backcountry, you''re on a playing field that might be days away from the slightest glimmer of civilization. Out there, the same ankle sprain takes on far greater proportions.

"It''s a good idea to do some pre-activity training preparation for your outdoor activities," says Byron Crouse, M.D., a physician in Duluth, Minnesota, who studied the health-care needs of hikers on the Appalachian Trail. In that study, Dr. Crouse found that at least 30 percent of hikers suffered some type of muscular injury during the course of a trip, be it a sore spot or muscle strain or tear.

Often as not, those injuries will be in places like the legs, back and shoulders. "After a good hike, my quads are really burning. My knees are pretty creaky, too," says Jim Gorman, senior editor at Backpacker magazine. "And no matter how well a pack fits you, hauling that thing around for a few days can do a number on your shoulders and lower back."

Naturally, your off-trail workout should focus on these problem areas, but not to the exclusion of the rest of your body.

"While you want to do exercises that really hit certain areas of your body, those exercises should be part of a broader workout," says Lillard. "When you''re out on the trail, your whole body—heart, lungs, muscles, everything—needs to be in shape, not just the parts that are doing the hiking or carrying the pack."

Preparing for the Great Outdoors

Dr. Crouse points out that there are no guarantees out in the wilds; there''s always the danger of injuring yourself. But the more you train beforehand, the better your chance of avoiding muscle-based injuries. And that doesn''t mean just going to the gym. We''ll discuss exercises in a moment. But first, here are a few simple tips outdoorsmen use to give themselves that extra measure of safety and preparation so necessary for the outdoor life.

Break in your boots. If you''ve just bought the latest pair of lightweight, weatherproof, indestructible boots, don''t make the mistake of breaking them in on the trail. "So many people do that, and it leads to serious problems," says Dr. Crouse. By the end of the first day, you''ll be so blister-ridden that you''ll be lucky if you can walk. Always spend several weeks breaking in new boots before a trip. And you do that by wearing them everywhere, says Lillard.

Even if you have a pair of old, well-worn boots, wear them for a few days before a hike. "The more you wear them before a trip, the more your sense of balance will adjust to the feel and weight of the boots," says Lillard.

Take the stairs. Whether it''s the stair-climber in your gym or the half-dozen flights in your office building, never duck a chance to take the stairs. Because stair-climbing works the knees and leg muscles the same way that hiking does, you''ll be building power and strength for your favorite outdoor activities with every step you take. Stair-climbing also helps build better cardiovascular strength, says Lillard.

Walk everywhere. Let''s say you have somewhere to go—a friend''s house, the store, the post office. If it''s within walking distance, then you should walk it. "Too often, people just jump in the car and drive, even if it''s only a few blocks," says Lillard. "That''s a missed opportunity for exercise." Remember, in the backcountry, most roads to your favorite mountain peak or fishing hole are open only to two-legged and four-legged vehicles, not four-wheeled ones. The more you walk before a trip, the better and longer you''ll walk during a trip.

If you do have to drive somewhere, say, the mall, Lillard suggests parking as far away as possible. "Then walk in. It''s good exercise." And you''ll eliminate the stress of trying to beat out some other guy for a choice spot close to the entrance.

Wear your pack. As part of your pre-hike routine, start wearing your backpack. "A few weeks before a trip, load it up and start walking around with it," says Mike Hardert, director and senior guide for the International Mountain Climbing School in North Conway, New Hampshire. "The idea is to get your body used to the weight. You''ll have better strength and better balance that way." It doesn''t matter where you walk—around the block, in the park. One of Lillard''s colleagues at the American Hiking Society even goes shopping with his pack, using it in lieu of a shopping cart.

As you get used to the pack, increase the weight until you''re hauling a fully loaded pack with ease. Not only does this exercise pre-train your back and shoulders but it will also help you determine what adjustments you need to make to the pack so it will fit you perfectly. "Better to figure that out at home than when you''re on the trail," says Hardert.

Carry a pole or two. No matter how much pre-training you do, hiking in the wilds still puts a strain on your shoulders and knees. To help minimize long-term damage to these joints, many serious hikers use trekking poles, says Gorman. They look like ski poles, except they have blunted ends and more shock-absorbing capabilities.

"I think they''re the best antidote to shoulder and knee problems on the trail," Gorman says. If you''re on steep or rocky terrain, these poles can help absorb the shock that your knees might otherwise bear alone. They also help you maintain your balance on tricky footing. Finally, by getting your arms into the pole-planting swing of things, you''ll increase your aerobic workout. A decent pair of trekking poles could run you $60 to $100. Or you could use an old pair of ski poles, which would work almost as well.

Training for the Trail

Rock climbing, hiking, even fishing can be hard on the most rugged of bodies. You already know the trouble spots—the legs, the shoulders, the neck, the back. Focus on these areas, in addition to your core workout, and you''ll be able to stay outdoors for as long as you want. Here''s your map for true peak performance.

Cross-Training

To improve the cardiovascular power you''ll need once you''re out on the trail, scaling a cliff-face or wading upstream, make sure you spend your off-trail time doing some other aerobic activity at least once a week. Favorites among outdoor enthusiasts include running, cycling, swimming, snowshoeing and cross-country skiing, says Gorman.

Shoulder Exercises

Hauling a 40- or 50-pound pack through the wilds is a burden you''re going to have to learn to shoulder. But you can ease that burden a little bit by strengthening your shoulder joints with lifting exercises. Make shoulder shrugs, lateral raises and upright rows a regular part of your workout, suggests John Graham, director of the Human Performance Center at the Allentown Sports Medicine and Human Performance Center in Pennsylvania.

Back Exercises

Since your back is taking the place of a pack mule, you want to make sure it''s going to be ready for hours of hauling your gear. Strengthen the lower-back muscles by performing back extensions. And on the trail, before you cinch up your pack every day, take a few minutes to do a lower-back stretch, suggests Graham. Lie flat on your back and grasp your legs behind your upper thighs. Now pull your knees toward your chest.

Abdominal Exercises

The upper and lower abdominals support your back and, therefore, your pack. They also help you stay on balance when you''re on sketchy terrain, such as a boulder-strewn hill or a deep stream.

To strengthen your abs, do crunches. In addition to the traditional crunch, do some raised-leg crunches, says Graham. Finally, to work the oblique muscles on your sides, do crossover crunches.

Thigh Exercises

Flexibility is key in the backcountry. Pounding over rocks, climbing up escarpments—you''ll need supple muscles to take the punishment, particularly in your thighs. "Your quads and hamstrings are going to take a beating," says Gorman. Minimize the damage by strengthening your lower-body muscles by performing dumbbell squats with moderately weighted dumbbells, suggests Graham. Leg extensions, leg curls and standing heel raises are also useful.

Grip Strengtheners

You never know when you''ll need to get a grip in the great outdoors. The stronger your grip, the easier it''ll be to cinch up a pack or land a prize salmon. Grip strength is also essential if you go in for more extreme sports like rock climbing.

"Anything''s good—a tennis ball, putty, the old spring-loaded grippers—as long as you work your grip regularly," says Hardert. Keep a grip-strengthener at the office and use it while you work. Hardert uses his grip strengthener eight to ten times a day, but he never grips more than three minutes at a time, and he stops if he feels any soreness. This is for good reason: Overtraining with a grip strengthener can lead to tendinitis in the hands or forearms, Dr. Crouse warns.

Balance Exercises

When you''re wading through a fast-moving brook in the backcountry, trying to make your way across an underwater landscape of slippery rocks may give you a workout you never counted on. "It''s probably a good idea to do some balancing exercises before you go fishing—it only takes one slip to put you in the water," says Tom Ackerman, director of the L.L. Bean Fly-Fishing School in Freeport, Maine. Here''s the simplest one: Close your eyes and stand on one foot for as long as you can—at least 30 seconds. Then switch feet. Keep increasing the length of the balancing act by 15 to 30 seconds until you can balance yourself for as long as you want, says Ackerman.