Are you trail fit? Could you hike your local high point this weekend?

The great thing about playing outdoors is that it helps you get fit. But the difference between enjoying yourself on a hike and suffering on a hike can be your fitness level.

 ”There is an undeniable relationship between fitness and fun on the trail” says Nate Goldberg a Colorado hiking resort director who was recently interviewed by Backpacker Magazine.

Goldberg and Backpacker magazine gave some great advice on how to build strength, cardio and endurance. I suggest you buy the magazine but here are some highlights.

Workout Just Twice a Week

Twice a week do some strength workouts. Shoot for a 20 minute minimum. Focus on core strength and exercises that improve balance and agility. Include the following

Radial lunges
Hanging hip flexors
One-legged calf raises
Bicycle crunches
Scissor Jacks

Also do cardio workouts twice a week. You can do it on the same day as your strength days if you are short on time or alternate days. Shoot for a 30 minute minimum. This can be running, cycling or anything that gets you heart rate above 65% of your max. It’s also a good idea to incorporate inclines and hills.

Have fun another 2 days a week

Goldberg suggests cross training one day a week and going long (endurance) another day of the week. I like to think of these days as less “exercise” and more “fun stuff”.

Cross training activities are things like mountain biking, walking, driveway basketball with the kids or any active activity you like to do. Golf anyone?

As it relates to endurance training, Goldberg suggests “exercise with your pack on now makes hiking with it later feel like less of a workout.”  Why not just throw on you pack and do the real thing?  For me, endurance workouts are my weekend-warrior stuff. The real thing.  Don’t start off too big but go ahead and plan some hikes that gradually get longer over the course of the year.

Here’s a link to the Backpacker May 2008 Issue or go read it at your local library. The magazine article has a lot more detail than I’ve shared here. There is also some great advice on eating better and of course all the other good things about Backpacker magazine.
Update: You can read the article online here: Train Smarter