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Boundary Waters Quetico Forum :: Listening Point - General Discussion :: Types of Activity To Be In Shape For
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| Author | Message Text | ||
| WonderMonkey |
QuietSolo: "Stepping up at a challenging angle while carrying pack and/or canoe. Requires solid lower body strength and gas in the tank energy wise." Good thoughts. |
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| WonderMonkey |
LindenTree: "From a retired wildland firefighter and BWCA ranger/volunteer. Yes, that needs to be central, and core bracing included when doing other things. |
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| WonderMonkey |
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| justpaddlin |
Core strength is critically important IMO. It's not hard to improve your core strength and no equipment is required. One does not need to have high core strength but if one has no conditioning that could be bad. There are tons of exercise options on YouTube and I'd encourage folks to try a few and pick ones they like and ignore ones they don't like. Lots of folks at the YMCA walk around the track carrying kettle bell weights. Just going for walks with a pack should help...again I don't think you have to go crazy but any conditioning will be very helpful versus none. Just include some uneven surfaces and it will be balance training too. Folks can practice standing on one foot at home. They also sell those big half-sphere balls (Bosu?) that are specifically aimed at balance training. Some sort of cardio training should help in almost all conditions. Plenty of stuff you can do at home. Easy to give guidance on target heart rates. Climbing stairs will help many of your bullet points. You can do a lot at home with a couple of pairs of dumbbells, even while watching TV. They don't need to be heavy...something in the 7-10 pound range is fine. I think that standing with Dumbbells in each hand and just raising one at a time to a horizontal position with your arm straight targets paddling muscles directly but I doubt this is as important as basic core strength and a little cardio. Personally I'd try to give folks a modest routine with half a dozen helpful exercises at most and try to create a routine that people actually enjoy and adopt for year-round use. I think the single most important part of an exercise routine is just having ANY regular routine since you can (and likely will) always change your routine but if you've never had a routine I think many folks won't successfully adopt one just for a trip. I think along the lines of starting with 15-20 minutes 5 days a week, at the same time every day, preferably in the morning. Then give some suggested exercises to fill the time and tell folks they'll definitely feel results within 3 weeks. I think almost anyone would think that spending around 1.5 hours per week and getting real results might be a worthwhile investment and I think many folks may WANT to add to or modify their routine once they start seeing results. I think it may also be important to have a place to exercise at home. I have a very comfortable wrestling/tumbling mat in my basement that is perfect for doing core exercises and I doubt I'd be as consistent if I didn't have a really good mat and a small designated exercise area. I hate yoga mats that move around and aren't thick enough to be comfy. Just my thoughts |
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| bhouse46 |
Conditioning is best when it is on-going, a part of lifestyle. And like any endurance building/maintaining activity it matters that you keep going when you hit the wall. |
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| Blatz |
straighthairedcurly: "Great list. Not a lot to add.I agree with you. It amazes me how many people I see who don't know how to paddle correctly. This is what your doing the most. It would pay to get advice from someone who knows. Core muscles and leg muscles are a premium in the BW. Any core exercise and Lunges along with an over all strength workout will do wonders. |
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| portagerunner |
Mocha: "Figuring out how to lift a pack in various scenarios. Especially when you’re exhausted, in pain, hangry…." +1 to the Especially when you’re exhausted, in pain, hangry…. This could be with any routine exercise, but I run back-to-back-to-back days to get used to being sore and tired. Please note I'm not suggesting pushing to the point of risking injury. Especially if not regularly tripping or pushing miles the fatigue can catch up with you on a trip. This is the point where injury risk is heightened in my opinion whether it be tripping on a portage or falling/dropping gear while trying to get a pack or canoe on or off. I've always looked at cardiovascular fitness as being a great equalizer regardless of the specific body motions required on a particular activity or trip. |
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| boonie |
You'll be picking up packs and canoes and carrying them. You can simulate this by picking up a sandbag (a loaded pack) by the "ears" and lifting it high 10X. Do that several times a day - only takes a few minutes. Do some planks. Maybe some rows. This targets the muscles you'll be using very specifically and close to the weight. Carry it (or a loaded pack) around for a while (mowing the grass), especially up and down. Sometimes you'll be doing these things from an awkward stance and on rougher terrain. Review technique for picking up a canoe to portage - the technique is important. Then add detail . . . roots, rocks, logs, mud, uphill, downhill, big steps up/down, awkward stance, balance . . . People who already workout will continue and know what to add. People who aren't probably aren't going to get a gym membership or a bunch of equipment. Anybody can get a sandbag and do a few planks, rows, balance, etc. at home. If you can just get them to do that minimum they'll be somewhat prepared. That'll get them asking questions and you can elaborate. |
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| LindenTree |
Work on your core, front and back, and stretch, everything else will fall into place way easier. |
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| LiquorPugs |
This is something I've been pretty poor at in the past, but rely on it quite a bit leading up to a camping trip nowadays. Helps (me) a ton. |
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| Mocha |
Freddy: " Both physical and mental preparation will bring value to your trips." Mental prep is an excellent idea. can't tell you how many times i had to fight to not mentally check-out. |
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| JimEb |
Never thought twice about how running/triathlon level fitness benefitted me with canoe tripping until I took a buddy on a short trip. I could run circles around him while he was completely gassed. I know not everyone can get to Ironman level fitness, but just doing routine long walks will definitely help. |
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| x2jmorris |
100 weightless squats a day Toe stretches overhead presses with whatever weights you have and hike for about a mile once a week with a heavy backpack fairly simple and it covers a ton of areas. Make sure to keep that core strong too. |
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| brp |
I’ve actually thought while doing the workout that it provides great exercises for tripping, both strength and cardio. All you need is a small dumbbell, in the 5-10lb range, a full Nalgene would work fine. It’s a simple 30 minute workout with modifications for ability/experience. |
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| Pinetree |
WonderMonkey: "Mocha: "Figuring out how to lift a pack in various scenarios. Especially when you’re exhausted, in pain, hangry…." Yes bend at the knees when lifting if you can. |
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| timatkn |
1. Squat: You can use no weight, slow sit to stands, counter for support, barbell, hold dumbbells, hold kettle bells, TRX bands etc… Just learn how to squat. Most people are terrible at this, they only bend at the knees instead of the hips which engages the CORE and your butt muscles where most of your power should be. The squat helps you get in/out of the canoe, pick up packs, get up from sitting, climb a hill, carry a pack/canoe up rock steps etc… If a someone ever tells you that you shouldn’t squat (some medical professionals will say this) find a new person to listen to…they should teach you how to squat without pain or work up to it without pain. Not possible in every single situation but almost always possible. 2. Balance: helps with all of the above as well, better balance less risk of injury. Also works your CORE. You should be able to stand on one leg for 60 seconds minimum unless you have some type of disorder. Then work up doing it with head turns or on a foam surface or eyes closed. There is way more stuff you can do…lots of good ideas by other posters as well. T |
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| WonderMonkey |
bhouse46: "Conditioning is best when it is on-going, a part of lifestyle. And like any endurance building/maintaining activity it matters that you keep going when you hit the wall." Agreed. If this gets too big, I may do a "Beginning" and then an "Intermediate," or maybe break the hour up in both. Not sure where this will go. |
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| WonderMonkey |
boonie: "Here's my simplified version. Yes that is along the lines of my opening statement while maybe flashing the activities on the screen behind me. Obviously I'm in the deeper-dive prep state here, but I'll make it where it's not an endless list and such. Demonstration, etc. |
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| fadersup |
LindenTree: "From a retired wildland firefighter and BWCA ranger/volunteer. I’m 48 and starting to really feel my shoulders, knees, and feet - started exploring yoga a few months ago - heard an instructor who thinks of core as a line from inside your shins up and to your neck, front and back. Much different thinking from what I understood core to mean previously. |
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| WonderMonkey |
ducks: "Mowing the lawn with a weighted backpack on has helped me the most in preparing for my trips. Yes, combining other activities with prepping for a trip is useful. |
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| WonderMonkey |
justpaddlin: "I wonder if such a detailed breakdown is helpful. Personally I'd be turned off by such a long list. Seems like you could distill to something shorter. I'm making as long of a list as I need to, right now, to prepare my thoughts. If I give the list of things, it would be a quick slide then move on. The list CAN be boiled down to the main things, but I want to be sure I'm covering the activities. My thought is to show something, say a photo of someone portaging while carrying something, then show walking while carrying empty buckets (can add things to it), then show the same exercise if you have access to formal weights. Things like that. And "agreed" on doing the things at home. I also have a home area that I can get a really good workout in if I don't get to the gym. |
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| WonderMonkey |
Ahahn366: "straighthairedcurly: "Great list. Not a lot to add. Good on the yoga or ti-chi, but also standing on one leg during commercials while watching tv, or doing step ups or this or that or the other thing. So many things and it all depends on where you are starting and where you need to go. |
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| WonderMonkey |
Freddy: " I would agree. The mental part would be a quick discussion but not be the main focus of the presentation. We know they go hand in hand, but it would be beyond the scope to spend too much time on it. |
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| WonderMonkey |
brp: "The P90x3 workout series has a workout called CVX. It would be good to describe a few of the things like this if someone wanted to do a "thing" that could walk them along. Some people do really well with a set of videos, steaming or not, to work along with. |
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| WonderMonkey |
timatkn: "The two single best things you can do IMHO to have less stress on a trip: It's on my list of exercises. Starting with proper air squats to a bench/chair/nothing to them, maybe a goblet squat using things around the house, and, of course, all the various progressions from there. Loaded carry progressions and all that. |
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| jsmithxc |
LindenTree: "From a retired wildland firefighter and BWCA ranger/volunteer. Could not agree more about the importance of the core, its what connects us and is central to paddling and portaging. What is also important is to make some degree of fitness a part of your lifestyle. If you do nothing all year and then attempt to get fit for a canoe trip in a month or two you will be disappointed with the effort. |
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| Ahahn366 |
straighthairedcurly: "Great list. Not a lot to add. +1 on #2, but that might be whole section on it's own. Balance exercises would be my other suggestion. Look to yoga or ti-chi |
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| Mocha |
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| WonderMonkey |
Mocha: "Figuring out how to lift a pack in various scenarios. Especially when you’re exhausted, in pain, hangry…." Good thinking, that reinforces the good form that should be used all the time, but we know how that goes. |
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| WonderMonkey |
The reason I'm doing this is for a possible presentation at Canoecopia in 2026. I feel that enough people would benefit from learning some simple ways to make their trips more enjoyable. It would go from what could be done with things you probably already own all the way up to using a gym. Kinds of activities, to include the reverse movement 1) Bending over and picking things up - Getting something out of the canoe like a pack 2) Bending over, picking things up, lifting them overhead - Canoe 3) Carrying things in your hands for a distance - Paddles, fishing equipment 4) Carrying things on your shoulders for a distance - Canoe for portage 5) Carrying things on your back for a distance - Pack or food barrel for portage 6) Walking from log to log or stone to stone for portages, with weight (hands, shoulder, back) - Balance while carrying 7) Paddling canoe for distance or sprint - Normal paddling, rough water, rapids 8) Sawing or chopping wood |
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| plmn |
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| ducks |
The looks I get from people driving by is my favorite part. Sometimes they circle the block. LOL. One time we were at the playground with our kids and someone said. “Are you the backpack mower”. |
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| QuietSolo |
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| straighthairedcurly |
1) Stepping up or down a big step while carrying weight. This is what I find hardest on my knees as I age. 2) Proper form in a canoe. I see too many people slumped back against a canoe seat back instead of sitting up and engaging their core muscles. This pays off big time when faced with rough conditions or a long day. |
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| deerfoot |
In addition, I also swim laps about 3 x weekly and do a light yoga class once a week throughout the year. This routine has served me well. The swimming I have been doing for about 50 years because I like it. Apparently the upper body demands for swimming also make for strong paddling muscles - I feel I can go all day if needed. |
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| Freddy |
I understand the focus of this thread is about the physical aspects of trips in the BW but I also believe in the importance of being mentally prepared as well. Honing one's physical skills and understanding proper techniques will go a long way to enhancing the enjoyment of a trip. Understanding oneself and how one is able to deal with unforeseen issues like weather, injuries, and illness to name a few can spell the difference between enjoyable and not. Both physical and mental preparation will bring value to your trips. |