Hiking Training Time
I’m officially six weeks from guiding Sol’s Redrock Backpacker: Southwestern, Utah trip (out of official park boundaries Zion canyoneering trip), and it’s time to get this booty in shape!
I had LASIK surgery 4 weeks ago today and patiently, diligently, obediently, painstakingly (do you get the picture?) followed doctors orders and laid low for 3 weeks. Combine that respite with the 3 weeks prior when my running/volleyball playing was derailed by the broken pinkie toe, and you’ve got 6 weeks worth of mental case trainer on your hands. I would have had a relapse were it not for the gentle support of my own clients. Thanks for the TLC, everyone.
I guess it was a good rest, I’m ready to get back to business. My day was packed, but I managed to squeeze in a few intense 30 minute bouts. What can be accomplished in 30 minutes, you ask? Plenty, if you do it right. This morning: some fast-paced walking followed by three different shoulder stabilizing exercises. Tonight: isometric quad stabilization, hip range of motion in all four planes, and my personal favorite, the medicine ball matrix.
Here’s how you do a matrix of your own: take your favorite medicine ball – mine is a blue 6 pounder – and perform each exercise 12-15 times, to the beat of one rep per second. Catch your breath and do it again. And again. Here you go:
- Squat with Overhead Press. Sit back into a squat with the ball at your chest and push the ball overhead as you stand up.
- Chops with Rotating Reach. Holding the ball, reach for your left ankle, bending at the knees. Stand up and rotate, pushing the ball overhead and to your right.
- Forward Lunge with a Windup. Step forward with your right leg and drop into a deep lunge, knees and ankles bent to 90 degrees, with the ball at your chest. As you stand up, bring the ball over your left shoulder. Switch legs and repeat.
- Reverse Lunge with a Whip. Step backward with your left leg and drop into a deep lunge, knees and ankles bent to 90 degrees, bringing the ball behind your right shoulder. As you stand up bring the ball forward to your chest. Switch legs and repeat.
Alright, one workout down, only 36 more to go!