Training for AT thru Hike

[Engine]

Actually, it's the only sound advice out there. I received this question over and over again and it's the only real answer that people agree on up and down the trail. To be honest I'm shocked you would even dispute this if you thru hiked.

Even after doing all the above stuff you mention as I did, it does very little to train you for an AT thru from a mental and physical standpoint.

We were not discussing mental prep, only physical. And what I recommended was athletic training 101...Your argument is that no physical prep is superior to months of generalized fitness improvement. Seriously? That's bordering on negligence if you provide such nonsense to inexperienced hikers...

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[MuddyWaters]

We were not discussing mental prep, only physical. And what I recommended was athletic training 101...Your argument is that no physical prep is superior to months of generalized fitness improvement. Seriously? That's bordering on negligence if you provide such nonsense to inexperienced hikers...

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The OP did not specify physical
they asked what was being done to prepare

I agree, mental is actually more important.
go in with right expectations, youll be fine. This it real benefit to pre-hikes imo.

be shocked how hard it is, and you can be psyched out and having doubts from day 1. Most people that quit early...would have quit early regardless of their condition I think, barring injuries.

I met a 71 yr old woman a few months back that hiked 700 miles last year, at 5 mpd.

this hiking $hit...isnt as elitist as people try to make themselves think it is to pad their own egos. Anyone can do it, anyone can succeed, just keep the right attitude and dont get injured. You can start slow, many have an reached maine just fine...while carrying 50 pounds. While being overweight. While being blind. While being 5 yrs old. While carrying a tuba.

Good lord. To listen to people today you got to be under 30lb and fit as fiddle or you wont make it out of GA. Total hogwash. It greatly helps, but it aint no requirement. I used to take scouts hiking..they carried an average of about 45 lb, 13 yr old..They manage. Dont hike 20 mpd, usually less than 10, but they manage.

And if you dont make it all the way before season runs out.can always ..flipflop, or finish next yr.

[ScareBear]

It's all mental until your body breaks down...

Having the will to succeed is important to any endeavor, but it isn't enough to get the AT done. I do agree it is important and that in the end, people that are fit enough and uninjured often don't finish the AT because of mental. But, how do you prepare for mental? ? ?

[MuddyWaters]

It's all mental until your body breaks down...

Having the will to succeed is important to any endeavor, but it isn't enough to get the AT done. I do agree it is important and that in the end, people that are fit enough and uninjured often don't finish the AT because of mental. But, how do you prepare for mental? ? ?

There are people that hated every step and forced themselves to finish

but basically, I think you need to think that hardship and hard work is fun, and derive some self satisfaction from it.

[Engine]

There are people that hated every step and forced themselves to finish

but basically, I think you need to think that hardship and hard work is fun, and derive some self satisfaction from it.

/\ This!

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[Praha4]

I live in NW Florida, where hills are scarce. My training consists of:

a. Elliptical machine at gym
b. Stairmaster machine at gym
c. Frequent day-hikes over flat to 'hilly' terrain (10-15 miles)
d. Repeat 23-floor enclosed fire escape staircases at nearby beach condo, with a 25-lb backpack; starting with 2 up-downs and building up to 6 to 8 up-downs. Takes me about 10-12 minutes per up-down cycle. (this is probably the best workout for legs, low back and aerobic breathing.
e. Walking/hiking on the sandy beach... 5-10 miles. (AWOL did this to prepare for his 2003 AT thru hike over on the east coast of FL, along with inclined treadmill workouts
f. Frequent stretching & Yoga
g. Lose weight if you are overweight. I got my weight down from 180 to 145 since I started AT section hikes in late 2009. Keeping my weight down to 145 really has made a huge difference in blood pressure, energy levels, orthopedic issues, and overall ease of hiking long distance. Spending a fortune on Ultralight gear is kind of silly if one does not commit to losing body weight too and getting down to the best BMI for your height and age.

and what I do NOT do:
a. Running ... my running days are over, now hiking only
b. Inclined treadmills: have resulted in low back injuries in the past from leaning forward on the treadmill at a fast speed on the treadmill
c. Worrying too much about starting the next hike at 20 miles per day. Start out slow and build up is BEST advice to me.

good luck! happy trails!

[lwhikerchris]

We were not discussing mental prep, only physical. And what I recommended was athletic training 101...Your argument is that no physical prep is superior to months of generalized fitness improvement. Seriously? That's bordering on negligence if you provide such nonsense to inexperienced hikers...

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My point is this. It takes 2 months or half the trail to condition you physically on this trail, to be able to walk every day without pain and enjoy the walking (at least for me). 2 months of real, day in and day out living, breathing, and walking the trail in the real conditions and real terrain. There is no physical prep for that other than to do it. The 2 weeks on the trail I mentioned before is a milestone. It's when you mentally transition into trail life.


2 months is the physical conditioning and where the mental and physical come together. The last half and/or beyond 2 months is the spiritual awareness, healing, and life changes most thru hikers are looking for. You begin to look at life differently after that.


And yes, as MuddyWaters said, ANYONE can thru hike the AT, fit or not. I met 17 year olds right out of high school, folks in their late seventies, and everyone in between who finished or will have finished their thru hike.

It's far more about mental attitude than physical fitness.

[Engine]

My point is this. It takes 2 months or half the trail to condition you physically on this trail, to be able to walk every day without pain and enjoy the walking (at least for me). 2 months of real, day in and day out living, breathing, and walking the trail in the real conditions and real terrain. There is no physical prep for that other than to do it. The 2 weeks on the trail I mentioned before is a milestone. It's when you mentally transition into trail life.


2 months is the physical conditioning and where the mental and physical come together. The last half and/or beyond 2 months is the spiritual awareness, healing, and life changes most thru hikers are looking for. You begin to look at life differently after that.


And yes, as MuddyWaters said, ANYONE can thru hike the AT, fit or not. I met 17 year olds right out of high school, folks in their late seventies, and everyone in between who finished or will have finished their thru hike.

It's far more about mental attitude than physical fitness.

I understand your point, I just don't fully agree with it. By adequately building a base of fitness and flexibility you lessen the chance of injury. I've stated many times in this thread that by working out ahead of time, you are preparing your body for the more specific training stimulus it'll receive on the hike itself. You are improving the odds of not experiencing an injury or quiting due to severe pains.

I've hit the trail on long section hikes when I was running 60+ miles a week and from day 1 I was able to put in 15-17 mile days on very rugged stretches of trail. I've also showed up completely detrained and really regretted it since I felt like I'd been run over by a lawn mower for the first 10 days. I'll take the first option every time.

As for the amazing transformative experience you're talking about, you have to still be on the trail long enough to experience it. So why would telling people to prepare their muscles, joints, and connective tissue for the rigors of those first few weeks be somehow problematic? Can you train those tissues for the trail by doing other things? Of course you can, maybe not with 100% specificity, but you can get close.

Earlier you mentioned that the general consensus on the trail was that just showing up was the way to go. How many of the people who quit in the first couple weeks would agree with that statement?

All I'm saying is this, a LDH is an athletic event and should be prepared for as such. If you make a concious decision to start with very low mileage days, and train for the trail on the trail, then you might be fine. But not everyone understands that aspect, or wants to start out with 8 mile days...

[SawnieRobertson]

I live in NW Florida, where hills are scarce. My training consists of:

a. Elliptical machine at gym
b. Stairmaster machine at gym
c. Frequent day-hikes over flat to 'hilly' terrain (10-15 miles)
d. Repeat 23-floor enclosed fire escape staircases at nearby beach condo, with a 25-lb backpack; starting with 2 up-downs and building up to 6 to 8 up-downs. Takes me about 10-12 minutes per up-down cycle. (this is probably the best workout for legs, low back and aerobic breathing.
e. Walking/hiking on the sandy beach... 5-10 miles. (AWOL did this to prepare for his 2003 AT thru hike over on the east coast of FL, along with inclined treadmill workouts
f. Frequent stretching & Yoga
g. Lose weight if you are overweight. I got my weight down from 180 to 145 since I started AT section hikes in late 2009. Keeping my weight down to 145 really has made a huge difference in blood pressure, energy levels, orthopedic issues, and overall ease of hiking long distance. Spending a fortune on Ultralight gear is kind of silly if one does not commit to losing body weight too and getting down to the best BMI for your height and age.

and what I do NOT do:
a. Running ... my running days are over, now hiking only
b. Inclined treadmills: have resulted in low back injuries in the past from leaning forward on the treadmill at a fast speed on the treadmill
c. Worrying too much about starting the next hike at 20 miles per day. Start out slow and build up is BEST advice to me.

good luck! happy trails!

This is an excellent synopsis of what one can do to have a terrific thru hike.

[twistwrist]

Just wondering what people are doing to prepare themselves for this upcoming adventure.

Hey FiftyNine. My pre-planning included physical and mental prep, BOTH of which contributed greatly to reaching my goal of completing a thru-hike. My strategy is detailed in this article. Cheers!

https://appalachiantrailclarity.com/2016/03/12/start-your-thru-hike-out-right-with-pre-hike-training/

[FiftyNine]

I read this article before and it is excellent. As for me here are the things I have done and doing presently to get ready. First of all let me tell you about me and my goals. I just turned 59. I picked that as my trail name because this is the age I want to transform myself. I am overweight and trying to shed pounds but not stressing about it. (it will come off)

- I am currently doing 3 to 4, five to six mile hikes each week. (now with a pack) - I joined a local hiking club this past year and they have at least 10 local hikes a day anywhere from 3 to 10 miles. I just earned my 500 mile patch for 2016. between the club and my own hikes I did about 700 miles in 2016. my foot was injured for 3 months and did not hike, so I'm pretty pleased with that. (foot is now back to normal)

- I did 4 backpacking trips to test out gear and myself, I learned the most from these.
some major changes: went from a tent to a hammock.. Love the hammock! Major thing learned.. Need to LIGHTEN my load --

On my first trips I was carrying around 33-35 pounds. - I did ok with that

On my last trip (right after coming off the foot injury) I was carrying almost 40 pounds. - Between the weight of my pack, the weight of my body, and not being in hiking shape, I had a hard time. needless to say I learned the most on this hike. - also not being prepared for below 20 degree weather at night in a hammock

As of Today, my total pack weight with food and water will be right around 29-30 pounds - even though I'm still on the heavy side (still need to lose more weight) my plan is to take it slow and steady and listen to my body. It may take me a little longer to get up those mountains at first, but i will get there.

I am doing a flip flop and have no time limits. I am also doing a flip flop because I believe it will give me the best path to success. I also realize that hiking the AT is about 30% Physical and 70% Mental -(here comes the big debate lets not, for some it may be more physical and for some more mental )

[twistwrist]

I read this article before and it is excellent. As for me here are the things I have done and doing presently to get ready. First of all let me tell you about me and my goals. I just turned 59. I picked that as my trail name because this is the age I want to transform myself. I am overweight and trying to shed pounds but not stressing about it. (it will come off)

- I am currently doing 3 to 4, five to six mile hikes each week. (now with a pack) - I joined a local hiking club this past year and they have at least 10 local hikes a day anywhere from 3 to 10 miles. I just earned my 500 mile patch for 2016. between the club and my own hikes I did about 700 miles in 2016. my foot was injured for 3 months and did not hike, so I'm pretty pleased with that. (foot is now back to normal)

- I did 4 backpacking trips to test out gear and myself, I learned the most from these.
some major changes: went from a tent to a hammock.. Love the hammock! Major thing learned.. Need to LIGHTEN my load --

On my first trips I was carrying around 33-35 pounds. - I did ok with that

On my last trip (right after coming off the foot injury) I was carrying almost 40 pounds. - Between the weight of my pack, the weight of my body, and not being in hiking shape, I had a hard time. needless to say I learned the most on this hike. - also not being prepared for below 20 degree weather at night in a hammock

As of Today, my total pack weight with food and water will be right around 29-30 pounds - even though I'm still on the heavy side (still need to lose more weight) my plan is to take it slow and steady and listen to my body. It may take me a little longer to get up those mountains at first, but i will get there.

I am doing a flip flop and have no time limits. I am also doing a flip flop because I believe it will give me the best path to success. I also realize that hiking the AT is about 30% Physical and 70% Mental -(here comes the big debate lets not, for some it may be more physical and for some more mental )

You are 100% right. I've got an article on my blogsite entitled "Why Flip Flops Are More Comfortable". If you haven't read it, definitely do so. You've got the right mindset already, 59. Best of luck and safe and happy trails to you. Cheers!

[George]

first 2 weeks on the trail is training to me, after that any additional level of fitness/ ability is minimal

[FiftyNine]

By my calculations I'll finish training after about 6 months.


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[FiftyNine]

You are 100% right. I've got an article on my blogsite entitled "Why Flip Flops Are More Comfortable". If you haven't read it, definitely do so. You've got the right mindset already, 59. Best of luck and safe and happy trails to you. Cheers!

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[Dogwood]

I honestly dont think physical training is that important for AT hike
You have time to get in shape, if you are in avg shape or so to start....

As someone who dropped out this year I hate hearing "Its just walking". Sorry but the trail is a lot more than just a walk in the woods. Sure if you are already in shape it will not be to bad for you. For me GA chewed me up and spit me out in NC. A big reason I felt I did not make it was that I went in with the idea that I could get into shape on the trail. Please do not make my mistake. Get in shape now. I saw people out there in great shape having a hard time at the start and people like me dropping like fly's before even Neel Gap. I am spending a lot of time hiking on hills, losing weight, doing a lot of cardio, and eating right to get ready for 2018. I would say cardio is a big one. Hope this helps someone not make the same mistake I did. It takes a lot of work just to get on the trail. Saving, getting gear, and planing don't forget to put some of that work on the most important part of a thru-hike, you.

100 % agree with your earned wisdom Sethern. Waiting to hike oneself into hiking shape both physically and mentally once on a thru-hike as a new LD thru hiker sidelines most of those 8 out of 10 that fail at their goal on the AT BEFORE they gain the mental and physical strength! Although Shane's "Jester's" approach CAN definitely work for NEWBS if serious about achieving goals and having safe enjoyable trail experiences is the aim putting oneself in the best possible place one knows pre thru-hike to experience these things it is highly reasonable, AND LIKELY A MUCH BETTER APPROACH FOR NEW THRU-HIKERS, to prepare to some extent both mentally AND PHYSICALLY pre thru-hike.

100% agree backpacking, and especially thru-hiking, is also NOT just walking! Saying LD backpacking is just walking is defining thru-hiking in the most extreme simplistic unrealistic overly romantic of terms. This FALSE BELIEF causes untold AT thru-hiking wannabe failures related to not experiencing a safe joyful mentally overcoming AT thru-hike attempt!

Tipi Walter started this thread out in the right direction. Look at his first post. There's a lot of earned trail savvy advice in it.

[ScareBear]

I am actually giving Dogwood a +1 on the above! It is true that the false belief that the AT is just a long walk with weather-related hardships and that you can hike yourself into shape(mentally and physically) is what dooms too many newbs attempting a thru OR a section hike. The first 200 miles is physical, the last 2000 is all mental. At least that's how this bear sees it...if you show up ready to rock the first 200 miles physically, then you DO have a chance to get your head sorted out and make it to HF, and once you make it to HF, its all up to your heart...do you love this enough to finish this? Because, if you are so Type A(like that poor poster who is still HATING his thru hike 5 months later) that you would consider finishing after HF even though you were hating it or not digging it, do yourself a big life favor...save yourself the following 2 months of unhappiness...unless that trophy photo and patch for the brag flag mean so dang much......YMMV...

[Dogwood]

Must be my B day. Scare bear is giving me a +1 with an exclamation pt with no lecture.

[Dogwood]

Have to agree with Engine. It's not just agreeing though. Pre hike prep that includes mental AND physical training pays dividends once on trail. Everyone doesn't have to get overly fancy in their prep either. Look at Clarity's site. She's training pre hike both mentally and physically simultaneously by wearing her fully loaded pack/kit to the gym...with a GREAT attitude! Look at that smile. That says a lot about her inner dialogue/thought life. That's backpacking training...even in her flattish localized living area! You don't have to wait to entirely work yourself into hiking shape and then thru-hiking shape until on trail. Waiting to do that until only on trail for AT thru-hikers, who are largely NEWBS, results in many dropping out.

https://appalachiantrailclarity.com/...hike-training/

[Engine]

Have to agree with Engine. It's not just agreeing though. Pre hike prep that includes mental AND physical training...

Thanks Dogwood, and just to be clear, I absolutely believe in mental prep for any LDH. When I stated earlier in the thread that we hadn't been discussing that aspect, it wasn't because I don't think it's important...I just didn't think it was what the OP was searching for. I believe strongly in the mental prep expounded on by Zach Davis in Appalachian Trials and here's a blog entry I posted back in November which better expresses my feelings on the subject.

https://thetrek.co/appalachian-trail...iving-lessons/