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OrchidTrek Training Advice

Orchid treks are always a challenge and therefore require a good standard of fitness. It is important that you get fit and stay fit before undertaking any trek.If you are not fit enough, you won’t be able to enjoy your trek or appreciate the beautiful scenery around you. We have put together some guidelines to get you started.

We will be walking all day which will mean your feet, legs and back are liable to get very stiff and sore. In the coming months you will need to build up your training so that by the date of departure you can walk comfortably up and down hills for around 6 hours a day. Walking outdoors on hilly terrain is the best form of training. Dark nights and cold rainy days are no excuse – you really must train for this event and if it rains on your trek you will be used to it!

Getting started
The amount of training you require depends on your current degree of fitness but a training programme is essential. Set aside plenty of time to train, the more you train the more you will enjoy the trek.

Do not wait until a month before you leave to start training. Your body needs time to build up the strength needed to allow you to walk for six hours or more and this is best achieved by training consistently over time.

If you don’t do regular exercise you must firstly consult your GP about any training programme. Then, start slowly by walking outdoors for an hour twice a week. As you get fitter, build up the time you walk, so you go out for 1-2 hours, three times a week, then 1-3 hours and so on. Do your longer walks on a weekend, or whenever you have most free time. Push yourself – don’t just amble along – make your body work hard and end your training out of breath.

Terrain
The terrain is likely to be different on each day of your trek and it is therefore essential that you find stretches of hilly terrain to get used to more strenuous hiking and get your feet and ankles used to uneven-ground.

You must also practice walking up and downhill - downhill can be especially hard on the knees. Many people find trekking poles very useful as it reduces the pressure on your knees. However if you think you might want to use a trekking pole, then it is best to buy one in advance and get used to it during your training.

Family & Work Commitments
These can make it hard to stick to an outdoor walking programme, so be creative. You would be unusual if you had no trouble in incorporating a training schedule into an already busy lifestyle. If you work Monday to Friday, the weekend will probably be when you will have the time to arrange most of your training. If you can put this together with a few walks after work during the week then your training effort will be greatly enhanced.

If you can only walk outdoors on a weekend, then join a gym or an aerobics class during the week to build your stamina and overall fitness. You need to make sure you are getting regular exercise during the week. Playing golf or walking the dog for 15 minutes doesn’t really count although everything helps!

Training and Altitude
Your fitness levels will have no bearing on whether the altitude will affect you on a high altitude trek. However, we know for a fact that people who are physically fit cope better at altitude than those who don’t train enough. So, if you start to feel the effects of altitude as we climb higher, you will find it much easier to cope if you have trained properly and can just keep plodding along.

Why Walk?

• It strengthens your heart, reducing the risk of heart attack and stroke
• It improves circulation, breathing and endocrine functions
• It tones muscles and strengthens bones, reducing the risk of osteoporosis
• It reduces blood fat and cholesterol
• It burns calories and helps you manage your weight
• It boosts mental performance and improves psychological well-being
• It manages stress and reduces anxiety

What to wear
While training, make sure you wear the boots and socks that you plan to use on trek. Wear socks designed for trekking – many people prefer to wear a think inner sock as well, to wick away the sweat. Wear what you feel most comfortable with. Your boots should provide good ankle support and have thick soles. Make sure you have a good supply of blister plasters such as Compeed. You should also train wearing the daypack you plan to use on the event – carry plenty of water to keep you hydrated and also to get used to the weight you will be carrying on the event. From a safety point of view, you should also carry waterproofs, a map, compass and a mobile phone when you are out.

Feet first!
There are some common foot problems, which are very easy to treat and avoid:

• To avoid blisters keep your feet dry and wear socks made with fibers, which draw moisture away from your skin - steer clear of pure cotton.
• Don’t lace your shoes too tightly or too loosely. The irritation from the pinching and rubbing may cause blisters.
• Aching arches are usually caused by pounding when you walk. Make sure you touch the ground with your heel first and pushing off with your toe. Arch supports may help.
• Blackened toenails are caused by the big toe hitting the front of your shoe. Keep your toenails neatly trimmed. Make sure that if one of your feet is slightly larger than the other, as most are, that your boots fit the larger one.

Food and Diet
What you eat when you start to train will impact on your walking and energy levels. Initially while the training is at a low weekly mileage it would be best to concentrate on eating in a regular pattern and trying to reduce your daily intake of saturated fats. This includes less fried foods and dairy products as these will counter any training you start to do.

As your mileage increases it would be worth trying to ensure that at least one meal a day is high in carbohydrate; this is the product that once stored in your system will give you energy. Carbohydrate is found mainly in the form of potatoes, bread, pasta and rice and so is easy to base any meal around. Combined with this increased intake of carbohydrate must also be a good mixture of vitamins and minerals found in fruit and vegetables. The fruit in particular is an ideal food for walkers because it is high in fructose which also provides walking energy as it is more easily absorbed from the stomach for use than other sugars (such as insulin obtained through eating chocolate). Bananas are usually the preferred energy provider for walkers especially when needing to maintain energy out on a walk. Meat and fish provide some essential micro proteins, which help muscle development. If you plan to be really healthy it is best to eat fish and white meats such as chicken; if you are going to eat red meats you should cut as much fat off as possible and cook it in a healthy way such as grilling. If you are a vegetarian this is not a major point of concern: you will have probably established a balanced diet already, so you may only find yourself looking for food stuffs that give you more energy.

There are many energy bars available on the market now, which are a concentrated source of energy providing elements to help you maintain your walking should you start to wane. These do work but are much more expensive than bananas or other fo