It is almost too obvious to state but let’s face it; we’re not getting any younger. We (Julie and Simon) are baby-boomers. We made the ‘retirement’ jump in 2018 to pursue our passion: distance-walking.
We find the following stats very interesting: in 2018, about 25% of distance walkers were between 50-79. This shows a dramatic change in the last 10 years. With the slow down of work and child rearing responsibilities, we boomers have more time on our hands. We are seeking meaningful and exciting adventures. Thru-hiking fits well into our plans. It is generally a slow-paced activity that provides great rewards and challenges.
We have depended more and more on our off-season training. It has changed over the years. We utilize new findings on exercise science and the aging process and review our practices regularly to make sure we cover all the important components of a well-rounded lifestyle.
We focus on 2 aspects for designing our fitness routines. One is the research regarding the aging process. The second focus is how to best train for our favorite sport of thru-hiking. This second topic is challenging as most research focuses on faster sports such as running and cycling, or on endurance sports that last for 24 hours to 7 days. With distance walking being a slower paced activity that may last for months, we adjust our findings to represent our sport.
There is a lot of scientific data showing that walking in natural settings is beneficial for our health, both mental and physical. If you are interested in this topic, click here to read further.
Health science research suggests that to minimise disease and remain fit, one must eat a nutritious balanced diet, exercise regularly, rest and recover appropriately, and manage stress. Let’s look at these four factors more closely.
BTW - for younger readers, it is not too early to look at your health practices. How many hiking seasons until you reach your 50’s or 60’s? Consider the longevity of your participation in this sport.
We find the following stats very interesting: in 2018, about 25% of distance walkers were between 50-79. This shows a dramatic change in the last 10 years. With the slow down of work and child rearing responsibilities, we boomers have more time on our hands. We are seeking meaningful and exciting adventures. Thru-hiking fits well into our plans. It is generally a slow-paced activity that provides great rewards and challenges.
We have depended more and more on our off-season training. It has changed over the years. We utilize new findings on exercise science and the aging process and review our practices regularly to make sure we cover all the important components of a well-rounded lifestyle.
We focus on 2 aspects for designing our fitness routines. One is the research regarding the aging process. The second focus is how to best train for our favorite sport of thru-hiking. This second topic is challenging as most research focuses on faster sports such as running and cycling, or on endurance sports that last for 24 hours to 7 days. With distance walking being a slower paced activity that may last for months, we adjust our findings to represent our sport.
There is a lot of scientific data showing that walking in natural settings is beneficial for our health, both mental and physical. If you are interested in this topic, click here to read further.
Health science research suggests that to minimise disease and remain fit, one must eat a nutritious balanced diet, exercise regularly, rest and recover appropriately, and manage stress. Let’s look at these four factors more closely.
BTW - for younger readers, it is not too early to look at your health practices. How many hiking seasons until you reach your 50’s or 60’s? Consider the longevity of your participation in this sport.
nutritionWe need a diet plan that provides our body with adequate nutrients. Eating a variety of whole foods will aid to maximise our health. Maintaining a reasonable weight for our body type (male/female, short/tall, active/sedentary) will minimise wear and tear on our bodies and reduce the chance of developing poor lifestyle conditions such as diabetes type II, high cholesterol, and heart disease. For more information on nutrition, check our Nutrition Page.
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Exercise Practices
As stated before, our focus on training is twofold.
How do we manage the higher intensities of effort needed to increase, maintain, or slow the decline in peak physical performance as we age? The principle of 'progressive overload' dictates that we must work harder to stimulate the body to get stronger. Challenging the body with heavier weights, sprints, longer intervals, or longer distances forces the muscles and cardiovascular system to adapt to these new challenges. The body responds to exercise by regenerating damaged muscle tissue into larger, stronger (hypertrophy) muscles capable of producing more force. |
Does this apply to the mature athlete? YES!!
Programming a fitness regime for mature athletes will depend on individual needs, physiology and chosen activities. While training for a specific sport (such as distance-walking) is essential, every off-season program should include the following fundamentals: strength, endurance, agility, and recovery.
It is important to assess your muscle imbalances. These will affect your performance and may lead to injuries. In the off-season, we maintain our fitness base by incorporating a variety of exercise protocols focusing on the whole body. This type of cross-training helps maintain balance and strength in our muscle mass as well as retain endurance levels while minimising overuse problems.
Over the years, we have met many hikers suffering from shin-splints or other repetitive strain injuries caused by poor walking habits and/or muscle imbalances. For a description of proper walking form, please check our walking technique info.
Our fitness routine includes the following:
Programming a fitness regime for mature athletes will depend on individual needs, physiology and chosen activities. While training for a specific sport (such as distance-walking) is essential, every off-season program should include the following fundamentals: strength, endurance, agility, and recovery.
It is important to assess your muscle imbalances. These will affect your performance and may lead to injuries. In the off-season, we maintain our fitness base by incorporating a variety of exercise protocols focusing on the whole body. This type of cross-training helps maintain balance and strength in our muscle mass as well as retain endurance levels while minimising overuse problems.
Over the years, we have met many hikers suffering from shin-splints or other repetitive strain injuries caused by poor walking habits and/or muscle imbalances. For a description of proper walking form, please check our walking technique info.
Our fitness routine includes the following:
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Warmup and cooldown
Prior to starting any workout, it is recommended to perform a warmup. This increases the heart rate, brings more blood to the muscles, and increases range of motion of the joints. We typically perform gentle range of motions from head to toe. Gentle ballistic movements such as arm swings helps activate proprioceptors (sensors found in joints responsible to communicate to the brain where the body part is in space). Adding a bit of high stepping or jumping on the spot helps increase the heart rate. As we use kettlebells for our resistance training, we start our workout with a few basic swings. This sets us up for the challenges ahead.
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For the cooldown, we focus on full range of motion of the shoulder girdle, back and hip. Long passive stretches assist in elongating the muscles and improving joint mobility. We also incorporate foam rolling to assist in breaking any adhesions in our muscles.
When performing our aerobics training our first and last 10-15 minutes are executed at a slow pace.
Stretching and foam rolling may seem simple enough, but improper form can lead to overstretching and bruising of tendinous attachments. It is recommended to take a class on all these techniques.
When performing our aerobics training our first and last 10-15 minutes are executed at a slow pace.
Stretching and foam rolling may seem simple enough, but improper form can lead to overstretching and bruising of tendinous attachments. It is recommended to take a class on all these techniques.
strength and endurance
Doing 2 to 3 full body 30 to 60 minute resistance workouts per week is recommended for all age groups. Workouts should incorporate 3 or 4 sets of each exercise. The first round acting as a warmup, the second as a transition to peak weight, and the third and fourth performed at peak. Because recovery rates from physical challenges differ from individual to individual, this format allows each person to work toward peak efforts while assessing how his/her body is responding. The first two rounds determine the intensity of the second two. If the transition round is more challenging than previous workouts, it’s a signal to adjust goals for the day.
The number of repetitions can be adjusted for individual preference, provided the body is being challenged. A recent study comparing low-weight/high-repetition sets versus high-weight/low-repetition sets found that both were equally effective at increasing muscle strength and size. The key to achieving increases in strength seems to be taking a specific exercise to failure (as many reps as possible with proper technique), regardless of the weight.
The number of repetitions can be adjusted for individual preference, provided the body is being challenged. A recent study comparing low-weight/high-repetition sets versus high-weight/low-repetition sets found that both were equally effective at increasing muscle strength and size. The key to achieving increases in strength seems to be taking a specific exercise to failure (as many reps as possible with proper technique), regardless of the weight.
Focusing on multi-muscle, functional movements are best for the mature athlete. Free-weight, or kettlebell exercises are preferred to force the athlete to stabilize movement while performing lifts. Combining an upper body resistance movement with a lower body exercise (such as squats with biceps curl, or kettlebell goblet squat) or adding a balance component (by standing on a balance board or performing exercises on one leg) will increase the demands on the neuro-muscular system. All these techniques place multi-level demands on the body and create a shorter duration, high-intensity workout with maximum growth potential.
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We workout at home and exercise barefoot as much as possible. We have added a few foot exercises as well to strengthen the intrinsic (deep) foot muscles. This helps create a better arch, balance, and a better spring in our steps. For those that go to a gym, consider buying a pair of barefoot (minimalistic) shoes. This footwear is flat and wide and does not impinge the foot in any way. Having strong foot muscles is important for balance, mobility, and proprioception as we age. Note that a transition to a zero shoe requires a progressive approach to prevent injury - please research carefully or get assistance from an expert.
Most sports consist of moving at varying speeds in many directions. As we age we tend to lose more fast-twitch muscle fibers (muscle cells responsible for quick bursts of movement), reducing our capacity for fast movements. Training with explosive plyometric moves such as skipping, side-to-side shuffles, jumping and medicine ball throws may seem contraindicated for an aging body but these motions are essential for long-term movement efficiency.
Most sports consist of moving at varying speeds in many directions. As we age we tend to lose more fast-twitch muscle fibers (muscle cells responsible for quick bursts of movement), reducing our capacity for fast movements. Training with explosive plyometric moves such as skipping, side-to-side shuffles, jumping and medicine ball throws may seem contraindicated for an aging body but these motions are essential for long-term movement efficiency.
Because of the higher physiological demands that plyometric exercises place on the body, full sessions devoted exclusively to these movements are not necessary. Varying speed drills can be used in warmups for resistance training or high-intensity cardio workouts, and other dynamic exercises can be woven into training sessions. Explosive-power resistance exercises like cleans and kettlebell swings can also be used.
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Julie lunging in Beacon Hill Park (Victoria, BC) |
To develop proper muscle activation when performing these exercises, proper form is essential. As in all fitness programs, increase the physical challenges progressively, around 10% per week, to develop a safe and injury-free fitness base. Plyometric movements can be added after a strong fitness base has been achieved.
We use kettlebells for our resistance workout. Unlike traditional dumbbells, the kettlebell’s center of mass is extended beyond the hand. The weight is therefore not distributed evenly. Thus, their unique shapes provide an "unstable handling force" which is the key for their effectiveness.
Kettlebells give us the opportunity to move athletically with additional resistance from a variety of angles and more challenging positions. They work several muscle groups simultaneously and may be performed continuously for several minutes. This combination makes the exercise aerobic and like HIIT training rather than to traditional weightlifting.
When training with high repetitions, progression should start out slowly to build muscle endurance, support joints stability, and prevent injury. Like any movements performed with weights, they can be dangerous to those who lack knowledge on proper form. So be careful not to hit yourself and keep in mind – “form, then reps, then (and only then) … weight!”
Our resistance training starts when we come home after a walking season. We build our strength program gradually. We start with easy movements and light weight and gradually add more challenging movements and heavier weights as the winter season progresses. As we near the next walking season, we focus more on cardiovascular fitness, and the resistance component transitions into hiking with a weighted backpack and some remedial exercises.
For a list of exercises that fit into our routines, here are our "favorite exercises".
We use kettlebells for our resistance workout. Unlike traditional dumbbells, the kettlebell’s center of mass is extended beyond the hand. The weight is therefore not distributed evenly. Thus, their unique shapes provide an "unstable handling force" which is the key for their effectiveness.
Kettlebells give us the opportunity to move athletically with additional resistance from a variety of angles and more challenging positions. They work several muscle groups simultaneously and may be performed continuously for several minutes. This combination makes the exercise aerobic and like HIIT training rather than to traditional weightlifting.
When training with high repetitions, progression should start out slowly to build muscle endurance, support joints stability, and prevent injury. Like any movements performed with weights, they can be dangerous to those who lack knowledge on proper form. So be careful not to hit yourself and keep in mind – “form, then reps, then (and only then) … weight!”
Our resistance training starts when we come home after a walking season. We build our strength program gradually. We start with easy movements and light weight and gradually add more challenging movements and heavier weights as the winter season progresses. As we near the next walking season, we focus more on cardiovascular fitness, and the resistance component transitions into hiking with a weighted backpack and some remedial exercises.
For a list of exercises that fit into our routines, here are our "favorite exercises".
Cardiovascular training
In comparing long-distance aerobic exercise to high-intensity interval training (HIIT) and resistance training; long-distance training alone is inferior in its ability to stave off significant reductions of the 'aging' effect in healthy, well-trained adults.
The sport of distance-walking is unique as it is an endurance sport that lasts 8-12 hours a day for weeks or months at a time. There is very little scientific research on what is the best practice relating to training for this sport. Our research focuses on endurance sports and mountaineering, keeping in mind that our preferred activity stays mainly in the aerobic zones. Heart rate training zones help to train at a required intensity according to the current condition and not unintentionally pushing the body over its limit. Each training intensity triggers a specific physiological process and adaptation in the body. Structuring sessions around a certain zone allows athletes to customize their training and adapt it for specific needs. For us this is a very helpful concept. |
Calculating Your Training Zones
Men: Maximum Heart Rate (MHR) = 214 – (0.8 x your age in years) Women: MHR = 209 – (0.9 x your age in years) Heart Rate Zones
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Aerobic Threshold (ZONES 1-3) is the intensity level after which the body starts to slowly accumulate lactic acid (or muscle fatigue). The effort at this moment is still not that hard, so the athlete is able to maintain it for 6 hours or more. This is the thru-hiking sweet spot!
Anaerobic Threshold, (ZONES 4-5) is the intensity level after which the body cannot deal with muscle fatigue anymore. It starts to build up very quickly and there’s very limited time that this intensity can be maintained (minutes only). |
ZONES 1 & 2 Exercising in these zones still feels easy. So easy that you may feel you’re not training hard enough. The athlete should be able to breath through the nose the whole time.
By spending extended amount of time just over aerobic threshold (ZONE2) the body gradually builds endurance and can go faster at low intensity. ZONE 2 is critical for endurance athletes. Training in this zone builds mitochondria in slow twitch muscle fibers, which improves the overall endurance and speed.
ZONE 3 builds even more mitochondria in the muscles. It trains the body to develop capillary network which helps to transport oxygen to working muscles more efficiently. This leads to improved muscle economy.
ZONE 4 is where most over-training happens. Inspired by professional athletes, people push themselves to the limit without giving the body enough time to recover. Overtraining puts a lot of stress on the body, killing mitochondria they’ve worked so hard to build.
Proper training around anaerobic threshold builds power in muscles, it utilizes more muscle fibers, building mitochondria in fast twitch fibers. Endurance athletes benefit from this kind of training, as it improves speed and endurance.
As this kind of training builds a lot of fatigue, it is recommended to start adding Zone 4 efforts only after spending enough time on aerobic base training. This will help to build endurance and improve recovery speed to tolerate the effort.
ZONE 5 is the ‘all-out’ effort, the maximum output muscles can produce. At this intensity massive amounts of lactic acid are produced and it’s impossible to utilize it. Muscles get so tight that an athlete is forced to slow down. Training in this zone focuses primarily on maximum speed. This is not a zone that is useful for long-distance hiking!
For completeness we add some ZONE 5 drills to this discussion, but we do not perform these ourselves. Maximum effort training is done mostly by time, not by heart rate. However, heart rate is a great way to check if the body has recovered from the intervals. As soon as the heart rate can’t drop to ZONE 1-2 after 2-3 minutes – it’s time to end the workout.
How does this information influence our training? Aerobic training is our focus, we aim to build a strong aerobic fitness base.
Long-distance, low-intensity aerobic exercise has been the primary recommendation for exercise since the mid-1960s and is still prevalent. It does confer health benefits through improvements to the cardiovascular system.
The most important function of low-intensity cardiovascular exercise is its anti-inflammatory effect. This modality is useful for developing the mitochondria’s ability to reduce inflammatory agents if done between 30% and 40% of peak heart rate. This factor makes it a key part of adult athletic programming for recovery. Lower-impact exercise modes like swimming, cycling, and rowing are recommended to prevent additional muscle damage.
High-intensity interval training (HIIT) has emerged as the preferred system of training to enhance overall cardiovascular function for endurance athletes such as runners, cyclists, and triathletes. It improves VO2max, mitochondria content (energy production in cells), blood vessel pathways and other markers of aerobic capacity. For most adult athletes, the reduced time requirement of HIIT sessions are a better fit to busy schedules.
By spending extended amount of time just over aerobic threshold (ZONE2) the body gradually builds endurance and can go faster at low intensity. ZONE 2 is critical for endurance athletes. Training in this zone builds mitochondria in slow twitch muscle fibers, which improves the overall endurance and speed.
- Warmup, cool down and recovery between intervals during hard sessions in ZONE 1,
- Short recovery sessions of up to 40 mins entirely in ZONE1,
- Long base-building sessions of 2+ hours in ZONES 1-2,
- 60-minute ZONE 1 session with 5-10sec bursts at ZONE 5 every 3-5mi.
- Aerobic ‘maintenance’ sessions of ~30 to 90 minutes with varying intensity (ZONES 1-3).
ZONE 3 builds even more mitochondria in the muscles. It trains the body to develop capillary network which helps to transport oxygen to working muscles more efficiently. This leads to improved muscle economy.
- 3×10-30 minutes throughout a long easy session in Zones 1 or 2
- 6x6min with 6-minute recovery in Zone 1 in between each split
ZONE 4 is where most over-training happens. Inspired by professional athletes, people push themselves to the limit without giving the body enough time to recover. Overtraining puts a lot of stress on the body, killing mitochondria they’ve worked so hard to build.
Proper training around anaerobic threshold builds power in muscles, it utilizes more muscle fibers, building mitochondria in fast twitch fibers. Endurance athletes benefit from this kind of training, as it improves speed and endurance.
As this kind of training builds a lot of fatigue, it is recommended to start adding Zone 4 efforts only after spending enough time on aerobic base training. This will help to build endurance and improve recovery speed to tolerate the effort.
- 2 sets of 4×2-minutes splits with 1 minute rest
- 10×1-minute splits with 1 minute rest between each
ZONE 5 is the ‘all-out’ effort, the maximum output muscles can produce. At this intensity massive amounts of lactic acid are produced and it’s impossible to utilize it. Muscles get so tight that an athlete is forced to slow down. Training in this zone focuses primarily on maximum speed. This is not a zone that is useful for long-distance hiking!
For completeness we add some ZONE 5 drills to this discussion, but we do not perform these ourselves. Maximum effort training is done mostly by time, not by heart rate. However, heart rate is a great way to check if the body has recovered from the intervals. As soon as the heart rate can’t drop to ZONE 1-2 after 2-3 minutes – it’s time to end the workout.
- 5 sets of 3×20 seconds splits with 20 second rest in between,
- 10×40 seconds splits with 2-minute rest
- 60-minute ZONE 1 session with 5-10sec bursts at Zone 5 every 3-5min
How does this information influence our training? Aerobic training is our focus, we aim to build a strong aerobic fitness base.
Long-distance, low-intensity aerobic exercise has been the primary recommendation for exercise since the mid-1960s and is still prevalent. It does confer health benefits through improvements to the cardiovascular system.
The most important function of low-intensity cardiovascular exercise is its anti-inflammatory effect. This modality is useful for developing the mitochondria’s ability to reduce inflammatory agents if done between 30% and 40% of peak heart rate. This factor makes it a key part of adult athletic programming for recovery. Lower-impact exercise modes like swimming, cycling, and rowing are recommended to prevent additional muscle damage.
High-intensity interval training (HIIT) has emerged as the preferred system of training to enhance overall cardiovascular function for endurance athletes such as runners, cyclists, and triathletes. It improves VO2max, mitochondria content (energy production in cells), blood vessel pathways and other markers of aerobic capacity. For most adult athletes, the reduced time requirement of HIIT sessions are a better fit to busy schedules.
Our HIIT include stair climbing, and short jogs up small local hills followed by a slow walking descent. Another format incorporates a fast pace walk uphill and a jog downhill. This can achieve the zone 4 heart rate and train the fast-paced movements. We include HIIT sessions 2-3 months prior to the next walking season.
We schedule 2 short (10-15km) walks/week at a moderate (4-5km/hr) pace remaining in ZONES 1-3. We also include 1-2 long-distance (~25km) walks/week. For these outings, we wear a weighted pack and keep a moderate pace. |
Mobility Drills
Mobility is defined as your joint’s ability to move freely through a wide range of motion. Good mobility means that the range of motion is smooth and pain-free. With it we can easily perform virtually any exercise with better form. As we get older, our mobility starts to decrease. Fortunately, mobility responds well to training.
Primitive movement patterns are used to describe those movements most humans explore during growth and development. These fundamental movements include rolling, pushing up, and crawling. The development of fundamental movement is the foundation that leads to effective functional movement.
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Primitive and mobility drills include movement patterns such as hinging, crawling, squatting, lunging, and rolling. They are performed in all directions and often joined together to create a flow movement sequence.
These fun movement patterns identify dysfunction and imbalances you may have acquired through the years due to injuries and/or modern lifestyle habits (too much sitting!). They provide a strong foundation for developing effective functional range of motion because they focus on the stabilizers, rather than the prime movers.
We plan 1 session a week for these movements. They are part of our recovery day because of their gentle nature.
Remedial exercises are generally included in our resistance training. They include balance work, strengthening the stabilizing muscles of the hips, knees, feet, and lower back.
We design our workout session in blocks of 4 weeks. Initially they contain a broad selection of functional movements and focus more on building general strength. As we progress during the off-season, the workouts become more demanding and include more weighted walks. We aim to peak just before heading out for our next adventure. Our last workouts focus on any nagging weak spots and lots of stairs and hiking.
These fun movement patterns identify dysfunction and imbalances you may have acquired through the years due to injuries and/or modern lifestyle habits (too much sitting!). They provide a strong foundation for developing effective functional range of motion because they focus on the stabilizers, rather than the prime movers.
We plan 1 session a week for these movements. They are part of our recovery day because of their gentle nature.
Remedial exercises are generally included in our resistance training. They include balance work, strengthening the stabilizing muscles of the hips, knees, feet, and lower back.
We design our workout session in blocks of 4 weeks. Initially they contain a broad selection of functional movements and focus more on building general strength. As we progress during the off-season, the workouts become more demanding and include more weighted walks. We aim to peak just before heading out for our next adventure. Our last workouts focus on any nagging weak spots and lots of stairs and hiking.
Rest and recovery
Peak challenges are critical to slowing physiological (and performance) declines, but knowing how much challenge is needed, how often and how to recover is of absolute importance. The progressive overload principle works only when there are breaks in the overloading, allowing the body time to adapt. These breaks are especially important when programming is based on resistance training and HIIT protocols.
Because the older athlete’s physiology differs significantly from that of younger athletes, more recovery time between intensive workouts is required to prevent biochemical stress cascades, which can increase the chances of injury, illness, and negative mental outlook.
The need to allow more time between intensive bouts is mostly due to the hormonal changes that occur with aging. |
Zero (rest) day in a motel |
Declines in growth hormone, testosterone, and estrogen, which help repair muscle damage, coupled with increases in cortisol (stress hormone) and inflammatory agents, promote a more extended catabolic (breakdown) state. The lower levels of melatonin and shorter sleep hours also play a role because most anabolic (build-up) processes occur during sleep.
Knowing when and how to place the challenging workouts within the schedule requires a good bit of self-monitoring and assessment. Useful techniques include tracking variables like resting pulse, overall workout performance, heart rate variability and energy levels.
Signs of over training include:
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If you lack experience with exercising, consider hiring a fitness coach to assist you in developing a program suited to your needs. The coach should understand your goals (long-distance walking, hiking with a back-pack, etc.). As always, check with your doctor for any health issues you may have prior to starting a fitness program.
At home and on the trail, we plan for rest (zero) days. On average we schedule those rest days once every 7 to 10 days. During these days we will generally schedule a massage and take a long hot bath. Most importantly we do not schedule any form of strenuous exercise.
At home and on the trail, we plan for rest (zero) days. On average we schedule those rest days once every 7 to 10 days. During these days we will generally schedule a massage and take a long hot bath. Most importantly we do not schedule any form of strenuous exercise.
Managing Stress
References on our research is available - contact us!