The treadmill does not get you in shape for hiking

“It has helped with my overall shape, but I went on about a four-mile dayhike today with a lot of elevation change and my butt is kicked!

The only thing that gets you in shape for hiking is hiking!”

“do you have one that is like a tread climber?
i have that one”

“true dat'.”

“I use the one they have at work. It will automagically change the elevation, but I don't think it's like a treadclimber.

I forgot to wear my knee brace. Ow.”

“put the elev on max, bit.”

“I don't think I can climb a 15% grade for an hour...lol...

I walk on the treadmill to help burn calories and I have to be able to walk without stopping for an hour, at 3 miles an hour...”

“Which hike you training for?
Sipsey bushwhack? Walls?”

“I hear that about the brace
my knee hates it so much
as does my butt, but I am in charge!!”

“Mapes has a butt brace? LOL”

“Can't go to either of those unfortunately...Other stuff is getting in the way.”

“it is because I am soo fluffy :(”

“rats”

“fluffy, lol

i think mapes just got a new nickname!”

“The treadmill does not get you in shape for hiking

Yes it does! (Unless, perhaps, if it cannot be elevated to about a 15 percent slope.) I used one for 30-40 minutes every evening for a month. Then I went up to GSMNP. On my first hike I stretched it from 6-miles to 12-miles including some strenuous hiking with no problem. The best that I had been able to do previously were the easy trails. I considered it a graduation that opened up many new, more difficult trails for my enjoyment.”

“While the treadmill isn't ideal, it is better than nothing. At the Gold's gym where my son works there are treadmills that elevate up to 50% in 5% increments. I try to start at -5% decline and do all the stops for one minute, and then go back down to -5%. Sometimes I can do it and sometimes I can't. Since I'm only here until the start of my hike I have taken to running rather than hiking...also because I have a marathon to run when I'm finished with the AT (or it's finished with me). I think the 2 hours of stair climbing with pack is the best thing I have found for the trail short of actually being on it. I'm hoping that I will have some pretty good muscle memory once on the AT. Thing is we never know for sure, but doing anything has got to be better than doing nothing. Anyway, it's all fun.”

“I do a stairwell at lunch.”

“Bench press and pushups are the best. I carry a 60 to 80 lb load in the winter time when I stay for 3 weeks especially in harsh conditions. Upper body strength will give you more control when Packing even if it a light load.
I don't mean you have too look like Arnold or ME LOL , Upper body is very important and so many people think walking will do it and it does help but carry a load if you walk even on a tread climber.
Upperbody is as important as windage.”

“Bit - During the winter I walk at about 3.5 mph at the max elevation 15% or so for about 45 minutes 3 or 4 days a week, and that keeps me in great trail shape...

- Bison
last edited: 2/12/05 8:08:02 PM”

“yea 15% will make you feel the burn in your calves, i always have it above 5%... been running on the treadmill for a couple of months (occasionally the elliptical or stairclimber but mostly treadmill). did a dayhike today in west ga mountains 7miles in 2 hours and it felt much better, it will make the hike a lot more enjoyable...”

“stairmaster...nuff said”

“the stairmaster is painful. i did some hiit on a starimaster the other day and it hurt bad.
i know what you're sayin bit. it doesn't matter what you do, it can help but nothing really prepares your body for backpacking. i don't care how in shape i'm feeling, if my body's gone a while without taking that beating, i'm gonna be sore.”

“Get on the stair master backwards, to work your quads. The surgeon who did my second knee job gave me this tip and it has made a world of difference for me.”

“refrig,

if you wanna work your upper body for carrying a heavy backpack than pushups and benchpressing are very poor choices.

they mainly work your chest and tricpeps, which you use very little of when backpacking.

power cleans, dead lifts, shoulder presses, shrugs, chin ups/pull ups, and rows would be much better choices. these excersises work your back and shoulders.”

“the stairmill works better than the treadmill”

“treadmill on incline or decline isn't bad”

“Rowing machines are best!”

“Wish I had a treadmill that would do a decline! It's all incline.”

“I heard stairs can be used for incline and decline but haven't tried it yet.”

“I just use the stairs in my office building.
Current building is a little limited, 3 floors. Mix flights at 1 step at a time and 2 steps at a time, up and down.

I used to work in a 24 storied bld, now that was a workout going down 2 steps at a time.

A bicycle (Garage sale and $25 in repairs) when weather is good, a Nordik trac in the basement when weather is bad, and a patch of floor for push-ups, sit-ups, and other floor exercises, a 2x2 between rafters for chin-ups. Tons of variety, no energy cost, low equipment cost and maintenance.

No need to drive the SUV to the Gymn.”