Specificity of Training for Hikers

To be the best hiker you can be demands that the majority of your "training" involves hiking. This is known as the Specificity Principle. The Specificity Principle, a universal training law, states that the body adapts to EXACTLY how you train it, all the way down to a cellular level.

Similar is not the same. A treadmill or stair climber might appear to mimic hiking movements, but they just aren't the same. And your body knows it, too!

Spend most of your time training on a trail. Even better, spend time training on trails you plan on hiking. It doesn't get any more specific than that! The rest of your available training time should be spent training at home, at a park, or in a fitness center, specifically targeting the muscles and joints important to a hiker through a properly design cardiorespiratory, resistance, and flexibility program.

Let me give you an example from my own training. Climbing all 58 of Colorado's mountains over 14,000 feet has been my goal for seven years now. I have five mountains to go. Five extremely challenging, potentially dangerous peaks. Any knowledgeable hiker will tell you that the descent is the most dangerous part of a hike. To prepare for the rigors of descending steep trails, I specifically find steep, challenging sections of trail (or off trail) to prepare me physically and mentally for descending other trails and mountains. Check out my "Specificity of Training" video below. It's worth it just to see what happened to my Nalgene bottle : )



To learn more about the Garden of the Gods, click HERE.

Happy Hiking!

Heath

On the Blood Trail (2-12-2010)

The Seven Bridges Trail is one of my favorite hiking destinations. In the winter, ice is common on the trail. On this particular day (1-2-2010), the trail was snow packed with patches of ice. Here is an example of the terrain near the start of the trail:

(Click on any picture for a larger, clearer view)
























A few pictures of the bridges:







































After bridge #5, my hiking partner and I ran into a group of hikers. A lady was holding her nose. She advised us that the trail ahead was very icy and treacherous. PERFECT!

The Notorious ICY SPOT...















































This was the aftermath of the woman's fall on the above icy section...






















The moral of the story? Be careful when you hike on icy trails.

The Hiking Nerd

Aoraki/Mt Cook Climber Falls 300 Feet & Lives! (2-12-2010)

Incredible. My last "news post" was about an ice climber that survived a 100 foot fall. I thought that was impressive.

But now, we have a 63-year old man surviving a 300-foot fall! WOW. Read the entire amazing story HERE.

The man fell 100 meters. The video below shows what an 18-meter fall would be like. Just imagine falling 5 times that distance!



The Hiking Nerd

Ice Climber Falls 100 Feet & Survives! (2-12-2010)

A 34-year old man fell 100 feet while ice climbing "The Fang" near Vail, Colorado. After an hour and a half rescue, he was airlifted to a hospital in Denver. He has since been released from the hospital...injuries unknown.

AMAZING!!! A very fortunate man.

Check out this short video of ice climbers falling:



The Hiking Nerd

The TOUGHEST Peaks in New Hampshire to Hike in the Winter (1-25-2010)

Looking for a challenge? Live near New Hamshire OR are willing to travel?


Check out this LIST of the toughest mountains, over 4,000 feet, to climb in the winter.

Man Sets Out to Hike the Entire Perimeter of Texas (1-25-2010)

Looking for a unique hike? How about hiking the entire perimeter of the state you live in? That's exactly what S. Matt Reed is doing...right now.

Reed is currently 900 miles into his goal of hiking all the way around Texas (~2,850 miles). Check out WHY he is doing it - HERE.

What's in YOUR Bathroom? (1-27-2010)

"They" say you can learn a lot about a person by what books are in their bathroom. So...what do you read when you're taking care of business?

If you were to infiltrate my downstairs bathroom, here is what you would find:



The Hiking Nerd

Cheyenne Canyon Hike - Ranger's Route (1-19-2010)

The plan was to hike the Seven Bridges Trail in Cheyenne Canyon. Once I reached the turn-off for my intended route, I noticed a packed down trail leading to a different destination.

(Click on any picture for a crystal clear view)

In the spirit of adventure (and a desire for a steep climb), I turned left instead of continuing on toward the Seven Bridges Trail. Here is a bird's-eye view of the area I hiked:

The route is known to locals as "Ranger's Route". It is often skied in the winter. On this day, the route was a mix of rock, snow, and ice.

The hard packed snow, coupled with the steepness of the slope, led to me turning back before reaching the top. Safety first. Summit second.

This hike took about 75-minutes (Parking lot-to-Parking Lot). I look forward to tackling this route when I have the right gear!

The Hiking Nerd

Jessica Biel and Other "Stars" Climb Kilimanjaro (1-19-2010)

In an effort to raise awareness and money for the global water crisis, Jessica Biel and other famous stars climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro. The hikers took six days to reach the summit of Africa's highest mountain. All made it down safely.

I suppose the big "Send Water" sign was supposed to magically get people to care about their cause and/or send money?

As long as you're here, take a look at this "behind-the-scenes" video of Kilimanjaro narrated by Will Lyam of National Geographic:

Spider-Man Actor to Star in Movie About Hiker That Cut Off His Own Arm (1-18-2010)

James Franco, from the Spider-man trilogy, will play Aron Ralston in an upcoming movie. Ralston became famous after cutting off his arm days after being pinned down by a boulder in a Utah slot canyon.

Aron recounted his ordeal in the bestselling book " Between a Rock and a Hard Place". I have personally read the book. It is an amazing story that demonstrates just how far a person will go when the will to live is greater than the pain one must endure to survive. A MUST read. Get the book for a cool penny HERE.

The movie, titled "127 Hours", is slated to be released at the end of 2010.

Boy Lost During Field Trip is Rescued (1-10-2010)

A 14-year old boy heads out on a hiking field trip with three adults and five other students. Next thing you know...he's been left behind by the group, he loses the trail, gets lost, falls down, hits his head, and gets lodged between a log and the ground.

Read the article HERE.

The good news is that Sebastian Barrett was rescued. He was cold, but not hurt.

UPDATE on a Previous Blog: Javelina That Bit Hiker HAS Rabies: (1-10-2010)

I reported last week (1-4-2010) that an Arizona hiker was pinned down and bitten by a rogue javelina.

Unfortunately, the javelina had rabies. I say "had", because the animal was shot dead by a police officer shortly after the attack.

The 66-year old hiker has started rabies treatement.

Hiking With Your House Cat (1-7-2010)

A man hiking with his house cat was attacked by a young mountain lion. And what did his cat do? It ran off!

What nerve...

A dog wouldn't do that.



FYI: Don't hike with cats. They attract larger predators.

Javelina That Bit Arizona Hiker is Being Tested for Rabies (1-4-2010)

Ok, what the heck is a javelina?

Being a Colorado native, I had no clue what kind of animal the news article was talking about. I got really curious when I read that the animal pinned the hiker down and kept biting him until a cyclist whacked it with a log.

I did some research and found out that a javelina is a medium-sized mammal with a strong resemblance to pigs. Isn't he cute?

















More Facts About the Javelina (from the Arizona Game & Fish Department):

• Peppered black, gray and brown hair with a faint white collar around the shoulders
• 40-60 pounds
• Approximately 19 inches tall
• Young born year-round, most often from November to March
• Average litter of two
• Newborns up to 3 months old are red-brown or tan and are called “reds”
• Live an average of 7.5 years
• Very poor eyesight, may appear to be charging when actually trying to escape
• Keen sense of smell
• Will roll in water and mud to cool off
• Scent gland on back; animals from the same herd stand side-by-side and rub each other’s scent glands with their heads; use scents to identify animals from different herds
• Need a water source for drinking
• Eat primarily plants, including cacti, succulent plants, bulbs, tubers, beans and seeds; sometimes eat insects, garbage and grubs

If you encounter a javelina while hiking, don't run or taunt it. Word on the street is that they get real mad if you call them names like pig wannabe, or long snout. The best strategy is to make a bunch of noise, throw rocks near it, or spray it with water. If none of that works, prepare to defend yourself!

Couple Hikes the AppalachianTrail for Their Honeymoon (1-3-2010)

Nothing says lovin' like a 2,000 mile trek with your new spouse! Wes and Kendra Jackson couldn't agree more. They took off on a 5 1/2 month journey along the Appalachian trail shortly after getting married.

Check out their story (and a few pictures) HERE.

Forgot Your Sunblock? Save Your Skin With This Tip... (1-2-2010)

We all know excessive sun exposure is the primary cause of skin cancer. Therefore, it is absolutely critical to protect your skin from the sun while hiking.

But what if you forget your sunblock...like I did on my summit attempt of Uncompahgre Peak (OUCH!):





















Don't despair! The secret tip that will save your skin is...ChapStick.

As with sunscreen, you should always be carrying some type of lip protector. The key is to buy one with an SPF of at least 15. Then, when you forget your sunscreen, you can rub the lip balm all over your exposed areas and be totally protected!

I've implemented this strategy on several hiking occasions. And it worked every time. The two products that I've personally used are:

1. ChapStick Lip Moisturizer SPF 15
2. Blistex Ultra Protection SPF 30

Now, if you forget sunscreen AND lip protection with SPF, you're hosed.

Just kidding! Try to cover all exposed areas with clothes or anything else you have on hand.

The Hiking Nerd

History's Longest Swim EVER (1-1-2010)

Swimming? I thought this was a hiking blog!

When I came across this news story, I had to pass it on.

Martin Strel, back in 2007, swam the ENTIRE length of the Amazon river. A whopping 3,375 miles in 66 days!

You can read excerpts from his weekly diary reports during the historic swim HERE.

Martin was asked many times why he wanted to do something crazy like swim the Amazon. His response: "I want to prove to myself that I can achieve more than others, to conquer the impossible. I want to do something that no one else has ever done".

Will you conquer the impossible in 2010? I hope so...

Sage Wisdom From the Hiking Nerd - 2010 Style (12-31-2009)

2010 is another opportunity to achieve greatness (whatever greatness means for you and your situation). Will this be the year your career or business takes off? Will you hike the Appalachian Trail or embark on a new adventure? Will you spend more time with the kids or spouse?

What is it that you want to accomplish in 2010? What has been holding you back?

I don't know what you want to achieve in 2010, but I do know what holds people back from gettin er' done. YOU hold YOU back. We are ultimately responsible for our lives and what we accomplish. If you aren't the person you want to be, do something about it. No one else can do it.

Michael Jackson had it right in the song "Man in the Mirror" when he sang:

"I'm starting with the man in the mirror
I'm asking him to change his ways
And no message could have been any clearer
If you wanna make the world a better place
Take a look at yourself and then make a change"

This is where I'm supposed to give you powerful motivation tips or quotes like:

-The only way of finding the limits of the possible is by going beyond them into the impossible.

Arthur C. Clarke

-Knowing is not enough; we must apply.Willing is not enough; we must do.

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

-In absence of clearly defined goals, we become strangely loyal to performing daily acts of trivia.

Author Unknown

-By associating with wise people you will become wise yourself.

Menander

Look, I'm not Tony Robbins.... I'm The Hiking Nerd. And after years learning about motivation, along with practical experience helping people reach their hiking, fitness, and nutrition dreams, I have boiled success in life down to one wise statement.

Before I give you the life changing statement I just mentioned, you need to know its origin. I didn't make it up myself. It comes from the movie Saw. Yes, the secret to success in life comes from a horror movie. Ready? It goes like this:

"Live or die, make your choice."



A bit dramatic for a life quote? Maybe. But it makes a brilliant point. We either move forward (choose to live) or backward (choose to die). Do something DAILY to move yourself closer to your dreams and watch 2010 be your best year ever.

Ultimately, success in life is YOUR choice. Make the right choice. Choose to live!

Wishing you the best in 2010,

The Hiking Nerd

So What if I Have a Small Head?

Off and on through my adult life, people have told me that I have a small head. True, my head may be smaller than some adults, but I certainly do not suffer from microcephaly.

I used to care that some people thought my head was small. I took it personally. As if something must be wrong with me because my head didn't meet a certain criteria. For the record, There is no head circumference criteria for adults. We all vary in our body make-up. Head circumference is an important health indicator when a baby is born and through the first couple years of life.

Over time, I realized a small head isn't a big deal. I have accepted the fact that I have a littler mellon than some. For all the small headed adults out there, I present to you, the Top 3 Reasons a Small Head Isn't the Worst Thing in the World (in no particular order):

1. There is absolutely no proven correlation between head size and intelligence.
We see people with big heads and small heads alike acting stupid.

2. We lose less body heat if we go outside without a hat (versus people with a big head) when it is cold. This reduction in body heat loss could mean the difference between life and death
while climbing K2 or Mt. Everest.

3. You can wear kid sized hats. Not only does this save money, There are much cooler options for head wear. Take for example, my 3-year old son's balaclava. Because of my small head, I get to hike, snowshoe, and mountain climb wearing this stylish Elmo head cover:


Hike on people with small heads!

2009 Outdoor Book Awards (12-29-2009)

Those that read, rule the world...or something like that.

Check out the 2009 Outdoor Book Award winners. Even better, read one of the books. I highly recommend Halfway to Heaven, by Mark Obmascik. His book won the "Outdoor Literature Category".

Halfway to Heaven info: Overweight, out of shape and in his 40s, Mark Obmascik sets out to climb all 54 of Colorado's 14ers in this humorous story about a normal man and extraordinary adventure.

Read on, fellow hikers!