FITNESS PLAN - Kokoda Trail Expeditions · The Kokoda Trek Fitness Plan will help you do that in...

KOKODA TREKFITNESS PLAN

4/62 Rhodes Street, Hillsdale, NSW, 2036, Australia

Telephone: (02) 8958 8813

www.kokodatrailexpeditions.com.auemail: [email protected]

www.kokodatrailexpeditions.com.au © 2006 - Kokoda Trek Fitness Plan

Mobile: 043 848 3789

Contents

www.kokodatrailexpeditions.com.au © 2006 - Kokoda Trek Fitness Planwww.kokodatrailexpeditions.com.au © 2006 - Kokoda Trek Fitness Plan 2

Introduction 03The Benefits of Trek Fitness Training 04

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Trekking Kit Checklists� 07

Trek Fitness Plan � 10

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Congratulations 17

Trek Fitness Essentials

Trek Fitness Training Tips

Welcome!

Introduction


www.kokodatrailexpeditions.com.au ©2006 - Kokoda Trek Fitness Plan

www.kokodatrailexpeditions.com.au © 2006 - Kokoda Trek Fitness Plan 3

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Congratulations! You've taken the first step on the experience of a lifetime: trekking the iconic Kokoda Trail, one of the world's best-known World War II tracks. It's an exciting way to mark a major milestone in your life, challenge yourself and boost your confidence, or simply have an amazing adventure. Getting fit for your trek is the next step. The Kokoda Trek Fitness Plan will help you do that in the safest, most efficient manner possible. Designed by our fitness experts, the plan focuses on trekking-specific cardio and endurance workouts that will improve your overall physical fitness. You’ll not only be able to complete the Kokoda Trail, you’ll be able to complete it comfortably. Carefully structured to address all aspects of trekking fitness, the plan builds steadily over the course of 12 weeks and is suitable for most fitness levels; the first four weeks of the program will be especially beneficial to trekkers with lower fitness levels. You are just a few months away from a life-enhancing adventure! Kick-starting your fitness regimen is the first step in achieving your new goal. Enjoy your training! The Kokoda Trail Expeditions team

http://kokodatrailexpeditions.com.au

The Benefits of Trek Fitness Training



Even if you're fairly fit already, you need to train for the specific demands of trekking the Kokoda Trail. The Kokoda Trek Fitness Plan will improve your overall physical fitness and help you build the cardiovascular endurance and muscular strength you'll need to complete your trek safely and comfortably�


Getting started

Listen to your body

Trek Fitness Essentials



If you're new to trek fitness or haven't worked out in a while, then it's a good idea to see a general practitioner for a complete physical examination prior to starting a regimen. Your doctor will be able to support you in your preparation for your trek, as well as alert you to any precautions you might need to take.

You don't need to be bound by the program. For instance, if you don't feel well or you become excessively tired, it's best to take the day off from training. Likewise, if you find your heart rate is elevated by more than 10 per cent, you should skip that day's workout. It's better to miss a day or two of training while recovering than to make your condition worse.


Rest

Don't skimp on shoes and boots



Rest allows your body to recover from your training sessions. Make sure you include at least one full day of rest in your weekly fitness program.

Quality, properly fitting training shoes and walking boots are an investment in comfort and injury prevention. Check your shoes for excessive wear, and replace them every 800 kilometres or so. Train in your boots until they feel like a second skin. Keep them in good condition, and make sure to dry them after they get wet.

Before and after each workout, dedicate approximately 10 minutes to stretching. You’ll significantly reduce your risk of injury by getting a good stretch in before your training session. Stretching after your workout helps speed up the recovery process as well as reduce musclesoreness.

Stretch before and after each training session


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Trekking Kit Checklists



Essential gear for safer, better trekkingNow that you’ve booked your trek, it’s time to start training for it. The first step is making sure you have the right equipment. Your training will be much more effective and comfortable if you’re properly outfitted and equipped. The checklists below are a general guide for helping you put together your own trekking kit. What you actually bring with you will depend on the time of year, weather conditions, and terrain of your training hike.

EquipmentBackpack and waterproof linerCompass – The most popular model for hill walking is the Silva Expedition 4.Map, route card, and guidebookSunglassesMobile phoneSafety whistle – In an emergency situation, a loud whistle can be used to signal for help.Lightweight head torch and spare batteries – If you get caught out after sunset, a head torch will help you guide yourself to safety.

■ Zinc oxide tapes – Wrapping joints and muscles helps support them and stabilize ligaments.


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Getting startedGetting started

SuppliesFirst Aid kit

Tough plastic bag – You can use it to carry your litter home.

Insect repellent

Sunscreen

Tissue paper or wet wipes

Supplies

Clothing and footwearBase layer top and bottoms

Mid layer top and bottoms

Outer layer top and bottoms

Gaiters

Walking shoes

Hat and gloves

Spare mid layer fleece

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Spare pair of socks

Spare walking shoe laces

Food On day hikes, just about any high-energy snack will help keep you satisfied and sustained on the trail. On multiday hikes, you’ll have to make sure you’re taking in and replenishing calories while meeting your overall nutritional needs. About 15 per cent of your calories should come from proteins, 50-65 per cent from carbohydrates, and 20-35 per cent from fats. Here are some of the best, most popular foods and snacks for trekking:

Trail mix

Beef jerky

Sandwiches

Energy bars

Dark chocolate

Fruits

Nuts

If you plan a multiday trip, you might consider bringing along and preparing camping food available through you local outdoor retailer. Of course, you can also prepare your own dehydrated meals.


Weekend walking kit

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If you do plan a multiday hike or camping trip, add the following items to your trekking kit:Stove and fuel

Eating and cooking utensils

Dishwashing items

Windproof lighter and matches

Sleeping bag and sleeping mat

Tent – Make sure you have all the pegs and poles before you set off!

Toiletries and towel

Parachute cord – Use it to create “handrails” to guide yourself to and from your tent after dark.

Optional Items

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Optional ItemsDepending on the length and nature of your walks, you may want to take some of these items along with you.

GPS receiver

Binoculars

Walking pole – Using a walking pole will help reduce the strain on your legs and help prevent ankle and knee injury.


The Kokoda Trek Fitness Plan



As you begin training, it helps to keep in mind the length of the trail and your trek. You’ll be covering 96 km in as little as nine days. While that pace probably doesn’t seem too difficult, remember: the trail spans countless ascents and descents. You can make the most of your trek by committing to the Kokoda Trek Fitness Plan. The plan focuses on improving your cardiovascular endurance and muscular strength. Cardiovascular training will prepare your heart and lungs for the rigours of high-altitude trekking, while strength training will get your muscles ready for long walks uphill and down.


Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday

Week 1 Jog 3km Rest Jog 5km Swim 8 lengths

Rest Jog 5km Rest

Week 2 Jog 5kmSwim 12 lengths

Jog 8km Jog 5kmBest effort

(timed)

Swim 12 lengths

Jog 5km

Hill training 7 reps

Jog 5km Rest


Jog 8km Jog 5kmBest effort

(timed)

Swim 12 lengths

Jog 5km

Hill training 9 reps

Jog 5km Rest

Week 4 Swim 12 lengths

Jog 5km

Circuit training

20 minutes

Rest Interval training 5km

Swim 15 lengths

Rest Rest


Circuit 20 minutes

Hills 10 reps

Jog 6kmSwim 15 lengths

Circuit 20 minutesJog 6km

Jog 5kmTimed run 1.5

miles

Jog 10km Rest

Week 6 Jog 6kmCircuit 20 minutes

Swim 17 lengthsHills 12 ascents

Jog 15km

Jog 26km

Swim20 lengths

Jog6km

Circuits20 minutes

Jog11km

Rest




Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday

Week 7 Swim18 lengths

Jog6km

Jog8km

Rest Jog8km

Circuits20 mins

Jog8km

Rest Rest

Week 8 Swim20 lengthsJog 6kmCircuits

20 minutes

Hills15 reps

Jog6km

Hill walk withbackpack

12 kg10km

Jog5km

Swim25 lengths

Jog10km

Hill walk12kg

backpack15km

Rest

Week 9 Hills15 reps

Jog6km

Circuits20 minutes

Jog5km

Swim30 lengths

Rest Rest Hill walk12kg

backpack15km

Rest

Week 10 Jog8km

Swim30 lengths

Rest Timed run2.4km

Circuits20 mins

Rest Hill walk12kg

backpack15km

Rest

Week 11 Jog 8kmCircuits20 mins

Jog 5km Hill walk8kmwith15 kg

Jog 8km Rest Hill walk30km

with 15kg backpack

Rest

Week 12 Hill walk8km with

15 kg

Timed run2.4km

Rest Fast run5km

Jog12km

Rest Rest (end)




Keys to training exercises



Jogging is the most effective form of cardiovascular training. To get the most from your jogs, find the right pace for you. You'll know you've found it when you're able to keep a conversation of short exchanges going while jogging. Before you go on a jog, it’s important to stretch and warm up. Once you’ve finished your run, take a few minutes to cool down and stretch again. Of course, jogging is also a high-impact exercise that can be particularly hard on the joints. If jogging causes you too much discomfort, you can swim or cycle instead. Timed running will help you measure your training progress. Find a route approximately 2.4 km long that rises slightly but has no steep hills. Record the time it takes you to run that distance. Over the course of your training, you’ll see a steady decline in your times. Hill training is an ideal form of anaerobic exercise for trekkers. First, find a suitable hill. You’ll need one long enough for a sprint of up to one minute. An ideal slope will fall between 1 in 6 and 1 in 10. Then, after warming up and stretching, sprint up the hill for a minute. After the minute is up, walk or jog back down the hill. If you jog, make sure to keep your strides short and balanced, and do not lock your knees. As your training progresses, try to reduce your recovery time. Swimming is a low-impact exercise that increases cardiovascular endurance and muscular strength. It’s good for building up your heart and lungs, as well as increasing your ability to carry loads. Biking is another form of low-impact exercise. While it provides a great cardiovascular workout, it won’t give your muscles as much exercise as swimming. If you go biking, remember to wear a helmet and avoid bad weather. Circuit training will strengthen your core (the abdominals and upper legs) as well as the neck and shoulders. Here’s a typical circuit workout for trekking:

Exercise Circuit 1 Circuit 2 Circuit 3Push upsSit upsDipsPull ups

25 reps35 reps15 reps5 reps





Push ups

Interval training is a vigorous but highly effective way to build cardiovascular endurance. It consists of alternating intervals of moderate jogging and short, intense bursts of hard running. The following is a typical interval workout:

Interval 1 Interval 2 Interval 3 Interval 4 Interval 5 Jog 5 minutes 3 minutes 4 minutes 8 minutes 5 minutes Run hard 20 seconds 1 minute 30 seconds 1 minute 30 seconds

Hill walking is essential to your preparation for trekking the Kokoda Trail, as it’s the form of exercise that most closely approximates trekking itself. To get the most out of your hill walking, approximate the conditions and pace of the trek as nearly as possible. Work up to carrying a 75-litre backpack, and try to maintain a pace of at least 1.5 km/hour, stopping only for short breaks. Bring plenty of water with you, and take small, frequent drinks.


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andrewvogler

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Trek Fitness Training Tips



Get the most from your training

Gear up! Before heading out on the Kokoda Trail, it’s important to make sure your trek clothing fits comfortably. Try out all different combinations of your trekking wear and replace any items that could cause problems on your trek.

Buy boots later in the day. Your feet can swell up to a half size over the course of the day, so you’ll want to buy your boots in the afternoon or evening. Since sizing varies by manufacturer, it’s best to shop at an outdoor retailer that carries a wide range of boots. Also, make sure you try on your boots while you’re in your trekking socks.

Train with a pack. This will help you get a better feel for the rigours of trekking. Remember, even if you hire a personal porter, you’ll still be carrying a daypack on your trek. Otherwise, you’ll be carrying a backpack of at least 75 litres capacity. It’s also important to get used to the feeling of straps on your shoulders.


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Train on consecutive days. Once you’re out on the Kokoda Trail, you’ll be trekking for several days at a time, with only evenings to recover. Before trekking, you’ll need to accustom your body to such short rest periods. Also, cooling down after each workout will be extremely beneficial to you, since it will speed up your body’s recovery, allowing you to train on consecutive days.

Train similarly. In your walking workouts, try to replicate the conditions of your trek as closely as possible. On the Kokoda Trail, you’ll be trekking through rugged, mountainous terrain, so some of your training should be carried out on hilly ground. Hiking up and down hills will help prepare your body for the climbs and descents you’ll make on the Kokoda Trail.

It’s not all about cardio. Although trekking is primarily cardiovascular exercise, carrying a pack requires overall body strength; supplemental strength training will benefit you greatly on the trail. Focus on the muscles in the back and shoulders, as well as those in the core – the abdominals and upper legs.

Fuel up. On the Kokoda Trail, you may burn over 1,000 calories a day trekking. It’s important to have plenty of energy before you trek, and to replace those calories once you’re finished. Complex carbohydrates such as pastas are ideal for fuelling your body.

Fuel on the go. It’s also extremely important to keep your energy up while trekking. Products such as sports drinks and energy bars will give you plenty of energy but won’t weigh down your backpack.Find the energy supplements you like best, and bring them on your trek for an “energy safety net.”

Get breathless. Since your trek may take you to high altitudes, you’ll need to prepare your cardiovascular system for reduced oxygen levels. Over the course of your training, make sure you work up to aerobic workouts that make you breathe hard. Those workouts will help make your trek easier and more enjoyable.

Partner up. Long training sessions will be much more enjoyable in the company of a friend, family member, or fellow trekker. A partner can also provide support an encouragement during training sessions.

Struggling for time? If you have difficulty fitting workouts into your schedule, focus on your primary training goal: being able to trek for several hours a day on consecutive days. The plan’s longer workouts will be more beneficial toward this goal than the shorter ones.


Motivation

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Staying motivated can be one of the toughest parts of training. Work schedules, commitments to friends andfamily, bad weather, and tiredness can make it difficult to stay focused on getting in shape for your trek. Here are some suggestions for keeping your enthusiasm up:

Keep your life in balance. Don’t let training get in the way of your commitments to family, friends, and work.

Reward yourself whenever you reach a goal. Whether it's a nice meal out or a new item for your trekkingkit, a litte reward now and then will make your achievements that much more satisfying.

Remember why you’re trekking. Little reminders will help you train with purpose.

Look at how far you’ve come since you started the fitness plan. Putting your progress in perspectivewill help show you that you can complete the fitness plan.

Read an inspiring story or autobiography. Reading about how other people have overcome obstaclescan inspire you to train hard and take pride in your own accomplishments.

Tell friends, family, and other trekkers about your training and upcoming trek, on social media and in person.

■ Keep a blog about your trek, either on your own or on Kokoda Trail Expeditions’ blog.


Congratulations



Disclaimer

Neither Kokoda Trail Expeditions or its associated representatives and staff can accept any responsibility for death or injuries caused by any information contained within. All information is provided in good faith. You should consult your doctor before embarking on any program of physical activity.

By using this information you agree to indemnify, defend, and hold us harmless from and against any claims, actions, demands or other proceedings brought against us by a third party, to the extent that such claim, suit, action or other proceeding brought against us is based on or arises in connection with your use of the pack, any breach by you of these terms and conditions or a claim that your use of the pack infringes any intellectual property rights of any third party or is libellous or defamatory, or otherwise results in injury or damage to any third party.

Last revised 26 August 2014

Great job! By working your way through the fitness program, you’ve made significant advances in physical fitness while honing new skills that will serve you on the Kokoda Trail. Now you have an amazing trekking experience to look forward to. Use the time between now and your trek’s departure to check your clothing, equipment, and supplies, and make sure everything is in top condition for your big challenge. Don’t forget to pack any energy supplements that you may want to bring on the trail. Have a fantastic trek!

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