The Perfect Backpacker

Backpacking brings together all elements of the physical and perceptive arts.

Aerobic endurance, a number of different types of strength, all in balance while in motion over a wide range of terrains with perception weaving all our physical and perceptive realtiies together as both a vital part of our method with greater perceptive and physical engagement as our goal puts backpacking at center of the set of interfaces defining the very boundaries and borders of our local metaphysical realities.

This requires training in all aspects to achieve proper balance.

Each aspect of fitness will be employed in its turn:

Aerobic fitness each day, aerobic endurance over a series of days and weeks.

Leg strength, core strength, and upper body strength all come into play with each and every step, and are highlighted by every out-of-.position step we take.

All of this motion leverages the weight of the pack on our back. These forces put tremendous stress on both our core and upper body.

The core is trained with floor exercises, situps, and heel lifts.

The upper body is trained with steel.

Thus the perfect backpacker sits atop a solid foundation of legs and lungs, on a basis of regular walking, trotting, and jogging that establishes our basic fitness level. Though our legs and lungs can be trained to carry our pack up and down the length and flanks of the Sierra Crestline, that will not train our shoulders, back, and core for the levels of stress we must withstand.

Some weight training will.

Our weight work will blend into our overall fitness when accompanied by some core work on the floor work and extensive stretching.

I basically run three steel exercises

Classic Bench

Flys

Curls

Forearm Curls as part of a military press.

I find that having a good weight program eliminates much of the pain of a heavy pack, or at least makes it managable during acclimation.

NOTES

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Meeks Bay to Echo Summit / Segment: Camp at Highway 50