Excercise tips....oh goody!

[Gonzo1]

WildernessStudent,

So far, it looks like lots of good info here.

 

Send me a PM, maybe I can elaborate some, especially about the knees. I'm also a chiropractor.

 

Gonzo

[GernBlansten]

All these gym exercises are great and will definitely help. But unless you get out and pound those dogs for miles, you won't properly prepare the most important body part for backpacking, your feet.

I can go about 7 miles with no issues whatsoever, but after that, the feet start talking to me. At mile 10, they start arguing with me. At mile 14, they are yelling.

Only way to toughen the feet is to get out and use them.

[NeilLup]

I completely agree with gags about hiking poles. I have two knees that are bone on bone and clinically qualify for a double knee replacement. A few years ago, I hiked the Grand Canyon and the poles make an incredible difference.

 

There is one other exercise which can make a tremendous difference -- pushaways. Grab the edge of the dinner table and push it away from yourself. If you are like most Americans, you are anywhere between a few and a significant number of pounds overweight. While it is not necessary to be lighter to be a successful backpacker, it can really, really, really help, particularly if you have bad knees.

 

A physical trainer I know said that each extra pound of weight adds 3-6 pounds of load to the knees. Then add the weight in our backpack and you can see the possible problem. If you can lose enough to compensate for some of the backpack weight, I would suggest that it can make a real difference.

[WildernesStudent]

Hehe,

Weight is actually not one of my concerns (amazing I think considering I am an American female!) I am a college student, therefore, I can't afford snack food, munchies or fast food and am I at the mercy of the school cafiteria...meaning when I do eat I don't have problems with overeating (lost a lot of weight freshman year...actually believe my stomach shrunk a bit)My parents were health nuts growing up too, so I didn't grow up in a home with chips, soda etc. When I go for snack food I go for nuts (Love the new Planters NUT-rition Energy Mix), yogurt, plumbs etc. I don't like sitting down to a big meal weighs me down...especially if I plan on doing hiking or something. I eat stirfry and cook a bit with some of the lighter meats (fish, chicken every now and then some pork). I don't really believe in the traditional meals, I usually try to eat a good breakfast (some kind of bread, fresh fruit and some OJ) but other then that I usually eat small 'meals' throughout the day: a handful of nuts, a thing of yogurt, tuna or chicken salad etc... That mixed with my excercising and new hobbies (hiking and such) I feel pretty darn good! Though, I might add, I do have a weakness for dark chocolate

 

Hey, while I'm rambling about food, anyone know of any kind of traimix that does not have sunflower seeds in it? It seems all the ones my store provide have sunflower seeds.

[Ohio_Scouter]

WS,

 

Wal-Mart and Target carry several nut- and fruit-based trail mixes that don't include sunflower seeds, or you can make your own GORP (Granola, Oats, Raisins, Peanuts). Experiment!

[Eagledad]

Home made GORP is the best.

 

Barry

[WildernesStudent]

Hmm so I was wondering if anyone on here might know whats going on.

I think I mentioned that I have a bad knee I hurt it several years ago in a judo accidentwe were practicing taking someone down a move where you push the persons knee backwards and their heel forward at the same timeresulting in them falling over. We werent supposed to actually do it (because of possible injuries) by my partner got a little too excited and the next thing I know I was lying on my back. She did forced my knee backwards and hit hurt a lotI limped around the rest of the day but it didnt swell or anything so I forgot about it. Since then every now and then Ive had random pain in that knee and weakness but in normal day-to-day activities it really doesnt bother me. Well, once I got to school and started hiking I noticed that my knee would get tired really fast and give out resulting in me tripping myselfit doesnt do well especially on going down hills. When I tired getting into running last semester it did start to hurt a lot and it seemed to get even more unstable I would be walking in what I knew to be a straight line but it felt like my entire knee was pulling toward the rightalmost like it was trying to dislocate itself. I stopped and havent had much problem with it until this summer. I was in they gym about to use one of those machines where you put weights on it and then sitting in the seat you lift the bar (weights on each end) with your legsI was attempting to get on the machine for the first time (quite an adventureI am starting to think most of these machines were meant for people who are six ft. or taller) and naturally had a klutzy moment and completely smashed my knee into the metal side where of course there was a giant head of a screw poking out. Hurt like nuts, but being determined I went a head and did the exercisethinking back on it, it probably wasnt a good ideamy knee was in agony the entire exercise.

Now the other day I was back at the gym and did the same exerciseI never put to much weight on it (10 pounds for each leg) but though my other knee was fine my bad knee felt like it was straining. Its been doing the same thing when I attempt lunges (I do lunges with 10lb weights in each hand) keeps feeling like its going to give out or that its straining. After this work out my knee did ache and when I got back to my room I realized it had swollen up a little bit right below the kneecapI put ice on which helps the hurting, but it still ached and was stiff the rest of the day.

 

So I suppose I just wanted a few ideas of what this might possibly if anyone had even the slightest clue. I do plan on going to the doctor but it wont be possible until after camp ends, so were look at another three weeks.

I go to the gym again tonight though Im not sure what Ill do. I always stretch for about 15-20 minutes before I exercise do I need to stretch more? Do I need less weight on my machines? I was told by someone that we should be able to hold up our body weight with our legsnow I dont weigh that much but I have no intention of trying those kind of machines with my knee behaving as it is (you know the kind where you lay at an angle your feet against a flat plate that moves the weights and if you cant move them theres the danger of wellbeing squished).

 

I had thought that I would just get a brace and deal with it but Im concerned that there might be something seriously wrong and you only get two knees. J

 

[NeilLup]

I would suggest that in addition to a physician, probably prior to going to the physician, you have an evaluation by a GOOD physical trainer/rehab expert. We have an excellent one that we go to. About every 3 months, something goes wrong with my knees. Combination of old injuries and too many birthdays

 

He diagnoses it, gives some exercises and normally can say with some pretty good accuracy "This will get better in this way in about XXX time if you do these exercises." He is very fast to refer things to the physician if appropriate, but we have found his practical advise and exercises to be particularly useful.