Stairs, Stairs And More Stairs

[Fluppy]

Using the stepper machine at the gym, but when I can't get into the gym, I have taken to walking up and down the backstairs of our house. There are 12 steps.

Today I walked up and down 30 times consecutavily (can't spell) with my 6kg pack. Then I did two sets of 15 times. Humidity in QLD – rather, Ipswich, is pretty high, but nowhere near as high as PNG I would imagine…

Took it out of me quite a bit today and I realise that one can never be fully prepared for Kokoda, but to train as much as possible.

So…my question is…

Based on the number of steps there are (12), how many times do you think would be a good amount to train each day? I was thinking either 100 times over the course of a day to begin with, building up to 100 times (up and down counts as once) in a row. Or to go up and down the stairs for 2 or 3 hours straight.

I am probably waaayyy off mark here and am thinking it would be more like 500+ times or 8 hours straight to even 'begin' to get a feel for it…

Thoughts/comments anyone?

[Ian E.]

Fluppy,

I had 36 steps at work. Pretty much did 60-90 minutes up and down each day, with 11kgs on my back, and wearing a fleece and tracksuit. Was drenched with sweat at the end, and shed 13kgs in 10 weeks. Rather than doing for hours on end, try going two up/two down, and if your legs are long enough, three up/two down. This will make it easier once you hit some of the steeper hills in PNG.

I was way out of shape before I started (92kgs), but the 10-12 weeks of sticking to this training saw me through without any probs.

Cheers Ian

[Brian]

Hi Fluppy

Do not over do it just what ever you are comfortable with this will naturally increase as the more often you train do not wear yourself out before you get there your body will tell you how you are going.

I am not sure how many steps there are on the Kangaroo point cliff but I would go up and down these with a few second break each time I reached the top this I would do for 1 hour or so each time.

The Step Machines I found at the gym whilst great were only for going UP HILL they have no training for going DOWN HILL whilst the steps at the cliff where both ways.

I as many others have found had more problems going down hill than I did up.

Best thing though is that if you can find some steep tracks the steeper, rougher and root bound the better and if slippery and a little muddy that would be a bonus. If you can find such a track this would be ideal.

Mt Coot-tha is a little distance away from you whilst not as hard as Kokoda I could point you in the right direction to do some training there.

There would be a bushwalking club in your area get in touch with them they will should know some suitable traning tracks in your area.

Keep up that training every bit counts.

Brian

[Fluppy]

Thanks for the tips guys. Every little fragment and snippet of information I can get hold of before I go helps.

Ian – training in a tracksuit in 37 – 40 degree celcius heat?? (as is most temperatures this time of year where I live) Wow. That's dedication! Fortunately, today is cloudy. I suppose that makes little difference though lol!

Brian – forgot about our local bushwalking club. I'll try to locate their number and give them a ring today. Am hoping for some rain though – there's not too many places that you can get to by walking that have that sort of muddy, slope/root-bound terrain. Heaps if you have car access, but I don't drive and I would be taking an educated guess that public transport won't get me there either

fluppy

[Mrs Moo]

Hi Fluppy

I would suggest an hour a day would do it, as you are really just building up leg muscles used in uphill/downhill. I started my training on the hill I live on, and walked up and down for an hour every morning. Closer to my trek I started carrying 14-16kgs up Mt Archer (equiv of Mt Coot-tha) once a week. I had no problems at all on The Track.

Quads, calves and muscles around your knees need strength. Also, do some stretches every day for your achilles tendons, as you would not want to pull one on the track.

While I had no probs on the track, since I've been back I have noticed my knees are not as good as they used to be. I blame the big downhills in PNG!

Moo

[Fluppy]

Thank you for your insightful information Mrs Moo. Stretches for archilles – yes – must remember these – as I am hyperflexible, I am prone to injury in such areas if I don't stretch. Again, thank you for your input

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