Wednesday, June 17, 2015

Guidelines On Training For Kilimanjaro

By Freida Michael


For individuals who want to test their physical and mental stamina, mountain climbing can be a good idea. People who have climbed mountains like Mt. Everest in Nepal or Kilimanjaro in Tanzania can bear witness of how torturing the activity was and how they were able to overcome their fears and complete the climb. It is for this reason, this article provides tips on training for Kilimanjaro.

No person can wake up today and decide to climb Kilimanjaro the next day. The individual ought to prepare well for this activity. Not only will a person prepare physically, but also mentally. The period for preparation varies among people. For individuals who are fit physically, preparation can be between 1 to 2 months. Individuals who are not fit, it can take up to 6 months preparation.

The kind of training that one gets into should aim to build the physical and mental strength. A lot of people think if they are strong physically they can do the climb comfortably. However, when the mental strength is not at par with physical, chances of giving up in the middle of climbing are easy. This is because during the climb one will meet numerous challenges from extreme heat and cold, wind, sore feet, blisters among other challenges that might wear out the person if his/her mental stamina is not on point.

Onto physical training, there are 3 important exercises that one must get into; Aerobics, strengthening exercises and hiking practices. As the name suggests, Aerobic exercises engages body to use oxygen to provide energy during the exercise. Examples of such activities include swimming, long distance running, jogging, walking and cycling. These activities are light to fair and will help an individual build his/her cardiovascular system, which during the climb, will enable a person use limited oxygen efficiently.

As for activities that boost muscle strength in the body, they are numerous depending on which part of the body being targeted. If it is upper and middle area, the muscles here include upper back muscles and those around the stomach. Suitable activities for them include; back and shoulder flies, kettle bell swings, sit ups, shoulder presses among others.

When it comes to strengthening leg muscles, aerobics, squats, lunges, front and reverse curls among other exercises as advised by the trainer will come in handy. One ought to have an experienced personal trainer to understand these exercises and do them correctly. Onto hiking, one must do it as a preparation for the main activity.

There is no better way to prepare for this climbing than to do smaller hiking activities. One should do long distance hikes on difficult terrains. The individual should ensure to wear the protective clothing when practicing hiking. Onto building mental stamina, the activities should be aimed at pushing body to its extreme and allowing body to dig deeper to overcome these situations.

Hiking in very difficult terrains can help one cultivate mental strength. Apart from this, doing a marathon can also play a great part in this. Listening to any marathoner speak, one will understand that it was not their physical state that made them win but rather the mind. Therefore one should ensure to get into a marathon at least twice and ensure to accomplish it. For the physical activities, the duration for doing them should be long but not intense. The exercises should be moderate.




About the Author:



No comments: