Getting in shape for the Norte

[Long Hiker]

My wife and I are preparing for walking the Camino in June. We are doing some long walks now of 8-10 miles to prepare. We don't live in an area that has any hills so it's hard to prepare for any steep hills. Does anyone have any suggestion for that?

 

[Montana Bill]

My wife and I are preparing for walking the Camino in June. We are doing some long walks now of 8-10 miles to prepare. We don't live in an area that has any hills so it's hard to prepare for any steep hills. Does anyone have any suggestion for that?

Yes. Hopefully you're walking with your packs. Add more and more weight as often as possible on each walk. Water bottles make fine dunnage. At least 10 lbs over what real weight expectations are for your Camino. Finally...extend distanced for stamina. All will return to you the first day on train out or st.john.

 

[Iriebabel]

My wife and I are preparing for walking the Camino in June. We are doing some long walks now of 8-10 miles to prepare. We don't live in an area that has any hills so it's hard to prepare for any steep hills. Does anyone have any suggestion for that?

The cheapest You can try stairs, Where ever you find them Maybe a local school stadium or work the treadmill with inclines or elliptical with inclines. I would say for the first week take it slow. Get into a rhythm. I walk the Frances with bad knee problems and a metal brace so I am also doing the Norte this March. Right now I am on crutches unable to train but I will still go. I will do less kms per day and maybe pack service the first week...

There are many people here on the forum who have already done the Norte who can offer more practical advise based on actual camino trail knowledge

 

[sunwanderer]

Get on a treadmill with your pack and crank up the inclination?

 

[Jan_D]

There are only a handful of days you'll ascend up to about 300-400m (max), all within the first week. It is indeed hilly in the Basque country, but it's hardly mountain climbing, and even relatively unfit first-timers seem to do ok. You might want to think of hiking poles to help with balance or to take the pressure off your joints. But as Montana Bill says, it's more about stamina, and getting used to walking with a backpack for 20-30km a day, day, after day, after day... However judging from your profile you've already done the Frances, so you have a good idea of what to expect. After the first week, the Norte really isn't too different to the Frances in terms of difficulty.

 

[Deleted member 67185]

My wife and I are preparing for walking the Camino in June. We are doing some long walks now of 8-10 miles to prepare. We don't live in an area that has any hills so it's hard to prepare for any steep hills. Does anyone have any suggestion for that?

I can share with you the quick basics I follow when I train, that way each person can apply the principals for their individual needs, physical conditions, and limitations.

[NOTE: Before undertaking any change in activity level or exercise, be sure to check with your medical provider first. Even a quick phone call informing him/her of your plans will allow your provider to give you any guidance that is deemed important.

There are two parts to how I train:

1. Cardiovascular fitness.
2. Muscle strengthening.

With both parts to an exercise plan, it is far better to go slower and be more deliberate and committed to your fitness time, than to overdo it by rushing the exercises and risking overuse injuries and becoming discouraged. Using THR zones, you will always make progress even though you take more time to reach your goal.

Cardiovascular fitness is the ability for the heart and lungs to supply oxygenated blood to your muscles during exercise while under load, and your muscles ability to use that oxygen efficiently so they can produce energy.

A valuable and important tool that is easy and good to follow for developing cardio capacity is the concept of Target Heart Rate zones (THR). It doesn't matter what your fitness level is, THZ will allow each person to develop at their own speed and point of fitness.

Exercises should be used which will allow you to hit a target heart rate (THR) zone, over a set period of time during exercising, which provides the needed aerobic effort for conditioning. This is a website which will help you calculate what your target heart rate zones will be.

https://www.lifespanfitness.com/fitness/resources/target-heart-rate-calculator

Treadmills at incline, running, walking at a faster than normal pace, walking up hills, using rowing machines, HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) workouts, riding a bicycle at a faster than normal pace, swimming, etc. are all examples of effective aerobic exercises when used to achieve target heart rates.

Keep in mind that as your fitness level improves, it will take a more sustained effort to hit the same heart rate zones. That is why using THR zones is so effective. They don't change relative to one's fitness level. Someone extremely out of shape who cannot exercise as hard and as long as someone who is extremely fit, will still reach the exact same THR during their exercise sessions. It takes more intensity in training for the person who has a great fitness level to reach 140 heart beats per minute (BPM). An out-of-fitness individual will reach that same 140 BPM in a far shorter amount of time and with far less intensity to the exercise.

As you gain fitness, it will take a longer period of exercise and a harder effort at the exercise to keep reaching 140 BPM. It is this THR phenomenon which allows a person to use their own fitness levels as a guide to steady progress rather than relying on some formula laid out by someone who doesn't know you from a hill of beans.

This is what I do for Cardio. It is based on MY current fitness level as an example of how to use what you have around you as an exercise resource. You do not need a gym membership.

During most of the year, I alternate days of effort and length during the week. Every other day I do a Long Loop Trail which is about 7.5 miles in length and gains a total of 2800 feet in elevation. During the other two or three days, I do the Short Loop Trail, which is 3.8 miles in length and only gains 1215 feet of elevation. When I am up backpacking, that will, of course, serve as a daily workout.

For really crummy weather days --- and lately over the last four weeks when smoke from wildfires made the air hazardous for outdoor activity --- I use a treadmill that can achieve a 30 degree incline, and which I spent a bit of time carefully calibrating to make sure it is reasonably accurate for both speed and incline settings. If I didn't have a treadmill, I could jump rope, stair step, run in place, etc. A lot of times the local high school will let the folks in the district use their facilities.

I decided that I would save money by using a treadmill at home -- not to mention the convenience -- rather than paying a gym membership to use THEIR treadmill. It wasn't cheap, but I now have over 7100 miles on it over the course of years. I learned how to maintain it and keep it accurate in it's measurements. Having the treadmill at home actually decreases the amount of time spent exercising by eliminating the 'getting to and coming back' from a gym.

Muscle strength is a function of how much maximum force your muscles can exert against resistance. Exercises for strength will also provide a temporary aerobic cardio-vascular workout and effect, but the main goal is to increase your capability to function while under resistance.

Think about having to lift the weight of your body, with a pack, with each step going up the Pyrenees. Or being able to lift and carry a load. Or the constant resistance of your body weight and pack to your shoulders and to the 'core' muscles in your back and abdomen.

Some basic strengthening exercises for home include:

1. push-ups
2. lunges
3. squats
4. planks.

Rather than try and describe the steps involved in properly doing each exercise, do a google search to show you the way to do these exercises.

Again, make steady progress NOT quick progress. The goal is to keep you injury free while you are getting stronger.

This is what I do for strength training and core conditioning. Again, take it easy and build gradually.

In addition to the exercises I listed, I use two pieces of equipment:

1. A cheap set of dumb bells
2. A TRX strap system.

Again, Google will provide and describe and show the basic exercises for this type of equipment. The TRX system is an offshoot of what several folks used in the military while in combat zones where there is no weight lifting equipment. Back then, it was cargo webbing straps. From that, someone made a gazillion dollars with a nicer, more modern iteration all nicely packaged up and all professional looking

Why didn't I think of doing that?

Other conditioning issues involve things like ankles, feet, and flexibility. Do a search on this forum for posts I have made about exercises to help prevent shin splints and to help prevent plantars fasciitis.

Regardless of which exercises you are doing, include frequent walks. Not workouts ... just walk at a comfortable pace and for a comfortable period of time. Use this opportunity to try out footwear for Camino. Look for the beginning niggling of potential problems with your feet and joints so that you have plenty of time to have them looked at by a provider and deal with any treatment plan.

After you've been involved in your fitness regimen for about three months, put on the clothing and footwear you will be using on Camino, load up your pack, and for several days in a row walk for a 3 to 4 hour period. See how you feel and at what pace you are able to best sustain yourself. That will give you a baseline estimate to calculate logistical issues surrounding the question of how far can I comfortably walk within a given amount of time. If you feel you need more time with conditioning before doing that type of walking, then wait for another month or two.

Yes, things and conditions can be different once you are on Camino as the unexpected arises, but those walks will help not only give you some insight and guidance, but also help build your confidence.

It will also let you know how your feet, knees, back and shoulders are doing.

More than anything else, enjoy the entire process of getting ready for Camino. Keep thinking about your personal goals for doing Camino and what type of experience you are hoping for. Also, think about what you can contribute, as a pilgrim, to the spirit and nature of the Camino when you begin your first steps toward Santiago.

 

[RJM]

One bit of advice that gets overlooked in these type threads is the issue of being overweight, and this is not directed to the OP, but to anyone who is overweight and planning a Camino walk.
Do not depend upon walking the Camino to lose the weight needed to walk it healthy and successfully. Do everything you can to lose it before you start. Complete change of diet lifestyle if need be.
Think of it this way. Let's say one is 10 kilos overweight, and what I mean by that is that losing 10 kilos would improve their overall health considerably. If one were to lose just say half that, 5 kilos, that would be like losing a full backpack of kit. You would start walking the Camino on day one with basically no pack on your back, compared to your previous weight.

 

[leluck]

What you can and should do depends a lot on your fitness and conditioning. My son and I walked from Gijon to Luarca (bus and taxi next) and then Abadin to Santiago arriving July 7, 2018. He was 18 and I was 63, he was a kid who had hiked Philmont and I was in reasonable shape (able to run 3+ miles at a 10:30 pace) and no chronic medical problems. First couple days were a challenge, but felt a lot better after that. We used The Northern Caminos guidebook and followed the route and distances. Hiking with packs builds strength, but I believe (my own experience and no scientific backing) is that three days per week running three to five miles and some push-ups for upper body strength will get you ready to start and the Camino will get you the rest of the way. And a lot faster. Don't over think it. (And don't over pack. My next Camino will be with a smaller pack than I use for normal backpacking.) Buen Camino!

 

[lt56ny]

There are only a handful of days you'll ascend up to about 300-400m (max), all within the first week. It is indeed hilly in the Basque country, but it's hardly mountain climbing, and even relatively unfit first-timers seem to do ok. You might want to think of hiking poles to help with balance or to take the pressure off your joints. But as Montana Bill says, it's more about stamina, and getting used to walking with a backpack for 20-30km a day, day, after day, after day... However judging from your profile you've already done the Frances, so you have a good idea of what to expect. After the first week, the Norte really isn't too different to the Frances in terms of difficulty.

Hi Jan, when I read your comment I immediately looked at your photo and laughed a little bit because I knew you had to be a younger person. I am going to be 65 soon so to me anyone under about 50 is young!! I laughed because after walking 4 Caminos, twice on the Frances, the second one I started in Le Puy so it was a short hike, lol, once the Portuguese and now the Norte, I thought between my age and the terrain the Norte was the toughest by far. I laughed because this time on the Norte there were lots and lots of great young people I walked with. I can't tell you how many times I would be walking and then look up at the next hill and cry out. I can't f#Q%@@king believe there is another one!!!! I would than often here some young person say, come on old man you can do it, or at the albergue hear my young friends laugh as I complained about my pain and suffering during the day. I would want to just vegetate in my bunk but would be dragged out by my "kids" to go get a beer, which I always did and always enjoyed. As they say, growing old isn't for sissies! I have learned that the Camino, all of them help me to make sure I do not go gently into that good night (or whatever that expression is). I will be walking the VDLP next. Definitely not as hilly but there are new challenges and joys that await me on the VDLP. So I hope one day when you are walking up some hill and you hear an old man cursing the hill up (or zig zagging down a step hill) you shout out, "come on old man you can do it!" Maybe it will be me and we can have a beer at the albergue.

 

[lt56ny]

I can share with you the quick basics I follow when I train, that way each person can apply the principals for their individual needs, physical conditions, and limitations.

[NOTE: Before undertaking any change in activity level or exercise, be sure to check with your medical provider first. Even a quick phone call informing him/her of your plans will allow your provider to give you any guidance that is deemed important.

There are two parts to how I train:

1. Cardiovascular fitness.
2. Muscle strengthening.

With both parts to an exercise plan, it is far better to go slower and be more deliberate and committed to your fitness time, than to overdo it by rushing the exercises and risking overuse injuries and becoming discouraged. Using THR zones, you will always make progress even though you take more time to reach your goal.

Cardiovascular fitness is the ability for the heart and lungs to supply oxygenated blood to your muscles during exercise while under load, and your muscles ability to use that oxygen efficiently so they can produce energy.

A valuable and important tool that is easy and good to follow for developing cardio capacity is the concept of Target Heart Rate zones (THR). It doesn't matter what your fitness level is, THZ will allow each person to develop at their own speed and point of fitness.

Exercises should be used which will allow you to hit a target heart rate (THR) zone, over a set period of time during exercising, which provides the needed aerobic effort for conditioning. This is a website which will help you calculate what your target heart rate zones will be.

https://www.lifespanfitness.com/fitness/resources/target-heart-rate-calculator

Treadmills at incline, running, walking at a faster than normal pace, walking up hills, using rowing machines, HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) workouts, riding a bicycle at a faster than normal pace, swimming, etc. are all examples of effective aerobic exercises when used to achieve target heart rates.

Keep in mind that as your fitness level improves, it will take a more sustained effort to hit the same heart rate zones. That is why using THR zones is so effective. They don't change relative to one's fitness level. Someone extremely out of shape who cannot exercise as hard and as long as someone who is extremely fit, will still reach the exact same THR during their exercise sessions. It takes more intensity in training for the person who has a great fitness level to reach 140 heart beats per minute (BPM). An out-of-fitness individual will reach that same 140 BPM in a far shorter amount of time and with far less intensity to the exercise.

As you gain fitness, it will take a longer period of exercise and a harder effort at the exercise to keep reaching 140 BPM. It is this THR phenomenon which allows a person to use their own fitness levels as a guide to steady progress rather than relying on some formula laid out by someone who doesn't know you from a hill of beans.

This is what I do for Cardio. It is based on MY current fitness level as an example of how to use what you have around you as an exercise resource. You do not need a gym membership.

During most of the year, I alternate days of effort and length during the week. Every other day I do a Long Loop Trail which is about 7.5 miles in length and gains a total of 2800 feet in elevation. During the other two or three days, I do the Short Loop Trail, which is 3.8 miles in length and only gains 1215 feet of elevation. When I am up backpacking, that will, of course, serve as a daily workout.

For really crummy weather days --- and lately over the last four weeks when smoke from wildfires made the air hazardous for outdoor activity --- I use a treadmill that can achieve a 30 degree incline, and which I spent a bit of time carefully calibrating to make sure it is reasonably accurate for both speed and incline settings. If I didn't have a treadmill, I could jump rope, stair step, run in place, etc. A lot of times the local high school will let the folks in the district use their facilities.

I decided that I would save money by using a treadmill at home -- not to mention the convenience -- rather than paying a gym membership to use THEIR treadmill. It wasn't cheap, but I now have over 7100 miles on it over the course of years. I learned how to maintain it and keep it accurate in it's measurements. Having the treadmill at home actually decreases the amount of time spent exercising by eliminating the 'getting to and coming back' from a gym.

Muscle strength is a function of how much maximum force your muscles can exert against resistance. Exercises for strength will also provide a temporary aerobic cardio-vascular workout and effect, but the main goal is to increase your capability to function while under resistance.

Think about having to lift the weight of your body, with a pack, with each step going up the Pyrenees. Or being able to lift and carry a load. Or the constant resistance of your body weight and pack to your shoulders and to the 'core' muscles in your back and abdomen.

Some basic strengthening exercises for home include:

1. push-ups
2. lunges
3. squats
4. planks.

Rather than try and describe the steps involved in properly doing each exercise, do a google search to show you the way to do these exercises.

Again, make steady progress NOT quick progress. The goal is to keep you injury free while you are getting stronger.

This is what I do for strength training and core conditioning. Again, take it easy and build gradually.

In addition to the exercises I listed, I use two pieces of equipment:

1. A cheap set of dumb bells
2. A TRX strap system.

Again, Google will provide and describe and show the basic exercises for this type of equipment. The TRX system is an offshoot of what several folks used in the military while in combat zones where there is no weight lifting equipment. Back then, it was cargo webbing straps. From that, someone made a gazillion dollars with a nicer, more modern iteration all nicely packaged up and all professional looking

Why didn't I think of doing that?

Other conditioning issues involve things like ankles, feet, and flexibility. Do a search on this forum for posts I have made about exercises to help prevent shin splints and to help prevent plantars fasciitis.

Regardless of which exercises you are doing, include frequent walks. Not workouts ... just walk at a comfortable pace and for a comfortable period of time. Use this opportunity to try out footwear for Camino. Look for the beginning niggling of potential problems with your feet and joints so that you have plenty of time to have them looked at by a provider and deal with any treatment plan.

After you've been involved in your fitness regimen for about three months, put on the clothing and footwear you will be using on Camino, load up your pack, and for several days in a row walk for a 3 to 4 hour period. See how you feel and at what pace you are able to best sustain yourself. That will give you a baseline estimate to calculate logistical issues surrounding the question of how far can I comfortably walk within a given amount of time. If you feel you need more time with conditioning before doing that type of walking, then wait for another month or two.

Yes, things and conditions can be different once you are on Camino as the unexpected arises, but those walks will help not only give you some insight and guidance, but also help build your confidence.

It will also let you know how your feet, knees, back and shoulders are doing.

More than anything else, enjoy the entire process of getting ready for Camino. Keep thinking about your personal goals for doing Camino and what type of experience you are hoping for. Also, think about what you can contribute, as a pilgrim, to the spirit and nature of the Camino when you begin your first steps toward Santiago.

ONCE AGAIN, WE SHOULD ALL LISTEN TO DAVEBUGG! HE IS MY CAMINO GURU! I have learned don't leave home without the Guru's advice !!!!! He is more valuable than any credit card!

 

[lt56ny]

My wife and I are preparing for walking the Camino in June. We are doing some long walks now of 8-10 miles to prepare. We don't live in an area that has any hills so it's hard to prepare for any steep hills. Does anyone have any suggestion for that?

I would first say that all the advice given here is great. Especially listen to Davebugg, always! I walked the Norte last September-October. I was 64 at the time. I thought it was the toughest of all the Caminos. I live in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico and there is not a hill to walk anywhere without driving and it is no fun to train outdoors in a Puerto Vallarta summer. You have walked the CF so I would assume you have learned how to walk. I think this lesson is by far the most important and of course the main lesson in this is listening to your body. My training was strictly on a treadmill. I trained for about 2 weeks without my pack and then another 2 weeks with my pack, gradually adding weight. I did exercises also, especially building up my back to help with the added weight. Then I trained for another month with a full pack every day. I walked for an hour a day. Maybe it was not enough but it was all I could do because of my situation. I knew also I would take it slow and walk shorter stages to build up when possible. I left early from albergues to take more breaks during the day. I always like to be done early so as not to walk later in the day because I never knew how hot it was and how strong the sun would be. I have learned, for me, that my training can never duplicate what happens out on the Camino. I think it is always a lot tougher on the Camino than at home.
Those hills were really hard for me. I thought they were steeper often than most of the CF hills. On the treadmill I walked at an 8% grade. I should have built it up to 10 or even 12%. But when I got to the top of those hills and looked out to the ocean, it sure was worth the struggle. So train as best you can, walk at your own pace and just take it one step at a time because that step is all we have in life. Enjoy and accept but don't fixate on the pain. Release it like you will release all the mush in your brain! Buen Camino.

 

[Walking Lover]

My wife and I are preparing for walking the Camino in June. We are doing some long walks now of 8-10 miles to prepare. We don't live in an area that has any hills so it's hard to prepare for any steep hills. Does anyone have any suggestion for that?

If you have stairs in your house, do double steps.

 

[RRat]

Yes. Hopefully you're walking with your packs. Add more and more weight as often as possible on each walk. Water bottles make fine dunnage. At least 10 lbs over what real weight expectations are for your Camino. Finally...extend distanced for stamina. All will return to you the first day on train out or st.john.

 

[RRat]

My wife and I are preparing for walking the Camino in June. We are doing some long walks now of 8-10 miles to prepare. We don't live in an area that has any hills so it's hard to prepare for any steep hills. Does anyone have any suggestion for that?

 

[RRat]

When training try walking on your toes instead of your heels some of the time. Notice that the heels of your shoes are more worn. On the Camino you will spent on lot of time walking on your toes to avoid rocks and uneven surfaces.

 

[Francois de Meillon]

My wife and I are preparing for walking the Camino in June. We are doing some long walks now of 8-10 miles to prepare. We don't live in an area that has any hills so it's hard to prepare for any steep hills. Does anyone have any suggestion for that?

"Do what you can, with what you have, where you are." FDR

 

[Redvespablur]

we live in pretty flat place so did lots of distance.

Also use poles - because they are big help up and especially down and good to be comfortable with before you go.

We didn’t carry packs much in training except right before we were going - I thought time on pegs was more important than full pack - when we prepare for our encore next year will do little fully loaded work again and focus on time and distance.

We walked a marathon - overkill- before our Norte but mostly long weekend walks were 25km or 15 miles.

 

[Long Hiker]

There are only a handful of days you'll ascend up to about 300-400m (max), all within the first week. It is indeed hilly in the Basque country, but it's hardly mountain climbing, and even relatively unfit first-timers seem to do ok. You might want to think of hiking poles to help with balance or to take the pressure off your joints. But as Montana Bill says, it's more about stamina, and getting used to walking with a backpack for 20-30km a day, day, after day, after day... However judging from your profile you've already done the Frances, so you have a good idea of what to expect. After the first week, the Norte really isn't too different to the Frances in terms of difficulty.

I haven't done the Frances or any real long hiking before this upcoming trip. I will probably have to rely on the treadmill to get me ready for the hills. We have been hiking around 8 to 10 miles 2 or 3 times a week so far. My wife and I are both in our early 60s but in pretty good shape. I have confidence we can do it ok but just want to maximize our success by getting ready.

 

[Long Hiker]

we live in pretty flat place so did lots of distance.

Also use poles - because they are big help up and especially down and good to be comfortable with before you go.

We didn’t carry packs much in training except right before we were going - I thought time on pegs was more important than full pack - when we prepare for our encore next year will do little fully loaded work again and focus on time and distance.

We walked a marathon - overkill- before our Norte but mostly long weekend walks were 25km or 15 miles.

Are you saying you practiced with poles? I think they would be great while doing the Camino but I wasn't planning on practicing with them. But maybe I should?

 

[Long Hiker]

If you have stairs in your house, do double steps.

Good suggestion, we do have stair and I have gone up and down them but haven't tried double steps yet. I will try it!

 

[Iriebabel]

Are you saying you practiced with poles? I think they would be great while doing the Camino but I wasn't planning on practicing with them. But maybe I should?

yes If you have never used poles it is a good idea to practice with them. There are many you tube videos on the proper techniques. Surprising to some there is a proper way to use them.

They do keep a lot of the strain off your knees even in practice they can only help at the very least it gives you a great arm work out

 

[Long Hiker]

I can share with you the quick basics I follow when I train, that way each person can apply the principals for their individual needs, physical conditions, and limitations.

[NOTE: Before undertaking any change in activity level or exercise, be sure to check with your medical provider first. Even a quick phone call informing him/her of your plans will allow your provider to give you any guidance that is deemed important.

There are two parts to how I train:

1. Cardiovascular fitness.
2. Muscle strengthening.

With both parts to an exercise plan, it is far better to go slower and be more deliberate and committed to your fitness time, than to overdo it by rushing the exercises and risking overuse injuries and becoming discouraged. Using THR zones, you will always make progress even though you take more time to reach your goal.

Cardiovascular fitness is the ability for the heart and lungs to supply oxygenated blood to your muscles during exercise while under load, and your muscles ability to use that oxygen efficiently so they can produce energy.

A valuable and important tool that is easy and good to follow for developing cardio capacity is the concept of Target Heart Rate zones (THR). It doesn't matter what your fitness level is, THZ will allow each person to develop at their own speed and point of fitness.

Exercises should be used which will allow you to hit a target heart rate (THR) zone, over a set period of time during exercising, which provides the needed aerobic effort for conditioning. This is a website which will help you calculate what your target heart rate zones will be.

https://www.lifespanfitness.com/fitness/resources/target-heart-rate-calculator

Treadmills at incline, running, walking at a faster than normal pace, walking up hills, using rowing machines, HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) workouts, riding a bicycle at a faster than normal pace, swimming, etc. are all examples of effective aerobic exercises when used to achieve target heart rates.

Keep in mind that as your fitness level improves, it will take a more sustained effort to hit the same heart rate zones. That is why using THR zones is so effective. They don't change relative to one's fitness level. Someone extremely out of shape who cannot exercise as hard and as long as someone who is extremely fit, will still reach the exact same THR during their exercise sessions. It takes more intensity in training for the person who has a great fitness level to reach 140 heart beats per minute (BPM). An out-of-fitness individual will reach that same 140 BPM in a far shorter amount of time and with far less intensity to the exercise.

As you gain fitness, it will take a longer period of exercise and a harder effort at the exercise to keep reaching 140 BPM. It is this THR phenomenon which allows a person to use their own fitness levels as a guide to steady progress rather than relying on some formula laid out by someone who doesn't know you from a hill of beans.

This is what I do for Cardio. It is based on MY current fitness level as an example of how to use what you have around you as an exercise resource. You do not need a gym membership.

During most of the year, I alternate days of effort and length during the week. Every other day I do a Long Loop Trail which is about 7.5 miles in length and gains a total of 2800 feet in elevation. During the other two or three days, I do the Short Loop Trail, which is 3.8 miles in length and only gains 1215 feet of elevation. When I am up backpacking, that will, of course, serve as a daily workout.

For really crummy weather days --- and lately over the last four weeks when smoke from wildfires made the air hazardous for outdoor activity --- I use a treadmill that can achieve a 30 degree incline, and which I spent a bit of time carefully calibrating to make sure it is reasonably accurate for both speed and incline settings. If I didn't have a treadmill, I could jump rope, stair step, run in place, etc. A lot of times the local high school will let the folks in the district use their facilities.

I decided that I would save money by using a treadmill at home -- not to mention the convenience -- rather than paying a gym membership to use THEIR treadmill. It wasn't cheap, but I now have over 7100 miles on it over the course of years. I learned how to maintain it and keep it accurate in it's measurements. Having the treadmill at home actually decreases the amount of time spent exercising by eliminating the 'getting to and coming back' from a gym.

Muscle strength is a function of how much maximum force your muscles can exert against resistance. Exercises for strength will also provide a temporary aerobic cardio-vascular workout and effect, but the main goal is to increase your capability to function while under resistance.

Think about having to lift the weight of your body, with a pack, with each step going up the Pyrenees. Or being able to lift and carry a load. Or the constant resistance of your body weight and pack to your shoulders and to the 'core' muscles in your back and abdomen.

Some basic strengthening exercises for home include:

1. push-ups
2. lunges
3. squats
4. planks.

Rather than try and describe the steps involved in properly doing each exercise, do a google search to show you the way to do these exercises.

Again, make steady progress NOT quick progress. The goal is to keep you injury free while you are getting stronger.

This is what I do for strength training and core conditioning. Again, take it easy and build gradually.

In addition to the exercises I listed, I use two pieces of equipment:

1. A cheap set of dumb bells
2. A TRX strap system.

Again, Google will provide and describe and show the basic exercises for this type of equipment. The TRX system is an offshoot of what several folks used in the military while in combat zones where there is no weight lifting equipment. Back then, it was cargo webbing straps. From that, someone made a gazillion dollars with a nicer, more modern iteration all nicely packaged up and all professional looking

Why didn't I think of doing that?

Other conditioning issues involve things like ankles, feet, and flexibility. Do a search on this forum for posts I have made about exercises to help prevent shin splints and to help prevent plantars fasciitis.

Regardless of which exercises you are doing, include frequent walks. Not workouts ... just walk at a comfortable pace and for a comfortable period of time. Use this opportunity to try out footwear for Camino. Look for the beginning niggling of potential problems with your feet and joints so that you have plenty of time to have them looked at by a provider and deal with any treatment plan.

After you've been involved in your fitness regimen for about three months, put on the clothing and footwear you will be using on Camino, load up your pack, and for several days in a row walk for a 3 to 4 hour period. See how you feel and at what pace you are able to best sustain yourself. That will give you a baseline estimate to calculate logistical issues surrounding the question of how far can I comfortably walk within a given amount of time. If you feel you need more time with conditioning before doing that type of walking, then wait for another month or two.

Yes, things and conditions can be different once you are on Camino as the unexpected arises, but those walks will help not only give you some insight and guidance, but also help build your confidence.

It will also let you know how your feet, knees, back and shoulders are doing.

More than anything else, enjoy the entire process of getting ready for Camino. Keep thinking about your personal goals for doing Camino and what type of experience you are hoping for. Also, think about what you can contribute, as a pilgrim, to the spirit and nature of the Camino when you begin your first steps toward Santiago.

Wow, thanks for such a lengthy reply. I appreciate it. I don't need to use google too much to look up some of what you wrote about. I work out in a gym about 3 days a week. I play tennis about 3 days a week and have taken long walks of 8-10 miles about 2 days a week. In the gym, I lift weights and incorporate about 30 minutes of cardio. I probably need to do more now. I have a TRX strap system in my house but don't use it as much as I should, I just don't have a good place to put it. I think I will try to do it more often though. I will take a look at the heart rate zone and make sure I'm working in those zones though. Thanks again!

 

[Iriebabel]

I haven't done the Frances or any real long hiking before this upcoming trip. I will probably have to rely on the treadmill to get me ready for the hills. We have been hiking around 8 to 10 miles 2 or 3 times a week so far. My wife and I are both in our early 60s but in pretty good shape. I have confidence we can do it ok but just want to maximize our success by getting ready.

I did the Frances last year and I have really bad knees I saw 80 and 90 year old speeding up the mountains, and you are both in good shape so I think you will be fine. Just take it slow and pace yourselves. Really walking is just one foot in front of the other but on the camino it’s also enjoying the sceanery and the experience. After the first week you will notice your body will get into the daily rhythm of the distance walking.

Stop often if you need to. If you feel hot spots, stop, change your socks, take care of the hot spots immediately don’t wait as it is likely to get worst not better. Don’t be afraid to send your packs forward in the first week or along the way if you need it. There are envelopes in the alburgues and the hospitaleros will help you. The first few days on the Frances is a challenge firstly up from St Jean to Roncesvalles weather from the Napoleon or the ValCarlos but it’s not the kind that will kill you. The challenge is only because it’s new and different.. ok ok...a little hill too

You are doing the right thing by getting prepared so don’t worry when you get there your fears will be put to rest. You will meet many people, you will forge lifetime friendships, you will see amazing views, you will enjoy yourself. It’s a surprise when this kind of struggle is enjoyable but it is because it is a struggle of choice. So don’t worry. Just Enjoy and Buen Camino! Oh I forgot get a couple days rest from the jetlag if you can before you start..

 

[Long Hiker]

What you can and should do depends a lot on your fitness and conditioning. My son and I walked from Gijon to Luarca (bus and taxi next) and then Abadin to Santiago arriving July 7, 2018. He was 18 and I was 63, he was a kid who had hiked Philmont and I was in reasonable shape (able to run 3+ miles at a 10:30 pace) and no chronic medical problems. First couple days were a challenge, but felt a lot better after that. We used The Northern Caminos guidebook and followed the route and distances. Hiking with packs builds strength, but I believe (my own experience and no scientific backing) is that three days per week running three to five miles and some push-ups for upper body strength will get you ready to start and the Camino will get you the rest of the way. And a lot faster. Don't over think it. (And don't over pack. My next Camino will be with a smaller pack than I use for normal backpacking.) Buen Camino!

Thanks for that. I'm 61 and about 30 lbs overweight. I'm hoping to lose some weight before the Camino and possibly during but that's not why I'm doing it. I'm hoping the training will help me to prevent injury and soreness while on the Camino. Building some stamina will keep me from being the guy that has to stop before reaching the destination we are trying to achieve.

 

[Long Hiker]

There are only a handful of days you'll ascend up to about 300-400m (max), all within the first week. It is indeed hilly in the Basque country, but it's hardly mountain climbing, and even relatively unfit first-timers seem to do ok. You might want to think of hiking poles to help with balance or to take the pressure off your joints. But as Montana Bill says, it's more about stamina, and getting used to walking with a backpack for 20-30km a day, day, after day, after day... However judging from your profile you've already done the Frances, so you have a good idea of what to expect. After the first week, the Norte really isn't too different to the Frances in terms of difficulty.

A couple of people have said that I've already done the Frances which I haven't. Do I need to change something in my profile that I'm not seeing?

 

[Delphinoula]

You sound so serious.
Have some fun.
Hill walking got my knees, but there are sport tapes to help you with this. Northern walking poles great joint savers. Consider to take a class to do it right so it helps you, because your weight is more evenly distributed.
And have fun.
And remember listen to your body and walk not with your legs but with your mind.
And have fun.
Start short distances on your Camino and increase them.
You need a break take it. It’s not a race.
A and did I mention it Have fun.
If you have health issues take care of them beforehand if you can.
No worries I walked with a 73 year old yoga teacher. She was great..
Choose your Camino wisely and have fun.

 

[Redvespablur]

Are you saying you practiced with poles? I think they would be great while doing the Camino but I wasn't planning on practicing with them. But maybe I should?

Yes, we practiced with poles - mostly when we were doing hilly walks - my wife had a pretty gimpy knee and poles - and knowing how to use - were a big help.

To reiterate just practicing being upright for 6 hours a day - consecutive days are good practice- is a big help.

Shorten up your stages early in your walk until you get a good feel for what you are up for. And first part up to Bilbao is pretty lumpy compared to the rest. You do get stronger and lighter but some hard descents early on route.

 

[Long Hiker]

One bit of advice that gets overlooked in these type threads is the issue of being overweight, and this is not directed to the OP, but to anyone who is overweight and planning a Camino walk.
Do not depend upon walking the Camino to lose the weight needed to walk it healthy and successfully. Do everything you can to lose it before you start. Complete change of diet lifestyle if need be.
Think of it this way. Let's say one is 10 kilos overweight, and what I mean by that is that losing 10 kilos would improve their overall health considerably. If one were to lose just say half that, 5 kilos, that would be like losing a full backpack of kit. You would start walking the Camino on day one with basically no pack on your back, compared to your previous weight.

Thans for that. I am working on it and probably need to work harder on it. One thing I heard a trainer tell me a couple of times is that you can't out train a bad diet. Meaning if you want to lose weight, it's the diet not the workout that will get you there.