Is there any need to prepare your body for trekking?

Santanu Chakraborty

Photographs: Author
Category: Trekking, Hiking
Date of Publication: Feb 8 , 2011

Walking through a stretch of path with loads close to 25-30kilos in your back for more than 4-5hrs a day in temperature close to 0 degree Celsius or negative - Is everyone's body ready to take this kind of pressure? Or should we think that we will see if our body can take the pressure when we are actually experiencing the situation? This is a very common dilemma among us - whether to give away some simple and common enjoyment for trekking or to maintain all these and have just a bit more physical problem during trekking.

Well what I can say that in our small bunch of dream-wanderers, there is no lack of determination and dedication. But for some of us, lack of discipline is a reality. Yes when we are in the middle of any trek, we all are100% determined, dedicated and disciplined but what I feel that there are some ill effects on the days of trekking because of lack of discipline on the days we are leading our normal life.

What I think is that one should develop his or her body in a sustainable way, throughout the life. In order to be more and more healthy and energetic, one must prepare mental and physical strength. Not only in the days of trekking, this will help us in our normal day to day life also. So my heartiest suggestion is to just strengthen your mental strength in order to push away these ill physical habits. And do some exercises, yoga or pranayam to give more strength to your physical fitness. Yes I know that mental strength is needed more than physical strength in order to survive those adverse situations but having a fitter body and more physical strength will only add to the mental strength. What do you say?