Trek Training: How Do I Fit It In?
Training for your trek ahead of time is crucial in ensuring you have the best possible time whilst you’re away, but we know that our participants have plenty of other commitments to balance alongside their challenge preparations. Here, we’ve pulled together a couple of our top tips for helping you fit training into your everyday life.
1. Swap up the way you get to university or work
If it’s feasible, walking or cycling to work or university instead of driving or taking public transport is not only going to be better for the environment, it’s also going to significantly increase your fitness!
Walking is definitely a good place to start if you aren’t particularly active - as a low-impact exercise t’s easy on your joints. If you start walking say, every other day, you’re establishing a regular routine. Establishing a healthy routine is a great starting point, you’ll not only be keeping up with this activity, but it will give you the determination to take on more!
3. Why not try home workouts?
If you’re strapped for cash or don’t fancy signing up to the gym, why not give home workouts a go? There are plenty of YouTude fitness tutorials that you can access, meaning you’ll be able to start getting fit quickly and easily, all from the comfort of your home!
These are really handy if you’re a student who heads home on weekends a lot, or if you have a job that requires you to travel a lot. As long as you have internet access and a little bit of space, you can just pop on a YouTube video and away you go!
There are masses of videos out there, covering every kind of exercise you can imagine, from dance routines to peaceful yoga - there’s something for everyone.
5. Use your lunch break
Our team are super keen on this one! Instead of sitting around at lunchtime, why not make the most of it and either go out for a run or hit the gym! Not only will this serve as a great bit of training for your trek, it will also help you clear your head before the afternoon.
You can do the same if you’ve been sitting in the library all morning. If head out for a run and grab some fresh air you’ll find you’ll be getting back into the library feeling settled and ready to crack out an incredible essay!
2. Rope in a buddy!
Worried you’re missing out on socialising time if you start training? Grab some friends and get them to join you for a gym class or a run around the park! If you’re anything like me, exercising alone can be dire - it’s way more enjoyable to get some friends involved so you’ve got someone to chat too whilst you’re out jogging. Having a friend sign up to a gym class or agree to run with you will also hold you accountable - knowing you’re meeting someone will mean you’re more likely to show up.
Why not ask some of your team mates if they want to start training with you? You’ll be firm friends before you fly out to your trek, and you’ll all be feeling great when you get into the mountains!
4. Do what you love!
There’s no right or wrong way to train for your trek, and ultimately, we want you to enjoy it!
If you’re already a keen yogi, why not start practising for another half hour a week? Or if you’re already hitting the gym and enjoying going to spinning classes, why not change it up and try boxercise?
If you’re doing something you love, it’s not going to seem like a burden on your time, and you’re more likely to keep it up.
