As one can see, there is pretty much universal agreeance that trekking poles or
a hiking staff is a useful aid and a great idea, particularly among the
40+ group. I too used poles for the first time on my last trek in 02, and would
not have been able to make the trip without them. The amount of stress and load
that they take off your legs and ankles is amazing! However, one thing to
consider if you are going to use trekking poles and have not in the past, is,
what happens to all that weight that is shifted off your legs, 20% or more
isn't it? Contrary to popular opinion, Philmont trekkers cannot defy the laws
of nature and physics! That weight doesn't disappear. It is however,
transferred
in large part to your arms, chest and back. I was amazed at how tired my arms
and chest could get when I first used the poles. However it did beat the leg
fatigue by a country mile!
In summary, if you are planning on using trekking poles, be sure to add some
arm and upper back exercises to your pre-trip physical fitness routine.
Some good ideas on this may be found on the Backpacker Magazine web site.
They have run several articles over the years about training for backpacking
and have specific suggestions about exercises that target the muscles used in
this activity.
YIS
Hiking Czar
a.k.a. Fred Mussler
SM Troop 357, Raleigh NC
Philmont 90,98,00,02
Double H 717-03!
Eagle Class of 75
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Received on Wed Dec 31 13:24:01 2003
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