Taken from the Philmont Advisor's Guide, an 105-page unofficial publication
with hints provided by experienced advisors including John LeBlanc and Dr. Bob.
The guide is available as a MS Word email attachment for a $10 donation to
Venturing Crew 1519. Funds from the sale of the guide have enable our crew to
go to Philmont, canoe the Alagash in Maine, go to Nord Jamb 03 in Iceland and
sea kayak off of the Maine coast.
Physical Training
Philmont is physically demanding, especially for adults. It is absolutely
amazing how many advisors go to Philmont expecting that it will be just like
another summer camp. What a surprise when they have to come off the trail
because they cannot handle Philmont's physical demands. This problem occurs so
frequently that one of the responsibilities of your Philmont Ranger is to evaluate
the physical conditioning of both you and your crew to determine whether you
are able to make the entire trek. Rangers that we talked to say that, based
on their experience, 80% of the adult advisors coming to Philmont are not
adequately prepared for the physical demands of the backcountry and that 50% of the
adult advisors had not exercised at all prior to their arrival at Philmont.
Consider this. Studies have shown that the typical adult is 10 to 20 pounds
over his or her recommended weight. Would you willingly add 10 to 20 pounds of
rocks to your backpack? Moreover, your heart and lungs now have to oxygenate
this extra body mass making you less efficient. The bottom line is that most
adults coming to Philmont are already disadvantaged when compared to their
Scouts and will need to train even harder for Philmont.
We believe that a three-part physical training program is required to fully
prepare for Philmont. The first part is an aerobic program to build up your
cardiovascular system. The second part is a strength program to tone those
muscle groups that will be used most often. The third part is a series of
pre-trek hikes to get your feet used to hiking with boots. However, before starting
your exercise program, get a copy of Philmont's medical form and bring it when
you get your physical examination. At that time, review your exercise plan
with your doctor.
The first rule in any physical training program is to start slowly and build
up your exercise routine. This is hard to do because we remember what we were
capable of doing when we were younger and in much better shape. The second
rule is to immediately stop exercising if you experience any pain. Philmont
suggests that you begin an exercise program at least six months before arrival.
We agree, but recommend that you increase your level of training intensity
during the last three months. During the last month before you leave for
Philmont, you should try to exercise every day. If your body is only used to
exercising every other day, it will begin to anticipate a day to recover. At
Philmont, every day is another day on the trail. While it may be easy to hike that
first tough day at Philmont, on the very next day, the body seems let down,
thinking that it is supposed to get a day off! Usually by day six, you have
worked through the soreness and are used to the physical exercise, but the first
five days can be rather difficult.
The objective of the aerobic exercise program is to condition your heart so
that it pumps more efficiently. In one minute, with 45 to 50 beats, the heart
of a well-conditioned person pumps the same amount of blood as an inactive
person's heart pumps in 70 to 75 beats. Compared to a well -conditioned heart,
the heart of an inactive person pumps up to 36,000 more times per day! To
condition your heart and lungs, the American Heart Association (AHA) recommends
that you exercise vigorously for at least 30 minutes, three or four times a
week, at more than 50 percent of your maximum heart rate. Your estimated maximum
heart rate is 220 minus your age. Exercising above 75 percent of your maximum
heart rate may be too strenuous unless you have been training for several
months. Exercising below 50 percent gives your heart and lungs little
conditioning. Therefore, the best activity level, better known as your target heart
zone, is 50 to 75 percent of your maximum heart rate.
To monitor your heart rate, learn how to take your pulse when you exercise
and while you are on the trail at Philmont. Place two fingers on the carotid
artery in the groove on either side of the Adam's apple. Count for 6 seconds
and multiply the result by 10 giving your heart rate per minute. Should you
find that your pulse is too high, slow down to keep within your target heart
zone.
When you begin your exercise program, aim for the lower part of your target
zone (50 percent) within the first few months. As you get into better shape,
gradually build up to the higher part of your target zone (75 percent). After
6 months, we encourage that you exercise at 85 percent of your target zone.
For example, a 40 year old adult advisor should have an estimated maximum heart
rate of 220 - 40 = 180. If this advisor has just begun his physical training
program, his training heart rate should be 90 (180 x .50). If he is in
excellent physical condition, he should exercise at a training heart rate of 153
(180 x .85). It is interesting to note that the training heart rate for your
average, long legged 16-year-old crewmember ranges from 143 to 173! No wonder
why it usually is an adult who is getting a cardiovascular workout while on the
trail.
There are lots of aerobic training programs that you can choose from such as
running, biking, or swimming. You should plan to aerobically exercise at
least three times a week. Any less and you are actually hurting your body. It is
also important that you try to exercise for a minimum of twenty to thirty
minutes, at your training heart rate. You should note that your estimated
maximum heart rate and training zone values are only predicted averages that may
differ 10 to 15 percent higher or lower depending on your actual fitness level,
maximum heart rate and resting heart rate. Your training zone and maximum
heart rate should be items of discussion when you visit your doctor prior to
beginning your physical training program. And if you are planning on taking a more
strenuous trek, we believe that you should be working out consistently at the
higher end of the training zone. Don't be fooled by Philmont's Guidebook to
Adventure that says to train at the 75% level. We think you will need train
at the 85% level to get ready for Philmont's steep climbs. For more
information, go to the AHA's Fitness Center at website at www.justmove.org, which
includes a personal exercise diary, fitness resources, and frequently asked
questions, and suggested fitness plans.
The objective of the strength exercise program is to build or tone muscles so
that you will not be sore at Philmont. Leg muscles need to be strong for
climbing hills. Muscles around your knees need to be strong for going down
hills. Shoulders and chest need to be toned because the backpack straps rest along
those muscle groups. Consider a weight program doing squats, military
presses, and calf raises. Joe Flaig suggests one exercise you can do at home by
getting a 50-pound bag of sand, dividing it up into smaller bags so it fits
better into your backpack. Then go up and down the basement stairs, two at a time.
This is very close to going up and down a very steep hill.
The objective of the hiking program is to get your feet used to hiking long
distances in boots. One of the questions recently asked on the TV game show,
Family Feud, was "What was the most number of miles you have walked in one
day?" The number one response was just two miles! A common ailment of advisors
is "Hiker's Ache". The constant pounding that your feet take at Philmont, as a
result of back-to-back daily hikes of over 10 miles, can add up and create
significant soreness throughout the body the next day. This is especially true
for those advisors who selected some form of cardiovascular exercise other
than running for their Philmont physical training program. In 1996, Wally was
sore all over after his first shakedown hike. Three weeks later, after his
second shakedown hike, Wally was sore again. He was able to eliminate some of
this soreness by taking a series of weekly 10-mile hikes during the final four to
six weeks prior to departure. Just like your physical training program, you
should also build up your hiking endurance. Spend time in your boots and
hiking socks. Cut the lawn in your boots. Walk around the block each night in
your boots. Find out where your feet hurt and where you can expect blisters.
When Coop goes to Philmont, he always takes along a supply of Vitamin I
(better known as ibuprofen or "I-B Hurtin"). Taking ibuprofen with breakfast in
the morning before each hike and an additional amount with supper at the end of
the day helps eliminate some of the soreness. The idea is to get the
ibuprofen in your system before you hit the trail each day. Stretching exercises done
for five to ten minutes at the end of the day and again in the morning before
you go out is important to help lessen the soreness and get the body ready to
go again. They can also help prevent or reduce injuries to muscles not
properly warmed up.
Wally's program consists of a 2.5-mile hike with 52 pounds loaded in his
daypack, stationary bike and push-ups and leg lifts. Every other day, he adds
weight work for strength. He tries to exercise 4 to 6 days a week. If he has to
miss a day, he will resume with the aerobic portion of the program and defer
the strength until the next day. If he has to miss more than two days, he
does the sit-ups, pushups, and leg lifts. Wally favors stationary bicycling for
an aerobic exercise program because it is a low impact activity and does not
stress his knee and ankle joints. It also builds his leg strength, which is
what is needed at Philmont. Local garage sales have low mileage bikes for very
reasonable prices. Some people hate to use the bike because is it boring.
Wally found a way to keep his motivation up while riding. He wrote the word
"Philmont" on a large piece of paper and taped it to the front of his bike. As
he exercises while watching TV, he glances down at the "Philmont" sign to
remind him of why he is doing it.
Coop's aerobic training program consists of runs, three to five miles in
length, three to four days a week. He tries to vary his runs, adding hills or
changing his pace and distance so that it makes them more enjoyable. On the days
when Coop does not run, he does weight work for strength, concentrating on
exercises to strengthen his back, chest and legs. A month before leaving for
Philmont, Coop changes his program to focus on hike preparation. He loads his
pack with 40 pounds of phone books and walks for an hour each day in his hiking
boots. This helps get his back muscles and feet used to the amount of weight
that he will be carrying on the trail.
If you are a smoker, getting ready for Philmont provides a great opportunity
to make the move to quit. As a result of the recent dry summers, the entire
backcountry of Philmont has been declared a no smoking area and smokers have to
go cold turkey for ten days on the trail. However, if you are still smoking
by the time you arrive at Philmont, the odds are that you will soon have a
revelation of biblical proportions. Climbing Mount Phillips or Baldy Mountain
can be a significant emotional experience for a smoker. For most, the climb is
a rugged challenge, culminating with the reward of panoramic vistas and untold
beauty. The heavy smoker however, will spend the majority of the time just
trying to catch his breath.
At Appendix A, we have included a copy of Philmont's suggested six-month
physical preparation program. The physical training portion of this program
pretty much follows the guidelines that we have outlined above and it makes a good
handout when you first meet with your crew. A final word on physical
training. From a practical standpoint, it is probably impossible to overtrain for
Philmont, provided that you do not injure yourself in the process. Adults will,
in most cases, need more physical preparation than crewmembers will. If you
keep finding reasons for not exercising on a regular basis, do yourself and
your crew a favor; rent a beach house and DON'T GO to Philmont. You will become
your crew's weakest link and could ruin the Philmont experience for the rest
of the crew.
Cooper Wright
Coauthor of the Philmont Advisor's Guide
Associate Advisor, Crew 1519
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Received on Fri Sep 24 08:23:44 2004
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