Fitness, exercise for Kilimanjaro
Kilimanjaro
is the highest mountain in Africa. With all the information
you have, added to being physically prepared, your chances of
reaching the summit is substantially increased. The tests of
physical endurance and mental stamina will determine, to great
extend, whether you will be successful in you quest to conquer
the Roof of Africa. Being physically prepared for the trek will
also greatly contribute and make a world of difference to the
most valuable benefit of your preparation-- your mental confidence
and strength!
How fit do you have to be?
The type of fitness is more important than the degree of
fitness. Kilimanjaro is a hike, so the best preparation you
can do, is to hike, preferably under simulated conditions. While
running helps to some degree, it does not fully prepare your
muscles for a strenuous 6-day hike. We suggest that you spend
some of your training time by simply walking. Going for walks,
in addition to regular gym work in order to also stimulate some
muscle development, has proven to be the most successful preparation.
Try to do a one or two day local hiking trial in your area,
which will not only be an excellent way of preparation, but
also most enjoyable. We have therefore developed a practical
(in terms of time and costs) fitness preparation guideline,
which we will assist you greatly in preparing your body for
your Kilimanjaro summit attempt. This guideline contains both
a gym as well as a hiking program which should be followed simultaneously
over an 8 week period.
Important points to remember - Before you start:
Medical Check-up
Before embarking on a fitness program, it is always wise
to seek the approval of your family doctor. By all means show
him this program so that he can see exactly what you are talking
about. Chances are that he will be delighted that you will be
exercising regularly.
Progressive Resistance
In essence this gym fitness program consists of regular
performance of progressive resistance exercises with either
free weights (barbells and dumbbells) or free weight machines
as found in gymnasiums. The idea behind progressive resistance
is that your exercise can be tailored to your age, conditioned
and strength and progressing to higher resistance or weights
as you develop.
Safety Factor
Because progressive resistance movements are tailored to
your strength levels the program is potentially safe. However
it is essential that all the exercises are performed correctly
and that the basic safety procedures are followed. It is always
a good idea to invest in a book on physical fitness or to ask
the local gymnasium instructor to show you how to perform each
exercise correctly and safely.
Sets and Reps
Your workout is made up of repetitions (reps) and sets.
A rep is a single count of an exercise. -- i.e. going down for
one squad movement. If you perform a series of reps (the average
is 10 to 12) and then stop for a breather, this is known as
a set.
Warm Up
You should always warm up your muscles before any exercising
routine. This means putting your body through a variety of stretches
to warm up, strengthen and progressively challenge the tendons,
ligaments, joints and muscles. Stretching is very important;
it's the best way to prepare yourself for an injury-free workout.
