Firstly, congratulations on making a courageous choice to take part in the 12th annual Just Walk event and participate in either the 35km or 45km route! You are in for an experience you’re likely never to forget; the spectacular and mesmerising views of the South Downs is something you’ll have a chance to admire throughout the duration of your trek, you will create an unbreakable bond with your fellow walkers and achieve a truly astounding goal.
But how do you prepare physically and mentally for this type of challenge?
Let’s start with training; the following suggested routines will hit all the right areas to help prepare you for either the 35km or 45km Just Walk with upper body strength, cardio fitness, core stability and enhanced flexibility. What’s more, building confidence in your training will also help ensure you are mentally prepared too. You may ask how I know this and it’s because I have personally created it and have completed it many times myself. The following three days have been taken directly from my own six-week personal training programme which is available from my website and if you’d like to know a little more about my experience and qualifications, please see the end of this blog.
Warm-ups and Training
I highly recommend training at least three times a week starting a minimum of four weeks prior to the event (even better if you are well underway with your training already!) With a few of these exercises you will be required to have access to a set of dumbbells and I also suggest using a mat for your core and abs works.
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Warm up for beginners:
40:20 (40 seconds of work on each exercise and 20 seconds rest in between each exercise)
• Star jumps
• Push-ups (knees can be placed on floor for ease)
• Front plank
• Reverse lunge (alternating legs)
• High knees
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Routine 1
Warm up:
45:15 (45 seconds of solid work on each exercise and 15 seconds rest in between each exercise)
• Reverse lunge followed by knee up (alternating legs)
• Squats jumps
• High knees
• Star jumps
• Crawl out to push-up
Training: x 2 sets
Perform each exercise solidly for 40 seconds and rest for 20 seconds in-between.
Rest for 90 seconds between each complete set.
• Hip thrusts
• Push-ups
• Mountain climbers
• Burpees
• Alternating reverse lunge
• V-Sits
Rest for two minutes after you have completed x 3 sets then:
• One minute of plank
• One minute of side plank with hip thrusts – left side
• One minute of side plank with hip thrusts – right side
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Routine 2
Warm up:
45:15 (45 seconds of solid work on each exercise and 15 seconds rest in between each exercise)
• Front lunges
• Twisting mountain climbers
• Crouched punching
• High knees
• Jumping jacks
Training: x 2 sets
Perform each exercise solidly for 40 seconds and rest for 20 seconds.
Bodyweight circuit resting for 90 seconds between each complete set.
• Tuck jumps
• Jumping lunges
• Ski-jumps
• Bicycle crunches
• Split squat jumps
After you have completed the x 2 sets rest for 2 minutes, taking on plenty of water.
• Then x 2 sets
• 20 x push-ups
• 10 x Regular chest-to-ground burpees
Then to complete:
Accumulate 2 minutes of plank.
(If you need to drop at any point then stop the clock and resume the hold again as quickly as you can.)
N.B. A quick search on Google of the terms listed in the warm-ups and / or training sections will demonstrate how to execute the moves.
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Stretching and Cooling Down
It’s very important when taking on an extreme physical walking challenge that you stretch regularly after your exercising / training in order to keep your muscles strong, healthy, flexible and most importantly injury free.
To see several various examples of useful stretching routines, please click here.
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About the writer:
Craig Peters is a qualified Level 3 personal training instructor, behavioural coach, and motivational speaker. Not only is Craig a professional, experienced personal trainer, he also enjoys pushing the boundaries and testing his own fitness levels and limits.
Find out more about our resident personal trainer Craig here, plus his advice on what to eat pre-walk and during your Just Walk challenge.
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