Training for Kokoda Spirit Adventure Activities

PRE Kokoda Trail TREK TRAINING PROGRAM

You will need to get reasonably fit to enjoy your trek.

Why Train?

Kokoda Spirit has an excellent reputation when it comes to developing the fitness and preparation of our clients. We are proud of the success rate of our trekkers! You do not have to be super fit or an Olympic athlete to complete Kokoda, Everest Base Camp, or indeed any of our tours but you do need to have excellent endurance and stamina along with a strong cardiovascular system and a desire to complete one of the world’s great journeys. The advantage of having the suitable fitness levels lies in your ability to complete the trek, safely, enjoyably and interact with locals, go for a swim or take a side trip to a waterfall AFTER the days trekking is completed.

Training also provides enormous health benefits and improves your general well being.

By necessity, we assume that our clients have little knowledge of how to improve their fitness. If you are already participating in a training regime then the initial phase may not be appropriate and you can move directly into higher levels. For best training results, you should follow the “principles of training” listed below. Stretching before and after training is beneficial in the reduction of injuries; follow our “stretching guide”

Principles of Training

• Specificity - the type of training you undergo should reflect the activity that you will participate in. In this case a trek involving several hours daily walking up steep ascents and walking down equally steep descents
   
• Intensity - The intensity that you expect during the Trek should be reflected in the training program. That is, several hours of walking each day for several days on end.
   
• Overload - to gain a training “effect” you must overload the various “systems” within your body. That is, your cardiovascular, muscular-skeletal systems etc. Overload is achieved by increasing distances, decreasing time taken or increasing pack weight.
   
• Heart rate is a good indicator of intensity. You should not exceed your maximum heart rate. To obtain your max H/R; Subtract your age from 220; For example . If you are 40 yrs old, then your max H/R is 220 – 40 = 180.
   
• Recovery – It is important to allow your body to recover from the stress that hard physical training places on it. Vary the intensity of your training by alternating hard sessions with slightly easier ones. This will help prevent over-use injuries.
   
• This program assumes no equipment or Gym membership. If you are a regular gym member, each alternate day could be spent strength / endurance training in the gym.

Prior to embarking on any fitness regime, Kokoda Spirit strongly recommends you have a medical check up with your preferred GP and inform him of your intentions to embark on a trek that WILL involve strenuous exercise for several hours a day for several days in a remote area where evacuation is difficult.