Preparation - cycling and leg strength

[Paul_L]

We are doing a winter pilgrimage with our family starting mid-January. We are so excited, but I have a preparation question. Where we live in rural Australia is very flat. With near constant flooding, we haven’t been able to venture out to hillier lands to prepare, so I have done things like walking, jogging, cycling and weights to build fitness and some leg and back strength. I‘d be interested for people to share their experiences with preparing for walking without being able to do proper longer walks in hills, and particularly if cycling has been helpful. Thanks!

 

[Josefus]

Hello Paul,
I’ve done both. A cycling and several hiking caminos. From my experience I’d say that it’s quite a different challenge for the muscles, even in the legs. So if you want to do a hiking camino then put priority on walking for preparation. And don’t forget to strengthen the rest of your body especially the back musculature.
Widen the range of your walks gradually and add weight on your shoulders.
It will be difficult to simulate climbs. Maybe you can find a multi storage building where you can go up repeatedly the staircase with a sack on your back .

¡Ultreia!

 

[MinaKamina]

A friend of mine prepared to climb the Kilimandjaro by walking up and down at an angle along the embankment of a nearby canal, with full pack.
The canal was at a ten-minute drive from his home, so he was able to practice a few times a week for 1-2 hours.
He works as a fitness instructor so he thought about groups of muscles rather than specific landscapes

 

[Tincatinker]

A friend of mine prepared to climb the Kilimandjaro by walking up and down at an angle along the embankment of a nearby canal, with full pack.

Your friend is practically a genius. There are very few practice Kilimanjaros scattered about the globe but to re-create hiking with a load at awkward angles on uneven terrain.... Brilliant. If they'd smoked 40 fags a day they could even have replicated the breathlessness

 

[Michael Glennon]

Don’t worry you’ll get fit as you go just don’t do any big days for the first two weeks. It’s important not to stress the body early. Long distance cyclists and walkers who go too hard early usually don’t finish what they intended to do.

In the mean while try to walk, cycle or practice yoga as much as you can but again don’t over do it.

I’ve just completed cycling the Camino DelCid and believe me I was not bike fit when I started !! Now riding back to Barcelona for my flight home.

Best of luck enjoy the trail… there’s such a sense of freedom and light out there

 

[Richard Smith]

Climbing fire stairs as training for canyoning was useful but I found I was trained for even, certain height steps and the uneven steps in the bush felt very different. The underlying fitness still helped but any rough climbing will serve you better.
Carrying a weight on your back is important and the more of your camino gear you use for training, the better.

 

[Trekker One]

Paul, I would hazard to say you are probably doing more fitness wise in preparation than most that walk a Camino. While I have met some very fit people in my years walking, most are average regular people.
In addition to what you are doing, work on exercises that improve your core strength.
I will suggest you consider trekking poles if you don't already have them. I have used them 100% of the time on all six of my Camino's. Even on the dead flat they help reduce stress on your knees and legs in general. I find them very valuable ascending and decending hills and in wet condtions.
As as been suggested, work up your daily distances. Many overdue it in their first few days and suffer for many days afterwards.

 

[Saint Mike II]

G'Day, @Paul_L Another welcome to the forum. I cycled and walked the Camino Frances - cycled 2015 (from Pamplona) and walked 2017 from St Jean.
You do not mention (I think) which route or camino you are intending to travel. So yes you do, imho, need hill training. There are more than a few hills in Spain. The regular guide book for the Camino Frances (by Brierley) is good for planning but not all that good for cyclists. There is another book, sponsored by Michellin (the tyre people), which provides details of alternative roads available when the walking track is unsuitable. I will try to do a search of other guide books that help.
Are you bringing your own bike or going to hire one?? If you are hirering then I strongly recommend bringing your own locks and chains. If you have more questions feel free to ask. Buen Camino

 

[Paul_L]

G'Day, @Paul_L Another welcome to the forum. I cycled and walked the Camino Frances - cycled 2015 (from Pamplona) and walked 2017 from St Jean.
You do not mention (I think) which route or camino you are intending to travel. So yes you do, imho, need hill training. There are more than a few hills in Spain. The regular guide book for the Camino Frances (by Brierley) is good for planning but not all that good for cyclists. There is another book, sponsored by Michellin (the tyre people), which provides details of alternative roads available when the walking track is unsuitable. I will try to do a search of other guide books that help.
Are you bringing your own bike or going to hire one?? If you are hirering then I strongly recommend bringing your own locks and chains. If you have more questions feel free to ask. Buen Camino

Sorry, I haven't been clear enough. We are walking the Frances as a family, my question was around building some leg strength through cycling because the area I live in is so flat.

What we have done now is put some timber under the front of our treadmill. It's sitting at around 7 degrees elevation, which sounds like nothing but is certainly giving us the workout we need.