Defeat The Worm While Hiking

​In this episode I discuss something which I have coined 'the worm' (which is a very common issue many hikers struggle with when faced with steep elevation and heavy packs). 

Today, we are talking about a very common issue hikers run into when carrying a heavier pack.

Something I call 'the worm'.

Imagine this:

You are out on a hike. You have a pack that is a bit heavier than what you are used to. It could be a day pack, or a full pack, but either way it is just a little bit awkward and uncomfortable...

On the flats, you are fine. Sure, you feel the weight, but it isn't really a big deal.

The hills seem mostly ok too. They require a bit of extra effort and concentration, but you are getting up and down well enough.

But then you hit something a bit steeper. A stretch of steep steps or awkwardly high rocks.

You take a step, and you realise things are now HARD. There is no way you can get up this height with a normal step. And your body starts doing weird things to get us up.

And this is where the 'worm' strikes.

The worm is that funny movement we make with our torso to try to get up these awkward heights:

• You step up onto the step/rock
• Your torso folds forward
• You really 'push' off your back leg and drive momentum up
• You end up doing a kind of 'jump' and 'drag' to get your body up
• And then you slowly bring your torso upright.

That whole awkward sequence - I am sure you have done it before.

A lot of hikers do this - especially when they are tackling steps or rocks that are higher than they are used to or when they have a pack that is a bit heavier than normal.

Now the worm definitely works, and it can help us climb and get through these awkward sections.

But it is not ideal.

Why?

Well, if you are 'worming' your way up steps and rocks all day:

• Your legs are going to fatigue fast
• Your back is going to start to ache
• You will likely end up with jelly legs
• And you will burn a ton more energy than usual

Not what we want!

So if you are aware that the owls are sometimes a part of your hiking, it is definitely worth putting some attention into improving.

At the most basic level, the worm can often come from just not having enough 'general strength'.

E.g. your muscles are just not strong enough to climb these sections normally!

So in that situation, just getting started with a good, well-rounded strength program can do wonders.

A few ways this can help:

• Developing quadricep strength can increase your 'pushing' power to get up the steps
• Working on glute and hamstring strength can help you get more drive out of your legs and aid stability
• Building core strength can help your torso stay more upright (and keep your back comfortable)
• Increasing some upper body strength can support posture with your pack and help if you are using poles

So just nailing the basics can go a long way there!

Some simple exercise examples that can fit into this category include:

• Split stance good mornings
• Split squats
• Deadbugs

If you are already doing this (and have been consistently developing these areas for a while), then the solution might require a bit more 'specific strength'.

(e.g. developing strength which is very specific to the task you are struggling with).

In this situation, a simple approach can be incorporating some slightly higher step-ups into your workouts.

The idea here is that if we can introduce some awkward stepping heights into our training, we can develop strength in some of the more 'extreme' ranges of motion, which will allow us to better produce force and stability in these ranges when on the trail.

Probably the best exercise for this is the 'high box step up'.

Here we find a box/step which is slightly higher than what feels natural, and incorporate some step-ups into our workouts.

At first, just start with bodyweight. Practice going through this exercise and keeping your posture strong (and not falling into the worm). Do this for a few weeks until it feels good.  

Then introduce a bit of weight with a backpack or a weight vest (so we can simulate the specific demands of this movement).

Over the weeks, build up to a weight that is slightly heavier than what you need to carry on the trail.

And once you hit that, you can slowly increase the step height further.

You don't have to spend a huge amount of time doing this, but even a few sets a week (on top of a normal strength program) can go a long way.

So if you are aware that you and 'the worm' are often close companions on the trail, give this a go!​

If you can build up enough general and specific strength to avoid it, it can do wonders for your comfort, enjoyment, and on the trail.


Yours in trekking,

Rowan 

​Want to get fit, strong and resilient for your hiking adventures?

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