Posted on August 19, 2022 by Courtney Williams
Motive8 are taking part in Yorkshire’s Brain Tumour Charity’s ‘North Yorkshire Coastal Ramble ‘– a 21.5 mile walk from Scarborough to Whitby on the 10th September. From coast to coast, beach to beach, views to views, sand to sand…….Ladies and Gentleman… Let’s get ready to RAMBLE!
Once you’ve signed up and have committed to the walk, it’s important that you get yourself conditioned in preparation for the distance. I have some exercise tips that will prepare the correct muscles for withstanding the upcoming intensive walk. After all, a 21.5 mile walk is no simple walk in the park!
Core
Core is important for long distance walking as our hip muscles will be forced into overdrive. Make sure to mobilise and work the intricate muscles to give you that stability:
- High knees
- Hip twists
- Russian twists
- Ankle reaches
These exercises are to be done without weight and with maximum range of movement.
Legs
The hamstring and calf muscles are the most important for walking long distances at a reasonable pace, therefore, the hamstring and calf is where we focus. They will be the first to fatigue, so the right conditioning is imperative.
- Bulgarian Split Squats
- Calf Raises
- Tibialis Raise
- Sumo Squats
Again, these can be performed without weights, so can be done anywhere!
If you want to include these exercise into more of a workout, we have a me kettlebell workout specifically designed for walkers here and a workout designed to improve hill walking strength here.
In addition, our advice is to not exercise intensely 5 days before the walk. Participating with existing muscle soreness or fatigue increases the chances of injury and decreases performance. So be prepared but also listen to your body.
And there you have it – two key areas to focus on as you prepare for the walk, and two workouts for extra fitness fun! Get some practice walks in as well so that you’re really ready. We’ll see you in Scarborough!