Hiking Strength Series – Stronger Upper Body
Rounding out the Hiking Strength Series will be upper body work. If you have followed the series so far, we have discussed various exercises and routines to help you train and prepare for your upcoming hiking adventure (links for previous posts below). Training your upper body is no different. For example…hauling heavy packs? Strengthen shoulders and back. Scrambling up a rocky face? Develop capable arms and chest. Slip, and end up dangling off the side of a cliff clutching a protruding tree root? You better hope your grip and back are up for the task! 
Adding an upper body strength component into your training will improve your overall physical capability and further prepare your body for adventure. For this post I’ll be sticking with a few bodyweight movements and I’ll demonstrate how to adapt the exercise to increase or decrease the resistance and add variations to mix up your training and keep it interesting. Then, in the following post I’ll combine all the movements from the Hiking Strength Series into an 8 week downloadable training program. I’ll also give you tips on implementing this program so you can better prepare for your upcoming adventure!
Pullups
Pullups are a fantastic compound movement that hits your back, arms and grip.
The classic pullup is performed with both palms facing away from the body, hands about shoulder width apart. Grab the bar and in a strict, controlled movement, pull your body up until your chin is above the bar. Lower till the arms are straight again and repeat.
If you are unable to perform pullups at this time here are three movements you can use to start building your strength:
Inverted Rows – Using either a low bar in a squat rack or gymnastic rings, grab the bar/rings, lay back, and keeping your body tight, pull your body to the bar, extend and repeat. Lower the bar or lift your feet to increase resistance as you get stronger.
Banded Pullups – Using resistance bands you can perform assisted pullups to enable the proper range of motion and work different pullup variations. The bands can either be looped over the pullup bar or if pullups are in a squat rack you can stretch the band between the pins. As strength increases reduce the size band or lower the pins in the rack.
Jumping Pullups – For these you’ll simply jump to get above the bar then slowly lower your body, controlling the descent.
Variations – Alter hand positions with wide or narrow grips, palms facing the body (chin-ups), mixed grip and weighted pullups.
Pushups
Pushups are a great complimentary movement to the pullup. Another great compound exercise that helps strengthen the chest, shoulders and arms.
The basic movement is with the hands shoulder width apart, keeping your body tight, lower your body till your chest touches the floor and push back to the up position. To scale the movement down you can drop to your knees (continuing to keep your upper body locked tight) or using the bands again looped around a pullup bar and wrapped around your chest while pushups are being performed.
Variations – Different hand placements, narrow and wide, elevated feet to increase resistance, or elevated hands to allow increased range of motion. Adding a weight vest or looping a stretch band around your chest increases resistance. Hand Steps – set some plates or a short box next to your hands and work stepping your hands up and down on the plates, add in pushups in the different positions.
Bear Crawls
Bear crawls are great for building coordination, chest and shoulder strength and endurance, and are surprisingly humbling. Performed on all fours, walk forward and backwards the length of the space. Think about the coordination of different hand and feet combos moving together. Try to stay low and move smoothly.
Handstands
Handstand holds and pushups – For holds kick up into a handstand against a wall and hold for time, repeat for several rounds gradually increasing hold time. Handstand pushups can be worked once comfortable with the holds. Using pads stacked under your head, gradually work to get lower to the ground to increase depth and range of motion.
Grip
Towel hangs and pullups – two ways to wrap the towel are either slung over or wrapped around. Work on hanging for time and adding pullups.
Conclusion
Adding these movements and the other pieces of the Hiking Strength Series into your weekly training routine will quickly prepare you to tackle your next big adventure. By increasing strength and improving overall fitness and coordination you’ll hike farther, climb higher, and recover faster. Stay tuned for the final post where we put it all together and lay out a training plan…
Thanks for reading!
Hiking Strength Series
