Outside Online Archives | Outside Online

You Are Here:

Home >> Outside Online Archives

Today's Question
How do you make primitive snowshoes? answer

What should you do if you get lost driving in a snow storm? answer

Today's Question
What is the greenest ski and snowboard on the market? answer

Can I really damage a coral reef with sunscreen while snorkeling? answer

What kind of dog will make me look manlier? answer
Is there a sport that safely combines my twin passions for guns and kayaks? answer
How come most of the world's cultures enjoy eating goat, but Americans don't? answer

Online Favorites

Special Issues

Photo Galleries

Outside magazine, August 2000	Page: 1 \| 2 \| 3 \| 4 \| 5

Clay Mcbride

Ankles are not your friend when traveling with a full pack over rugged terrain. Unprepared hikers tackling an epic slog are begging for Achilles tendinitis, or, worse, may find their trip screeching to a halt with one ankle-popping misstep. Gym machines do little to develop the necessary strength and range of movement, says Roger LaPointe, owner of a weightlifting equipment company called Atomic Athletic, an Eagle Scout, and an avid hiker. "You're out there with this big pack, you're stumbling on rocks. A treadmill won't simulate those conditions." Here's how you can.

ODD-OBJECT LIFTS
Pretend you're the World's Strongest Man (or Woman). Move a heavy rock from the ground to a picnic table. Pass it around your body. Hoist it overhead like the barbarian you are. "You're working your muscles in a way a machine never could," says LaPointe. "Plus, there's a sense of primitive satisfaction." Another primitive satisfaction: Load kegs of beer onto a truck (ideally one heading to your buddy's house for a Labor Day luau).

WEIGHTED LUNGES
In a wide split stance with the back heel raised, lower yourself until the front knee is at 90 degrees and the back knee almost touches the ground. Switch sides. When adding resistance, either place a barbell on your shoulders or hold dumbbells at your sides.

CALF RAISES
Stand on the edge of a step and rise up on your toes. Use a heavy load, like your full pack, and low reps—but remember to build up slowly; there's a reason the Achilles' heel is a symbol of weakness.