How to Get in Shape for Hiking

We have been trying to incorporate more personal stories and posting about our travel/hikes. I'm still really behind on our hiking trips but plan to finish them all soon! These are really important for us to share because as we've mentioned many times before, we do not live in the gym. We don't diet and exercise to look a certain way. This is a lifestyle for us because it allows us to do the activities we love. One of those activities is hiking. We don't want to just drive around and look at mountains or go a quarter mile into the trail, we want to conquer the mountain!

We've climbed some scary trails like Angels Landing in Zion National Park and Half Dome in Yosemite National Park. We've also climbed the highest peak in the lower 48, Mount Whitney. Some of our hiking trips are two weeks long where we hike over 120 miles. I'm not saying this to brag but I want you to understand that if you just consistently train year-round you can do anything you put your mind to! It's just like eating healthy year-round, it will save you so much time and energy and you won't have to constantly worry if your clothes are going to fit or not. We consistently lift weights 4-5 times per week and do cardio 2-3 times per week.

RELATED: 5 Things We Have Done to Maintain a Healthy Lifestyle for 5+ Years

Many people ask what we do to prepare for our hiking trips. Honestly, we don't do anything different from our normal workout routine. We work out similar to how the She Sweats 12-Week Transformation plan is structured with weight training and cardio. Closer to the trip, we tend to steer more towards the She Sweats 12-Week Run Builder, trading in some of the running for incline walking/sprints but we don't spend hours a day working out (unless we are hiking). It's just not necessary or healthy for most people. Building strong legs and strong back and core are key for hiking. Leg day is my absolute favorite (if you've ever done one of our workout plans you probably already know that!). I also do back extensions and core work like planks to warm-up for almost every workout, even if it isn't necessarily "back day".

If you are a beginner, you can start with some at-home exercises using just your body weight. Once you get the form down you can incorporate weights. Check out this full-body hiker workout!

We want you to know that anyone can hike! It's putting one foot in front of the other and definitely a "mind over matter" situation a lot. However, being properly prepared/trained to hike will make it more enjoyable!

We will be sharing A LOT more of our traveling tips. We have posts planned on every single thing we do to save money before the trip and during the trip. We have/will share how/where we book our lodging, flights, and how we handle meals while traveling. Traveling does not have to be as expensive as you may think. Sign up for our newsletter so you never miss a post!

Ladder Workout Challenge: Plank Jacks + Burpees

We just returned from our hiking trip to Montana and Canada (you can view some of our pictures on Instagram (heandsheeatclean) or “follow” my personal Facebook page here). We hiked over 105 miles, gaining over 27,300 feet in elevation. We had a great time but now it's time to come back to reality and get back into the swing of things. This includes food prep and the gym! As we "introduce" ourselves back into the gym, we like to do things a little different the first few days - which includes this challenge!

Note: Don’t forget to enter our Fall Workout Challenge! Get more information here.

We previously shared another Ladder Workout Challenge and since you loved that one so much we decided to make another one! These challenges are a great way to get your heart rate up and finish your workout strong! You could even incorporate them in between your sets or do it after your warm-up, before your normal workout. For an added challenge, record the time it takes you to complete the workout and try to beat that next time. Safety first though, always use proper form!

As you will see in the chart, one set of reps decreases while the next set of reps increase. You will start by doing 10 plank jacks and move straight into 1 burpee, then do 9 plank jacks and 2 burpees, and so on. Confused about how to do a plank jack or a burpee? Read on!

We completed this challenge using our new VerveLife headphones…but not only have we used the VerveLife products in the gym, we've also tested them out on a run and they work great! We don’t really understand how people workout without headphones. We are big on having motivating music playing when lifting or doing cardio (other than hiking, we prefer listening to nature then!). When we got home from our trip we had new headphones waiting on us and we were so excited to try them out! We are testing out the VerveOnes+ and the VerveRider+. VerveLife is an exciting NEW brand of wireless connected products launching worldwide, including here in the U.S.  They are devices designed for real life – for work, play, social – they fit into everything. They offer solutions to busy lifestyles with a unique range of wireless connected audio and video devices and are designed for people like us: we revel in the challenge to rise to any occasion, test ourselves, stretch our abilities, and find out where our limits truly are. We pack a lot into our lives.

VerveOnes+

VerveRider+

VerveOnes

VerveRider

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As I mentioned, we are trying out the VerveOnes+ and also the VerveRider+. They have some similarities but also a few differences. The noticeable difference is that the VerveOnes+ are completely wireless. They are surprisingly very comfortable to wear and fit securely inside your ear.

Both are Siri and Google Now compatible. Let me just say that Scott is a stickler for earbuds and he loves the VerveOnes+ because of the deep, rich HD sound and the fact that they are sweat and waterproof. They have a dual mic that enables your music to pause automatically for an incoming call and once you hang up the music resumes right away! One of the best things might be that once charged, they are good to go for up to 12 hours of playtime.

Grab your headphones, turn up the motivating music, and get ready for this challenge!

Confused about what plank jacks and/or burpees are? We're here for you! Just follow the instructions below. Practice the move slowly at first and move quickly once you are more comfortable.

Plank Jacks:

• Get into push-up position
• Jump your feet out like you are doing a jumping jack
• Lightly land on your toes then return to the starting position
• Move quickly

Burpees:

• Stand up straight with your feet hip width apart
• Lower your body into a squatting position and place your hands on the floor in front of your knees
• Kick (or step) your feet back so you are in a push-up position
• Perform a push-up (you can skip this step if you are a beginner)
• Jump (or step) your feet back to where you were in your squatting position
• Stand and add a high jump at the top for added intensity
• Move quickly

Connect with VerveLife:

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Facebook.com/Avervelife

Instagram.com/avervelife

Twitter.com/avervelife

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by VerveLife in conjunction with Blog Meets Brand and I have been compensated for my participation. All opinions are my own.

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I'm a big fan of following a fitness plan (RELATED: 5 Reasons Why You Need A Fitness Plan) but some days you just need to completely change it up. Use this to spell your workout! Take your first name, last name, kids name, pets name, anything you want and do the exercise listed for each letter. It's tough but FUN! If you are really up for a challenge you could do your first AND last name. Best of all, you can do this anywhere and no equipment is needed! If you are doing one of our workout plans try this for your cardio one day!

Tag us on Instagram and use the hashtag #heandsheeatclean so we can follow along!

For example, my name is Whitney so my workout would be the following:

W - 15 Curtsy Lunges
H - 20 Jumping Jacks
I - 5 Squats with Pulse
T - 20 Plank Jacks
N - 10 Lateral Jumps
E - 5 Jump Lunges
Y - 5 Moving Planks

Confused about what the exercises are? We have some explanations here under "exercise tutorials".