I will be hiking the Appalachian Trail this spring. Is there any way of preparing my body for this hike? I plan on hiking with my pack loaded for a month before I start, but I am worried about my knees. It seems one of the biggest reasons that some hikers are forced off the trail is due to blown knees. How can I avoid this kind of injury?

—Joan

	Ask the Expert Dave Musnick Ask Dr. Dave a question Meet Dr. Dave Previous Answers

The best way to get ready for backpacking and hiking is to do a combination of aerobic exercise, strength training, and hiking.

During the winter, do 4-5 days a week of aerobic conditioning. The sessions should be 30 minutes long, with one session for 40 minutes. You should feel like you are working slightly harder than hiking or be at 70% of your maximum heart rate (220 minus your age). You should do walking, hiking, snowshoeing, crosscountry, EFX Crosstrainer skiing, or Stairmaster for your activities.

Within 4 weeks of your backpacking trip, start dayhiking one day a week with a loaded daypack on your back. Within 2 weeks of your start date, consider walking around the neighborhood or local park with a loaded backpack.

For strength training, do lunges (mid range and not too deep), in 2 sets of 15. Do these three days a week. For a variation on the lunge, try the biceps curl with lunge. I'd also add a seated row exercise, performed with dumbbells (2 sets of 15). For more details about this exercise and a more thorough program for backpackers, see my book , Conditioning for Outdoor Fitness.

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