Fantastic- you have just booked your full day hike or multiday trek. You think you have the basic fitness but need to make sure you will be fully prepared.

There is generally more to it than going to the gym or going for practice hikes near home. You may be able to find a personal trainer that specialises in preparing for trekking - like the trainers at Diamonds in the Rough Adventures - but this is not always going to be feasible, so we’ve made a list of things for you to consider when preparing.

Diamonds in the Rough Personal Trainers - Trek Training specialists.

Before your first training session…FIND THE ANSWER TO THESE FOUR IMPORTANT QUESTIONS!

1. What is my hike graded? Introductory, Moderate, Challenging, EPIC!!!

2. What do I have to carry? Day pack (6-8kgs) or Full pack (15-20 kgs)

3. What is the terrain? Are there big ascents and descents, water crossings, rock scrambling? Is it rocky, flat, sandy, muddy? Will you be on grass, roads, bush track or fire trails?

4. What is the likely weather? Hot, cold, humid, dry, rainy, windy?

Kosciuszko Hiking - 4 seasons in one day is not uncommon.

Whatever the grade, the more you are physically and mentally prepared the more you will enjoy the experience. So, start your training as early as you can. 3-6 months before a multi-day trek is ideal.

‘Everything is better when shared with a friend’ – find someone to train with you, keep you accountable, motivate you, and push each other to improve - a little competition never hurt anyone!

The ‘Super Six” must do’s to prepare for a hike.

Gear- invest in good quality gear asap so you can get experience training with it. Get hiking shoes that are water-resistant with a quality sole, a well-fitted pack that will hold all your gear, a quality waterproof and breathable rain jacket, trekking poles- so your knees thank you, and prepare your first aid kit.

Endurance- get hours on your feet, aiming for some 4 to 8 hr hikes. Try some back-to-back days. Find the terrain that you will encounter on your trek. Look for hills, stairs, sand, uneven ground, rock scrambling, mud… Wear the gear that you are going to wear on the trek. Backpack, shoes/boots, socks, pants, tops and even undies and bra… This will highlight if all is comfy, doesn’t rub or chaff, think about your blister prevention. If you need to carry a pack, slowly increase your pack weight by 1 kg a week until you reach the desired weight...

Ocean rock scrambles are great for developing your balance and confidence on uneven terrain.

Speed- Aim to increase the pace you hike at in each session - you can find a certain hill, set of stairs or circuit and gradually do it faster and faster. This is great if you are a bit time poor and cannot always do the longer endurance hikes to prepare.

Strength- building up all those trekking muscles is essential- from the bottom to the top - ankles, calves, quads, hamstrings, glutes abs, shoulders, back, arms - they are all used when trekking. The stronger all those muscles are the better you will cope with long days, challenging terrain, injury and back to back days of hiking.

Upper body and core strength training with Diamonds.

Mental resilience- there are many times on a trek you must dig deep- one more hill, or a wrong turn has added an extra hour or two to the day, the weather turns. So, get out there and train when it’s raining, windy, do just one more hill rep- prove to yourself you are capable.

Rest and Nutrition- you need to time for those sore muscles to recover and mend so definitely remember to have rest days. Eat well and keep hydrated.