Conditioning for Picketts Mill

[Steve Acker]

March saw our first nice day this year and had me riding my mountain bike. Assuming spring is about to show up, what is everyone doing to get in shape for Picketts Mill? Let's share our regimine so we all can beat those hills.


Steve Acker

My program:
I will work out with the kids I coach, or at least part of their workouts.
Hurdling two days a week
Warm up and stretching
Icing everything that hurts the doing it again

[Scott Gutzke]

Re: Conditioning for Picketts Mill

Steve,

I've been walking/jogging about 4 miles per day on a treadmill (just for my own health, not necessarily to get ready for this event). There's been too much snow and ice outside to walk/jog safely. :cry_smile

Your post makes me think of throwing on my pack, haversack, and leathers while I walk/jog. Might help get my body used to the feel of my gear again after the long winter.

[Johnny Lloyd]

Re: Conditioning for Picketts Mill

12-ounce curls do it for me... whoo hoo ;)

I didn't have much problem recently at W64, but then again, not much hilly terrain.

I guess I'll just have to suck it up and drive-on.

-Johnny

[Adams]

Re: Conditioning for Picketts Mill

I've been lifting heavy weights in the gym all winter. Usually focusing on one major muscle group every day for five days a week. I usually walk around the indoor track for about 45 minutes afterwards. My brother and I are about to begin a new training schedule. It will focus on less weight, more reps, and increased cardio. It's called German Volume Training. You focus on one major muscle group exercise doing less weight for 10 sets of 10 reps.

[Steve Acker]

Re: Conditioning for Picketts Mill

Great start. The biggest thing about Picketts Mill is that we will be physically active: marching, skirmish, building works, fighting, marching, skirmishing, building works, etc. Stamina, cardio conditioning and strenght will only make the event more managable.

We will be in light marching order but we will make leather hit the trail.

Steve Acker
Federal commander for Picketts Mill

[theknapsack]

Re: Conditioning for Picketts Mill

http://www.crossfit.com

Do the Workout of the Day.
I warmup for my workouts by doing 2 sets of
15 dips
10 pullups
25 squats
50 pushups
50 situps
and
1 mile run on track for time
and of course active and normal stretching to prevent injury.

After workout
1 mile run on track for time

[Terry Sorchy]

Re: Conditioning for Picketts Mill

Dang, Riley isnt that Ditka's old workout?
Cheers:D
Terry Sorchy

[csabugler]

Re: Conditioning for Picketts Mill

Walk out to the garage, put the hay in the wheel barrell, push it out to the fence, throw the hay over the top rail to the really big, strong, furry horse.
Alternate scoops of feed, 3-4 sets a day.
He'll be ready. :)

Realistically, those who will be on foot and are not from around here, the humidity will be the killer. I've hiked the Mill dozens of times befor my hip rotted away and the sweating out gallons of fluids is what always got to me. If you can simulate that somehow in your routine it will serve you well.

[theknapsack]

Re: Conditioning for Picketts Mill

No, Ditka is too hardcore for me.

[Coon Dawg]

Re: Conditioning for Picketts Mill

Chase around a 4 year old outside every night. Ride and feed horses. Run 10 miles a week. However, the treadmill is inside in the AC. Like everyone else try and drop few pounds before it gets hot. I figure the less fat the less sweat.

[theknapsack]

Re: Conditioning for Picketts Mill

Hopefully the reason that you are sweating is because you are hydrated, not because you have body fat or a lack thereof.

[Coon Dawg]

Re: Conditioning for Picketts Mill

Hopefully the reason that you are sweating is because you are hydrated, not because you have body fat or a lack thereof.

Sweat is nothing but an indicator of how hot your core temperature is. It is not a measure of intensity of exercise or calories being burned.

If you weigh 300 lbs, I assume you are either very muscle bound or at the midpoint of obese (no offense intended). Fat's primary functions are temperature homeostasis and energy. Extra fat means extra insulation, meaning most of your core heat is held in.

Also, being just a little over weight may cause your heart to race more which in turn makes you overheat and for the body to cool itself down it sweats. When your skinnier your heart doesn't beat so fast with simple tasks hence the body doesn't overheat and you don't sweat as much.

If we all start exercising, eating healthier and loose weight sweating will most probably become less of a problem.

[Steve Acker]

Re: Conditioning for Picketts Mill

Walking is still a great exercise when done often enough. To heat up walking try adding some intensity: 2 minutes of speed walking for every 10 minutes. It won't prepare you for the olympics but will increase heart rate. And if you have hills nearby hit em hard.


Picketts Mill is just around the corner so lets get ready.

Steve Acker
Fed guy

[Tom Ezell]

Re: Conditioning for Picketts Mill

850 miles on the bike so far since the first of January, and December was a 400+ mile month as well. Power is coming along nicely, and we're back living in the big chainring.

Now if I could just bring the 29er to da Mill... but that's probably the wrong Caliber ;-)

[Strawfoot]

Re: Conditioning for Picketts Mill

Not to frighten anyone here, but Pickett"s Mill in 2003 was the most worried I've ever been for my well being. The reason...? During the battle for the fence line, I remember the sweat pouring off my head in literal torrents. Literally. :cry_smile

At that point, I realized that no matter how much water I'd drank it really didn't matter if you are sweating at a heavier rate than you are intaking water. I mean, you only have so much in a canteen at a time.

I suppose the key is having a very low heartrate to begin with, and be in very good shape. I got lucky on both counts.

The event was well worth it, for many reasons which I recounted afterwards. But if you weren't there, these guys aren't kidding. Get in shape.


Mike Phineas
Arlington, TX