Fit For Adventure Pt 2
Stepping Beyond – Training for Elevated Adventures
For participants who want to level up into more demanding and adventurous challenges, this post explores what specialized training looks like and why it matters.
You are capable of anything if you acquire the knowledge, skill and the fitness required in the pursuit of your desired challenge.
Here are some of skills you need to master to elevate your training:
Transition from baseline fitness to goal-specific or activity based training.
The “difficult training phase”: endurance, strength, and skill-building.
Example activities: interval training, weighted pack hikes, stair climbs, skill drills. Depends on the intensity and duration of the chosen activity or multi sport activities, training can be multi sport where you are ready for anything or specific to experience, climbing, alpine travel, kayaking and skiing. any sport finds improvement with focused disciplines.
Reframing challenge: the struggle now creates joy later. the greater the challenge the higher level of experience, emotional connection and self confidence is achieved.
The Mind-Body Connection – Fitness Beyond the Physical
Theme: Adventure is never just about the body; the mind determines resilience and fulfillment. This post explores how fitness training cultivates mental clarity, confidence, and emotional strength.
Here’s how to build the mind-body connection:
Training builds patience, focus, and adaptability. Mental and physical training are truly one of the only things in life that we have complete control over..
Outdoor activity enhances mood, reduces stress, and sharpens presence. When you need to train improve or msintain your life energy might as well throw in some adventure. Add a reason to improve your mind your body all at ounce thru adventure. As a goal for some like a hike to the bottom of the grand Canyon and as part of everyday life as many do here in Sedona AZ.
Flow state: where effort and enjoyment meet. If you have never experienced a level of mental and physical strength that allows your body to just go, It knows what to do it frees your mind you find the zen place ,peace, pure thought, and if you are outdoors maybe a solid connection to nature from which we came.
Real-life application: resilience learned on trail translates to daily life. Problem solving, critical thinking and the life force within you improves.
Statistics show that if the average maintains a high level of fitness you can stay active and continue to take on new challenges to age 85. Iss’t this what life is about, living fully for as long as possible.
Higher levels of fitness offer stronger immune system, better resistance to disease and metabolic conditions like diabetes, arthritis, chronic fatigue as well as the many other issues the western lifestyle brings to the table.
Cresting the Ridge – From Challenge to Maintenance
Theme: Training hard is one phase; maintaining gains is the next. This post highlights how to sustain fitness without constant intensity and how maintenance supports ongoing adventure readiness.
Key Points:
The hardest work is in the “build-up” phase.
Maintenance requires less intensity but more consistency. using different programs to train the different tissue types as well as allowing for recovery, Offering veriation in challenges cuts back on the requirement to just keep training harder. There has been so much research done on maximizing effort for results[ think Olympics training ] that we can now truly train smarter not harder
Example: 2–3 workouts a week Pulse 1 day with some level of intensity will preserve endurance and strength.
Fitness as a lifestyle, not just preparation for one trip. But a long lifetime of exciting adventures and experiences to share and make memories.
Expanding Horizons – A Progressive Training Platform
Theme: Fitness is not static. This post shows how a progressive system increases intensity, develops new skills, and expands the scope of adventure experiences.
Key Points:
Layered approach: baseline → challenge / growth mentally and physically → Amplified experiences
Structured training platforms (periodization, progressive overload, skill progression, recovery).
Yesterday’s challenge as today’s warm-up. Keep setting new challenges and higher goals.
The reward: more adventures a higher level of living unlocked as fitness improves.
Short Story
A client of mine was unable to actually raise his hand for me to shake it when we first met, he tried. however his shoulders were frozen from lack of movement and very poor health habits. Neal was 62 and retired, had become the Yacht club president and had become highly social in his duties. I was introduced to him thru a club member who was a client and owned a sailing charter service. Neal agreed to give some effort to a recovery p[program in an effort to regain some sort of ability to improve his condition, and maybe find a way beck to enjoying life. We started a progressive training program consisting of strength, endurance training and a good amount of flexibility focused activities. After a few weeks we began to add so local hikes on trails to break up gym time and to allow ourselves to get some sunshine and fresh air. We brought along his dog a beautiful golden retriever named Rosco. This became a regular routine for several months, Rosco and I became best friends quickly. As sometimes happens to most of us we might lose a little momentum. Its tough to keep pushing yourself sometimes when there is pain and slow recovery. Then one day and old girlfriend of Neal’s called out of the blue. How have you been? Well after a little bragging of his training and adventures, she mentioned that one of the things on her bucket list was a trip to the bottom of the grand canyon. Well says Neal My trainer is an adventure Guide and the Grand Canyon is his favorite place. Ill see if maybe we could put a trip together. Well as you may imagine the training level increased dramatically. Neal worked so hard the improvement was amazing. after 2 months of gradual intensified programming. we were ready to go for the Grand challenge. Met with the old girlfriend Susan in Las Vegas along with her best friend and another couple that were sailing acquaintances. The hike in was tough on everyone as you might imagine. However was done with great enthusiasm and a loads of laughter. We camped for several days at havasu campground on the Supai Reservation in the bottom of the Canyon. Swimming and playing in waterfalls for days. Compadre bloomed but romance unfortunately didn’t. The experiences we shared bound us together in friendship for life, we stll exchange memories at that time of year. Neal went on to live a better life and regularly challenged himself to more adventure, although none as heavy as the Grand Canyon.
Motto: You can achieve anything you desire all you need is a reason a purpose
The Mental Rewards of Elevated Adventure
In Summary: of the series, focusing on why adventure fitness matters beyond the body. Elevated wellness and fitness climbing to new heights of adventures builds resilience, courage, purpose and adds tremendous self can do self confidence.
Key Points:
Mental toughness developed through training and overcoming challenges.
Problem-solving and adaptability in dynamic ever changing environments.
The deep satisfaction of achievement and growth.
Long-term transformation: vitality, confidence, and inspiration carried into everyday life. A life of continued growth
For guidance to the next level or any level of adventure fitness. Reach out I can help.
Your depth of fitness both mentally and physically determine your level of experience in Life
Current Adventure
This week I will be hiking The Zion Narrows with some friends. The narrows is one of the greatest hikes in the world 16 miles of narrow canyon thru hanging gardens and waterfalls. With a very special night sleeping Creekside in one of the most scenic and serene locations of the natural world. I’ll share my experience afterwards.