EXERCISE OF THE MONTH
Keeping your body in shape and exercising is essential for an adventure without hiccups like AMS (Acute Mountain Sickness) and other physical problems. In this issue of Cross the Line, we will discuss Crunches and their critical importance.
You can do crunches for easy to moderately difficult to highly difficult adventures. Crunches enable you to strengthen your core muscles and increase your fitness and flexibility. Since we use our core muscular strength during adventures like trekking, hiking, mountaineering, rock climbing, via ferrata and others, doing crunches from 5-6 weeks prior to your adventure could prove to be helpful.
5-6 weeks before your planned adventure, you can start with basic cardiovascular exercises and a few crunches like 3 sets with 15 repetitions in each. Continue this activity almost every day until 3-4 weeks prior to the adventure. By now your core muscles would have become stronger and your flexibility must have improved. So, you can increase the number of crunches. Now you can do 3 sets with 20 repetitions in each. A cool down process is also required to flex your muscles.
Step 1: Lie down on the floor with knees bent and feet planted hip-width apart
Step 2: Place your hands on the floor by your side
Step 3: Inhale, contract your abs towards your spine
Step 4: Exhale and lift your feet off the floor and raise your knees upward and inward toward your chest, keeping your knees at a 90 degree angle
Step 5: Your hips should tilt inward to crunch your abs
Step 6: Slowly lower your feet to the floor
Hope we provided you with enough information and enthusiasm to cross the line and find your next adventure. Pull up your socks, pack your gear, make your move, and cross the line!
Till then, we will compile another issue for you to collect critical information for your next outdoor adventure.