Fast and Furious Fitness

I was speaking to a couple last night (both good friends of ours) that had just returned from a short jaunt in the hills of Northern India. It was a much needed break from the daily grind for them, but more importantly, a chance to get away from the ever present smog and pollution of the cities. Most importantly though, it gave them a chance to get some solid exercise in - which neither one of them seem to be able to do in the city.

This got me thinking about a few years ago, when I used to live in an area which was hilly in parts. There was a hill right next to my house (about 10 minutes walking distance), and I used to climb this hill daily, without fail - I have many fond memories of the excellent workouts a rigorous daily walk up the hill provided!

And that brings me to the point of this post - Hill climbs to build superior levels of fitness. Hill climbs can be used to build super health and fitness for just about every level of athelete, from beginner to advanced. They are an excellent overall body conditioner, and done daily, build great strength in the legs and back, thereby strengthening the entire body.

Here’s evidence from my own training: A few years back, I had put on some extra weight around the middle, due to less than optimum eating habits, and a lack of proper exercise (though it was more due to the latter than the former). I then started working out with the type of routines I advocate here, and the results were great. In addition, I added a hill climb to my daily routine as well - and within a few months of starting, I literally went down several waist sizes from what I used to be prior to starting, while increasing strength throughout my entire body.

The hill, where I used to live had several tracks - some with steps, and one without. I used to climb this hill at a brisk pace - took me about 15-20 minutes to get up it and another 20 minutes to get down. I usually used the route with stairs while going up, and use the trail without stairs while coming down - that seemed to give me a better workout. The walk lasted about an hour, and put me in a great mood for the rest of my workout as well. OK, that isn’t “quick”, but walks rarely ever are - especially the tough and strenous ones. What makes hill climbs different is that you are exerting maximal effort for most of the time, which makes the investment in time worthwhile.

Of course, hills lend themselves to “quick” fitness as well. I’ll put together a routine soon which consists of just ONE exercise, and the overall routine will last for 10 minutes at most. That’s right, just ONE exercise, and for 10 minutes - and this will work your entire body like it’s never been worked before. This is an advanced routine though, so I wouldn’t recommend it for all, not until a certain level of fitness has already been achieved.

At the end of my climb I used to be soaked in sweat. Especially on those days when it was hot and humid (and it was that way a lot of times) - and I loved it!! The feeling I experienced when I was at the top of the hill, and my heart was pounding, and I KNEW I’d done the best I could - is undescribable - but, those of you that workout regularly will understand!

I generally don’t post too many pictures, but I’m feeling nostalgic at the moment, so I’ll post a couple of pictures showing what the view looked like, from the top of the mountain!

In the meantime, if you don’t have hills where your at, then use other alternatives. Stair sprints, jumping rope, and high repetition Hindu Squats all do the trick. (I currently live in the plains as well, so I know how that goes).

The world is your oyster when it comes to fitness - if you choose to use it!

Get fit - FAST!

Rahul

PS: In the future, I am going to write about another superb overall body exercise, swimming - which also happens to be of my favorite exercises. Stay tuned!

PS#1: No hills, where your at? No problem. Click here for some routines that will get you into super shape anyways.