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How did you stay fit during lockdown?

How did you stay fit during lockdown?


Postby simon-b » Thu Apr 29, 2021 12:18 pm

People are starting to return to the hills now, and some are admitting having lost a lot of hill fitness. Hills and gyms may have been out of bounds, but a lot of us have had more time at home to take advantage of permitted exercise. We've been able to go out for a run or cycle, or stay in and do bodyweight strength, cardio or flexibility exercises. Some of us may have home equipment for weight training, spin cycling, step etc. So what have locked down hillwalkers been doing? Working on stamina ready for a return to the hills? Or training other aspects of fitness such as strength, flexibility and HIIT cardio? I'm not sure how my hill fitness will be on getting back to the mountains, but have hit a personal best on the deadlift this year!
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Re: How did you stay fit during lockdown?

Postby JonetCol » Thu Apr 29, 2021 2:29 pm

Bought a mountain bike. wasn't cheap but it was a lifesaver. Luckily plenty decent cycle rides nearby. Also walked a lot from home, but it's in the 'burbs and - like cycling - it ain't the same. Used the stairs for exercise too. Boring but the local walks have little ascent so had to do something. First walk out after easing of rules involved some steep ascents which I managed no bother. Was a little stiff and sore after the first trip, but expected that (old age).
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Re: How did you stay fit during lockdown?

Postby Fiona Reid » Thu Apr 29, 2021 4:44 pm

For the first lockdown lots of local cycling and lots of trips in the Pentlands. We'd cycled 1500km by June 2020 whereas previously we only cycled to work. The bike was bliss as you could escape the pavements packed with people and we resorted to ticking off random wee lumps around Edinburgh.

For the second lockdown, initially Pentlands trips then a fair bit of down time over the winter whilst we moved house twice so a lot of time driving and carrying boxes etc.. We got out as much as we could though and haven't found any issues with fitness since starting doing long days again.
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Re: How did you stay fit during lockdown?

Postby Pointless Parasite » Thu Apr 29, 2021 6:41 pm

I've experienced various 'lockdowns' since this thing started. Last year I was living in Barcelona and the lockdown was very strict. We weren't even allowed outdoors for excercise so I ran up and down the stairs to my appartment in the Gothic quarter (115 steps) a few times in the morning. It wasn't enough, and when I finally got back into the mountains I really struggled.

The current restrictions in France (set to end this weekend) are very loose. We can excercise within 15 km of home, which for me includes Crete de la Neige (1720 m). So far, I've climbed it 5 times. It's good for keeping my fitness levels up, but it's starting to lose its appeal now :roll:
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Re: How did you stay fit during lockdown?

Postby sc00ba87 » Thu Apr 29, 2021 8:20 pm

Walked a couple of local smaller hills with the kids. The plane crash hunt on Blaeloch hill was a particular highlight for the young 'uns!!

Not much other than that, probably smoked far too much to be honest haha.

I've climbed Beinn Bhuidhe at Cairndow to finish the Arrochar Alps, Ben Chonzie, Beinn Dubhcreagh & Ben Oss since travel restrictions were lifted though taking me to a grand total of 18 Munros!!

Didn't really notice too much difference fitness wise, although we tend to amble up the hills and lark around and enjoy the day, we don't push too hard :lol:
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Re: How did you stay fit during lockdown?

Postby jupe1407 » Thu Apr 29, 2021 11:16 pm

I cycled about 4500 miles last year, 3000 outdoors and 1500 on Zwift which was an absolute godsend during winter. I've been up Mayar and Driesh 2 or 3 times, as well as various Angus Grahams and a Corbett. I was doing a bit of running as well but i kept getting nagging calf strains. I'm 31lbs lighter than I was this time last year and I've noticed a considerable difference on my hillwalks so far.
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Re: How did you stay fit during lockdown?

Postby al78 » Fri Apr 30, 2021 12:49 am

I'm fortunate to live very close to some quiet country lanes and there is a nice 5 mile loop I occasionally did on my bike, sometimes more than one lap and sometimes with a bit of variation. I have always used my bike for local journeys into town and to my allotment. Other than that, I accepted I would lose a fair bit of fitness, although since getting out for double figure mileage walks this year, my stamina is better than I expected, and I am surprised that a 15 mile flat walk doesn't take anywhere near all day. I am going for long walks each weekend with hills (or what counts as hills in SE England) to train for my cross-Knoydart backpacking trip at the end of May/early June.
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Re: How did you stay fit during lockdown?

Postby Caberfeidh » Fri Apr 30, 2021 8:05 am

Stay fit? I didn't! I indulged in heavy and sustained alcohol abuse, whilst curled up on the sofa watching the nightmare unfold. Recently I have managed a few walks of just a few miles, ( just a couple of miles each way) and noticed that I suffer for it for a few days afterwards. I hope that will pass with more activity. It's a bit shocking how badly condition is lost - though I don't know that I was in great condition previously. :shock: Still, it's nice to get out for a wander even if it is not as far and wide as I used to.
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Re: How did you stay fit during lockdown?

Postby gaffr » Fri Apr 30, 2021 8:17 am

Using my old off road bike. I stay just inside the Cairngorms National Park so within fairly easy reach of the many trails into and around the Cairngorms. The roads around here are busy during most seasons so being one that did not ever enjoy cycling on roads with fast moving traffic....they just don't mix easily together.
With the arrival of the cycle trail parallel to the new dualled section of the A9 means that now I have a relatively safe way to access the trails away from traffic. Many links to trails and paths that allow for pleasant days out on a variety of terrain.
Our latest day out was using a section of Speyside Way from Boat of Garten to reach the Osprey visitor place via the big pines trail, a bit of minor road and unpaved road to get to Forest Lodge, upwards to Rynettin, Ryvoan and using the Old Logging trail to reach Aviemore. Another stage of the Speyside Way got us back to B of G.
The combinations for away from traffic bike use in the area are numerous.
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Re: How did you stay fit during lockdown?

Postby rgf101 » Fri Apr 30, 2021 8:50 am

Best thing I did was buy a £180 hybrid bike the day before the first lockdown kicked in. Not ridden since I was a kid, but enjoyed whizzing about Edinburgh and it's my preferred mode of transport now. When people told me cycling was faster than the bus I thought they meant by five minutes or something, didn't realise you can halve travel times.
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Re: How did you stay fit during lockdown?

Postby AyrshireAlps » Fri Apr 30, 2021 9:41 am

Running, and try to do a load of lunges and squats, which helps immensely with hill fitness. The only thing that's tailed off is my hill running fitness, as a lack of races and events has kinda dulled my motivation.
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Re: How did you stay fit during lockdown?

Postby Lightfoot2017 » Fri Apr 30, 2021 12:33 pm

I didn't. :(

I piled on weight at a rate not seen since I was in the womb.

The most exercise I did was long meandering walks from my settee to the fridge (about 12 steps).

According to my kids I'm now officially 'fat'. :shock:
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Re: How did you stay fit during lockdown?

Postby simon-b » Fri Apr 30, 2021 9:40 pm

Thanks everybody, lots of good stories here, of both activity and non-activity, all worth reading!

There has clearly been a lot of cycling going on. I don't have an outdoor bike, but do have an indoor one. Although I haven't used Zwift, I do use Global Cycling Nerwork's training videos, they take you on virtual rides through the Dolomites even when real hills are out of bounds.

Squats and lunges are good, I agree. I like Zercher squats (bar in the crook of the elbows), these encourage good knee alignment, and of course knee stability is important for hillwalkers. Bulgarian split squats and lateral lunges are also good, plus some Romanian deadlifts so the hamstrings don't get left behind.

Interesting to hear about Pointless Parasite's current residence in France. A friend's mother lives in the Jura region (French Jura, of course!), more than 15 km from Cret de la Neige but same general area, near Lons le Saunier. I went there a couple of times with friends. We went to Saint Claude once, and crossed the Swiss border (pre covid, of course!) at La Cure a few times. You might well know those places, PP. And we've drunk the local vin jaune, an acquired taste but worth trying. I guess you get a good view of currently forbidden Switzerland from Cret de la Neige, I've not climbed it, but one of my friends has.
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Re: How did you stay fit during lockdown?

Postby Fife Flyer » Sat May 01, 2021 3:04 pm

Hi Simon good to see you are still keen on the hills.
I/we tried to stay fit by 'bagging' every Tump all 109 on the mainland of Fife. Once released we soon found out that no matter how many wee hills you climb that is no substitute for scaling the bigger hills. We were out yesterday on another epic in Glendessary, WR to follow.
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Re: How did you stay fit during lockdown?

Postby simon-b » Sat May 01, 2021 3:12 pm

Fife Flyer wrote:Hi Simon good to see you are still keen on the hills.
I/we tried to stay fit by 'bagging' every Tump all 109 on the mainland of Fife. Once released we soon found out that no matter how many wee hills you climb that is no substitute for scaling the bigger hills. We were out yesterday on another epic in Glendessary, WR to follow.

Hi Martin! Glendessary brings back fond memories of when I did an 'Andy Nicholls' and drove up overnight from England to start the Arkaig 3 in the morning. I hope you had a good day, glad to see you're getting back up the hills.
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