Health and Fitness required for Sikkim Village To Village Trek

A lot of people tend to assume that doing Village to Village Trek or any Himalayan Treks requires super fitness, athletic body, and experience. However, this is not exactly the case. One does not need to be a super fit, athlete, or experienced to do such treks. Relative fitness with proper preparation is quite enough to undertake this trek.

If someone is super Fit, has an athletic body, and has good trekking experience, it is an added advantage. However even a beginner or amateur can do Village to Village Trek and other low-altitude treks with relative fitness.

Village to Village Trek is doable for anyone who has relatively good physical fitness with 4 to 7 hrs walking ability on Himalayan terrain, good health condition, adventure enthusiasm, and proper gears.

* How to get fit for Village to Village Trek:
Village to Village Trek is graded as easy to moderate Trek. On most days, you trek for 10 to 14 km in 6 to 8 hrs. Doing this with a backpack and to enjoy the Trek you require good physical condition.

The best way to prepare for the Village to Village Trek is by doing Cardio Vascular Endurance and Flexibility Exercises. To cover a long distance with a steep ascent one requires good endurance and stamina.

Jogging, Running, Swimming, Cycling, and Stair climbing are the best exercises you can do to increase your Endurance and stamina.

Jogging 5 km in 45 minutes and 10 km in an hour is a good start. This needs to be done at least 2 times a week. It’s recommended to gradually increase the pace and cover the distance in less time. Cycling for 2 to 4 hrs a day for at least 3 days a week is a good exercise. Swimming 1 to 2 hrs a day. Stair climbing for 1 to 2 hrs with a 4 to 8 kg weighted backpack is recommended. Skipping 100 to 500 times with a gradual increase each week.

Strength Training:
Your legs strength is most to undertake such a long number of day’s trek. Your core muscles need to be strong. Squats are the most suitable exercise to strengthen your legs muscles. 3 to 4 sets of squats with 15 to 20 squats in each set is recommended.

Flexibility:
Flexibility is very important to undertake such long multiple days treks. Stretching your hamstrings, hips, arms, necks, lower back, and other muscles is very important to stay fit and in good shape. Yoga, aerobics, and other stretching exercises are highly recommended.

Mental Fitness:
Undertaking low-altitude Village to Village treks requires not only good physical fitness but also a sound and prepared mentality. You have to be mentally prepared to undertake treks with proper information and preparation. You can overcome difficult terrain, extreme cold, bad weather condition, and other issues which might come up in the mountain if you are mentally prepared to face it.

Trekking in the Himalayan regions involves unpredictable weather conditions, Accidental risk, Altitude sickness, and unforeseen issues, so mental preparedness in overcoming such situations is vital.