It's actually pretty amazing that I
haven't written one of my trademark rants about trekking poles
already, but, as far as I can recall, I never have. Truthfully, I
don't really remember people in Canada being quite so fervent as the
Australians are with trekking poles. Occasionally, when people were
carrying big mountaineering packs off-trail you'd see poles, but it
was not that common, at least among my friends and climbing
companions. In Australia, folks seem to use trekking poles to hobble
from their caravan to the outhouse. In all the 223 km and 13 days of
the Larapinta Track I saw exactly two people walking without trekking
poles, and to see one of those, I had to look in the mirror.
I do recall, nearing the end of a 30 km
day on the Larapinta Track meeting a hiker coming in the other
direction who was burdened down with a huge pack, dressed head to toe
in new gear - thick pants, heavy boots, gaitors, long sleeved shirt -
and bent virtually double over a pair of trekking poles. I felt
under-dressed in shorts, tee shirt and a pair of running shoes as I
scampered by, but, couldn't help thinking that folks would enjoy
hikes more if they got into tolerable shape for their hike by working
out in the gym and building a strong core and legs before they went
out walking rather than thinking the walking would get them in shape.
This seemingly irrelevant story is not
solely presented to cast me in a favourable light, but is meant to
set the stage for an alternative view of trekking poles to the
standard "rah, rah" trekking poles are great. I actually
think trekking poles are a bit like bands used in Crossfit to help
people get their first pull-ups. They work, but there are better
ways. Doing negatives is a much better way to get your first pull-up
and strengthening the weak musculature and poor
balance/proprioception that is the reason you picked up those
trekking poles in the first place is a infinitely preferable solution
to using trekking poles.
Doug on Euro Ridge near the east end of the Larapinta Track
The proponents of trekking poles rave
about how they help your balance ("four feet are better than
two," they say), but, I say, if your balance is a problem,
instead of propping it up with an artificial aid, work your balance.
Stop wearing big clumpy shoes that don't allow you to feel the
ground, walk barefoot, walk on rough ground, practice various balance
exercises, walk without poles, do all the things that actually
improve your balance. Physiotherapy studies have repeatedly shown
that using trekking poles reduces proprioceptive ability which is why
it makes no sense to worsen your already poor proprioceptive ability
with an over-reliance on trekking poles.
One of the other big reasons people use
trekking poles is to help them stay more upright when
walking/running. If you can't hold yourself upright while
walking/running even with a big pack on, you have weak core
musculature and should be strengthening your core, not compromising
already flaccid trunk muscles by leaning on poles. If you are so
tired from running/walking that you can't hold yourself upright,
stop. There is no difference between using poor form when weight
lifting and using poor form when walking/running. Once you've
reached the leaning over stage, you're done for the day. It is
counter-productive to ingrain poor movement patterns simply because
you want to run a few extra kilometres or walk a few extra miles.
Poor form doesn't count when weight lifting and it doesn't count when
running or walking either.
The same goes for taking the weight off
your knees, helping you go uphill or down, or even propelling you on
the flats. Don't prop up weak leg muscles by using poles, take a
step back from all the walking/running and get into the gym and
strengthen your legs instead. If you are one of those steady state
cardio junkies who has to run, run, run and is concerned about
trashing your knees, well, you're probably right to be concerned, but
the answer isn't picking up a pair of trekking poles and continuing
to run with weak leg muscles. A better solution would be to decrease
the running and increase the weight training. You might find that
your running improves.
You could train all your trunk muscles,
your torso, your upper body and that amorphous thing that yuppies
call your "core" simply by going to the gym for half an
hour two or three times a week and doing some big Olympic lifts with
heavy weights. Two or three months and you'd be strong enough to
snap those stupid trekking poles in half, lift your 30 kg pack
overhead, and walk/run all day without your trunk collapsing over
your knees.
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