Inca Trail Fitness – HELP! Exercise and Heart Rate

Preparing for the Inca Trail starts by considering its current physical condition. Organization is necessary; specialists recommend beginning to prepare six months before your trek.

The muscles become more robust if they are trained regularly and adequately. Start with daily walks so your muscles generate resistance, gradually increasing difficulty.

To trek, your heart, back, hip, and foot muscles must be strong to climb more efficiently and use less oxygen. Therefore, altitude sickness will not affect your body.

Where and how to do exercises?

Exercises depend on your lifestyle and where you live; ideally, begin short treks and climb stairs, all accompanied by rotating activities of the joints if you walk briskly.

The answer depends on your preferences, lifestyle, and where you live. You must have considerable self-discipline if you live near pleasant walking or running grounds, and proper footwear may be all you need. Consider getting a heart rate monitor to make your training more systematic. Try to go out with a friend who wants to get in shape: if your training needs and rhythms are compatible, they will motivate each other.

If brisk trekking or running does not work, try to find a combination of activities you like and frequently do (three times a week), such as dancing, cycling, or swimming. Consider going to a gym to monitor your progress and fitness. Supplement your training with walks that contain climbs and descents in rough terrain. Drink plenty of water before, during, and after your sessions.

When and what exercises to do often on the Inca Trail

You do not have to become an exercise addict to do these treks, but you will enjoy this experience more than being in shape. Start training long before you start; if you are not fit, creating 3 to 6 months in advance is best. If you smoke, leave it at least until after your trip.

The best training frequency is every other day; the body needs a rest day to extract the maximum benefit from the training session. The goal of a training period is to train three times a week. Before leaving, take longer sessions and stop the training one to two days before leaving.

Buying water bottles during the first two days is possible when drinking water. Still, it is necessary to purify the water; we recommend taking purifying tablets or drops to purify and drink the water.

We recommend that you take the Inca Trail.

• A backpack
• A sleeping bag
• Trekking shoes
• Long pants
• Trekking Poles
• Warm clothing, including a jacket, sweaters, and four pairs of socks
• A jacket or poncho for rain.
• Plastic bags to store your clothes
• One Flashlight, Batteries, and a Pocket Knife
• One Water Bottle & water-purifying tablets
• A Hat and a cap to protect it from the sun and cold
• Evening gloves and scarf
• Sun blocker & insect repellent.
• Toilet paper
• Some extra snacks (biscuits, sweets, chocolates)
• A towel
• A bathing suit (recommended for hot springs)
• Cash (no ATM in Aguas Calientes)
• Tips for porters, guides, and cooks (please see note below)
• Personal first aid kit
• Original passport and ISIC Card (if you have one); photocopies are not accepted.

We also suggest that if you make the Inca Trail, you spend at least two days in Cusco or somewhere of a similar altitude to be acclimated and ready for it and have no problems with heights.