🥾 How a Hiking Trip Made Me Rethink My Fitness Routine

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How a Hiking Trip Made Me Rethink My Fitness Routine

A few months ago, I went on a hiking trip with some buddies in the Rockies. Now, I’ve always considered myself pretty fit—regular lifting sessions, cardio, the whole deal. But let me tell you, nothing prepares you for climbing up a mountain with a 40-pound backpack on your shoulders.

After just an hour, I was winded, and my legs felt like jelly. Meanwhile, my friend Jack, a guy who barely lifts weights but hikes every weekend, was powering ahead like it was nothing. That trip showed me there’s more to fitness than what happens inside the gym.

Functional fitness—building strength for real-world activities like hiking, climbing, or even carrying groceries—is just as important as how much you can bench. Since then, I’ve added more mobility work, core training, and endurance activities to my routine. Trust me, it makes a difference.

Can You Really Build Muscle Without Lifting Weights?

If you’re stuck without access to a gym or weights, you might think your muscle-building days are over. But guess what? You can still pack on muscle with nothing more than your own body weight—and a little creativity.

• Bodyweight Exercises: Push-ups, pull-ups, dips, lunges, and squats are the foundation of any no-weight muscle-building routine. By increasing the volume, adding tempo changes (slow negatives), or incorporating more advanced variations (like one-arm push-ups), you can keep your muscles guessing and growing.

• Resistance Bands: These are a game changer for building muscle without traditional weights. Bands add tension throughout the entire range of motion, hitting muscles differently than free weights. Incorporate them into exercises like rows, chest presses, and curls to build strength and definition.

• Core Strength: The beauty of bodyweight training is it forces you to engage your core. From planks to mountain climbers, your midsection gets stronger with every rep. And as we get older, maintaining core strength is key to preventing injuries and keeping you moving pain-free.

The Guy Who Gained 10 Pounds on Vacation—and Lost It in a Week

Let’s talk about Steve. Steve went on a cruise last summer—five days of endless buffets, sugary cocktails, and zero workouts. When he got back, he’d gained 10 pounds. But here’s the kicker: A week later, most of it was gone.

How? Water weight. All the salty food and carbs from vacation had his body holding onto extra water like a sponge. Once Steve got back to his normal routine—clean eating, drinking water, and getting in his daily steps—those “gains” disappeared.

The point here? Don’t freak out over short-term weight gain, especially after a weekend (or week) of indulgence. A lot of it is water retention. Get back to your healthy habits, and you’ll shed it quickly. Don’t let the scale mess with your head.

Fit Trivia: Which former bodybuilder-turned-actor became a global icon in the 80s for his action roles and chiseled physique?

Answer: Arnold Schwarzenegger! After dominating the bodybuilding world as a 7-time Mr. Olympia, Schwarzenegger gained worldwide fame with films like Conan the Barbarian (1982) and The Terminator (1984), solidifying his place as an action movie legend.

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Publisher: Ryan Engel

Editor: Michael Pender

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