While we might be numb from the cold this
winter, the season that is approaching will leave us sweltering, and probably
longing for a few more wintry days. Amongst us is a group that is looking
forward to escaping that weather, not by staying indoors in an air conditioned
room but by heading for the snow capped mountains of the Himalayas, to be
amidst the clouds in the eternal winter wonderland.
Leading these dreamers of Goa are numerous
adventure groups within the state that plan out the itinerary of these trips,
expecting from those who join in a sense of adventure and adequate physical
fitness.
If you enjoyed reading this article, you can help support our journalism by adding OHeraldo as a preferred source.
Rajesh Rao is a member of Ecotrek Goa, an
adventure group based in Mapusa. He and its founding member Durgadas Parab are
organising a Himalayan trek in May. Rajesh explains that the fitness level
required depends on the difficulty of the trek one wishes to undertake. “There
are three levels of difficulty in treks: easy, moderate and the advanced. To
prepare for an easy or even a moderate trek, a simple 5-6km walk every day is
enough. There is no other training needed since such a trek is really about
walking a fixed distance in a fixed amount of time, and the time allotted is
generally more than enough. Anyone from a child aged 12 to seniors of up to 80
years of age can, if fit enough, undertake these treks.” Speaking of the
advanced trek though, it is always better to undergo training, Rajesh advises:
“When there is rock-climbing or any such activity involved it is advisable to
undergo training. These activities are common in places such as Manali.”
“One should not attempt an advanced level
trek directly,” says Durgadas Parab, stressing upon the need for practice.
“Trekking has to be done in stages. Acclimatisation gets harder as the altitude
increases; since there is a drop in oxygen levels the higher one goes, making
breathing hard. So to help with that, practice is needed; one cannot afford to
have a team member lagging or in need of assistance as we go higher, as the
difficulty level of the trek also increases. Exercises like yoga and pranayam
along with a 6-7km walk every day should suffice as preparation if the person
is otherwise healthy. One has to start with the easy treks and build up to the
harder ones,” he adds. Age is also a factor when preparing for a trek. “The
younger one is, the faster he can recover and acclimatise, so the exercises
will vary with age. There is no diet needed or even gym, yoga is enough,” he
asserts.
Bianca Dias, the founder of Offtrail
Adventures and a veteran mountaineer who has organised and undertaken Himalayan
treks since 2009 also speaks of the need to maintain a healthy body so as to
make the most of the trek one embarks on. “To undertake a trek successfully,
fitness is an important criterion,” she says, adding, “Both before and during
the trek, cardio exercises are important. Up till one reaches 3000 metres
height there isn’t any problem in trekking. But past that, breathing becomes
hard so there is a need to build up the cardiovascular system. Jogging, I would
say, is the best exercise; if you do it every day for at least half an hour
then the cardiovascular fitness increases. Unless there is any health problem,
there is no need to carry any medication either. Just consume a lot of water
during the trek to stay hydrated.”
