Get in hiking shape without hiking

Have you wanted to try out hiking but feel you need to get into shape before you hit the trail? Newsday.com has a pre-hiking workout just in time for fall hiking.

In the city, it can be easy to forget what real hiking is like. (Hint: It is not an exercise in climbing subway stairs.)

If you need your memory jogged, take a day trip outside the city, where you should find ambling through throngs of trees rather relaxing -- that is, if your body is ready for it.

"Hiking can be a lot of fun if your legs are in the right shape," says Rob Pella, a trainer at Crunch Fitness.

Personally, I think it's a lot more fun to just get out there, try out the easier, shorter trails and work your way up, but those unfamiliar with mountains, or who have leg injuries might see some benefits in these workouts before hiking.

Actually posting

Ok, so the purpose of this blog is to track and photograph the hiking trails around Southern Alberta (mostly near Calgary).... which is great and stuff, but I've been absolute crap at actually posting about the hikes we've been doing every weekend. So, we'll fix that, starting this weekend. Until then (I think my next hike is Sunday), I'll just post some of the more interesting stuff from the past month of hiking.....