Unique Approach

The fitness and sports conditioning industry is experiencing a revolution of sorts filled with new ideas that are generating unprecedented results in professional and recreational athletes alike. FFT's expert fitness and conditioning staff constantly experiments with these innovative techniques and networks with other leaders in the industry to evaluate their effectiveness. Some of our training strategies result from anecdotal evidence or personal observation, while others rely strictly on scientific data. The FFT programs are skillfully developed combining theory with application.

Two Techniques We Employ In All Programs Are SPECIFICITY And PERIODIZATION

SPECIFICITY
Specificity means that your body will adapt precisely to the specific exercises you perform. Therefore, if you want to become a better hiker, most of your endurance training should occur on your feet, i.e., a treadmill. Employing "specificity to the max" simply means training on terrain that most closely resembles the terrain you'll encounter on your trip.

Reality Applied To Specificity
Realistically, most of us are forced to make the best of what we have access to or time for during our training. The beauty of Fit for Trips^® is that the programs include exercises and intensities that simulate the same stresses and forces on your body that you will experience during your trip. This enables your body to handle the rigors of your chosen destination without having to actually train there. By the time you begin your adventure, both your body and mind are prepared.

PERIODIZATION
If you continually perform the same program, your body will eventually adapt and further gains in fitness will cease to occur. That is acceptable to support general fitness goals and may perhaps even suit your post-trip needs. This strategy, however, is unacceptable while preparing for the unique demands of your adventure travels. Using periodization, FFT systematically changes the exercises, level of intensity, repetitions and other elements over a period of weeks or months to ensure gradual improvements in your level of fitness leading to a peak of optimal physical performance at the time you depart for your adventure vacation. This is periodization and, used correctly, it is powerful medicine.

Our most effective programs are 12 weeks in duration and use the periodization model throughout. However, we created additional programs of 4 and 8 weeks for adventure travelers who were introduced to Fit for Trips less than 12 weeks prior to their departure. Our belief in our programs is strong enough to offer you a full money back guarantee on all three program lengths.

How Does
Specificity
Relate to Strength
or Performance
Training?

Fit for Trips' coaches determine specific exercises to be incorporated into your personal program by analyzing the specific movements employed in your travel itinerary. What knee movements are associated with ascending a steep grade? What hip movements are used during a cycling tour? What muscle actions are repeated while whitewater rafting? Certain movements are specific to one particular activity and completely absent in another. These movements clearly define your program.

Can I Use a Fit for Trips Program if I'm Injured?

If you have an injury that prohibits you from performing certain exercises, there are strategies that the Fit for Trips staff can implement to ensure a safe, effective program - providing you with a solid level of self-assurance. If you've chosen a trip where there are inherent risks because of your injury or orthopedic issues, we won't discourage you from going. We'll simply customize your program to fit your specific requirements.