Can I improve my fitness in 6-8 weeks with ~3 sessions a week?

[ironhold]

I'm not looking to lose weight. I want to improve my cardio and strengthen my back and shoulders. I'm quite unfit at the moment as I haven't trained consistently for a year. I'm not a newbie and do know my way around the gym.

I'm going on a backpacking trip to a tropical country in June and am concerned about struggling with my bag and hiking in the heat.

 

[dawn16]

@ironhold Yes of course, could also look into getting a rucksack and doing hikes or walks locally.

 

[ironhold]

@dawn16 Great idea, thanks!

 

[dryskale]

@ironhold Every day you train you are stronger then the day before. No better time to start then right now. Go on and get after it. Enjoy your trip.

 

[ericph]

@ironhold Cardio should be easy as it is can improve quickly. Strength is slower but if you started today and made sure effort and consistency then you will see improvements.

Follow some of the recommendations and get into rucking or look into Loaded carries

 

[danielbenyosef]

@ironhold Improve your fitness, yes. Change your body composition, probably not drastically.

 

[erbush1988]

@ironhold If your gym has a stair climber that would be a good thing to spend some time on. If not, a treadmill with an incline and a decline will help too. People forget you use different muscles going down hill than up hill. Make sure you get a backpack that puts some of the weight on your waist if you don't already know that.

 

[algie]

@ironhold 6-8wks would be more than enough time for that imo. I'd honestly recommend you just be specific and start doing some hiking with your backpack on multiple times a week. Nothing will quite prepare you for that like actually doing it.

 

[dawn16]

@ironhold Yes

 

[jdnc]

@ironhold If I was looking to do what you are I’d definitely be looking to lose any excess fat I could. Would make life much more bearable in a tropical country.

 

[happyplasticpe0ple]

@ironhold Anything above what your doing now will improve your fitness.

 

[want2bsober]

@ironhold That’s plenty of time to get in good cardio shape. Especially if you aren’t overweight. In about 4 weeks you’ll notice a big difference if you are training 3-4 times a week

 

[eggimo]

@ironhold Loads can be done and don't need to go nuts, good diet or reduction in crap and waste.

Some good old fashioned weighted walks and speed walking, try press ups, sit ups, tricep dips, skipping ropes.

Good luck to you.

 

[dawn16]

@ironhold If you’ve got a training history but have taken time off, you can probably get closer to your old peak than you think in just 8 weeks.

Be smart, take the first week at 50% volume. The worst thing you can do is crush yourself the first week and not be able to recover.

If you’re going backpacking, I’d make it a point to put the pack on and do some hiking with it as part of your return to fitness plan. Few things can crush a strong person like walking with a 40# pack when you’ve not done it.