Hey guys,
I’ve started getting into backpacking and noticed that in the backpacking community, there’s a significant group obsessed with getting their pack as light as possible so they are more comfortable hiking. To me though, I actually kind of have the opposite goal – to carry a bit more stuff in order to be more comfortable on the trail, while being strong enough for the weight to not significantly affect my performance hiking. I’m especially interested in large elevation change (2-3k feet per day?) in snowshoes with a 40+ lb pack on my back. I realize that the best way to train for a specific activity is to perform that specific activity, but I’m curious how much the sort of strength you build powerlifting helps in these situations. Obviously, someone who can only squat 50 lbs is going to struggle to carry 50 lbs up a mountain, but is there going to be any general advantage for a guy who can squat 405 compared to 225 lbs? Or are they both strong enough that endurance and exercise-specific adaptation are the only significant factors?
David
I don’t think there is likely to be a large advantage between a 405 squatter and 225 squatter for the activity you describe. Task-specific adaptations are likely much more important, though getting stronger in a wide variety of movements, rep ranges, etc. would likely help more than specializing in powerlifting.