Mike's Advice on How to Get In Shape For Orienteering

Another highly opinionated list from the Mike series. However this one requires that you use a healthy dose of common sense. If something seems silly, don't do it.

Any kind of physical training can follow these basics:

1. Consistency is very important. No matter what you chose as a training program keep doing it every week all year long. You will need some breaks, and there is nothing bad about taking time off, but being consistent improves your physical fitness over the long term. It is better to run 4 km 3 times a week all year than to run 4 km every day for the 2 months prior to the orienteering season.
2. Find training partners. It is much easier to work out with a group. On days when you are not in the mood to train you still tend to get out because of the group. Talk to a competitor and set up a regular training time, even once a week is good.
3. Start off by taking it very easy. This can be extended to any change in you training. If you decide to ski through the winter take it easy for the first 2 or 3 sessions of the winter.
4. Cross training is actually very good for orienteering. Mix up your workout activities. Swim or cycle or play soccer as well as run. But you should always include running (or walking it that is how you get around an orienteering course) in your training.
5. Try to find ways to include your training into the other activities in your life. If you can walk to work do so! Walking is actually a very good low impact exercise for anyone, no matter what your level of physical fitness is. And because you generally go to work on a regular basis, walking there helps a great deal with your training consistency.
6. Be disciplined. It is difficult to fit training into your life at first. But do your best to keep at it no matter how busy things get. Eventually it becomes a habit. But don't be obsessive about it either, especially if you get injured. There is nothing intrinsically bad about taking time off.
7. Keep a record of what you have been doing. Include races, other sports you have participated in, and the duration of any training sessions. Don't make it too complicated, a line or two for each training session should be enough. Keep an eye on your consistency and volume of training.
8. After you have trained consistently for a while (say six months) you could start trying to improve your fitness by doing some form of regular workouts. This is tricky stuff and your best bet is to find a coach. A coach provides advice and another hopefully objective perspective on your training.