Backpack to Lose Weight?!

So we haven't been able to get into a gym thanks to covid-19 but maybe you don't have gym membership anyways? Maybe it's getting nicer and you want to be outside? Maybe you want to walk or hike but want to add more too it. How about backpacking? Now when I say "backpacking" I'm not talking about going across the country with a backpack on your back. I'm talking about adding weight to your hike or just a regular walk.

Here is an easy way to get started. Grab a backpack, anyone will work fine it doesn't have to be fancy. Make sure you do pack water to keep yourself hydrated. Pack a jacket, sweatshirt or blanket, in case you need to stop for a bit and the weather changes.

Now fill it with anything to add weight to it. You can do something simple as I said a walk or hike, or you can make it a circuit too. If you do this the things I am going to add would just take 10 minutes by itself, so make sure you do these things a few times on top of your normal speed of your walk or hike.

Bear Crawl:

Put on your backpack and pull the chest and hip straps tight. Start in a crawling position on the ground with your palms under your shoulders and your knees under your hips. Press through your palms and the balls of your feet, lifting your knees off the ground. Crawl forward 10 yards stepping forward with your right hand, left foot, left hand, right foot, bending your knees and hips to were you feel comfortable, then reverse the movement and crawl backward 10 yards. Do this for 60 seconds.

Squat Press:

Hold your backpack straps at your shoulders with the pack positioned behind you. Press your hips backward and squat down as far as you can, keeping your weight in your heels, your knees aligned with your toes. When your thighs are at or below parallel to the floor, press through your heels to return to standing. As you stand, press your arms straight up over your head, lifting your pack upward. Lower the pack back to the starting position. Continue for 60 seconds.

Lateral Plank Walks:

Put your pack on and pull the chest and hip straps tight. Set up in a push-up position on the floor with your palms under your shoulders, your arms extended, and your body forming a straight line from heels to head. Tighten your core, then take a step right with your right palm and right foot, meeting them with your left palm and left foot. Continue the lateral movement to the right for about 10 feet, then reverse the movement and step to the left, returning to your starting location. Continue for 60 seconds

Deadlift Row:

Hold both backpack straps in both hands at your thighs, your arms extended, so the pack is parallel to the ground. Stand with your feet hip-distance apart, knees slightly bent. Press your hips backward and hinge forward in a deadlift, keeping your back straight and your core engaged, so your glutes and hamstrings control the movement. When your back is roughly parallel to the ground, bend your elbows and row the pack up to your torso, squeezing your shoulder blades together. Lower the pack, then squeeze your hamstrings and glutes to pull yourself back to standing. Continue for 60 seconds

Step Ups:

Put your pack on and pull the chest and hip straps tight. Stand facing a sturdy bench, chair, or a large, flat rock that’s about 12 to 36 inches tall if you’re exercising outside. Maintaining a tight core and good posture, step up onto the platform with your right foot, press through your heel, and as you come to standing, draw your left knee high in front of your body. Reverse the movement, carefully returning your left foot, then your right, back to the floor. Continue the exercise while leading with your right foot for 60 seconds. Then, switch legs and lead with your left foot for 60 seconds.

Pushup to Side Plank:

Wear your pack and pull the chest and hip straps tight so it's secure to your body. Set up in pushup position with your body straight, core engaged, and your hands positioned slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. Bend your elbows and lower your chest toward the floor so your elbows angle backward at 45-degree angles to your body. When you’re just a few inches from the floor, press through your palms and return to start, but as you do so, shift your weight to your left palm and lift your right hand from the floor, reaching it toward the ceiling as you twist your torso. You’ll end in side plank, supported by your left palm and the outside of your left foot. Return to the pushup position, perform another pushup, and repeat the side plank to the opposite side. Continue the exercise for 60 seconds.

Lateral Lunge and Curl:

Stand tall, your feet roughly hip-distance apart, your knees slightly bent. Hold one backpack strap in each hand, your arms extended downward at your sides, your palms facing forward with the pack perpendicular to the ground. Take a wide step laterally with your right leg, angling your toe slightly outward with your weight in your heel. Press your hips backward and bend your right knee, keeping your left leg straight, lunging to the right. As you lunge, curl your palms up to your shoulders, lifting your backpack (keep your upper arms close to your sides). Reverse the movement, lowering the backpack and pressing through your right heel and step back to the starting position. Lunge to the right for 60 seconds, then lunge to the left for 60 seconds.

Oblique Twists:

Sit on the ground, your knees bent, your heels lightly touching the floor. Hold your pack between your hands at your waist. Keeping your torso straight, lean back until you feel your abs engage. From this position, twist your torso to the right, tapping the pack on the ground outside your right hip, then reverse the movement, twisting all the way to the left side. Continue for 60 seconds.

Now if you feel embarrassed out in public, do them somewhere private before you start your walk/hike or after. This gives your body a full body workout!