Machu Picchu Packing List

The start of me packing

Well I'm off to Macchu Picchu in less then a week with my brother, and I can't wait. You may be asking why am I offering a packing list before I have attended the Inca Trail, and have the experience under my belt.

Well I have been doing a lot of research and I wanted to compile things from here and there to make my list, and when I come back I can write about what went well, and what I could have left at home.

So here's my Machu Picchu Packing list, as well as the Inca Trail.

• Large Back Pack - It looks like 45L-60L pack is what your looking for. Most places you stay in Cusco will allow you to leave this behind and you will use your day pack as well as most tour companies will give you a bag that they will carry up for you.
• Smaller Day pack- This is what you will be carrying as you hike up the Inca trail - I would have snacks, camera, bug spray , rain gear and anything else you'd like during the day.
• Water - I would combine water with your day pack, get a day pack that has 2L -3L hydration pack, you will need your water when you are hiking.
• Sleeping Bag - You want a warm bag that will pack up as small as possible - You are able to rent bags, I would prefer to bring your own.
• Sleeping mat -extra - A light mat would be a bonus, this all comes down to room.
• Walking Poles - I personally will not me bring these, many people swear by them, to help take the weight off your knees. I just feel they will get in my way.
• Headlamp - If your a slow hiker you may be in the dark at the end of the day, or just for the nights and mornings.
• 6 Quick Dry T-shirts - Take 1 for each day and 2 bonus in case you get soaked in the rain or humidity, you want shirts that will wick the sweat away from your body, unlike cotton.
• 2 Zip Off Hiking Pants - These are great to wear as pants when it's cooler and later in the day covert them to shorts.
• Warm light jacket - A light jacket, maybe puff style that will break the wind, and will also help at night time.
• Base Layers - You want base layers for sleeping and those colder mornings that you can remove as it gets hotter, these are light and easy to pack
• underwear and socks - you want wool socks, or a athletic blend , cotton will lead to blisters
• Hiking Boots / Runners - Bring worked in Hiking boots, last thing you want to do is buy new hikers and risk getting blisters. I will be bringing a pair of trail sneakers instead to hike with, it's all personal preference.
• Flip Flops - You want Flip Flops when you stop to eat, to give your feet a rest, as well in showers you may use.
• towel - a towel if you find a place to take a dip
• gloves - with grips and waterproof
• Rain Jacket - If your going to Peru in the first few months of the year you can expect rain
• Bug Spray - Keep those foreign bugs away from you...lol
• Hat - Bring a light hat that will keep the sun off your head
• Toiletries - Toilet paper (one roll per person), Toothpaste, Toothbrush,  Sunblock, Chap stick with SPF, Travel soaps & shampoo (they work but don’t lather like other soaps, lots of wipes, and medicine (for headaches, altitude sickness medicine, Imodium)
• Camera and Phone - You will want to bring anything that can capture the amazing views you'll have.

Hope this helps you pack, it comes from all the other posts I read. If you can think of anything I forgot, please add to comments.

 

My Arms and Shoulders are on Fire

Today I showed up to Crossfit rested and ready to go, well lets just say I didn't leave rested, it was a good workout session that hit a lot of my weakness.

The workout today was as follows:

Warm up:

1)
21 Handstand Push-ups    21 Ring Dips     21 Push-ups    21 Cal Row
15 Handstand Push-ups    15 Ring Dips     15 Push-ups    15 Cal Row
9  Handstand Push-ups      9  Ring Dips      9  Push-ups     9  Cal Row

2) Unbroken Pull-ups
    7-5-3 x3

3) EMOM increasing weight (10lbs)
 Shoulder Press ( I made it 7 rounds, to 105lbs )

My shoulders and arms are burning as I sit here typing this.  The handstand push-ups are by far my weakness. I had to scaled the HSPU's up putting bumper plates under the abmat to perform them. The Ring Dips I also scaled by doing bar dips.

This workouts really suck when you look at them because the fear creeps in, but afterwards you feel a sense of accomplishment having worked on your weakness.

Click here to see how to perform Handstand Push-ups as well as a great video from Crossfit Hq.

Crossfit Handstand Push-ups

The handstand push-up (press-up) - also called the vertical push-up (press-up) or the inverted push-up
(press-up) - is a type of push-up exercise where the body is positioned in a handstand. For a true handstand, the exercise is performed free-standing, held in the air. This would be very advanced.

For all your Crossfit workouts they will be performed against the wall. the feet are often placed against a wall, held by a partner, or secured in some other way from falling. Handstand pushups require significant strength, as well as balance and control if performed free-standing. A lot of times you will place a abmat on the floor to protect your head and neck from a hard impact.

The handstand pushup can be scaled by placing bumper plates under the abmat so you don't have to push as far.