Last year, I joined a dozen other locals for a trip West and a Grand Canyon Rim2Rim2Rim attempt. At the core, this trip was a fundraising effort started 10 years ago by a local cardiologist. It has raised more than a million dollars to improve living conditionings locally and abroad—simple things like clean water and sanitation that most of us take for granted.

Canyon Facts
 
In total, there would be at least 50 miles of trekking and 10,000 feet of elevation change South to North Rim and 10,000 feet back. Additionally, there are literally hundreds of steps and erosion barriers of various depths. The steps assist the mules who guide less able-bodied visitors. Rim to Rim trekking requires 2000-5000 calories of eats, as well as fluids and clothing options, so packing is part of the deal. Historical averages pinpoint 11 hours as an average time to trek Rim to Rim. 
 
Physical Expectations and Limitations
 
The ability to stay on your feet for a day is obvious, but the elevation change and a rocky terrain make for additional demands. You need strength, too! I live in the Central plains. The luxury of finding mountain trails and incline is rare and limited. I needed to get more creative using the weight room and some special exercises.

Most of the preparation materials advocate minimalist bodyweight movements with a pack or CrossFit style workouts. This is their answers to strength and conditioning. Respectable, but hardly appealing to the weight room veteran and frankly inadequate in my opinion for a full day of work. Three 10-minute WODs weekly does not translate in the Grand Canyon. No option in the Canyon for a DNF (did not finish). An average of 12 individuals die each year in the Canyon for various reasons. 
 
A BETTER PLAN

This Canyon Strong plan is simple. It can be performed with a barbell set, a squat rack, a bench and a pull up bar. This plan will get you Canyon Strong!
 
I dedicated Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays for weight room strength work and a few special exercises. Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays were reserved for rucking (weighted pack).
 
MONDAY: Lower Body (Major Movements Deadlift, Box Squats), Assistance movements for hamstrings, abs and lower leg
 
TUESDAY: Moderate Distance ruck
 
WEDNESDAY: Upper Body (Supine Bench, Press) Assistance movements for arms, abs and lower leg
 
THURSDAY: Heavy and Shorter Ruck and/or Rucking Box Stepovers 
 
FRIDAY: Total Body Dynamic (Deck Power Clean & Jerk, Deck Power Snatch) and lower leg
 
SATURDAY: Long ruck progression
 
SUNDAY: Rest
 
Using this split routine allowed for better recovery management when meshing with a rucking schedule. The ruck allowed for additional overload which would have a positive transfer to the physical challenges of the Canyon Trail and compensate for the lack of mountainous hilly terrain 
 
LIFTING PROGRAM EXECUTION 
 
Major movements 5 x 5’s wave progression of intensity calculated off of a one rep max. Here is a lower body example: 
 
Deadlift Primary Focus
WK1 40%, 50%, 55%, 65%, 75%
WK2 45%, 55%, 60%, 70%, 80%
WK3 50%, 55%, 65%, 75%,85%
 
Box Squats Secondary Focus
5 x 5 
WK1 50%
WK2 60%
WK3 70%
 
After three weeks, squats become the primary focus and deadlifts are the secondary focus. Same execution for the Wednesday upper body day. Progression for the next deadlifting wave can be had by adding five to 10 pounds to max and calculating new percentages. I actually became stronger while adding miles to my weekly rucking total. 
 
Friday
EMOM 1 Deck Power Snatch 3:00 Rest 
EMOM 1 Deck Power Clean 
70% 20 minutes
75% 15 minutes
80% 10 minutes
 
I have a weightlifting background, so I perform full movements. They’re more athletic. If you don’t have the skillset for these, use pull variations or speed squats and pulls. 

ASSISTANCE GUIDELINES
 
I performed assistance work in circuit fashion. 
 
Lower Body
Hamstrings: Pick 1: RDLs, Swings, Hip Bridge Leg Curl (HBLC) 50 reps
Abs: Pick 1: Roll outs, Toes to Bar, Sandbag Get ups 25-50 reps
Lower Leg: High Volume (HV) Toe Raise, Eccentric Anterior off of a step. 100 reps
 
Upper Body
Pull ups (50 reps) Can be supersetted with presses as sub max sets. 
Arms Bicep and Triceps (50 reps) You know the drill. Hammer Curls, Pressdowns, Find a mirror
Abs (50 reps)
Lower Leg (100 reps)
 
I would strongly advise building to a minimum of 300-500 reps per week of lower leg work. Repetitive overuse injuries can occur as your RUCKING volume increase over the weeks. I used a genius device known as the Exercise Bob for all of this.
 
RECOVERY TIPS
 
In the final eight weeks, I guarded my sleep like a new mother. I was also regimented with my nutrition and supplements. I used the following supplements to assist with repair: whey protein, curcumin, fish Oil.
 
CANYON POSTMORTEM
 
I observed a number of individuals riding the struggle bus both days due to excessive fatigue, joint pain (mostly knees) and blistering of undertrained feet. I’ll point to the preparation phase for their uncomfortable conditions. While I was not ready to grapple in a steel cage at the end of each day, I was ready to roll again following a hot meal and some sleep. My time on each 25-mile leg was just shy of nine hours each. Experiencing the Grand Canyon like this was something I will never forget and if you follow this program and build up your rucking miles, you can do the same. 
 
RUCKING SERIOUS PART II
 
If you seek more conditioning for serious rucking like a RIM to RIM to RIM Grand Canyon trek, multiple 14ers in 24 hours or a 50-mile ruck, this advanced plan is for you. 
 
OVERVIEW
 
Strength Sessions: 3 days/week 
 
Week 1 max effort triple, Week 2 max effort single. Rotate movements every two weeks. Assistance movements 3-5 sets 10 reps. 
 
Rucking: 3 days Power Ruck Conditioning, Recovery|Short to moderate Ruck | Long Ruck
 
MONDAY: Max Effort Lower Body Movement Pool: Back Squat/Front Squat/ Squat Bar
Week 1 Reps: 5-5-5-3-3-3 (Effort Triple) Week 2 Reps: 3-3-3-1-1-1 (Effort Single) 
Assistance Movements: Low Back, Glutes, Hamstrings, Abdominals 
 
WEDNESDAY: Upper Body Strength. This is MAX EFFORT UPPER BODY. Supine Bench, Press. Assistance Movements: Pull-ups, Horizontal Rows, Dumbbell Rows, Abdominals
 
FRIDAY: Power Cleans every minute on the minute at 70-80% of max. That is one power clean every minute at 70-80% of your max power clean. Keep this session in the 10-20 minute range. If you are familiar with weightlifting movements, do a power clean and a jerk. Be athletic! If the legs are not recovering during the final weeks, switch to push press. 
 
During part 2 these are performed as a weekly wave. 
Week1 EMOM 20 at 70%
Week2 EMOM 15 at 75%
Week3 EMOM 10 at 80%
Week4 EMOM 20 at 70%
 
If you are not comfortable with weightlifting movements, substitute dynamic effort squats at 50-70% of your max and/or a series of box jumps or jump squats.
 
RUCKING SESSIONS
 
Tuesday: These sessions consist of any combination of
-Repeat miles with your ruck
-High-Intensity Continuous Training (HICT) Repeats with your ruck. Step ups are a solid choice.
-Hill or Incline repeats with your ruck
-Prowler Sled repeats with your ruck 
The intensity is greater than 80% with a brief recovery.
 
Start with four repeats and increase one repeat weekly for two weeks and then de-load for one week. 
 
Week 1: 4 repeats
Week 2: 5 repeats
Week 3: 6 repeats
Week 4: 5 repeats
Week 5: 6 repeats
Week 6: 7 repeats
 
This should be 20% of your weekly minutes for ruck outings.. 
 
THURSDAY: MODERATE RUCK. This day adds volume. Don’t stress the pace. Start with the distance you reached on part one. Increase weekly until you have reached seven miles.
 
SATURDAY: LONG RUCK. You should be able to cover five to six miles of work before starting these. These require planned stops (restrooms) and to keep things interesting, coffee houses and a possible lunch destination. Practice with the food items and fluid you plan for your trek. A 200-pound males with a 30-pound ruck will burn 400-450 calories per hour. This is no time to eat like a wimp. Eating and drinking every 30 minutes is a good place to start. If you don’t, you will be a miserable pile of crap. 
 
Week 1: 6 miles
Week 2: 8 miles
Week 3: 10 miles
Week 4: 8 miles
Week 5: 10 miles
Week 6: 12 miles
Week 7: 14 miles
Week 8: 12 miles
 
Continue to increase mileage following this format until you are at your target. This should occur four weeks prior to the event at which point a reduction on this Saturday session begins. The hay is in the barn at this point. 
 
Occasionally boring beyond two hours, THESE days are what knit together serious preparation. If you do have a long-distance trek or hike, do not leave miles on the table. If you haven’t done it in practice, you won’t be able to do it on game day! 
 
SUNDAY: Recovery and restoration. 
 
OTHER CONSIDERATIONS 
 
Rucking distribution of time should be spent on 80% moderate to long rucks.
 
Soak your feet in cold (ice) water at the conclusion of your long ruck and don’t forget to spend time on soft tissue work on the lower limbs and hips. 
 
I also encourage fish oil and curcumin to fight the pounding each week. The improvement is understated.