Getting Desert Fit

Jeff Lawson

Three-times world jujitsu champion and British mixed martial arts champion Jeff Lawson has been my personal trainer for 3 years. I only get time to see him once a week, but he’ll certainly know about the importance of getting fit and focussed for a big event!

Jeff’s initial training advice:

1. Build your core strength to help with the pressure your body will be under in the desert.
2. Keep the routine fun and varied to incorporate all muscle groups.
3. Do a full body warm-up prior to exercising to keep you supple and keep injuries to a minimum.
4. Stay focused and motivated with the training schedule, but accept that some days life may just get in the way.
5. Do a full body stretch after every work-out.

Andy Blow

Ironman Andy (a director of fitness experts VoTwo) is phenomenally experienced. He’s been a top 10 world ironman competitor for 3 years and has trained Formula 1 racing drivers Jenson Button and Mark Webber to withstand the rigours of a Grand Prix. Added to all of this experience, Andy will be able to tell me first hand about building my stamina for the desert, as he’s trained in the Sahara himself!

Andy’s training advice:

1. Stay well hydrated while training.
2. Stretch properly before training to help prevent possible injury.
3. Train in proper gear, for example properly fitting trainers and socks that don’t rub causing blisters.
4. Always have one day a week off training to rest but make sure you don’t skip scheduled training days. Being motivated and having a goal will help keep you to a schedule.
5. Push yourself a little further and faster every week to build up your strength.

Carol Woodhams

Carol Woodhams has undertaken many physical endurance challenges and returned to the Sahara for the third time in March 2009 to complete the 24th Marathon des Sables, a multi-day multi-marathon event billed as the "toughest footrace on earth". She should know a thing or two about being desert-fit!

Carol's training advice:

1. Before you go, train for the terrain and especially for sand dunes - strong quads and glutes are vital here. Train on sand if you can, if not then hill work is an adequate substitute.
2. Train with your walking poles. Perfect your pole technique before you go, tricep dips will help you power up dunes using your upper body to drive you.
3. You'll encounter a surprising amount of rocky terrain, too, and will need ankle strength to prevent injuries - plenty of trail running and mountain hiking in your training plan can help you here.
4. You'll also need to consider your mental and emotional fitness to cope with miles of featureless and repetitive landscapes and heat bowls. If you have put the training miles in your legs, it is likely they'll have developed too.
5. Fitness in the heat - the final unpredictable element is how you'll react to the heat. Good kit choices can help and climate chamber training in the last couple of weeks can also aid acclimatisation.