One true test of your fitness is your cardiovascular endurance and capacity.  Cardiovascular fitness is determined by how efficient your heart and lungs are at pumping blood to working muscles and exchanging oxygen and carbon dioxide.  There are numerous ways to increase your cardiovascular capacity, such as swimming, running, biking and in the case of this article, hiking.  Living in Metro Vancouver, we have an abundance of local trails that are easily accessible.  Probably the most famous of these is the Grouse Grind.  Having done it numerous times and having taken my kids on it as well, I can honestly say it is one of the toughest workouts that you can do.  It will challenge your body as well as your mind.  However, it is also one of the most rewarding, and also an excellent way to increase your cardiovascular fitness.  I have used the Grind in pre-season training camp environment to help athletes, get ready for the start of the season.  For more information on our pre-season fitness camps use the contact page, and I’ll get back to you.

Below are some tips for doing the Grouse Grind for the first time.

Remember there is no substitute for common sense.

Tips for doing the Grind. 

Some these tips might seem obvious but if you make note, you'll have a better hike up the trail.

• Start taking water a couple of days before the scheduled hike, so that your muscles will be hydrated   during the hike.  There is nothing worse than getting cramps while you are half way up the mountain.  While on the hike, make sure you have enough water for hike.  There are no stores along the way where you can buy it :)
• While on the hike, take small steps, especially vertical ones.  If you have the option to take a shallow route around a tree or a rock do it.  Even if it is a few steps longer take the shallow route, it will save your legs.  The larger the step you take the more muscle fibers you are recruiting and in turn fatiguing.
• As you do the Grind, try to     maintain the posture you would normally have while walking--head up;     shoulders back; relaxed, swinging arms--in order to reduce muscle strain     and make you a more efficient.  DO NOT hunch over as you will     increase the stress on your back.
• When you take a break, make     it an active one, and stretch your legs, and your back.  Tie your shoelaces.      Having to stop to tie your laces, just after taking a break will slow you     down.  This is particularly true when you are trying to break a     personal best.
• If this is your first time     doing the grind, use it as baseline, you don't need to tear up the     mountain, just keep it slow and steady.  A steady pace will also help     reduce the soreness in the muscles, and also reduce the risk of tripping     over the rocks and roots.
• The first quarter is the     hardest, as your body needs to get used to the thinner mountain air.      It'll get easier as you continue to climb.
• Do the Grind in small teams     so that you can chat and not think about climbing the mountain. It also,     helps in safety and encouraging each other as you fatigue.
• Bug spray is necessary, you     may not notice the mosquitoes so much at the bottom, but you will on your     way up and definitely at the top.  Also, the more you stand still the     more the bugs seem to hang around you.
• Lastly make it fun, if you     are not having fun, it will seem longer and a lot more grueling.      Also enjoy the surroundings.  Being outdoors, in Metro Vancouver, not     too many places better than that.