Physical preparation for the Camino de Santiago

ByTravesía Pirenaica
Camino de Santiago / Photo: Jorge Luis Ojeda
Camino de Santiago / Photo: Jorge Luis Ojeda

The The Way of St. James is the longest and most notorious pilgrimage in Europe, in this article we summarise the results of the first scientific research on the pilgrimages. forms of training The following are some of the recommendations made by the experts in order to arrive in the best possible physical condition for this journey.

Guide to the Camino de Santiago

Preparing for the Way of Saint James: the importance of training

Arrive well prepared physically for the departure of the The Way of St. Jamesis a factor of great importance to increase the chances of successful completion of the journey; in fact, it is considered to be one of the key activities for this objective.

This was determined by researchers from the University of Almeria, the University of Murcia and the Mexican University of Guadalajara, who conducted a study on the main forms of training for the Camino de Santiago.

Academics, based on surveys as well as other existing research, found that psychological and volitional preparation are equally essential factors for the successful completion of this legendary pilgrimage, while equipment and planning, although less important, can also make a considerable difference.

Although good training not only increases the chances of successfully completing the journey, it also prevents injuries, mishaps, fatigue and other ailments that can cause the journey to become a torture, rather than the pleasant journey it is supposed to be.

In this article we talk about the main physical problems and injuries when walking the Way of Saint James

Among the findings of this study - the first of its kind - highlights the fact that most people who make the journey Camino de Santiago, do not train beforehand, or at least that was the opinion of 56% of the pilgrims interviewed, more than a thousand, who made the journey between Roncesvalles and Compostela.

This quantitative study, based on a survey technique, offers a confidence level of 95.5%, and considers only people over 15 years of age, but from Spain, other European countries, as well as the rest of the world.

Another factor that has been verified by these measurements is the fact that the older the traveller, the more likely he/she is to undertake some form of physical training. before doing the Camino de Santiago; up to more than 70% in the case of those over 60, and so on, the percentage goes down to just over 30% for those between 16 and 20 years of age.

In general, pilgrims also recognised that walking, is the main activity carried out as a training activity.More than 55% in particular do so, with the highest frequency being 1 to 2 days a week, with 1 in 4 pilgrims agreeing.

The hiking and cyclingThe most popular forms of physical training, with more than 36% of the cases, are very close in second place in terms of preferences, with 1 to 2 days per week being the time with the highest incidence of this type of training.

Running is also one of the main forms of training, practised by just over 22% of the participants, of which 12% do it 1-2 days per week, and then less and less, until only 2% recognise it as a form of daily training.

It should be noted that the gym is also another form of training for pilgrims, although in this case it is only used in 17.7% of cases.

Other training activities such as swimmingare also present, although with a much lower incidence, namely less than 4% of the surveyed population.

Training for the Camino de Santiago

It should be noted that experts recommend a comprehensive form of preparedness with at least 3 months in advance. The first thing to take into account is a gradual increase in physical activity levelas well as trying to use the same equipment and clothing, to get the body used to the different textures, and also to check whether they are suitable for the case.

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It is not only necessary to train the musculaturebut also the cardiorespiratory and endurance capacity, This will allow us, not only to obtain the skills and muscle mass for the journey, but also the physical condition to resist in good shape and be able to overcome the challenges that this journey represents for the pilgrim, seeking to avoid the different conditions that can occur, from blisters, to falls, injuries, sunstroke and other risk factors.

Differences between pedestrians and cyclists

Those who walk the Camino de Santiago walking, they are also less likely to engage in any kind of fitness activity. The cyclotourists, who are familiar with the challenges and routes, tend to train more frequently, particularly in more than 55% of the cases.

Although among those with some form of training, the majority prepare at least one month in advance, 49.1%; This percentage decreases to 10.7% for those who prepare only one week in advance.

It should be noted that some variants were also detected with respect to the nationality of the pilgrims, as it is the Europeans who take training more seriously, as 58% of those who perform some kind of physical conditioning, take at least a month for this, while the Spaniards on average do it 47.8% of the cases, while in the rest of the world only 34.6% of pilgrims implement it for this period of time.

Unlike pedestrians, those who cycle the route tend to do little walking as a form of training, particularly only 16% of the time; and as is to be expected, cycling is the most common form of training.The most common formula is 1 to 2 days (42.4%), although also more than a third decide to train 3 to 4 days per week.

Original article:

Granero Gallegos, Antonio, Ruiz Juan, Francisco, García Montes, Mª Elena, Flores Allende, Gabriel, Estudio de la preparación física realizada para recorrer el Camino de Santiago. CHALLENGES. Nuevas Tendencias en Educación Física, Deporte y Recreación [online] 2007, (January-June) : [Accessed on: 9 April 2018] Available at: ISSN 1579-1726