Physical Fitness for Outdoor Photographers

Posted on | October 17, 2011 | 23 Comments

There will come a day when all of us photographers will reach a point where we realize we cannot do the things that we used to take for granted. It might start with being mentally and physically unable to do 16 hour photo shoots for five consecutive days anymore or it might be the persistent knee pain that rules out that steep five-mile round trip hike in the mountains while carrying ten pounds of camera gear. Aging is not an overnight process but once you reach a certain point it gets much more difficult to retain what you have. This is where a dedicated physical fitness plan can pay dividends.

I am still in my peak years of life but even then I noticed my fitness changing for the worse from my mid to late twenties. Some of it was due to natural aging but a lot of it was due to the fact that I was too focused on trying to earn a living and not paying any attention to my physical fitness. Then in 2008 I found myself avoiding certain clothing choices because I felt out of shape and was constantly sore after most photo shoots so I started hiking regularly in the local hills. My cardio definitely improved from that but my physique didn’t change much so that’s when I started doing weight training and core exercises along with the elliptical. That is when I felt like I had turned a new leaf and felt a big jump in my physical well-being. I’ve also found that I’m generally more alert now without coffee and can drive for longer periods of time without getting tired.

One of the problems I used to have when I was younger was that I’d start working out for a few weeks but then slack off and could never gain any consistent traction in my fitness. It wasn’t until I realized that I could no longer get by on metabolism alone that I started working out consistently. The most common excuse we all use is that “oh I don’t have enough time”. We all go through that sometimes but it’s all about priorities. I’m willing to make sacrifices in my schedule for the sake of my health. These days I try to go to the gym 2 – 3 times per week and spend anywhere from 45 min to 1 hr. 15 min. per session there. I also train brazilian jiu-jitsu twice a week which is amazing for cardio and flexibility. Not to mention the benefits of knowing self-defense while traveling alone out in the field.

My goal is not to look like an Abercrombie model or Mr. Olympia (I never will) but to prolong my active photography career for as long as possible. All it takes is a stroke, heart attack or degenerative discs to end a photographer’s career so the best we can do is take preventative measures and maximize the amount of productive years we have.

Check out this article for another photographer’s view on why fitness matters to outdoor photographers.

Comments

23 Responses to “Physical Fitness for Outdoor Photographers”

Steve Sieren
October 17th, 2011 @ 2:12 pm

Knees and back are the most often broght up pain for photographers. I’ve suffered some pain with both. Certain physical activities help them get stronger but there is always a risk you can injure or strain them at anytime.

When I had a 9 to 5 I could go right after work because the gym was conveniently on the way home and now it’s hard to keep a regular schedule. If I was only home one or two days a week I would try to go twice a day but that seemed to only make me more tired so as long as I stay active in different ways such as hiking, backpacking, weight training, core fitness, rock climbing, surfing and anything I can toss into the mix, it seems to help me out and out of the achy breaky body syndrome.
Richard Wong
October 17th, 2011 @ 3:22 pm

Thanks for the comment, Steve. There is certainly no way to predict or prevent freak injuries as you note. That’s a good strategy to make the most of what you can. Mixing it up can also alleviate the monotony of doing the same thing over and over again.
Jon Cornforth
October 17th, 2011 @ 3:29 pm

As a former competitive triathlete and later alpine climber, I have always tried to stay in shape. However, when my kids were born & I started my business I did not take as good a care of myself for a few years. Fortunately, I did not like the direction I was headed & got back off of my ass. This week is my 10th wedding anniversary & I weigh the same as I did then.
Richard Wong
October 17th, 2011 @ 3:52 pm

Congrats Jon, both on the anniversary milestone and on your health.
Bret Edge
October 17th, 2011 @ 3:57 pm

I’ve long been a proponent of staying fit. Back in the 90′s I competed in adventure races and was as fit as I’ve ever been from an endurance standpoint. Now, I use CrossFit to maintain endurance and strength. Being fit allows me to enjoy the outdoors, keep up with my son, look halfway decent (although I’ll likely never have 6 pack abs again) and just generally enjoy life more than I would if I were overweight and out of shape.

Re: Steve’s comment, there are freak injuries that will crop up now and again. But, staying fit helps minimize those and other injuries. For example, it’s easier to sprain an ankle when you’re not fit because you tire easier and when you’re fatigued, you’re more likely to make a mis-step that results in rolling your ankle.

Great post, Richard!
Alan Majchrowicz
October 17th, 2011 @ 4:20 pm

Great article Richard! Turning 51 in a few weeks I’ve also had my share of aches and pains over the years and relatively few accidents. Even my only training consists of short hikes in the nearby Chuckanut hills overall I think I’m more active and in better shape now than my twenties, photography has been keeping me fit, knock on wood
Greg Russell
October 17th, 2011 @ 5:30 pm

Great post, Richard. I chuckled at the part you wrote about not being able to rely on your metabolism any more! So true.

I’ve been a runner for nearly 18 years, and try to run 4-6 days a week, anywhere from 4-10 miles. Push-ups and sit-ups help too. It definitely helps in the field, carrying a heavy camera backpack for up to 15 miles a day…

-Greg
Michael E. Gordon
October 17th, 2011 @ 5:40 pm

Hey Richard: I’ve suffered a little in the last five years, so allow me to just pass along something you’ll hear plenty in the coming years: “just wait until you turn 40″

I weigh less now than I ever have in my adult life, but there is no denying that age takes it toll on abilities and parts. Watching baseball a few weeks back, the commentators referred to the 41-year old third baseman – who made a valiant dive but missed the ball – as too old and lame (he had a knee issue) to do what the young players can do. 41, I said…
Anne McKinnell
October 17th, 2011 @ 7:30 pm

Funny, I was just thinking earlier today that many of the best photographers seem to be athletes. I can certainly appreciate the importance of being in shape. Not only for general health and stamina, but for injury prevention. And, if you do get injured, you bounce back faster if you are in shape.

I had back surgery when I was 29 just days before my 30th birthday. I felt a lot younger when I turned 40 than I did when I turned 30! Now I focus on prevention so I don’t end up injured again. But it is hard to not be able to do some of the more difficult hikes to get to the magical location or, if my back is bothering me, having to choose between lenses because I cannot carry them all.

So everyone get in shape and don’t get injured!

Excellent post Richard!
Ron Niebrugge
October 17th, 2011 @ 10:47 pm

Great post Richard. I love mountain running and cross-country skiing, and go to the gym of the weather is bad. I know that helps, but as I close in on 50, it seems like it is harder and harder to recover.
Richard Wong
October 17th, 2011 @ 10:56 pm

Thanks for the comments everyone.

Brett – CrossFit is pretty hardcore. No worries about the six pack as that is not necessarily an indicator of how healthy you are.

Alan – as long as you keep it up there is nothing wrong with taking a lot of short hikes. In my opinion it’s better to be consistent and have a sustainable routine than sporadic bursts of extreme workouts.

Greg – wish I could run four miles! Running is not really my thing but it is definitely great cardio for sure.

Michael – I’m glad you’re doing better now. I’m just going to lament my passing of the 20′s for now and worry about 40 when I get there.

Anne – 29 is certainly a very young age to have such a serious procedure done. Hopefully it doesn’t flare up again later on and that you stay healthy. My mom had neck surgery in her 40′s to alleviate disc degeneration and she still has lingering issues on occasion.
Richard Wong
October 17th, 2011 @ 10:58 pm

You seem to be doing just fine, Ron. If you could pull off mountain running and cross-country then I’m sure you are as fit if not more so than most of us. Though I would have to agree with you on the recovery time. Even at my age, I find that it takes more days to recover from soreness than when I was 21.
Gary Crabbe / Enlightened Images
October 17th, 2011 @ 11:10 pm

I’ve had physical issues that get in the way of being in optimal health, but the best step forward for me has always been hiking. @ 750 cal / hr, just give me a hill & an ipod. Even though I’ve had a hip flexor injury since August, it’s still the one exercise I feel best doing; even if I hurt after.
Richard Wong
October 17th, 2011 @ 11:21 pm

I hear you Gary. You’re fortunate that you’re still able to do what you do. 750 calories an hour though will definitely whip anyone into shape in no time.
QT Luong
October 17th, 2011 @ 11:41 pm

A maybe naive question: how is working out in the gym useful for outdoor photography ?

To me, it looks like the most tiring activity a photographer faces is to hike all day with a heavy pack. That’s endurance. Gary’s training seems to be the best way to prepare for that. Short of that, I run (usually on hilly terrain) as a less time-consuming alternative to hiking (intensity traded for endurance), although knees can indeed be a concern. But how working out in the gym improve your endurance ?
Bret Edge
October 17th, 2011 @ 11:57 pm

QT: Gym workouts can deliver killer endurance, if done right. The key is to keep your heart rate elevated for the duration of the workout. A typical strength training routine is better than nothing but it won’t contribute much to your endurance.

An example of an effective gym workout that builds strength and endurance is one that utilizes circuit training. Move from one exercise to the next without any break (or only a very short one) in between. Throw in a few body weight exercises like burpees, air squats or hop on an exercise bike and do 5 minutes of intervals and you WILL increase your cardiovascular endurance.

In 20 years as an athlete I’ve never found another program that burns fat, builds functional strength and delivers explosive cardio results like CrossFit, which can be done in a gym. I prefer to do it outside at a track or park. The workouts are short, incredibly intense, and despite never running more than a mile at a time, deliver endurance results that allow me to do 10 mile trail runs w/ ease. Give it a shot for a couple weeks and let us know how you like it!
Richard Wong
October 18th, 2011 @ 12:10 am

QT – the key is doing strength training and core exercises to supplement the long-distance work you are doing. Plus, are you doing long distance hikes every day? Hiking is good for cardio depending on the terrain but is not necessarily a full body workout. Balance is the key in my opinion. The point of the article is to reduce age-related injuries and ailments, not about hiking 6,000 feet in elevation.

Bret – burpees are brutal. We do “pyramids” in BJJ class for warm up and I can barely hack it!
QT Luong
October 18th, 2011 @ 12:49 am

Interesting Brett. “Moving large loads over long distances” seem good for a outdoor photographer. I’ll be reading the “understanding crossfit PDF” to see what this is about.

Although I must say that my ideal of the athlete outdoor photographer remains Galen Rowell. I am sure Gary will have something to say, but from what I read, I understood that his training consisted of running in the Berkeley Hills.
David Leland Hyde
October 18th, 2011 @ 11:07 am

I was in the best shape of my life with a flat stomach in my early 40′s due to playing Ultimate Disc in city and club leagues. Now, just a few years later, and further into the business of photography, I have been leading a sedentary life and am out of shape again. It wasn’t until I got out and started photographing myself that I found more of a balance. I find it is the photography itself that keeps me in shape.
Rhoda
October 18th, 2011 @ 11:43 am

Brett – I agree with you that circuit training is one of the best methods of endurance training. I do a weight-circuit training routine 3-4 days per week and spinning 3 times per week. I’m turning 46 in a few days and can still easily carry a 35lb pack of gear for day long hikes. But most of all, I practice yoga. And while many of you guys may look at yoga and think wimpy… well, I invite you to try a power yoga class some day. It utilizes muscles you don’t normally use in typical workouts and keeps all those joints healthy and strong.
Richard Wong
October 18th, 2011 @ 6:02 pm

Thanks for the comments everyone.

David – I hear you. It’s easier to get out of shape than get in shape.

Rhoda – Yoga seems pretty tough from what I’ve read. Maybe I’ll have to try that at some point.
Gerry
October 19th, 2011 @ 10:53 am

Physical fitness is not a requirement for outdoor photographers. Granted, one will not get those sunrise shots off of Half Dome but there are lots of shots available around Bridal Veil Falls. I do okay. I keep my alcohol and caffine consumption to minimum level: about four cups of perked coffee and about a 12 pack of light beer per week. Plus, I keep the red meat to a minimum as well. Just prior to an outing, I might go heavy on the carbs to prime my body for the strain. In the field, I eat canned chili, raviolis and the like. The protein and the fat and the salt, in my opinion, are beneficial. I drink lots and lots of plain water. (Gatorade binds me up). Mixed nuts and M&Ms round out the food choices. I do okay. I know at some point hiking will no longer be a choice. Which brings me to the point of the post. The State has decided in their infinite wisdom to close a lot of the state parks. Without the maintained trails, the State has denied wheelchair access to a lot of outdoor areas. I understand this is not the forum to continue my criticism and I won’t but your comments pointed out what will happen when hiking is not an option anymore and access is denied to those that are old and physically unable to hike the trails. Thanks.
Richard Wong
October 24th, 2011 @ 7:21 pm

Hi Gerry. I agree with your sentiments on the California State Parks issue. Many of the parks are quite accessible to most people in their current state and it would be a shame to let that standard of quality slip.