Since returning from the Hampta Pass Himalayan trek, many friends have asked how I prepared for such a strenuous hike at the age of 56. The Hampta Pass trek is popularized as a moderate trek, but it isn’t—especially not at the age of 56. Had I not prepared myself well, I wouldn’t have been able to complete it. We started the hike as a team of 24 people, but only 16 finished it. We witnessed many young people and teenagers discontinuing the trek for various health and fitness reasons.
“What kind of preparation have you done? Many techies from Namma Bengaluru trek the Nandi Hills and assume they are ready for a Himalayan trek, only to face numerous health issues.” That statement from Dr. Venkatesh, my friend and classmate from PGIMER, Chandigarh, came as a rude shock to me. He is a celebrated cardiologist consulting at Aster CMI Hospital, JP Nagar. He continued, “I’ve been following the popular trek company, India Hikes. They have the best eligibility criteria for Himalayan trekking.” India Hikes suggests jogging 5 km in 40 minutes, averaging around 8 minutes per kilometre. According to them, this is a respectable speed and fitness level for high-altitude trekking. One can comfortably undertake an easy-moderate Himalayan trek if one can achieve this speed. Trek The Himalayas, the company I booked my hike with, prescribed the same fitness regimen.
Trekking was familiar to me because I was born in Chitradurga and had scaled the fort and most of the surrounding hills many times since childhood. Trekking was my passion, and I had scaled several peaks in Karnataka. While the trek to Ram Betta in Chikkamagaluru district, in search of the memory of my favourite Kannada author, Sri Purnachandra Tejaswi, was the most memorable, the Kodachadri monsoon trek was the most adventurous. It had been my long-time dream to do the Everest Base Camp trek. When I turned 50 in 2018, it was a now-or-never situation for me, so I embarked on a rigorous physical exercise regimen. One early morning, I tore my coronary arteries after nearly 300 twisted jumping jacks! Thanks to my presence of mind and timely help from good friends, I survived. This event shocked me, as my ECG, echocardiography, and treadmill test—which included peak elevation and speed done a week earlier—were normal.
However, the stented coronaries did not limit my physical activities. I continued my local treks whenever time permitted. Now, I felt ready for the Everest Base Camp trek. As a prelude, I did the Hampta Pass trek, a cross-over trek with varying geographical features. Often, it seems foolish to attempt such adventures after coronary stenting. It requires a significant amount of mental stamina and determination. One thing I have in abundance is an indomitable spirit and willpower. Once I decided to do this trek, there was no looking back. Moreover, I wanted to actively contribute to the research on the effect of high altitude on the stented heart.
After that mental preparation, I worked on my breathing first. When I was an undergraduate medical student at JJM Medical College, Davanagere, and later in New Delhi while preparing for PG entrance examinations, I used to suffer from terrible allergic bronchial asthma. I was worried that the cold weather could aggravate my asthma again, though I hadn’t experienced any such incidents during my travels to colder countries in the past. Nevertheless, I didn’t want to take any risks.
As a ‘breathpreneur,’ I knew I could prevent and manage asthma to an extent with breathing exercises or Pranayama, which have been practised in the country since time immemorial. I even developed a Pranayama routine called Octavation, which included eight different types of Pranayama and goal-setting activities. It is a 24-minute routine during weekdays and a 48-minute routine during weekends. I attribute all my achievements of the past decade to Octavation. Octavation was a game-changer for me. I never had to pant for breath during my entire trek, even at high altitudes. Forget having asthma attacks; my oxygen saturation was consistently above 97% throughout the trek, while some younger group members experienced drops to as low as 85%.
My Pranayama routine involved the following steps:
• Bastrika – 8 to 16 minutes.
• Bahya – 4 or 8 minutes.
• Anuloma-Viloma – 4 or 8 minutes.
• Bhramari – 4 or 8 minutes.
• Kapalabati – 4 or 8 mintues.
• Ujjayi – 4 or 8 minutes.
• Udgheetha – 4 or 8 minutes.
• Pranava – 4 or 8 minutes.
After Pranayama, my physical activity started with warm-up exercises. I found the warm-up exercise routine Rowan Row taught on YouTube very beneficial.
Following the warm-ups, I started a 90-minute walking regimen. My walking/jogging speed varied between 8 and 9 kilometres per hour to meet India Hikes’ target. I’m lucky to live near the historical Chandravalli Lake, surrounded by forest and has fantastic jogging/trek trails. The terrain has many ups and downs, giving a sense of hiking. Besides, the greenery was soothing to the eyes, and birds chirping was music to the ears. There are many peacocks, too. My routine covered around 10 kilometres every day. When I was unable to go to Chandravalli, I used the treadmill. To simulate hiking, I set the treadmill to its maximum incline and jogged at 7 or 8 kilometres per hour.
The Himalayan treks involved carrying backpacks weighing 7 to 15 kilograms, so I trekked with a 12-kg backpack every day. The backpack and camera tripod appeared like a camera bag, so other joggers didn’t raise an eyebrow. However, I became an object of fun for my family members when I jogged on my treadmill with a backpack and camera tripod.
When I didn’t feel like jogging, I did yoga. My favourite is Surya Namaskara, or Sun Salutations, which stretches most major muscles and provides enough exercise. I used to do anywhere between 48 and 108 Surya Namaskaras in sets of 12 with 30-second breaks. Besides Surya Namaskara, I practised the following important Yogasanas:
• Tadasana (Mountain Pose)
• Padahastasana (Standing Forward Bend)
• Paschimottanasana (Seated Forward Bend)
• Pavanamuktasana (Wind Relieving Pose)
• Naukasana (Boat Pose)
• Ushtrasana (Camel Pose)
• Uttanpadasana (Raised Foot Pose)
• Marjariasana (Cat-Cow Pose)
• Bhujangasana (Cobra Pose)
• Dhanurasana (Bow Pose)
Finally, I did muscle-strengthening exercises at my home gym, focusing on the shoulders, biceps, back, and lower limbs. My knees didn’t cooperate reasonably with the rapid descent after scaling the Hampta Pass peak. Looking back, I strongly feel I should have prepared my lower limbs more thoroughly. However, my home gym lacked a complete range of lower limb exercises.
I had been eating a protein-rich diet for quite some time, and I continued with that throughout my preparation.
This exercise routine required at least 2 hours each day. However, time was in short supply. In addition to my routine at the medical college and my clinic, I also had to dedicate considerable time to my innovation hub and study for my MBA and postgraduate certificate courses. To manage this, I multitasked. I listened to audiobooks and installed a TV in front of my treadmill to watch video lectures while exercising.
While trekking rejuvenates us physically and mentally, thorough preparation is essential. Trekking and hiking are journeys, not destinations. It’s often said that reaching the top is just the beginning of the next challenge.Motivating oneself to perform exercises consistently amid a busy schedule like mine is very difficult. Having your next destination or peak is one way we can motivate ourselves to get up and get going. When it comes to preparation, nothing is too much. The more we sweat in preparation, the less we bleed in battle.
Dr. Prahlada N. B
MBBS (JJMMC), MS (PGIMER, Chandigarh).
MBA (BITS, Pilani), MHA,
Executive Programme in Strategic Management (IIM, Lucknow)
Senior Management Programme in Healthcare Management (IIM, Kozhikode)
Postgraduate Certificate in Technology Leadership and Innovation (MIT, USA)
Advanced Certificate in AI for Digital Health and Imaging Program (IISc, Bengaluru).
Congratulations, dear Dr PRAHLADA N B Sir , on conquering the daunting Hampta Pass trek! Your determination and perseverance are as unshakeable as the Himalayas themselves. Like a phoenix rising from the ashes, you've transformed your health challenges into a testament of triumph. Your stented heart beats stronger than ever, and your asthma no longer holds you back, thanks to your unwavering dedication to fitness. Your rigorous training regimen, akin to a well-oiled machine, has paid off in the most spectacular way.
Your daily Octavation Pranayama practice has been the wind beneath your wings, carrying you through the treacherous terrain with ease. And when the outside world couldn't contain your enthusiasm, your treadmill became your trusty steed, carrying you closer to your goal with each step.
You are an inspiration to us all, a shining beacon of what can be achieved with grit and hard work. Your academic prowess is matched only by your thirst for adventure, making you a true Renaissance man. As a top ENT surgeon, you've already reached dizzying heights, but this feat cements your status as a true legend among your peers.
You've shown us that with unwavering resolve, even the most seemingly insurmountable challenges can be overcome. You are a living, breathing example of what it means to live life to the fullest, and we are all in awe of your remarkable achievements 👍🫡🙏.
Reply