How to Train for Mountaineering

And why it’s so important.

There is no surprise that when it comes to mountaineering, a form of suffering is to be expected on both the uphill and downhill. When I was serving in the military we had a saying, “the more you bleed in peacetime, the less you bleed in wartime”. I have taken this moto and adapted it to my own of “The more I sweat and suffer now, the more prepared i’ll be in the difficult times. Training creates stresses that lead to bettering of one’s self during those hard and difficult days in the mountains, and how we manage ourselves.

This article should not be used as an exact guide on how to train for big objectives. Every objective is different, and I have often times used personal trainers to help design the right program for me. This article was written to help you start the process of developing your own training plan, and what works for you.

My go to training advice? Legs, Lungs, and Core. Why? Our legs need the capability and capacity for long days, on a variety of different terrain obstacles. Our lungs should be strong for various elevations we will find ourselves in, aiding oxygen flow to our muscles, and learning to control our breath when our bodies are in a fight or flight state. Lastly, our core is what connects our limbs to our body as we move. Without a strong core we put unnecessary strain on our limbs that can lead to quicker muscle fatigue.

Legs:

What carries us day in and day out of our training. Its more than just doing body weight squats and running. Incorporating different types of leg strengthening movements that mimic what we face in the mountains can help ease those aches and pains. Here are some of our favorite exercises for leg power.

Core and Abdominals:

The goal here is not to achieve a 6 pack of abs, although that would be an added bonus! Instead, our focus here is building a strong core that supports our limbs when moving through difficult terrain! Here are a few of our favorite routines:

Lungs:

Its more than just breathing, but how we absorb oxygen into the bloodstream in extreme conditions, when our bodies are pushed to extreme limits. It can also be helpful learning out to control your breathing while under extreme stress. There are many techniques that experts claim are the best, and each have their own unique benefits. Here are a few breathing exercises that you should know about.

• Diaphragmatic (Belly) Breathing: Used for low intensity movements, recovery, or acclimatization days.
• Rhythmic Breathing: Used for Sustained uphill climbs, pacing on long ascents.
• Pressure Breathing (aka Pursed-Lip Breathing): Used for High-altitude climbs, steep sections, or when feeling winded.
• Box Breathing: Used for Stress Management, mental clarity, and pre-summit nerves.

Low-Aerobic Training:

Many of the guides and other mountaineers I have walked beside all have one thing in common. Their ability to move at a slow pace for hours on end without fatiguing. Think of training for a marathon. You are not going to come sprinting out of the gate at 110% effort, maxing out at a 180bpm heart rate. You could likely go an hour, maybe 2 before your body crashes on you!

Find your Zone 1, Zone 2 heart rate zone (you can find how to calculate here) and train for longer times in those HR zones. I like to keep an old mountaineering pack with a 25 pound plate in the back in my vehicle for days I am trying to squeeze a few hour training day before or after work! Here is a sample itinerary for training.

• Monday: Strength
• Tuesday: High Anaerobic training: Sprints, 20 rounds of 30 seconds max effort with 30 second rest.
• Wednesday: Strength
• Thursday: Low Aerobic/Recovery: Keep the heart rate below 140bpm or zone 2. The goal here is to move for 1-3 hours.
• Friday: Climbing/Strength
• Saturday: Low Aerobic
• Sunday: Rest

Some days I will climb in the morning, and then either workout, or do some type of low aerobic in the evening. Its important to build a plan that works well for your schedule as well.

Gear for Training:

If having a gym membership is out of the question, you can still achieve the training to achieve your goals if you are dedicated enough. However there are a few items that you can find cheap can help you with your goals.

• Pull-up bar: I use a pull up bar that can attach to a doorway, or if you have the extra cash, a hang board will work just as well. Just make sure your install the hang board properly!
• Rucking Plate with Handles: I use this for both my strength training sessions, and it easily slides into my training backpack for my training hikes. Amazon has a few cast iron plates that are perfect.
• Kettlebell: You can find used kettlebells all over, and these are such versatile pieces of equipment.

Conclusion:

This is just the tip of the iceberg of training for a mountaineering objective. There are entire books on how to maximize training for your objective such as Steve House’s “Training for the New Alpinism” that dives into the deep depth of building a well rounded program. If you are unsure of where to start, you can check put out the Uphill Athlete training programs, hire a personal trainer, or purchase a pre-built program from a reputable program.

Happy training and remember to have fun!