MOUNTAINEERING • Getting started • Is mountaineering for me? • Skills & techniques • Fitness • Food & nutrition • Equipment overview • Gear check list • Joining an expedition • The effects of altitude • Navigation • Safety & first aid • Further reading

MOUNTAINEERING
Fitness & training

Physical and mental preparation are by far the most important prerequisites for any kind of mountaineering activity. Failure to be adequately prepared will put not only yourself at risk but your entire team.

Most mountaineers begin physical training approximately 6-12 months prior to a major climb. Professional and/or regular climbers may require much less training as they maintain their fitness constantly.

For the novice climber, the more time spent training before your climb the better prepared you will be. Depending on your current level of fitness, you should consider dedicating 2 hours per day, three days per week to physical training. This should consist largely of trekking in a hilly environment with a pack loaded with a similar amount of weight to what you will be carrying on your expedition. The amount of weight that you will be carrying will vary depending on the type of expedition that you join. Your chosen adventure company will best advise you on this.

If you are located in an area where hilly terrain is not accessible, such as a city, then this can be supplemented by regularly climbing the stairs of a tall building. This is a favored method of training by a lot of mountaineers. Another good way to help keep fit between outdoor training sessions is to buy yourself a good quality treadmill. A treadmill shouldn't be relied upon as a sole form of training as there is no substitute for the real thing, but it will certainly be a great advantage to your training program. Make sure that the treadmill you invest in has an incline function as this will work wonders in building your stamina and strength. In addition, because a treadmill runs at a constant speed, you will be able to train your body to walk at a constant pace. This is vital to safe glacier travel or when operating in avalanche prone areas.

Another area of physical fitness that is sometimes debated within mountaineering circles is the inclusion of weight training as a part of mountaineering and trekking fitness preparation. While some will argue that they have trekked and/or climbed for years without ever having picked up a dumbell, commonsense suggests that if the various muscle groups are worked regularly, then they will perform better during your adventure. See also Trekking Fitness.

Prior to starting any fitness program be sure to consult a fitness professional for the correct advice and guidance for your individual circumstances.

Food & nutrition >