How I Train for the Mountains

Every one of us is unique. We each eat, sleep, work, and play in our own way. Within each one of us, our body has different needs on different days, and that continues to evolve throughout life. The concept of me sharing how I train should not be a model for anyone. There are a few important points to consider here. First of all, I have climbed and skied in the mountains for more than twenty years, and I’ve done so professionally. What this has done is predispose my body and mind to handle the stress of it. Creating that predisposition is what I want to discuss first.

A good analogy for predisposing your mind and body to training is like learning a new language. When we learn the first words, they are awkward to pronounce, there is no flow to it. It’s important to first allow your body to adjust to training. A good way to begin this is with an 8 week program of cardiovascular exercise, and with strength training in the gym or home gym. My background is climbing and skiing in big mountains, and therefore most of my training is focused on that, in a lower altitude environment with the space and time to let my body heal after each daily workout. It’s easy to make mistakes training, we all want quick results and while gaining muscle and notable increases in fitness are self inspiring in the short term, the mileage is where true fitness and a path of goals over a period of a decade become achievable.

I also think it’s important to maintain an active life, instead of wanting the goal to lose weight, or to make one’s body appear a certain way, it is more important to find active outdoor activities that inspire you. In the long term this puts you on a path of health. All of the right choices for a healthy life involve passion for the outdoors. Fresh air, healthy meals that you’re hungry for because you exert yourself, and then the sleep that comes afterward as your body then needs it. I was asked a few times recently on social media how I train. I hope this is a good start to the conversation. I would like to hear from you, what do you want to hear about specifically. It’s a cinch to add to the comments below and then I can reply.