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TRAINING
Training
for Aconcagua
It
is imperative that everyone joining a mountaineering expedition be
in a high standard of physical fitness when the expedition begins.
The amount of time needed for training is completely dependent on
the general level of fitness a person is in prior to the expedition.
For the person that has spent the last ten years behind a desk with
no emphasis on keeping in shape, it may take two years to regain top
physical ability. The person that has always prioritized
conditioning and a rigorous workout as a part of their daily
routine, may only take a few months to fine tune for the demands of
mountaineering.
Consider, when setting up your program, that you will need to
develop the endurance to carry a 50 lb. pack, wearing climbing
boots, for 6-8 hours per day. Though it is impossible to train for
altitude you can put yourself on a conditioning program that will
best prepare you for this type of physical stress. How to do this?
It is impossible to be specific and say if you do this and that you
will be ready for a physically demanding expedition. Each person is
different and everyone has different terrain and time at their
disposal. After many years of observing climbers there are some
reoccurring training schemes that seem to help some people be better
prepared than others.
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1 |
Train for developing stamina. Run, bike, ski, fast walk. Vary your
routine to prevent overuse injuries and push yourself without
injuring yourself. Do warm up and cool down stretches. |
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2 |
Progressive resistance weight training. This type of training
improves anaerobic metabolism that feeds much of muscular work.
This type of human energy production is fed by stored
carbohydrates that require no additional oxygen to metabolize. |
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3 |
Train on hills or stairs with a pack on. You must be prepared for
13,000 of uphill wearing a 50 lb. pack and 13,000 of downhill.
Start with a light pack and gradually increase the weight. Never
run with a pack on. |
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4 |
Wear 2 lb. ankle weights to help condition for the extra weight of
climbing boots, soft snow and loose scree. (Don t wear these while
running). |
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5 |
Train as often as possible by skiing or hiking for all day,
weekend or longer trips. Train for what you are going to do! If
you want to be good at climbing big mountains with a big pack on,
start on little mountains with a small pack on and work your way
up. Conditioning by climbing is the best thing you can do. Get
comfortable moving in mountainous terrain all day long!! Heavy
packs tend to tire climbers the most. Be prepared by training
ahead of time and you will do fine. Don t expect to get used to
wearing a pack while you are on the expedition. |
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6 |
Be
mentally prepared for the expedition. Know before you start the
climb and accept the fact that at times you will be uncomfortable
and that your body is going to be uncooperative. You are going to
have to push yourself (unless you are superhuman). If you don t
have the ability to do this you won t be successful. You may be in
a cramped tent for many storm days. You are leaving the comforts
of home in order to experience a unique challenge and a remarkable
mountain. It is worth it!
- You must also be well enough in tune with yourself to know the
difference between pushing yourself and acute mountain sickness,
pulmonary or cerebral edema. These are all serious altitude
related problems which must be acknowledged. It is possible to
push yourself too far. For the safety of the team, the chief guide
will make a final decision on who needs a rest day, who continues
to ascend or who descends. |
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7 |
A
good diet cannot be underestimated. Research out a diet that will
help develop stamina and strength and that you can live with.
There are lots of books and articles that will get you started or
consult a professional nutritionist that has worked with athletes. |
This
type of training can easily take two hours per day, 5 days a week.
Be committed to it and be consistent. It will pay off many times
over!
We hope this gives you ideas on which to base your training
schedule. We recommend talking to a professional exercise
physiologist and setting up a conditioning program that you can
incorporate into your daily routine which will meet these goals.
Start today with your training and keep it up.
Good luck and please call if you have any questions.
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