UKC

As per the title I'm looking to increase my mountain fitness i.e heading out to the alps this Autumn then Alaska in the spring. My problem is that I have started a new job which means I'm away from the mountains so cant get out for my regular hill runs/bike rides etc.

What sort of training regime can I have by using the gym, anybody offer any examples. Was thinking of some sort of circuit training incorporating weights and cardio work to try and stimulate that alpine burn.

All the best

In reply to ffati: where are you?

In reply to IainRUK: Sorry should have made myself clear I will be travelling around so wont be anywhere for a long period, so no time to figure training routes, and thats why I was thinking of the gym every hotel has one or if not there will be one near by.

In reply to ffati:

Just go running. It'll help the cardio fitness. If you mix that up with a bit of cycling and swimming then you'll build up the right level of fitness in no time.

In reply to mattrm: I am starting off from a good base of running what I need is a more alpine "allbody" workout where i can stimulate the stresses of a big day out. I'm thinking more along the lines of Mark Twights Extreme Alpinism.

In reply to ffati: just back from Alaska.

My training plan:

Runing 3 x a week (1 x Long slow distance (half marathon), 1 x hill intervals (1 hour), 1 x 1 hour temp run (about 13km)

2 Crossfit sessions a week.

3 load carry sessions a week - 2 1&1/2 hour sessions in the week and a longer session on the weekend. Upto 120lbs in the end.

Was plenty fit enough on Denali

In reply to ffati: Cheers for that forgive my ignorance but by load carry do you mean lifting weights or do you mean a walk with a f*#%king heavy bag?

That running regime sounds similar to mine but i have a bike some biking thrown in there as well.

In reply to ffati:

These guys doing training plans (no idea of cost):

http://mountainathlete.com/

Or look at their sample pages and cobble something togther from that?

If you're on the Mark Twight vibe:

http://www.gymjones.com/

In reply to ffati: load carries = walking uphill with a heavy back.

it was 6 months training - the first 3 was the runs, plus some bike, plus the cross fit, plus some hill walking.

the last 3 months was all about converting the base fitness to specific fitness, hence moving to load carries and building the weight up gradually and doing less bike.

The crossfit was great because it strengthens your back, core and legs which makes load carrying easier. it anaerobic as well as aerobic so helps push your anaerobic threshold up, and they reckon the interval style training increases your number of red blood cells.

I did the Welsh 3000's in 13 hours about 6 weeks before I went. Legs didn't even ache the following day. and They never ached on Denali.

In reply to ffati:

id echo what steveej is sayin.

build a base of cardio, injury proofing and some endurance, then 'mountainize' it with crossfit type stuff that develops the specific muscles that help lug packs, push up steep stuff, haul on ropes etc.

i think theres a lot that can be done in the gym (but certainly not everything), especially if you can get some cardio machines into the mix like ski mills, rowing machines, stair machines etc.

i know some guys who train others for this stuff. pm me if youd like some info on their programs.

In reply to ice.solo: I have a good base, usually run/ bike 5 days a week as well as climbing what I'm after is to build on this and keep motivation up as i dont fancy running for 90 mins on a treadmill, but also building a good amount of strength and conditioning.

In reply to ffati: As a miserably unfit old bloke I can relate my experience that cycling (provided you work at raising a sweat) is a lot better than runnign for emulating the use of the big muscles in your thighs for going up hills with . I.e. stronger legs don't have to work so hard to get you up!

For the rest of your muscle groups maybe you need a list of climbing walls and give yourself a beasting there twice a week? (Guessing that finding a partner shouldn't be too much of a problem)