Aconcagua Training Program

It stands to reason that your enjoyment of a climbing trip is significantly influenced by how fit you are on that trip. You greatly enhance your probability of success, increase your safety margin, decrease your chances of becoming ill or injured, and are not totally wasted at the end of the day if you are in better shape. Therefore, we strongly suggest that you optimize your fitness level.

The first thing to keep in mind is that we live in a busy world, and honestly, if we don’t make training a part of our live-a-day lives, it’s just not going to happen. So be creative, but make sure you are consistent. If your body does not receive consistent training stimuli, the tissues will not respond and little, if any, long term training effect will be experienced. You want to eventually be putting in at least 3-4 days per week, 1-2 hours each day. You should ideally be training 5-6 days per week with at least one full day outing per week to prepare for a large expedition.

What you do to train is also very important. “Specificity of Training” is the most important concept here. This refers to how closely your training activity matches your performance activity. The closer, the better. This is why you never see marathon runners in the lap pool, or field goal kickers pushing the blocking sled. Think of the activities you will be performing on your climb (hiking with a pack, going up and down steep inclines, possibly technical climbing involving all four limbs, etc…) and train for those. Do you think you will ever be running without a pack? Then that may not be your best training option. You need to be HIKING up hills with a pack on!! Of course any cardiovascular training you can do is better than none, and sometimes you have to do what’s practical. Being specific about your training optimally prepares your cardiovascular, pulmonary, muscular, and most importantly, your metabolic systems. At the same time, it gets your joints and tendons used to the stresses they will be experiencing on the climb, greatly reducing your likelihood of injury. Here are a few suggestions for training options, but don’t let this list limit you; come up with your own ideas:

• Hike up hills with a pack on (ski, snowboard, bike, rolorblade, or hang glide down if you wish).
• Use the stair master at slow speeds with a pack on (Versa Climbers are great too).
• Go to the climbing gym and climb with a pack on. Do many laps (10 or more in a row) on easy routes. You won’t be crankin’ 5.10 anywhere on Aconcagua.
• Climb the stairs in your apartment or office with a pack on. Good lunch time workout and a great way to gain support from your co-workers.
• Add your own…

Remember though, as with beginning any new activity, ease into it. Slowly add weight to the pack or increase the distance. If you rush it, you WILL regret it! Also, proper stretching, warm-up and cool-down are mandatory.

*The 30 day and 90 day - 1 year training programs are included in the Acceptance Package.

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  Brian Prax, MA PT