Alpine Training - Intermediate

This workout is designed to for someone who is starting at an Intermediate fitness level with some knowledge of alpinism. This workout should be enough for climbs like Llulliallaco, Aconcagua, and peaks between 20,000-23,000 feet of elevation without extremely technical summit approaches.

If you’re looking for a prep for this workout, check out my 10-week Alpine Training Program on my blog. Snowshoeing, crampons and ice axes should be in your bag of skills. I will post a video blog soon about these basics.

The workout will follow 3 phases.

Phase 1: Basic conditioning. 4 weeks of stablishing a regime and test your Aerobic Threshold. This is not a particularly hard phase but crucial for what’s to come.

Phase 2: Alpine Base Strength. This is where you will start putting in the hours into strength training. You need to build the agility, the moves, the form and a solid performance base. If you don’t feel ready to move forward after phase 2 is over, add more weeks of base strength.

Phase 3: Alpine max. Sport specific skills at maximum performance level. Takes a few of the Base Strength workouts and maximizes their load without muscle gain. This should be tailored to your expedition needs.

Workout Menu.

There is a lot of information about each of these moves online.

Strength Training Moves	Core Moves	Balance and Stability
Turkish get-up Step ups Squats Split bench squat Push-ups (variations of single leg, with box, etc…) Typewriter Pull ups Rope pull ups Hanging leg raises (NO SWINGING)	Sit-ups Bird dog Windshield Wipers Three points Russian twists Bridge L-sits Planks (including side planks and weighted planks)	Yoga BOSU Ball Single-Leg Star Squats BOSU Ball Single leg deadlift BOSU Ball Pistol Squats BOSU Ball Medicine ball throws BOSU Ball Ski Moguls

Training will focus mainly on Aerobic Threshold. Check out this article to understand why https://www.polar.com/blog/understand-aerobic-threshold/

AeT test: Walk, jog, or run on flat ground (or on a treadmill) at an easy intensity for 20 minutes to warm up enough that you're starting to break a sweat after 20 minutes. Then close your mouth and continue to increase the pace to the point where you can no longer breathe only through your nose. Back off and hold this pace for the rest of the 20 minutes. This pace will also correspond to the upper limit at which you can carry on a conversation without needing to catch your breath. Note what this intensity level feels like and especially note what your typical heart rate is at this intensity. This is your Aerobic Threshold (AeT) pace and HR.

Phase 1

Week No.	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday	Sunday
1.	Aerobic Threshold Test (AeT) Run/Jog @AeT 00:40:00	Strength 1x Core 1x Strength 10 reps/30s rest No Weights	Run/Hike @AeT 1:00:00 Rolling Terrain	Recovery Jog @ AeT 00:30:00 Or Yoga	Rock Climbing with 15 min. core workout. or Repeat Tuesday’s Strength Training Routine.	Run/Hike @ AeT 1:00:00	Run/Hike Hills 2:00:00 Vertical Gain minimum of 1000 feet. Maintain AeT.
2	REST	Strength 1x Core 1x Strength 10 reps/30s rest No Weights	Run/Hike Hills @ AeT 1:15:00	Recovery Jog @ AeT 00:40:00 Or Yoga	Rock Climbing with 15 min. core workout. or Repeat Tuesday’s Strength Training Routine.	Run/Hike @ AeT 1:00:00	Run/Hike Hills 2:30:00 Vertical Gain minimum of 1000 feet. Maintain AeT.
3	REST	Strength 2x Core 1x Strength 10 reps/30s rest Add light resistance	Run/Hike Hills @ AeT 1:15:00	Recovery Jog @ AeT 00:40:00 Or Yoga	Rock Climbing with 15 min. core workout. or Repeat Tuesday’s Strength Training Routine.	Run/Hike @ AeT 1:00:00	Run/Hike Hills 2:45:00 Vertical Gain minimum of 1500 feet. Maintain AeT.
4. Transition week.	REST	Strength 1x Core 2x Strength 10 reps/30s rest Maintain same Resistance	Run/Hike Hills @ AeT 00:45:00	Recovery Jog @ AeT 00:30:00 Or Yoga	Rock Climbing with 15 min. core workout. or Repeat Tuesday’s Strength Training Routine.	Run/Hike @ AeT 1:00:00	Run/Hike Hills 2:00:00 Vertical Gain minimum of 2000 feet. Maintain AeT.

Phase 2

Week No.	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday	Sunday
1.	REST	Strength 2x Core 2x Strength 10 reps/30s rest Add 5% more resistance	Run/Hike @AeT 1:00:00 Hilly Terrain	Recovery Jog @ AeT 01:00:00 Or Advanced Yoga	Rock Climbing with 15 min. core workout. or Repeat Tuesday’s Strength Training Routine.	Run @ AeT 1:15:00	Hike 2:15:00 Vertical Gain minimum of 2,500feet. Maintain AeT.
2	REST	Strength 1x Core 3x Strength 10 reps/30s rest Add 5% more resistance	Run/Hike @AeT 1:00:00 Hilly Terrain	Recovery Jog @ AeT 01:00:00 Or Advanced Yoga	Rock Climbing with 15 min. core workout. or Repeat Tuesday’s Strength Training Routine.	Run @ AeT 1:15:00	Hike 2:15:00 Vertical Gain minimum of 2,500feet. Maintain AeT.
3	REST	Strength 2x Core 1x Strength 10 reps/30s rest Add light resistance	Run/Hike Hills @ AeT 1:15:00	Recovery Jog @ AeT 00:40:00 Or Yoga	Rock Climbing with 15 min. core workout. or Repeat Tuesday’s Strength Training Routine.	Run/Hike @ AeT 1:00:00	Run/Hike Hills 2:45:00 Vertical Gain minimum of 2500 feet. Maintain AeT.
4. Transition week.	REST	Strength 1x Core 3x Strength 10 reps/30s rest Add 5% more resistance	Run/Hike Hills @ AeT 00:45:00	Recovery Jog @ AeT 00:30:00 Or Yoga	Rock Climbing with 15 min. core workout. or Repeat Tuesday’s Strength Training Routine.	Run/Hike @ AeT 1:00:00	Run/Hike Hills 3:00:00 Vertical Gain minimum of 2500 feet. Maintain AeT.

Phase 3

Strength training days:

START: 15 min t-mill Run/hike warm up 10' easy + 5' of 1' fast 1' easy.
CORE:
Find the 4 hardest core exercises for you to complete. For these use a resistance that will only allow 6-10 second hold or 6 reps max. Try to hold good form on all exercises. Keep weight to progress to no more than 4 sets over the course of 6 weeks.

MAX:
Suggested weights here are for reference only.

First doublet is box step ups coupled with push ups done in sets of 4-6 reps with a weight you might be able to lift 8 times. This means you’ll do a set of 4 reps/leg of box step using a total of say, 40-45kg, then take 30 sec rest and do 4 push ups using something like 10-15kg vest. You can wear the vest the whole time so you don’t need to take it on and off. Just use a lighter barbell for the box step ups. Then rest 2-3 min stretching and repeat 3 more times. Use mountain boots for all. Repeat couplet 4 times

Second couplet is Step downs/ Pull ups (or find an upper body move that lifts your entire body weight)
For step downs use a 30cm step and 10-20Kg. Step forward down off the box to touch the floor lightly with your heel and then push back up onto the box. 4 reps. Then take 30 sec and go to the pull up bar. 4 reps of slow lowering wearing mountain boots. Get chin over the bar any way you can then lower for 5 sec and repeat. Add weight as needed to make the 5 sec lower near to max. Rest 3 min per couplet set and repeat 4 times.

Progression:

Weeks 1-2 use 4 sets
Weeks 3-4 use 5 sets
Weeks 5-6 use 6 sets
Weeks 7-8 use 5 sets but increase weight each set and drop reps by 1 in each set. Eg: set #1=4 reps, set#2=3 reps, set#3=2 reps, set#4=1 rep.

Week No.	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday	Sunday
1.	REST	Strength Training MAX	Steep Hike @AeT 1:20:00	Recovery Jog 00:30:00	Heavy Rock Climbing session with Core workout or Repeat Tuesday’s Strength Training Routine.	Run/Hike @ AeT 1:45:00	Hike 2:45:00 Vertical Gain minimum of 3,000 feet. Maintain AeT.
2	REST	Strength Training MAX	Steep Hike @AeT 1:30:00	Recovery Jog @ AeT 00:40:00	Heavy Rock Climbing session with Core workout or Repeat Tuesday’s Strength Training Routine.	Run @ AeT 1:45:00	Hike 3:00:00 Vertical Gain minimum of 2,500feet. Maintain AeT.
3	REST	Strength Training MAX Add light resistance	Steep Hike @AeT 1:40:00	Recovery Jog @ AeT 00:45:00 Or Yoga	Heavy Rock Climbing session with Core workout or Repeat Tuesday’s Strength Training Routine.	Run/Hike @ AeT 2:00:00	Run/Hike Hills 3:00:00 Vertical Gain minimum of 2500 feet. Maintain AeT.
4.	REST	Strength Training MAX	Run/Hike Hills @ Zone 3! 01:30:00 20min easy 20min AeT 20min >AeT 20min AeT 10min cool down	Recovery Jog @ AeT 00:30:00 Or Yoga	Run/Hike @ AeT 1:00:00	Up Hill Water Carry 10% of body weight up 2,500ft. @AeT w/ Mountain Boots	Walk 3:00:00 Vertical Gain minimum of 1000 feet. Maintain AeT.
5.	REST	Strength Training MAX	Run/Hike Hills @ Zone 3! 01:30:00 20min easy 20min AeT 20min >AeT 20min AeT 10min cool down	Recovery Jog @ AeT 00:30:00 Or Yoga	Run/Hike @ AeT 1:00:00	Up Hill Water Carry 20% of body weight up 2000 ft. @AeT w/ Mountain Boots	Walk 3:00:00 Vertical Gain minimum of 1000 feet. Maintain AeT.
6.	REST	Strength Training MAX	Run/Hike Hills @ AeT 01:30:00	Recovery Jog @ AeT 00:30:00 Or Yoga	Run/Hike @ AeT 1:00:00	Up Hill Water Carry 20% of body weight up 3000 ft. @AeT w/ Mountain Boots	Up Hill Water Carry 20% of body weight up 2000 ft. @AeT w/ Mountain Boots
7.	REST	Strength Training MAX	Run/Hike Hills @ AeT 01:30:00	Recovery Jog @ AeT 00:30:00 Or Yoga	Easy Run/Hike Hills @ AeT 01:00:00	Up Hill Water Carry 20% of body weight up 3500 ft. @AeT w/ Mountain Boots	Up Hill Water Carry 20% of body weight up 2500 ft. @AeT w/ Mountain Boots
8	REST	Strength Training MAX	Run/Hike Hills @ Zone 3! 01:30:00 20min easy 20min AeT 20min >AeT 20min AeT 10min cool down	Recovery Jog @ AeT 00:30:00 Or Yoga	Easy Run/Hike Hills @ AeT 01:00:00	Up Hill Water Carry 20% of body weight up 4000 ft. @AeT w/ Mountain Boots	Up Hill Water Carry 20% of body weight up 2500 ft. @AeT w/ Mountain Boots
9	REST	Strength Training MAX	Run/Hike Hills @ Zone 3! 01:30:00 20min easy 20min AeT 20min >AeT 20min AeT 10min cool down	Recovery Jog @ AeT 00:30:00 Or Yoga	Easy Run/Hike Hills @ AeT 01:00:00	Up Hill Water Carry 20% of body weight up 4000 ft. @AeT w/ Mountain Boots	Up Hill Water Carry 20% of body weight up 3000ft. @AeT w/ Mountain Boots
10	REST	Recovery Jog @ AeT 00:30:00 Or Yoga	REST	Run/Hike Hills @ AeT 01:00:00	REST	Run/Hike Hills @ AeT 01:00:00	REST

Feel free to comment or ask anything! It's a rough guide to give you an idea of the structure of a my alpine training.  Good luck!