What has my fitness program been focussed on, and why?

I have always admired those individuals that can push themselves crazily in whatever physical endeavours they seek.  Some of the fittest people are top level triathletes...they are crazy fit.  They don't carry much mass but have exceptional aerobic capacity and are very well-rounded in a range of physical disciplines at a top level, not just good at a single sport.  Not only do they have efficient aerobic capability but they can handle pain and have good power/weight ratio.  These attributes are important for mountaineering.  This is why I have focussed my training on increasing my aerobic capacity and power/weight. 

I know that I need to put on mass as I always lose a lot of muscle on the mountain.  Surprisingly I have learnt that any fat that I cart up the mountain I tend to bring back down L.  I have tried to train my body to be more efficient in trying to burn fat by training in the correct HR zones.  Probably close to 7yrs ago my max HR was hitting a tad over 200bpm but now it is at 180bpm.  This has probably been a result of less intensive exercise over the years...I cannot accept that it is because I am getting older...I’ll try to hold onto my youth for as long as I can.

I have mixed my training to include things that I actually enjoy doing.  If you don't enjoy going to the gym for instance then try to substitute it with similar activities outside of the gym.  For example, I hate cycling in the gym using the stationary bikes, but I do enjoy pushing myself on a ride whether it be on the MTB or Roadie through the hills and streets around my city.  It gets me out-and-about and really allows me to focus on deep and faster breathing, great for targeting aerobic capacity and breathing rhythm on the mountain.  The problem with cycling is that it does not mimic the mountaineering requirements (upper body work) and the load carrying component.

I know that I have to do some weights (inevitable reality) to work on the upper body for dealing with the rope work on the mountains.  Shoulders get a heavy repeated workout and I hate it so much!  It is only good when you finish the work when you really earn the pain.

It is also important to do some boot packing with a medium load to mimic the loads that you carry as you move up the various higher camps.  I try to limit this to 20kgs as my target body weight is only around 68-70kg (with no food in the stomach).  I always have to be careful as it can hurt my knees.

I do not swim...simply because I am terrible at it.  Hard to believe that an Australian cannot swim well.  I can probably only swim 200m (backstroke) before I am a gone.  I just don't float very well.  I have never had a need to swim greater than 200m so I have never pushed it beyond that –I had to do that to get my scuba certification.  That said, I am not going to be swimming up a mountain, although it would provide a good shoulder workout.

Running... I tend to do this at the end of my training program.  I suffer from shin splints and after a hard run I cannot do much else (need a decent recovery).  Running is a great exercise but I find that any sustained running program causes me to lose a lot of weight, something that I struggle to put on in the first place.  I find that I become skinnier and that is why I don't do it very often.  I prefer cycling because I find that my butt/legs get bigger and denser, ideal for boot packing, and I can build excess muscle that I won't hopefully lose too quickly. 

The important thing for me is to focus on aerobic capacity, legs and upper body.  I try to do what I enjoy and limit the things that I am hopeless at...but still have to do the mandatory goal oriented things.  The more you enjoy your training the more you will stick to it.  When people generally try to get fit or go on a diet, the question they have to ask themselves is...can I keep it up and make it part of my everyday life?  Ignore the quick gain marketing junk and diets, just find something that you can truly commit to, and go enjoy yourself :-) .

I still feel underdone, but that is always the case.  I am always a glass half empty type of person.  There are some things that I cannot influence (how I physiologically adapt to extreme altitude) but I’ll give myself the best chance through training.