How To Train For Everest
How To Train For Everest
Training For Everest? Its best to get in good shape and then test yourself at successively higher altitudes, working your way up slowly and carefully, while learning good mountain skills, such as ice axe and crampon, rope handling, ascending and descending, route finding, crevasse rescue, avalanche forecasting, high altitude illness prevention, diagnosis and treatment, snow camping and survival skills. As Everest is located in Nepal, a developing country in Asia, you should also work on your international travel expertise and familiarity with different cultures, peoples, and environments. Here is a suggested progression of trips to take you to the top. If you have the time and resources, you could progress through all of these steps within 12 months:
- Everest Base Camp Trek, K2 Base Camp Trek
- Trekking Peaks (6000 metre / 19,500 feet): Everest Glacier Schiool on Lobuche, Everest February Quick Prep Climb on Lobuche + Island Peak Mera Peak Climb, Island Peak Climb, Pastore Peak Climb.
- 7000 metre / 23,000 foot high peaks: Everest Camp 3 Training Climb, Everest North Col Training Climb, K2 Everest Training Climb, Ama Dablam, Baruntse, Aconcagua, Ojos Del Salado.
- 8000 metre / 26,000 foot high peaks: Lhotse, Gasherbrum, Broad Peak, Manaslu, Cho Oyu.
- Everest SummitClimb Nepal South Col Transition from Everest Training Climb at no extra cost: Everest SummitClimb Tibet North Col:
- K2
- Firstly, you should always consult your doctor before starting a rigorous exercise plan.
- In the beginning, to see how you handle the training, and to avoid muscle strains that could slow your training down, you may wish to use shorter more frequent but less taxing workouts, and take more rest. After you get "up to speed" as it were, you could increase the rigour. Older climbers and walkers please take note of the latter. Also remember that swimming is an excellent form of training because it does not put stress upon your joints. Thank you.
- In order to train well for your trip you should work toward excercising 3 to 4 times a week for between 40 minutes and an hour and a half each time. You should expect to work hard, and try to keep your heartrate quite high and your breathing quite heavy.
- Adequate rest and a well balanced diet are also essential to avoid injury and illness before the expedition. You should sleep at least 8 hours per night, and eat 3 nutritious meals a day. Don't forget that you will perspire when you train, so try to drink at least 4 litres/quarts of water a day.
- You may wish to engage the services of a personal trainer, who could help you to fine tune your fitness to a higher level while minimizing strain and maximising your potential in ways you might not have imagined. Personal trainers can also be a great motivator, as you and the trainer have your weekly session, thus you will feel an incentive to complete your planned fitness programme for that week.
- Utilising both gym equipment and the great outdoors will provide a more balanced exercise programme. You should try to accomplish at least half of your workouts outside. This could include walking and running (On stairs and hills too) and cycling, but above all should be fun! Hillwalking and climbing with a pack weighing 5-10 Kilos/10-20 pounds is essential. If you don't have hills, why not go for stairs, bleachers, viewing stands, stadiums, even the stairways in tall buildings? Don't forget to spend time directly working the muscles of the legs, back and shoulders, and remember that your own body weight can be just as effective as weights, or machines.
- About 6 weeks before the expedition departure date, you may wish to do 1 full day each week of hill walking, climbing or an equivalent, with a light rucksack. On that day, you would want to eventually work toward six-eight hours of continuous walking or climbing up and down hill, with 4 to 6 separate ten minute breaks and a 1/2 to 1 hour lunch break midway through.
- To minimize the chance of injuring yourself, consider starting with a half day and then if you do well, increase to 2/3, then eventually to a full day, once a week.
- We want you to arrive for your expedition in top shape, so please take plenty of rest and do not over-do it.
- Hint: when carrying a rucksack while descending, walking, or climbing down-hill, try carrying a bit less in your rucksack in order to save your knees. Many trainers advise carrying water bottles up the hill then emptying them at the top so your rucksack is lightened for the trip down.
- Some of the best training tips we have seen: Uphill Athlete … Summit Coach
- If you are in good shape from regular exercise, it is likely you are already more than prepared to enjoy this trek. Here are some fun training tips below.
- In the beginning, to see how you handle the training, and to avoid muscle strains that could slow your training down, you may wish to use shorter more frequent but less taxing workouts, and take more rest. After you get "up to speed" as it were, you could increase the rigour. Older walkers, please take note of the latter. Also remember that swimming and bicycling are a fun and excellent form of training because they do not put stress upon your joints. Thank you.
- In order to train well for your trip you should work toward exercising several times a week for about 30 minutes each time.
- Adequate rest and a well balanced diet are also essential to avoid injury and illness before the trip. You should sleep at least 8 hours per night, and eat 3 nutritious meals a day. Please be sure to drink lots of water, at least 3 litres per day.
- Utilising both gym equipment and the great outdoors will provide more balanced exercise. You should try to accomplish at least half of your workouts outside. This could include walking, running, and cycling, but above all should be fun. Walking up and down hills, stairs, or bleacher stands with a small pack weighing 5 Kilos/10 pounds is also good preparation for trekking.
- We want you to arrive for your expedition in top shape, so please make your workouts fun, take plenty of rest and do not over-do it.
- For further info about training, please take a look at www.UphillAthlete.com , they even offer coaching, as do www.SummitCoach.org .