SAMPLE

MOUNTAINEERING
PROGRAM
12-WEEK TRAINING PLAN

MONTH 1, WEEK 2
OBJECTIVE: BUILD WORK CAPACITY
In the first month, your main goal is to build your work capacity. This is your bodys overall ability
to walk, pull, and simply move with a load all day long. This week, we will add a weighted pack
to your endurance days, to simulate the weight you must carry and/or pull during your summit
attempt.
Just as in Week 1, there are some optional workouts built in to either enhance recovery or build
your aerobic energy system. There are also a few optional rock/ice climbing days, if your alpine
attempt includes technical climbing or if you just simply like to climb.

WEEK 2 OVERVIEW:

We build on the introductory exercises of Week 1. Some of

these activities may not seem like much, but over time, you
will build muscles that will ultimately help your hiking posture
and strength.

DAY 1

DAY 2

DAY 3

OPTIONAL
DAY 4

OPTIONAL
DAY 5

THEME:
Posture and
Restoration

THEME:
Strength
Endurance

THEME:
Aerobic work

THEME:
THEME:
Rotational
Strength
Movement and Endurance
Restoration

THEME: Build
Work Capacity

Bodyweight circuit
20 min

Mobility warmup
20 min
Strength circuit 50
min

Hill walk or run 4050 min

Mobility Circuit 20
min
Rotational
Movement Circuit
20 min

Aerobic work with

pack 120+ min

Moderate rock
climbing 90 min
OR
Hill walk or run 50
min

DAY 6

Plus optional Rock

climb 60-90 min

Week 2, Day 1: POSTURE AND RESTORATION

You went hard last weekend, so this circuit, like
most Mondays, is all about recovery. This circuit
stimulates soft tissue repair throughout your
body so you can feel sharper for the next hard
workout. Keep the dumbbell weight light. There
are no points for winning the recovery circuit.
TERMS:
DB = Dumbbell
R = Right
L = Left
R/L = Alternate right and left
Dumbbell Circuit 1 Videos

DUMBBELL CIRCUIT 1: 20 MIN

1. Warmup jog or bike 5:00
Go through entire circuit 2 times:
30 sec on/ 15 sec rest
1. Goblet squats
2. Standing DB press
3. Leg lowers
4. RDLs (double leg)
5. Bicep curls
6. Standing side crunch R
7. Standing side crunch L
8. Lateral lunges R
9. Lateral lunges L
10. Standing lateral raises
11. Prone crunches R/L

Week 2, Day 2: MOBILITY and STRENGTH

ENDURANCE
You have 2 workouts today; a short mobility
circuit and a longer strength training workout.
Mobility Circuit 2 Videos

MOBILITY CIRCUIT 2: 15-20 MIN

SHOULDERS
1x10 each way:
1. Table reach-through
2. Pec doorway stretch
3. Supine elbow-ups
TORSO
1x10 each way:
1. Childs pose with rotation
2. Lunge walk with OH reach
3. Wall sit (1x30 sec)
HIPS
1x10 each way:
1. Cobra with R/L hip drop
2. Hurdler stretch
3. Lateral lunge stretch

See next page for the rest of todays workout

Week 2, Day 2: MOBILITY and STRENGTH

ENDURANCE
MOUNTAINEER WEIGHT CIRCUIT 1

The Mountaineer Weight Circuit 1 hones in on

key muscles that you need to develop for
ascending and descending with a heavy pack.

1. Warmup multi-directional walk, jog and/or bike

10:00
2. Optional: Floor getups (10# pack) 12:00

TERMS:
DB = Dumbbell
BB = Barbell

You can substitute a weighted back for the

lunges and step downs.
Mountaineer Weight Circuit 1 Videos

3. 3x10 circuit (increase weight by 5# from last week)

A Standing DB press
B DB lunge R
C DB lunge L
D Standing Russian twist R/L
4. 3x10 circuit (increase weight by 5# from last week)
A BB Upright row
B DB Step down R
C DB Step down L
D Seated Russian twists R/L

5. Cooldown walk and /or stretch 5:00

Week 2, Day 3: AEROBIC WORK

MOUNTAINEER HILL FARTLEK 3: 35-45 MIN
We continue to build your climbing muscles
and aerobic capacity
*If you are walking or skiing, try adding a
weighted pack. For this week, your pack should
weigh 50% of the weight you will carry on the
mountain.

1. Warmup jog, walk, ski, or bike 10- 15 min

2. 5 x {2 min Zone 3 1 min Zone 1} on
challenging, hilly terrain.
3. Cooldown jog, walk, ski, or bike 10 15 min
Zone 1: HR around 140 bpm. Breathing should
be fairly easy. You should be able to carry on a
conversation at this pace.
Zone 3: HR around 170 bpm. Breathing should
be hard enough that you cannot carry on a
conversation. You should be able to maintain
pace and finish the interval.

Week 2, Day 4 (OPTIONAL): ROTATIONAL

MOVEMENT AND RESTORATION
Today is a recovery day, and you have two
optional workouts. You can do one, both, or
none of these sessions.
Days 5 and 6 are going to be hard, so recover
wisely today.
Rotational Movement Circuit 1 Videos

ROTATIONAL MOVEMENT CIRCUIT 1: 20

MIN
2x10. 60 seconds rest between each
exercise:
1. Landmines
2. Leg lowers R/L
3. Hanging Ls
4. Prone crunch R/L
5. Cable cross pulldowns R
6. Cable cross pulldowns L

See next page for the rest of todays optional workout

Week 2, Day 4 (OPTIONAL): ROTATIONAL

MOVEMENT AND RESTORATION
MOBILITY CIRCUIT 1: 15-20 MIN

Here is your 2nd optional workout today. It is

short but definitely worth the time if you can fit
it in.
Mobility Circuit 1 Videos

SHOULDERS
1x10 each way:
1.Bar over/under
2. Bar forward/backward
3. 90-90-90
TORSO
1x10 each way:
1. Scorpions
2. Eagles
3. Lunge walk with twist
HIPS
1x10 each way
1. Supine (lying on back) hip rotation
2. Seated Figure 4 (IT band)
3. Lateral lunges

Week 2, Day 5 (OPTIONAL): STRENGTH

ENDURANCE
MOUNTAINEER HILL FARTLEK 1: 35-45 MIN
We continue to build your climbing muscles.
Remember that in these early weeks, you can do the
hill work on skis/skins or a bike. Just maintain the
same intensity as indicated in the workout.
Instead of the fartlek to the right, you can also rock/ice
climb moderately for 90 minutes (including rest time).
Keep rests and hang dogging minimal. The routes
should be easy enough that you keep moving upwards.
Try to lead if possible. You can get specific by climbing
in your alpine boots and/or wearing a pack or weight
vest.
*If you are walking or skiing, try adding a weighted
pack. For this week, your pack should weigh 50% of
the weight you will carry on the mountain.

1. Warmup jog, walk, ski, or bike 10 - 15 min

2. 7-8 x Hill surges. Brisk pace uphill for 30 sec in Zone
3. Easy pace on the way down. If you are continuing
up, just move at an easy pace for 1 min. Repeat. No
stopping.
3. Cooldown jog, walk, ski, or bike 10 - 15 min
Zone 3: HR around 170 bpm. Breathing should be
hard enough that you cannot carry on a conversation.
You should be able to maintain pace and finish the
interval.

Week 2, Day 6: BUILD WORK CAPACITY

MULTISPORT AEROBIC WORKOUT: 120 + MIN
Here is the day you dont want to miss! It most closely
simulates your days on the mountain in intensity and duration.
This is another multi-sport workout. If you get bored, you
can change activities or switch intervals 2 and 3 around.
Train on hilly areas on the ROUGHEST terrain you can find. In
the mountains, you will encounter mud, snow, talus and
boulder fields, etc. So stay off of the groomed paths as much
as possible.
Finally, you can ALWAYS substitute a real world outing for the
Multisport Aerobic Workout. Just keep the days duration and
the pack weight similar to what is indicated in each workout.

1. Warmup jog, walk, ski, or bike 15 min

2. 60-70 min Zone 1 on rolling terrain
3. 30 min jog, walk, or ski with intervals of {3 min Zone 3- 1 min
Zone 1}
4. Cooldown jog, walk, ski, or bike 15 min
5. OPTIONAL: Rock climb easy routes 60-90 min (includes rest
times)
Zone 1: HR around 140 bpm, breathing should be fairly easy.
You should be able to carry on a conversation at this pace.

*Your pack should weigh 50% of the weight that you will carry
for your trip.

Zone 3: HR around 170 bpm. Breathing should be hard

enough that you cannot carry on a conversation. You should
be able to maintain pace and finish the interval.