Alpine climbing fitness will help you expand your alpine climbing knowledge and journey further into the backcountry. Alpine climbing asks many things of climbers, not least of which is fitness. Fitness for alpine climbing involves three factors: A good aerobic base An ability to tolerate the load of a heavier-than-usual pack A body that is […]
Pull-Ups For Beginners is a training program for anyone who has ever wanted to do a pull-up. Why are pull-ups so hard? Over the years, I’ve trained many women (some over 60!) to do their first pull-up ever and let me tell you, every first is as thrilling as the last. It’s truly empowering to […]
It’s time to rock! Get on the climbing training program. One of our most commonly asked questions is “How do I take my climbing to the next level?” This is especially true for intermediate to advanced climbers. It’s common for intermediate to advanced climbers to feel stuck and unable to make progress. Here’s the straight […]
When training for mountaineering (backcountry skiing, climbing: gym climbing, rock climbing, ice climbing, alpine climbing), the most important lesson I’ve learned over the years is to always go back to the basics. Although I played many sports when I was young, it was not until I was 18 that I started to train in a structured […]
It’s All In the Glutes This training tip takes us back to basic glute function. All mountaineering-related activities, whether climbing or skiing, require strong and active glute muscles. Why do so many of my athletes have issues with glute activation or function? In today’s culture, most of us spend too much time sitting. From the time […]
Training for Ice Climbing? Time to dial it up! Icing on the Climbing Cake–more specific strength for ice climbing. Ice climbing is a different beast. Solid general fitness and specific strength is key to success. If you’ve been following the Chicks Training tips recently you know about the last two ice-climbing-specific workouts. Swing! Training for Ice […]
Train muscular endurance for ice climbing this season! Ice climbing is different. There are no crimpers or slopers. You always have a jug to hold onto—your tools! But swinging a tool overhead, holding on while placing or removing protection, longer pitches, the weight of winter gear (boots, crampons and multiple layers of clothing) and often […]
Training for Skiing Three Workouts for Ski Leg Prep Hey you! Stop dreaming of winter. Start transitioning your legs to ski-mode now! Warm-Up for Ski Legs Training Do 10:00 minutes of light aerobic exercise. Then: 2 x 8 Shoulder openers 2 x 5 Cuban press 3 x 5 Wall squat 2 x 5 Squat jump Ski […]
All outcome-based training must be laid on a solid foundation. So let’s check in first. Ask yourself: 1) Do I have a well-developed cardio vascular system, good resting heart rate, rapid heart rate recovery? Do I have a regular aerobic fitness program, 4 – 5 days a week 30 – 90+ minutes? 2) Have I […]
The monsoon is past. The temperature has dropped. Rosehips are a deep pink. Rock Season is in its height. Fall is the time to climb hard, a ton. But as much as climbing feels good, it can imbalance you. Climbing a ton can create “negative movement patterns,” or what I call, Too-Much-of-a-Good-Thing syndrome. Negative movement patterns create muscle imbalances […]