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KUDOS
Hi Guys,
it has been about a month and a half since my last session at MA before spring endeavors. As you recall from my schedule, when I left I went to Moab for a short time then to 10 days of ski mountaineering guide course work, one week in Moab, then another 10 days on a ski mountaineering guide exam, then two weeks in Greece.
Before I left I was on a solid 4-5 day a week rock specific work out for a solid two months.
- upon leaving Jackson and as per your assertion, I was able to get in 3 workouts that I devised in the gym and around moab based on your posted rock workouts. This lasted from March 15th through March 21st. I was in Pembertton Bc from the 22nd through the 31st. I had basically no ability to workout while on this course, though the weather was good and we were very successful on our course and the tours. We averaged about 5000' vert up everyday through out the course, some days more and some less but out going hard from 7-4 at minimum everyday. I was able to trim down yet further from the winter training sessions.
- an im portant note from the winter was the fact that I was able to stay pretty diligent with the diet you advocated, no alcolhol, just protein, veggies, nuts and fruits, with a cheat day. I went in to the the courses pretty light and trimmed more off as well while on the courses. I felt very successful with the diet portion of the plan.
- also of note, I experienced pretty solid gains on v sums every week but felt significant gains every week with the 4 day a week plan. I was very anxious to see how this translated to my spring endeavors.
- I had one week between the ski mountaineering guide course and the Ski mountaineering guide exam. I wanted to be sure not to lose gains I had made in the gym from this winter, so I was able to climb hard four days with additional light training sessions as well as two road bike rides of 65 amd 85 miles with significant vertical gain. On the climbing days I felt very strong, I never experienced any pump but my head took some time to get in the swing of things since it was trad climbing. None the less, I climbed well and the physical elements never factored in... I never got too pumped or so pumped that I could not recover if I was strategic with shaking out. I was very psyched... none the less, I wanted to be sure that the training I did this season could benefit me when climbing in Kalymnos (Greece).
- The second session in BC on the exam, went very well though the weather was more difficult. The key factor for me was that though I do not expect to have the same speed and endurance I had when I was in my twenties and thirties, I wanted to be well repected and seen to be still very fit and capable. In the end I think the participants were duly impressed that i could hang and then some!
- I got back from BC, light and psyched on the 18th of April and flew to Greece the 22nd. I have to say that I had an awesome trip to Greece. I was light and strong and mentally very confident. My contact strength on small holds was great, but as important, was my stamina on steep terrain. The climbing in Kalymnos tends to be one of steep climbing on relatively good holds. Fitness is essential to success due to the overhanging nature. I felt exceptionally strong, I know the effort this winter paid off, but more importantly I think was the programming you devised. I think the level of sophistication MA now has in regards to hard rock climbing has really developed and I believe you have something truely exception to offer... I was very, very psyched... yes you get out what you put in but the campusing with the tech wall and the strength training in combinatiomn with the rock gym time has proven extremely effective. I basically onsighted everything I got on up to 7a which is 5.11d. I dispatched in short order climbs of 7b-7b+, 5.12b,c.
- I have not climbed this well in some time... the programming combined with discipline for 4-5 days a week and a diet that lightened me up all summed up to a great spring session so far. I just can't wait to start up again in late May in anticipation of the fall rock season though it may be more difficult to get the same amount of days training due to summer guiding.
Thanks guys!
Robb Hess
Owner / Chief guide
Jackson Hole Mountain Guides
UIAGM / IFMGA licensed mountain guide
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QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
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QUESTION
Just did your Meathead program with a friend a couple months ago and loved the results. Do you have anything that would be the next step up. My main goal is to gain strength and weight, I weigh about 165 lbs and would like to put on more muscle. My diet has been changed and I'm cosuming more calories and protein, just curious if you have anything else along the lines Meathead cycle
- B.
ANSWER
All of our strength programs are good Brad. To gain mass, I'd recommend the hypertrophy program: http://militaryathlete.com/page.php?page_ID=12&cart_category_ID=55&&cart_ID=35
- Rob
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QUESTION
Hi Rob,
I was wondering if there is an expiration date on the training programs available in the store. In other words, if I buy the Big Mountain program this year, do I have access to it forever? I've done Military and Mountain Athlete programs in the past and I've heard great things about the Big Mountain program so I'd like to use it to prepare for some climbing in the Alps later this year. If I like it, I'd obviously want to use it again next year to prepare for the next big thing, but I'm wondering if I'll be paying $75 each time.
Thanks in advance for the help.
V/R,
- A.
ANSWER
You get a link to download the program - which is a password protected .pdf, A. You can then save the program to your hard drive, dropbox, print it out, whatever.
- Rob
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QUESTION
Rob,
I am going to be climbing El Cap in July. I was wondering if you had any suggestions as far as base fitness and specific training I should consider. Any suggestions are greatly appreciated.
- P
ANSWER
I'm building a Big Wall plan, but haven't got it quite completed yet.
In the meantime, I'd highly recommend our Rock Climbing Pre-Season Program: http://www.mountainathlete.com/page.php?page_ID=12&cart_category_ID=49&&cart_ID=67
It's designed to be completed in a typical rock gym, and includes base fitness work, but the focus is on grip and pulling fitness, and technical improvement.
- Rob
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QUESTION
Are light runs and swims authorized during the rest week? I feel like I'll loose progress with this much of a break.
- M.
ANSWER
As long as it's light, it's not an issue. We've learned the hard way about training after stamina cycles, which is why we take it off despite our desire to train, too.
As for your feeling of losing progress, don't worry about it. All training is cumulative, and it happens in the near-, mid-, and long-term. In the near-term you may "lose" some performance in the first couple sessions, but you'll be back up to full speed in a couple days. The loss of performance is a little bit of detraining of your central nervous system firing everything at once - happened to us today, in fact. But your CNS will adapt to the stressor and you'll end up stronger in no time.
Also, understand that the very nature of fluid periodization forces detraining in a cyclical fashion. Detraining is essential for long-term improvement. Bottom line is, your curve of performance cannot always be going up. You need some degree of detraining (the curve going down) to prime your body for more adaptations to stress as you continue through training cycles.
Finally, there's a truism in the training world that says, "When we go hard, we don't go hard enough, and when we rest, we don't rest hard enough," meaning that the desire to always go inhibits athletes from getting the most our of their training - and our stuff is pretty hard. So, if that light running or training is just to move your joints and loosen up, go for it, just don't let it turn intense.
-Jordan
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QUESTION
Hello rob,
This week i´ll finish the 8 week program ( I feel really strong.. and hating jane fonda ). I´ll be running a 44K mountain race in 2 weeks and plan to do a high mountain race ( 55k with 30k between 10,000 ft and 13,000 ft ) in six more weeks.
I`d like to know what will be your training recommendation and if you have an in season training plan for recreational athletes like me.
Regards
- L.
ANSWER
The focus of your training now needs to be running and you're non-running training should be focused on strength and durability. We've created an "In-Season Training Plan for Endurance Athletes" just for this purpose: http://www.mountainathlete.com/page.php?page_ID=12&cart_category_ID=51&&cart_ID=52
Complete these sessions 1-2x/week as your running training allows, through the season.
- Rob
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RESPECT THE SPORT. RESPECT THE MOUNTAIN.
By Rob Shaul
COMING TO AN END ARE THE DAYS ....
When mountain athletes can simply “do their sport” and still perform at the elite levels of climbing, skiing, kayaking, mountain biking etc. Increased mountain sport media exposure will draw the talented natural athletes to these activities. To a large extent, the best natural athletes have thus far gravitated toward team sports. These natural athletes will bring to the mountain sports a higher level of natural athleticism and the gym-based training tradition which currently dominates team sports.
Further, Mountain Sports are dangerous, life-threatening. The mountain or the rock or the river will kill you in a heart beat. It’s time Mountain Athletes take personal and professional responsibility to be as physically, technically, and mentally ready as possible before they endeavor outside.
Professional preparation demonstrates Respect for the Sport, and Respect for the Mountain.
Elite Mountain Athletes need to ....
Build a High Level of General Mountain Fitness through Gym-Based strength and conditioning ...
The proper training program will begin with strength, then include sport-specific work capacity, stamina, endurance and mental fitness. A high level of general Mountain Fitness provides athletes with strength for performance and durability, mental toughness for staying power, increase durability, increased confidence and a greater survivability.
Train sport specifically in the gym ...
Sport specific gym based training immediately before the sport season allows the mountain athlete to focus his/her early season training on technical skills without needing to limit critical early season technical practice because of poor conditioning.
This combination of ....
Increased strength, conditioning and durability, plus focused early season technical practice sends mountain athletes into the competitive or sport season performing better. This carries through the season, and by starting the season at a higher level, athletes finish the season at higher level. The thing builds and builds.
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MOUNTAIN ATHLETE IN OUTSIDE ONLINE
www.outsideonline.com/fitness/strength-and-power-training/The-14-Biggest-Weight-Training-Mistakes.html
www.outsideonline.com/fitness/Top-10-Fitness-Tips-for-Mountain-Athletes-20120719.html
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MOUNTAIN ATHLETE IN MEN'S JOURNAL
www.mensjournal.com/everything-you-know-about-fitness-is-a-lie/