How to Train for Altitude

High altitude mountaineering has grown in popularity over the last two decades as a result of many guide services offering a shot at the top for many of the world's highest peeks. No attempt is a guarantee of peaking however, there are conditioning tips to take prior to your high altitude trip to ensure you have every physical advantage you can muster. Ideally, your training should include time spent at high elevations or in hyperbaric training chambers, but if these are not options, try a few other techniques.

Instructions

    • 1

      Buy a calendar and begin to write out your training schedule. Your training is much like a marathon runner preparing for a race. There is a training time, rest days, and a taper prior to your climb. Write down the start day of the climb and begin to formulate a cardiovascular training regimen.

    • 2

      Start slow and awake very early in the morning to begin your training. Most high altitude climbs have you starting in the very early mornings when attempting the summits; sometimes as early as 1 a.m. or 2 a.m. Start to train your body to rising early and beginning physical activity. Go to your doctor for a complete physical prior to a training start and to be checked out for the high altitude climb. Have the doctor measure your maximum heart rate and use this as a constant for your training.

    • 3

      Begin running or cycling at least 30 minutes each morning and going at 75 to 85 percent of your maximum heart rate during these work-outs. Start this process six weeks out from the climb date. Each week, add 15 to 30 minutes of training to the regimen. Schedule a rest day each week and one long, slow day where you go for at least two to three hours of training at 65 percent of your maximum heart rate.

    • 4

      Hike trails or small mountains once a week if possible. There is no substitute for trail time. Going up and down conditions needed muscle groups for the high altitude climb. Hike with a full backpack --with at least 40 lbs. to 50 lbs. in the pack.

    • 5

      Begin introducing alternate forms of protein to the body. Train yourself to eat nuts, peanut butter and beans. Your body does not metabolize protein as efficiently at altitude but still requires it. Meats are not practical at altitude but nuts and peanut butters make good substitutes. Begin eating these a few weeks prior to the trip to get the body used to digesting them.

    • 6

      Book time to train in hyperbaric chamber if possible. If possible, book time or rent a portable hyperbaric chamber to sleep in a week out form the climb. These chambers use pressure to simulate the effects of thin oxygen as found at altitude thus increasing the bodies red blood cells as a result of use.