To prevent injuries, illness or accidents it is necessary to gain basic endurance before exercising sports in the mountains. Depending what kind of sport you practice, you will need different...
To prevent injuries, illness or accidents it is necessary to gain basic endurance before exercising sports in the mountains. Depending what kind of sport you practice, you will need different training schedules. Here we present a special training schedule for endurance sports such as hiking and alpine climbing.
Every professional training is based on three columns:
- What kind of exposure (Mountain sprint, running down the mountain)
- Time of exposure (how long)
- Intensity of exposure (Sprint, Marathon)
Jogging or mountain sprints (with subsequent downhill walking using poles or otherwise chairlift or cable car) are suitable for hikers, alpine climbers, and ski mountaineers.
The uneven surface helps to build up the musculature of the lower leg, which stabilizes the ankle joint and can therefore prevent the twisting of the ankle. Additionally, coordination skills on uneven surfaces are improved. From 1300m above sea level your body will begin to acclimatisate to the altitude. The physical strain perfectly imitates the later activity in the high mountains The cardiovascular system is trained and physical strength is built up as well. Biking and cross-country-skiing are also recommended, both having the advantage of building up more strength.
For hikers and alpine climbers who will exercise sports at medium altitudes, at least three units of exercise for two hours each are necessary per week. But you have to take into consideration your individual fitness level in order not to get tired prematurely or to provoke accidents. On the other hand you should pay attention to the regeneration because you have to prevent "overworking". You recognise "overworking" if you suffer from one of the following symptoms: Increased pulsation and blood pressure in the next morning (we can check your blood pressure and your heart rate any time), lack of motivation, being easily excitable, reduced physical capacity, exhaustion and loss of weight (degradation of muscle).
BMI Calculation - Body Mass Index
| Bodyweight in kg | |
| Bodyheight in cm |
Categories/Classification of BMI
(Source: American Heart Association, WHO)
| Underweight | < 18.5 |
| Normal weight | 18.5 - 24.9 |
| Overweight | 25 - 29.9 |
| Adiposity | 30 - 34.9 |
| Pronounced Adiposity | > 35 |
A reduction of time and intensity of your excercise will be necessary. The appropiate intensity of your exercise can be precicely measured with a pulse watch. You can differenciate between the following intensities of your exercise:
- Low intensity, where primarily fats are used for energy production ("fat acid oxidization"). Heart rate is usually between 60 and 120 beats/minute.
- Medium intensity, where primarily sugardepots are used for energy production if sufficient oxygen supply is warranted (" aerobic glykolyse"). Heart rate is usually between 120 and 160 beats/minute.
- High intensity, where sugardepots are used for energy preparation if insufficient oxygen supply is warranted. Heart rate is usually higher than 160 beats/minute.
For the experienced mountaineer it is recommended to stay at the upper end of low intensity or the lower end of medium intensity. With the following formula you can estimate your individual limit with regards to your heart rate:
MHF - maximum heart rate according to age
The above comments are of course simplified and refer to the average, healthy athlete. If you aim for more, if you have specific training objectives or if you suffer from a disease, the team at our pharmacy is always available for individual advice.