How do you train your body to withstand a third of the oxygen in every breath, every muscle screaming for more blood while your insides are literally dying while you sleep? Perhaps an even better question, other than why, is how do you train your mind?

Veteran Everest climbers know what they will experience. First time climbers are shocked at the experience. My personal experience was difficult. I experienced a lung infection that stopped a climb and on another, my body simply refused to acclimatize above 23,000’. With the clear disclaimer that I am not a doctor and everyone should visit their own Doc before entering any kind of Everest training program, let’s talk from experience. Also there are many programs out there so this is just what I like for myself. So what is the best way to train your mind and body to make the top … and return, safely?

There are many approaches to athletic training all the way from the nightly jogger to the weekend warrior to dedicated amateur to the professional. Often it boils down to time and motivation. The vast majority of Everest climbers have full time jobs, full time families and cannot spend several hours a day for a year to get in professional shape.

The professional or highly dedicated will speak of VO2 max which is the maximum rate your body can move and use oxygen during periods of high stress or need. Another couple of terms are anaerobic threshold (AT) and lactate threshold which is when the chemical lactate acid begins to build in your blood stream and muscles thus preventing the body from functionally at full capacity. A qualified doctor or trainer can measure these levels through a series of treadmill and blood tests.

However, the essence of these measures and tests is to determine how to get red blood cells to your muscles and that is the key to climbing Everest. As I discussed a few postings ago, there is a third of the available oxygen on the summit of Everest thus making your heart, lungs and muscles cry out for more oxygen during the climb. Red blood cells, which carry oxygen rich blood to muscles, are increased in response to this lack of oxygen. However this takes time thus the acclimatization process where you “climb high, sleep low” to encourage the production of these red friends.

Training before you get to Everest must begin six to 12 months with a focused, intense and balanced exercise program – after a check up from your Doc. In my mind there are three major phases: foundation, aerobic/strength and peaking. The major groups to work on include: heart, lungs, abs, lower back muscles, thighs and calves.

Having a solid foundation is important to build upon as well as to reduce the risk of injury. Most Everest climbers will already have a good foundation but it should include being at the correct weight or body mass index, having reasonable overall body strength and an ability to exercise aerobically without severely struggling. An unscientific measure could include running five 10 minutes miles at relative ease. Also some form of strength testing such as doing 20 reps of leg lunges for 3 sets. If not there already, take three months to reach this point.

The next phase can take six months or longer. I have found interval training the best overall approach to building heart and lungs. Simply put this involves a relatively intense run at fast then slow rates after a sufficient warm-up followed by a cool-down period. Using the simple max heart rate measure of 220-your age = max heart rate, run at 90% of you max for 2 to 3 minutes (or as long as you can in the beginning), then slow until your heart reaches 60% of your max then speed up again. Repeat for five to ten times and cool down. Interval training will stress your heart and lungs to provide more oxygen in high demand moments – just what you need on Everest. Combined with a long e.g. 8 miles run once a week for overall endurance, this will increase your aerobic capacity.

The strength is just as important. Most Everest climbers are not body building champs but rather slight and well balanced. The strength comes in the core (abs and lower back) and legs. The core is important for carrying heavy packs and the legs for climbing and carrying the heavy loads especially when exhausted. There are many exercises that can build these muscles but my favorites are lunges, sit-ups and step ups on a two foot bench. This last one has the added benefit of working your lungs and heart at the same time.

The last phase is peaking. If you have been dedicated to this program, eating a well balanced diet, maintaining a good weight, then you will be feeling pretty good a few months before leaving for Everest. Spend the last weeks tuning weak areas – calves are notorious for being short-changed, running more long distance to build stamina versus aerobic capacity and staying in a high level of overall fitness. Don’t worry about training to the very last day if you have been focused throughout the previous months.

Remember to take adequate rest days throughout your training. Muscles need at least 24 hours to rebuild after a tough workout. Intersperse fun activities. Don’t do the same routine week in week out. Cycle instead of running, play basketball instead of intervals, get a workout buddy or a trainer to keep you honest and motivated. By the way, the best high altitude performers I have seen are marathoners and competitive cyclists.

During all the physical training, don’t forget the mental side. During interval training push yourself at the point you want to stop. Do one more lunge after you reach your goal, push when you think you have nothing left. Visualize being on the mountain. Think through each part of the climb and where you will be stressed. Walk it through in your mind.

If all this seems like a lot of work, it is. But I can tell you that when you are carrying a 40lb pack at 22,000’ on an icy Lhotse face, those days of huffing and sweating will be a pleasant memory.

Here is a sample schedule that builds a foundation for three months then builds strength and aerobic capacity for 8 months and peaks on the last month:

2008 Everest Preparation

I'm going back! YOU'RE WHAT???

Ok, this page is about training not about explanations or rationalizations. Regular readers of my site know that I am on a four climb journey to raise money for Alzheimer's research. I call this The Road Back to Mt. Everest - Memories are Everything. Please click on this link to read more. You might have read that I was struck by a mysterious alignment on Denali in June 2007 - the first of my four climbs. To try to understand what is happening to my body, I decided to undergo a through series of physically exams by specialist while continuing my training. The good news is that after spending the month of July 2007 with specialists, nothing has been found and in fact, I am in excellent health. The mystery will remain a mystery.

August 4, 2007 update

Here is more information that you probably want to know. The test I underwent included: heart stress test, EKG, VO2max, pulmonary tests and analysis, blood, urine analysis, colonoscopy (over 50 you know!), doppler sonogram and an Esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) - an examination of the lining of the esophagus, stomach, and upper duodenum with a small camera during the colonoscopy procedure (different camera!)

For those into numbers, here are my stats: weight: 187, height: 5' 10.5", BP: 116/74, resting heart rate: 59, VO2 Max 44 - all very similar to my stats in 2002. I am now 51 years-old. The number I was most interested in was my VO2 max. This is a measure of how well your lungs can provide oxygen to muscles during intense exercise. I was concerned that perhaps part of my problem was lung related - I am not and never have been a smoker - so I was quite pleased that my measure of 44 puts my in the 95th percentile for men my age (I love that qualifier!).

It was interesting that all of my Docs independently suggested that my nausea may be caused by a lack of blood to my intestine during the times of high physical stress. That is why we did the sonogram and the EGD. But all the tests showed normal blood flow and no blockages. There are drugs that can treat the condition but the side effects are too much for a climber. Also, I am not interested in taking drugs to keep me climbing. If it takes that, then it is time to quit.

As for training, I have mostly been climbing my Colorado 14,000 mountains with 20 to 40lb packs. I have climbed 10 thus far and plan on another 5 before I leave for Shisha Pangma. I am finding that I am climbing as fast as I ever have and not getting out of breath nearly like I used to. So my "real-world" tests are proving out. An example is that I am climbing my local Longs Peak in record time - for me - about 7 hours round trip. That is 14 miles with about 5000' vertical gain. I am climbing at least twice a week. On other days, I run, work out on an elliptical machine, do my step-ups and stretch.

I have not changed my eating habits since I eat fairly healthy already. I could stand to lose about 10lbs but I know from experience I will lose about 20 on a major expedition like Shisha so I am not worried at this point.

One area I am focusing on is my mental shape. Again, I know from experience that it gets tough for me above 20,000' So I am visualizing being up there. Thinking through what I need to do to take care of myself - hydration, nutrition, rest, hygiene. All of these are details that must be followed.

I know I could be in better shape but as my friend Joe says "it is what it is."

That's it for now, if something changes drastically, I update this page but will at least once more before I leave!

2003 Everest Climb

Climbing the Khumbu icefall, my legs hurt. My lungs hurt. My back hurt. The climb across the Geneva Spur was worse. Was it my training or my lung infection? Did I train hard enough for the 2002 climb? As the next story tells, in 2002 I had a regiment of running, weights, stretching and real-world climbing. Was it enough? Actually, I don't think so in hindsight.

This year, I am focusing on real-world training. My thought is that the more I can simulate what I actually do on Everest, the better I will be prepared. Thus I am climbing my local Colorado peaks with a 30lb to 40lb pack as much as I can. In between climbs, I am lifting weights to bring strength to my upper body, lots of sit-ups to work on my lower back and stomach muscles and intervals on a stationary bike.

I have cut back on the long distance running since I think it hurts my knees. Also I have cut back on the full body weight training since I really don't need the added weight of bulked-up muscles. I found that I have the balance required to cross the ladders with a heavy pack. So the major areas I am working on are lungs and core.

For my lungs, I am doing interval training. This is where I bring my heart rate up and then back down over a 30 minute period. For my core, I am doing sit-ups and weights. But most importantly for both is my real-world climbing with a loaded pack. Finally, I plan on training right up to departure day which is different from last year where I wound down four weeks before leaving the US. Here is my current status:

2002 Everest Climb