Australia & New Zealand Outdoor Adventure Forum

Climbing a mountain is not as easy as one might think. It needs a lot of endurance and pre climbing workout is necessary.

A lot of endurance exercises help build stamina and is done months before a serious mount climb.

What exercises as a pre-work out do you think would help one during a climb?

The ones that I practice most (with a regular frequency) are swimming, hiking / running and I aslo regularly go to the gym for specific training.

Particularly I don't really like going to the gym. I think it's a very mechanical (and often boring... depends on my mood ) routine, but I can't complain because it helps a lot.

This reminds me of the time when we climbed a mountain in the province. It was actually just for fun and we had no gear. The mountain was not so high but not low either. We were 7 that includes my colleage in the office. He has a nice body, good muscles. But during the climb, he was panting and had almost surrendered. I pulled on his belt at the back like I was carrying him up the slope. That's when I realized that climbing mountains is not for fun. Yeah, you have to be physically fit.

I absolutely love climbing mountains. I live in a place very close to Himalayan region beside my father was posted in Nainital for a long time so I have been a regular climber right from my school days.At one stage I wanted to be a regular climber by joining climbing school but I had to give up the idea as my father was transferred to another area. I leave no chance of climbing hills and trekking in hilly terrain and as far stamina and fitness is concerned I am good at both of them.

Yes stamina and fitness is quite important for climbing. Normal hiking and trekking is okay, I mean people can complete it even if they are not fit, I am not saying that it doesn't need fitness. But for climbing, it is must. One can not do any kind of climbing without proper stamina and fitness.

Decentlady wrote:Climbing a mountain is not as easy as one might think. It needs a lot of endurance and pre climbing workout is necessary.

A lot of endurance exercises help build stamina and is done months before a serious mount climb.

What exercises as a pre-work out do you think would help one during a climb?

I always go for high intensity cardio workouts . They help a long way in building up stamina and body muscles. No matter what kind of physical activity it is, cardio workouts always help a lot.

In addition to climbing there are other exercises that can serve as good workout these includes jogging, running on the spot. These exercise can help be in good shape and build stamina for more rigorous sports.

naruto100 wrote:Yes stamina and fitness is quite important for climbing. Normal hiking and trekking is okay, I mean people can complete it even if they are not fit, I am not saying that it doesn't need fitness. But for climbing, it is must. One can not do any kind of climbing without proper stamina and fitness.

A little query here, do you mean people those are not absolutely fit can complete high altitude climbing or they do it for the sake of fun while visiting a hill station/resort for leisurely visit? In my views physical fitness is the prime requirement of an climbing assignment with special training and should not be even tried if one has no proper idea, equipment and desired level of expertise. I consider myself fit enough but not fit enough for a professional hill climbing

Ray1 wrote:

naruto100 wrote:Yes stamina and fitness is quite important for climbing. Normal hiking and trekking is okay, I mean people can complete it even if they are not fit, I am not saying that it doesn't need fitness. But for climbing, it is must. One can not do any kind of climbing without proper stamina and fitness.

A little query here, do you mean people those are not absolutely fit can complete high altitude climbing or they do it for the sake of fun while visiting a hill station/resort for leisurely visit? In my views physical fitness is the prime requirement of an climbing assignment with special training and should not be even tried if one has no proper idea, equipment and desired level of expertise. I consider myself fit enough but not fit enough for a professional hill climbing

Well, I was talking about normal hiking not climbing. In our hiking group there are few over weight people but they do complete our route (yes they have to do more hard work than others). But these hiking are kind of walking in the jungle area where there are lots of ups and down, but those ups are surely not kind of climbing where one need to be professional. I know climbing needs lots of training.