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Mera Peak is a wonderful mountain to learn some of the technical skills such as self arresting, walking in crampons and using your ice axe that you’ll need for other mountains that require basic mountaineering skills. However, there is a false interpretation that climbing Mera Peak is easy simply because it is classified as a trekking mountain. Mera Peak is a challenging, giant of a mountain that requires a dedicated training plan in order to properly prepare.
In this blog you’ll find out the 2 reasons that make training so important to your success and safety followed by a 16-Week Mera Peak Training Plan.
The 2 Reasons Why You Need To Be Training For Mera Peak:
1. Altitude
The summit altitude is 6,476m. Sitting at just over 6,000m it’s safe to say Mera Peak is a big mountain, smaller than Aconcagua, but still big and in the arena of extreme altitude. If the concept of being close to 6,000m high seems weird and something you just can’t imagine, then go for a 6km walk or run in a straight/straightish line. Doing that will put the magnitude of Mera Peak into perspective and show you why training is so so so important.
2. Duration
It normally takes 18 days to reach the summit and return. That’s 18 days of lugging your gear around, being exposed to extreme altitudes, and most of the time disrupted sleep. It is essentially 18 days of your body accumulating the physical stress and strain of those conditions. It is an endurance event that requires you to not only be able to give 100% of your effort and energy each day but also quickly and fully recover before the start of the next day.
NOTE: Please read “The 5 Essential Training Principles Of Mountaineering & Trekking” before you start the next section of this blog. You’ll need to understand what the training principles actually are to understand your 16-Week Mera Peak Training Plan.
A small disclaimer, 16 weeks to train and prepare is really the minimum amount of time I would suggest to any of my clients with reasonable/average fitness levels. If you struggle to walk 8km with a 10kg backpack with a heart rate of about 130bpm or run 8km with a heart rate between 140bpm and 150bpm then rather be on the safe side and assume you need longer than 16 weeks to prepare.
16-Week Mera Peak Training Plan
In my book “A Step-By-Step Manual To Mountaineering & Trekking Around The World” I share the formula I developed to calculate the exact number of hours you should be training per week to reach your peak physical condition for any mountain or trekking route you choose, as well as an entire, detailed and scientific chapter dedicated to creating your own training program.
If you haven’t read my book and calculated your weekly training hours then please know that the below training plan is based on the average age, weight and overall fitness levels of a person. This program also excludes the specific Heart Rate Zones that I explain and apply to The Training Chapter in my book, simply because it is impossible (and medically unsafe) to assume and suggest the specific zones you should be training in without properly calculating them.
Dedicate yourself to your training, give of your absolute best at sea level so you can give of your best at altitude. Mera Peak will demand nothing less than your absolute best.
Week 1 to 4
2.5 hours Aerobic Fitness
30 minutes Core Stability
15 minutes Ankle Mobility and Balance
1.5 hour Leg and Glute Strength
15 minutes Anaerobic Power
Week 4 to 8
3 hours Aerobic Fitness
1 hour Core Stability
15 minutes Ankle Mobility and Balance
2 hours Leg and Glute Strength
15 minutes Anaerobic Power
Week 8 to 12
3.5 hours Aerobic Fitness
1 hour Core Stability
20 minutes Ankle Mobility and Balance
2 hours Leg and Glute Strength
20 minutes Anaerobic Power
Week 12 to 15
4 hours Aerobic Fitness
1 hour Core Stability
30 minutes Ankle Mobility and Balance
2.5 hours Leg and Glute Strength
30 mins Anaerobic Power
Week 16 (Peak Week)
During Peak Week, your training amount will decrease giving your body the necessary time to rest and recover before you take your first step on Mera Peak. You want to start your climb fully recovered and rested and not tired and exhausted from training, which is why including a Peak Week in your 16 Week Mera Peak Training Plan is important.
3 hours Aerobic Fitness
1 hour Core Stability
30 minutes Ankle Mobility and Balance
1 hour Leg and Glute Strength – very light exercises followed by a 15 minute Self-Massage Release (SMR) using a Foam Roller. Click here to see my SMR program.
0 minutes Anaerobic Power
If you’re looking for more help and would prefer to work directly and personally with a High Altitude Coach then checkout my Mountaineering & Trekking Training Program.