The 35 Best Exercises For Mountaineering & Trekking Training
Updated: Jun 7, 2020
Please read “The 5 Essential Training Principles Of Mountaineering & Trekking” before you start this blog. You’ll need to understand what the training principles actually are in order to fully benefit from The 35 Best Exercises For Mountaineering & Trekking or what I like to call, my Exercise Cheat Sheet.
If you use this Exercise Cheat Sheet in accordance with the 5 Essential Training Principles, you’ll have the ultimate, mountaineering & trekking training plan. The reason why these specific exercises are so effective is because they are specific to the task at hand – mountaineering and or trekking. This is the exact same theory and approach that a footballer would have towards his or her training. They practice and do exercises that simulate the same movements that they would need to do on the football field. They don’t practice tennis or do tennis exercises and expect to get fitter, stronger and more skilful on a football field. This theory and approach applies to mountaineering & trekking too, regardless what mountain or route you are doing.
TRAINING PRINCIPLE 1: Aerobic Fitness
1. Running
2. Hill Walking
3. Rowing
4. Cycling
5. Swimming
TRAINING PRINCIPLE 2: Ankle Mobility & Balance
6. Knee to Wall Ankle Mobilization
7. Plate Ankle Mobilization
8. Plantarflexion
9. Dorsiflexion
10. Self Myofascial Release (SMR) of the calf muscle
11. T-Stand with Hinge and Side Bend
12. Single Leg Balance Exercises
13. Calf Raisers (with your eyes closed)
14. Single Leg Step Downs
TRAINING PRINCIPLE 3: Anaerobic Power
15. Split Jumping Lunges
16. Box Jumps
17. Squat Jumps
18. Hill Sprints
19. Burpees (with a high jump)
20. Reverse Lunge Knee-Ups
21. Stairway Hops
22. Lateral Bounds
TRAINING PRINCIPLE 4: Leg & Glute Strength
23. Step Ups
24. Walking Lunges
25. Squats (with varied foot positions)
26. Side Lying Glute Exercises
27. Wall Sits
28. Side Step Ups
29. Hip Bridge
TRAINING PRINCIPLE 5: Core Stability
30. Front Plank
31. Jacknife
32. Leg Raises
33. Swimming (Pilates exercise)
34. Mountain Climbers (with a band around both feet)
35. Bicycles