Training For Trekking: The Summit Strength Method

Are you trying to Train For A Trek? Take a peek into the proven training system which has sent dozens of first time trekkers around the world, with a 100% success rate...

The Summit Strength Method is the culmination of years of experience, countless hours of research and dozens of successful clients. 

It is focused on three main outcomes:
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• Minimising the risk of injury
• Building competence and confidence on the trail
• And giving you the very best chance of a safe, enjoyable and successful bucket list adventure!

It follows five steps:
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1. Initial Assessment
2. Ready To Train 
3. Ready To Trek 
4. Ready To Summit
5. Taper

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Initial assessment

The start of every program begins with the Ready To Trek Assessment. This is a comprehensive performance assessment in which your readiness is measured across a few different standards:  

• Quality Of Movement
• Aerobic Fitness
• Muscular Strength 
• Muscular Endurance
• Core Stability
• Trek Knowledge

From this we can identify exactly where your strengths, weaknesses and blind spots are which might affect you on the trail.
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It is crucial to identify these BEFORE you start training, so you can have a clear direction and purpose on what you need to focus on!

​Ready To Train

Often called the 'base' phase in traditional endurance preparation, the Ready To Train phase is all about overcoming any weaknesses or blind spots identified in the initial assessment, as well as developing a solid foundation of fitness to build off further down the line.

Here we focus on:

Corrections of Imbalances and Restrictions

The initial assessment will usually flag up a number of imbalances or restrictions. These are generally caused by day to day life or the demands of normal training. More or less everyone will have something which needs to be worked on. And while no one has to be 'perfect', if there are any major issues flagged up, this is the time to fix them.  
  
Movement Competency

Here we concentrate on moving correctly and safely. This is mainly directed towards our strength training, where all too often, weight and complexity are pushed before someone is actually proficient in a movement. Not only will that put you at an unnecessary risk of injury but it will hinder your progress further down the time. 

By spending time here learning and mastering each movement, we ensure your technique is picture perfect so we can load up heavier in the following phases.

Base Aerobic Conditioning

This is building the foundation of aerobic fitness. It involves long duration, low intensity exercise. This could be done with anything from walking, running or cycling. If you are new to exercise, or carrying few extra kilos, this is usually involves off-feet options.
  
It is important to begin to develop early, as this will prepare your body to handle the higher intensity and impact training which will be introduced in later stages. 

Breathing Technique

Breathing strategies are incredibly beneficial while trekking, particularly if you are going to altitude.  While intensities are low in this phase of training, it is the perfect opportunity to start introducing this into the sessions. By practicing and training this now, it will take less effort, concentration and time for you to master it further down the line. 

Core Awareness and Development

How many times have you heard 'squeeze your abs' before? But do you actually know how to do this? Before we get carried away with complex core exercises, we take the time to teach and develop the 'abdominal brace'. Which is ESSENTIAL for stabilising the spine, allowing efficient movement and protecting the back.
  
It is important to get this right early, as it can be a massive limitation and liability when it comes to heavier lifting or pack walking later in the program.

Ready To trek

​Once the basics have been mastered, it is time for the core phase of the program. This phase is all about bullet-proofing the body from injury and getting some serious experience under your boots. 

The Ready To Trek phase focuses on:

Development Of Strength Reserve

Strength reserve is the difference between your absolute strength and the strength needed to complete a given task specific to your need. Developing this is critical for movement efficiency, injury prevention and confidence on the trail

In this phase we take the exercises you have mastered previously mastered and begin to increase the challenge significantly.

Strength is best developed through low repetition, high load exercises. So this is what we focus on. And while rest periods need to be high when training this, we put this time to good use to further develop core strength and mobility.

Specific Trek Conditioning
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Here we start incorporating more specific trek conditioning.

Depending on factors such as experience, injury history or convenience, this will include things like:
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• Trek training
• Hill intervals
• Stair sessions
• Stepper or sled work

Through this, we can continue to develop the aerobic capacity in a more trek specific environment. And of course, get you that experience on the trail which is necessary for success!

Gear Testing

Any new equipment you are bringing on your trek, you want to be testing and practicing here. This includes things like boots, packs, hydration systems, poles etc. Sometimes it can take quite a while to get these things right, so it is important you test these out early. Because you don't want any surprises when you are on your adventure...​

​Ready To summit

This phase is where we turn all the foundational work you have developed in the preceding phases, into real world, specific trekking fitness.

This phase will be hard work... but at the end we will have left no stone upturned to optimise you chance of success!

Here we will focus on: 

Technical and Overloaded Trek Conditioning

Here our trek training will include specific technical challenges such as:
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• Rock scrambling
• Night hiking
• River crossings
• Sand walking

This is also the stage where we start build up to some LONG sessions on your feet.

Conversion Of Muscular Strength To Muscular Endurance

Muscle strength is great. But in order for it to give you the most benefits on the trail, we need to turn it into trek specific, muscular endurance.

This will involve two things:
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• Gym work: all strength training will change to muscular endurance training. This involves high repetition, low rest work - usually in a circuit fashion. 
• Outdoor work: hill or stair intervals are very effective at improving muscular endurance. Here we will load up a HEAVY pack and perform a 'leg burn' workout (as opposed to one which will get you huffing and puffing). 

Nutrition and Hydration Testing  
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This is also the stage where you want to be testing ALL of your trek nutrition and hydration. So ANY foods that you are planning on bringing on the trek, you should be trying these out on your training hikes. And if you have got a personal hydration plan (which I highly recommend you do!) you should be practising it as well.

​Taper

A taper is a slight reduction in workload in the last stages of your training. This is important as it allows the body to fully recover and adapt from the previous training and have you feeling fresh, energetic and confident leading into your trek!

This phase involves:

Reduction In Workload
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The main idea of the taper is to  reduce the workload of your training. But note, this is a reduction, not a cessation! Trek training distance is reduced (i.e. reduced total kilometres), strength training volume is limited (i.e reduced number of sets) and intensity of any other type of training is controlled.

This is also  a good opportunity to deal with any aches or pains which you have been carrying (or ignoring) in your training... 

If this is you, factors to consider here are:
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• Getting treatment from a physio
• Swapping all cardio for off feet conditioning (if it is a lower limb issue)
• Avoiding all stressors or triggers 
  
  

Immune Support
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The last weeks leading into a trek, there can be a lot of stressors on the body. Finishing up work, social commitments, saying goodbye to the family, general anxiety about the trip and all the stress of training can lead to your immune system taking an absolute battering. And if you don't look after yourself, you are more then likely to get sick...

During this time a big emphasis is put on:

• Eating loads of vegetables
• Protecting sleep
• Maintaining hydration
• Stress reduction techniques

Nutrition Strategies
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In the last few days before you leave, two nutritional strategies are prioritised:
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• Carbohydrate loading: If your trek starts within a couple of days of you stepping off the plane, you should consider carbohydrate loading. This involves significantly increasing your carbohydrate intake a few days before exercise to 'load up' your stores.
• Increase hydration: you need to be drinking A LOT of water on your trek (particularly if you are going to altitude). This can be difficult getting used to. Start gradually increasing your water intake a few days before you go. While there is no benefit to over hydration, it can definitely help getting in the habit of this.

The Summit Strength Method has been proven with dozens of trekking success stories, all around the world. It will help you minimise risk of injury, develop the confidence you need and give you  the very best chance of having a safe, enjoyable and successful bucket list adventure!