Hiking, Climbing and Mountaineering Archives

Climbing Kilimanjaro? Here’s Why You Should Be Doing Simulated Altitude Training

by Altitude Athletic | Altitude Training Information, Hiking, Climbing and Mountaineering

You’ve decided to climb Kilimanjaro. At 5,895 m, you’ll be tackling the tallest mountain in Africa. Are you ready?

Being physically prepared is critical to a successful climb. You want to think back on your trip with fond memories of reaching the summit and feeling good, not turning back early. For most of us, these trips are an expensive, once-in-a-lifetime kind of thing. Having to cut your trip short due to altitude sickness, lack of fitness or both is a shame. Especially because there are tools out there to help prevent that from happening.

Simulated Altitude Training for Climbing Kilimanjaro

If you live at sea-level and can’t easily access the mountains, you may want to consider what’s called ‘simulated altitude training’. Simulated altitude training is exercising in or breathing air with less oxygen to replicate the thinner air you find up in the mountains. Simulated altitude is created by decreasing the percentage of oxygen in the air below 20.9% oxygen (the amount of oxygen in the air at sea-level).

From sleeping in an altitude tent to lifting weights at an altitude gym, simulated altitude training methods can be used to get you ready for Kilimanjaro. We break down the two most commonly used methods below:

Method 1: Intermittent Hypoxic Training

Intermittent Hypoxic Training (IHT) is living at sea-level and exercising at altitude. If you’ve got a stationary bike or treadmill at home, you can use a simulated altitude training mask to breath hypoxic air while you’re training. Otherwise, there are special gyms that can actually simulate altitude with no masks needed.

These shorter duration workouts at simulated altitude are designed to provide a greater training intensity. They trigger physiological adaptations that can improve overall health and performance. These adaptations require a minimum training period of 4-6 weeks, 3-4x per week. Sessions should last around 60 minutes.

Simulated Altitude Gym – Intermittent Hypoxic Training

Perform Better at High-Altitude

IHT optimizes the body’s ability to use and process the oxygen available to it. Why does that matter to you as a hiker preparing for Kilimanjaro? Because when your muscles and tissues use oxygen more efficiently, you can sustain longer periods of exertion. This becomes especially important when there is less oxygen available to you at high altitudes.

Another good thing about training your body to use oxygen more efficiently? You’ll reduce reliance on supplemental oxygen. Usually, climbers do not need supplemental oxygen to climb Kilimanjaro or reach the summit. But, if you find yourself in a position where you do need it, training at altitude can help extend the life of your oxygen tank.

Delay Fatigue and Recover Faster Between Treks

The more you can push away the start of fatigue during your trek, the better. In altitude environments, metabolic by-products associated with fatigue build up quicker with less oxygen available to the muscles. (Think of that burning feeling in your legs during a hard spin class). Training at simulated altitude can reduce and delay the onset of fatigue during physical activity by increasing the buffering capacity of metabolic by-products. We’re essentially making our bodies better at pushing away these fatigue-causing by-products.

Method 2: Live High, Train Low

Live high train low (LHTL) is living at high altitudes and training at lower altitudes (close to sea-level). Living in an altitude environment stimulates changes in the blood that can lead to improved performance and help with pre-acclimation.

If you live at sea-level, it’s not easy to just pack up and move out to a place like Flagstaff, Arizona where you can live at 2100m and a short 30-minute commute can get you to 950m. An easier option? Sleep tents and larger altitude tents can be set up at home, so you can get 6+ hours of high-altitude exposure and then be back down to sea-level in seconds. This strategy requires a minimum of 3-4 weeks. However, 6-12 weeks is better so that the altitude can be ramped up slowly.

Reduce Risk of Acute Mountain Sickness

LHTL can lower the age of red blood cells and increase hemoglobin mass (hemoglobin is an oxygen-carrying protein). These changes in the blood can help reduce and prevent symptoms of Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS). Also, many people struggle when sleeping at altitude. Fatigue will increase the risk of something going wrong on the mountain. Sleeping at altitude in the weeks leading up to your trip will help your body get used to the reduced oxygen and improve quality of sleep.

Final Thoughts

Climbing Kilimanjaro is a physical challenge. Many people underestimate the fitness required for this mountain. (Or say they would have enjoyed the trip more had they been in better shape). Simulated altitude training will not only help you get in shape for the climb, but also prepare you for the altitude. Then, your hard work will be rewarded by a beautiful, peaceful and enjoyable climb.

References:

(1)

(2)

(3)

Altitude Athletic is Toronto’s first and one of the largest altitude training facilities in the world. We’re here to help you prepare for your next big climb, event or meet your health goals. Click here to learn more about what we do at Altitude.

Contact Us

Swimming For Change with Robert McGlashan

by Altitude Athletic | Altitude Training Information, Endurance, General Fitness, Hiking, Climbing and Mountaineering, Power

This month, Altitude member Robert McGlashan will complete the third of three impressive open water swims as part of an open water marathon, Swim for Change, to raise $300,000 for 3 Canadian charities! Rob swam Lake Erie and Lake Ontario this summer, and in just a couple of weeks he will be headed to California to be the first Canadian to swim around Angel Island.

Who is Robert McGlashan?

Robert a Toronto-based lawyer and partner at Blakeney Henneberry Murphy and Galligan. He is on the board of an environmental organization dedicated to cleaning up and protecting the Great Lakes: Great Lakes Open Water. Robert is also an elite open water swimmer, who has swam the across the highest navigable lake in the world called Lake Titicaca (Bolivia) at 3,812 m (12,507 ft), the Straits of Magellan (Chile), Bonifacio Channel (Italy), the Alcatraz Island (USA), the Bay of Naples from Capri to Naples (Italy) and swam over 25 hours across Lake Geneva from Switzerland to France. He was nominated for the 2019 World Open Water Swimming Man of the Year award.

Swimming Angel Island

Angel Island is located in San Francisco Bay. Visitors to the island enjoy spectacular views of the San Fransisco skyline, the Marin County Headlands and Mount Tamalpais. It is also famous for being start of big open water events, including: the Night Train Mile and the annual RCP Tiburon Mile, one of the World’s Top 100 Island Swims.

The round-trip swim around Angel Island is a 10-mile (16.1-kilometer) loop in San Fransisco Bay. Swimmers start from Aquatic Park Cove and swim out and around the island. They then head back to Aquatic Park. The swim is cross-current and known as being challenging with rough waters. Swimmers cross two big
shipping routes twice. The first and fastest person to swim Angel Island was Dave Kenyon in 1984.

Credit: Marathon Swimmers Federation

Robert’s Altitude Training Preparation

Robert is aiming to not only be the first Canadian to swim Angel Island, but also the fastest person ever. Altitude Coach Josh Downer developed a specific program that has Rob combining paced training swims with strength/interval training at Altitude Athletic. Rob trains at Altitude Athletic 3 times a week and performs power circuits with exercises including back squats, band-assisted squat jumps and Versa Climber intervals. At Altitude, Josh monitors Rob’s heart rate throughout the sessions to ensure he is meeting specific heart rate targets that optimize the altitude training effect. Josh has also set certain paces for Rob’s training swims – which he does 5 times a week – to ensure he is prepared to up his speed on the big day.

Rob has seen a difference in training at Altitude, he states, “The benefits of altitude training for me have been improved strength and endurance as well as increased rate of recovery.”

Swimming Angel Island for the Mountain Gorilla Conservation Society of Canada

The Mountain Gorilla Conservation Society of Canada is a volunteer-based charitable organization whose members are passionate and dedicated to helping save the worlds wild gorillas The organization helps to secure the future of wild gorillas by increasing the number of wildlife veterinarians in the field. They work to monitor and provide the highest level of veterinary care to mountain and lowland gorillas suffering from life-threatening illness and injury, and address environmental issues that affect the poor, low income and underserved communities through resource management, environment and conservation studies, resilience planning and preparedness.

On October 26, 2021, Robert McGlashan will swim the cold swim around Angel Island to raise $100,000 for the Gorillas. This is one of three charities he will be swimming for in an attempt to raise $300,000 for 3 Canadian charities.

Help Robert get to his goal of raising $300,000 by donating to the Mountain Gorilla Conservation Society of Canada: DONATE NOW

The team at Altitude is incredibly proud and inspired by Rob embarking on this amazing open water marathon and raising money for incredible organizations.

Taking on the Siberia Experience in New Zealand

by Jessica Miller | Altitude Training Information, Hiking, Climbing and Mountaineering, Summit Stories

New Zealand is famous all over the world for boasting some of this planet’s most breathtaking natural scenery. The landscape all over the country is incredibly diverse. From lakes, beaches and coastline to glaciers, volcanos and dramatic alpine terrains.

If you want to take it all in, heading over to Wanaka in the South Island is a pretty good first step. Wanaka literally has it all. It’s got natural beauty, epic hiking, mountain biking, skiing in the winter and of course, delicious local cuisine to fuel all of your adventures. Wanaka is also home to Mount Aspiring National Park. This is a stunning park known to be a hiker’s paradise. You’ll find both short walks and long hikes featuring mountains, glaciers, river valleys and alpine lakes.

Take a look at the view outside our window when we visited Wanaka a few years back:

Not a bad view to wake up to every morning!

Flying Out to The Siberia Experience in New Zealand

Our trip to Wanaka included the Siberia Experience. which is a perfect way to explore some of the diverse wilderness in Mount Aspiring National Park. The Siberia Experience starts with a flight over to the hiking site, which is an experience in itself! The scenes from the small plane are spectacular and dramatic. They feature jagged alpine valleys and waterfalls. You then land in a sort of grassy clearing which is literally a remote valley up in the mountains.

Heading out on the Siberia Experience in Zealand!

I found the whole experience quite quiet and peaceful but just exhilarating at the same time. Especially since it felt so remote and was so different from my everyday surroundings.

After landing, the adventure side of it then really started for us. We had to cross the Siberia stream to get to the path. The river was freezing cold and actually reached above the knee with water, following a few days of rain.

Getting ready to cross the river!

After crossing, you have a long(ish) hike (roughly 3 hours) which takes you across open tussock flats and native rainforest. The whole time, you’re completely surrounded by the incredible alpine landscape.

Unfortunately for me, it was during the early part of this hike as I was trekking through some tall grass that I managed to sprain my ankle quite badly! I must have missed a step as I cut through the grass. I later found out that it was sprained in three different places.

As you can imagine, it was quite painful and I couldn’t actually put much weight on it. Unfortunately, we had to cut our trip short, which was very disappointing! The next step of course was finding a way to get to the hospital – a tough feat given how remote we were.

Luckily, an American family had noticed me go down and one of the guys (a firefighter apparently!) carried me to a helicopter that was set to leave shortly. The whole situation was very dramatic and although quite painful at the time, the injury and emergency liftoff just added to the adventure of trekking in the New Zealand wilderness. Although I do deeply regret missing the rest of Siberia Experience, which would have included the remainder of the beautiful hike followed by a boating trip through a glacial mountain river!

Injury or not, exploring a bit of Mount Aspiring National Park and enjoying the (first half!) of the Siberia Experience was truly unforgettable. I’d recommend it to anyone looking for a bit of adventure and immersion into breathtaking natural scenery – maybe just wear some supportive shoes and make sure you’ve got an American firefighter with you…just in case…

PNOE Metabolic Testing – Eliminate the Guesswork

by ALTITUDE ATHLETIC | Altitude Training Information, Endurance, General Fitness, Hiking, Climbing and Mountaineering, Power

Altitude uses PNOE Metabolic Testing to provide a complete picture of your cardiovascular and metabolic function. The accuracy of the test results allows Altitude coaches to determine precise health and fitness metrics like VO2 Max and Resting Metabolic Rate. These metrics serve as a foundation for coaches to create workout and nutrition plans that can help you achieve your goals.

What is Metabolic Testing?

Metabolic tests measure the rate at which your body burns calories and uses oxygen during rest or during different activities. Some of the data from these tests includes:

Resting Metabolic Rate – the number of calories your body burns at rest.
Metabolic Efficiency – the number of calories your body burns during exercise.
VO2 Max – the max amount of oxygen your body can use during exercise.

2. Why do I care about Metabolic Testing?

Understanding these values helps guide specific and individualized nutrition recommendations to help you fuel your body for training and peak performance, as well as for reaching your health and body composition goals.

3. Who will benefit from PNOE Metabolic Testing?

Endurance Athletes (Runners, Cyclists, Triathletes, etc.)
Power-based Athletes (Basketball, Crossfit, etc.)
Hikers, Climbers and Mountaineers
General Health and Fitness (Weight loss, aerobic training, etc.)

4. What do the pros think?

Interested in learning more? Send us an email at info@altitudeathletictraining.com.

View our other A La Carte Assessments here.

Book your PNOE VO2 Max test at Altitude:

Book Now

Pico da Ibituruna – An Adventure Spot in Brazil You Should Check Out

by ALTITUDE ATHLETIC | Altitude Training Information, General Fitness, Hiking, Climbing and Mountaineering

Outdoor sports and adventure travel fans all know about the popular go-to destinations. Mountain biking? Head to the Alps. Trekking? Try New Zealand or the Inca Trail in Peru. Rock Climbing? The national parks of the US never let us down.

One place you may not have heard of for adventure sports is in the mountainous state of Minas Gerais in southeastern Brazil. Pico da Ibituruna is a national park and mountain that can be found on the banks of the Doce River and hovers over the city of Governador Valadares.

The adventure sport options you’ll find there are numerous – from hiking and mountain biking, to climbing, abseiling and gliding. And the stunning green landscape is a great backdrop as you get your adrenaline rush.

To get to the beautiful views though, you need to first overcome the 17 km climb. And with a summit rising 1123 meters above sea level, the climb up Pico da Ibituruna – Pico – is a reasonably challenging one. Let’s look at what makes that climb worth-it:

1) Free Flight:

Pico da Ibituruna is one of the best places to practice free flight. Thousands of enthusiasts come here from all over the world, dotting the sky with the colours of hang gliders and paragliders. The site has a free-access flight ramp, but does not offer instructors or equipment. So, if you are going to Pico with the intention of flying, you need to go with your own equipment, with an instructor or look for companies that offer this service in Governador Valadares.

2) Hiking:

Apart from the climb up to the summit, which is a couple hours’ hike along a marked trail, you can also get your hiking fix at Vale Silvestre. This is an ecological park found on the return from Pico that offers trails for all-levels. There’s even activities such as kayaking available there if you want to keep your heart rate up and try something a little bit different!

3) Climbing and Abseiling:

Pico also offers some of the best climbing and abseiling in Brazil. The best known trails are Via do Ralf and Via do Catão, both about 400 meters high. To get down, the most popular trails are Rapel da Santa and Rapel do Mirante.

4) Zipline:

Looking for another way down the mountain? Try ziplining. This options offers quite the adrenaline rush and one one of the most incredible ways to enjoy the landscape, second only to free flight.

5) Mountain Biking:

You can also boost your adrenaline (and your quad muscles) on the numerous mountain bike trails. The mountain descent from Pico da Ibituruna is one of the most challenging in Brazil, so remember to be very careful!

At Altitude Athletic Training, we can help you prepare for your next active travel adventure. Read more about Altitude for hiking, climbing and mountaineering here.

Choosing an Adventure Trip

by ALTITUDE ATHLETIC | Altitude Training Information, Hiking, Climbing and Mountaineering

With the colder weather and snow starting to fall, our reaction is often to get on Google and begin the search for warmer winter getaways. While some of us are inclined to kick back on a beach for a couple of weeks and sip margaritas, others are a little more restless and like to take on an adventure trip where they can travel different terrain day-to-day and push boundaries mentally and physically.

Not sure what you’re feeling? We’ve compiled our top 5 list of adventurous destinations based on your preferences for you to dream about while sitting in icy snowstorm traffic.

For Hikers: The Canadian Rockies. No matter the season, there are incredible hiking trails in Banff, Jasper, and Kootenay National Parks. While more challenging than what’s typical in Ontario, there are both shorter and longer routes that range in technical ability. If you’re a cold weather bear, pack up your snowshoes or cross-country skis and rev up your off-season cardio training by tackling some longer trails for a few hours. Don’t forget the bear spray!

For Trail Runners: Montenegro. If trail running is your jam, you cannot miss the 1200-mile-long Via Dinarica Trail that runs through six countries from Slovania to Macedonia. The Montenegro portion is arguably the most scenic as it includes both interior and coastal sections. Quickly growing in popularity, this Mediterranean gem is not to miss.

For History Buffs: Sri Lanka. Recently making its way onto the adventure tourism map, Sri Lanka has been working furiously to improve its infrastructure since the end of the civil war in 2009. This stunning country boasts both road and off-road cycling, whitewater rafting, trail running and hiking, safari trips and surfing. For history buffs, the many ancient ruins and Buddhist temples are perfect destinations for an easier day.

For Ultra Marathoners: Chile. The Atacama Crossing Ultra Marathon is part of the 4 Deserts series and consists of an unsupported 250 km and 6 stages. If you’re just interested in testing out one segment of the 4 Deserts series (which also includes Gobi March in China, the Sahara Race in Egypt and The Last Desert in Antarctica), this is the part to do. With salt flats, sand dunes, river crossings, packed earth and hard grass, this experience is hard to beat.

For Cyclists: Morocco. Take on the Sahara in Morocco by bike this winter – Morocco’s pleasant climate through the Canadian winter is a welcome change. One of the most common paths is through the Atlas Mountains to Jebel Sahro with a stop in Marrakech. With a fair amount of climbing, most guided trips are between 7 and 10 days and can accommodate intermediate to advanced riders.

How to Prep for Your Trip.

Remember, your body is great at doing whatever it’s been practicing. If you’re taking on a multi-day trek or tackling a location higher in the mountains, your body is going to need some preparation. We usually recommend giving yourself at least 12 weeks. It’s ideal if you can get closer to 16. This is to allow your heart, lungs, and cardiovascular system to improve efficiency and endurance.

Also, for your physical body to improve its strength and resilience to different terrain and to withstand repeated days of activity. It’s important to choose activities at home that closely mimic what you’ll be doing. For example, if you’re planning on a multi-day hike, you’ll want to be getting out for a few hours on back-to-back days preferably on natural terrain.

Alternatively, if you’re going biking in a place that has actual mountains (as opposed to our Ontario “hills”), you’ll want to be doing hill repeats in a place with as big a hill as you can find. Or even better, hit up a cycling class with a climbing focus. Of course, if you’re travelling to somewhere at altitude, you’ll want to prep your system for performing in conditions with less oxygen as the same amount of work will feel substantially more difficult if you’ve never practiced it before.

Your trip will be much more enjoyable if you’ve properly prepared. You’ll be better equipped to avoid injury and more importantly spend time enjoying your surroundings rather than being so physically taxed that you can’t even lift your head off the handlebars. (Unless, of course, that’s the purpose of your trip!)

Happy travels,

Lauren Roberts is a Registered Physiotherapist and Founder of The Running Physio in Toronto. For more information on her team, the clinic, and for more great blog articles, visit www.therunningphysio.ca.

Go to top