How to increase aerobic capacity for mountain sports

If you like the ascents in mountainHere we present a series of recommendations for increase lung capacity, and thus be able to climb safely, at a good pace and, each time, to major challenges.

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+Initial recommendations

What you should do before starting an exercise routine of this type.

Consult your doctor

According to your age, weight, as well as possible medical conditions If you have any other conditions, your doctor may suggest that you set certain limits on the type and intensity of exercise, so it is recommended that you define a training route that is suitable for you beforehand.

Gadgets or apps

You can also equip yourself with various special apps or gadgets for trekking enthusiasts. Some of them are of course useful for the expedition, but also for training they can be useful to keep track of your routines, calories burned, times, and so on. registersas well as for health issues, such as carrying a monitoring your heart rate.

In that sense, remember that according to your age and the recommendations of your doctor, you can also define a heart rate limitThis will help you to avoid overloading yourself.

Design a routine

If you define weekly or monthly exercise plans in advance, it will be easier for you to commit to them, and you can also design an exercise plan with a gradual increasewhich is the most recommended.

Here is a list of various exercise options, if you are not used to it, it is best to start with small, light sessions with 2 or 3 types of activity, in sessions of up to 20 minutes. An average of 150-175 minutes of cardiovascular exercise at a standard pace or 75 minutes of high intensity exercise per week is recommended.

Try to maintain this rhythm for several days, and weekly or biweekly increases the amount of time and exerciseand if possible also the intensity.

 +Exercises to improve lung capacity

Here are some of the main types of training to strengthen your lung capacity.

Cardio

Cardio exercises will allow you to strengthen your lung capacity, through a more effective oxygenation and recovery. This will allow you to exhaust yourself less at high altitudes, as well as reduce the risks of having any of the various conditions typical of the mountains.

Drawing up a routine of spinning can be a good way to start, as it will also strengthen your legs, but with a gentle development that does not impact on the joints.

It should be noted that several studies have shown that group sessions In this sense, joining an activity group - there are many different ones, even if you can't leave the city: aqua jogging, zumba, aerogymnastics, hiit - or some other similar type of session, will also allow you to increase your capacities; you can start to do several sessions per week of running.

It is also recommended to carry out cardiovascular sessions For example, if you have a building nearby, running up 6 to 15 floors will be a good exercise that will also allow you to adapt your body to changes in altitude -you can see that we are continuing with urban training. If you are privileged and you have the mountain next to your house, there will be no better training environment.

Walking

Another way to improve lung capacity, and in a way that is very appropriate for the characteristics of mountain sports, is walking, which will also help you to work with breathing rhythms adequate.

Of course distance is important, but also factors such as speed, intensity, or you can carry some weights or some other object that simulates the load of equipment that you can carry.

If you practice multi-day trips, during which you will carry backpack, it will be useful for you to carry out some walking sessions in a nearby park, with slightly heavier weights than you will be carrying in the mountains; this will make you feel lighter when you go on a real excursion; although of course taking care that the weight does not exceed one-sixth of your body mass, nor cause any kind of back pain, so it will be important to take care of an upright posture.

You can also do routines combining walking with jogging segments, although the fact that you can do a combination of walking and jogging is not always easy. run is one of the main forms of intense cardiovascular activity, and in this case, it is more convenient to just slow down the pace when you feel tired, but try to keep running for as long as possible on a continuous basis.

Of course, it is also recommended to start with affordable routines according to your physical condition, and gradually increase your goals.

Practice in the mountains

Of course, hill training is also useful for this kind of goal. If you can get to a nearby mountain, it will help, but at least some hills or hills where you can practice climbing will also contribute to your training.

Running up hillsides is a great way to build up your fitness, just make sure you maintain an upright posture.

On steep slopes the zigzag styleThe fact that it is both good training and a way of making things easier in the real environment means that this type of passage will be less intense than a vertical ascent, and in many cases it can also be a safer route.

Muscle work

There is also gym work that not only improves your lung capacity but also allows you to strengthen various muscles that are important for mountain activity; starting of course with legs, but also hips, back or arm work.

If you do any kind of climbing or mountaineering, strengthening arms, shoulders and hands will also be helpful, so mapping out sequences of exercises at good speed exercising these muscles, will be a double benefit for your mountain activity.

Finally remember that nutrition will also be important to conduct a good training, and not ruin many of the benefits obtained; in this sense a healthy, complete, balanced diet that includes all the nutrients and is complemented with plenty of fluids, will be a good way to keep your body in optimal conditions for your excursions and training regime.

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