OK fellow geezers: I'm more or less happy with where my lifts stand for the moment, but I have a high altitude fishing trip coming up in about eight weeks. The altitude is around 6,500 feet and on some days we might hike out five or six miles, mostly over trails, although there's some fairly rough terrain. We try to move pretty quickly (more time spent hiking means less time fishing).
There's less pressure to move fast on the way back, but of course the beer and whisky are calling, so we end up moving pretty quickly anyway.
I don't have to carry much beyond my fishing gear and a light pack. Last year, I didn't have any problem making the hikes, but I was definitely slower than I'd like to be. I'd like to be faster and we might try to go farther and higher, depending on weather conditions and where the bigger fish are hanging out.
How would you train for this? I'd like to improve my ability to hike at high altitude at a pace around 15 minutes per mile. I live at low altitude in a flat country, but do have a treadmill at home. I'm not planning to do this on a permanent basis, I just want to improve as efficiently as possible. After the trip, my focus will be on lifting again.
You cannot prepare for high altitude at low altitude, or really even at high altitude. We have a place in Colorado at 9300 feet, and no real adaptation in O2sat takes place even after several months of training at altitude. The trick is learning to not mind the fact that you can't breathe. I know several people who train at the gym, including me, that function much better at altitude than people who live at altitude that don't train. Enjoy your fishing trip.
Endurance athlete go to altitude to train. It's definitely more difficult performing at high altitude, but I don't know if it's any different than just running at the uphill. I mean, yes, during an uphill at the same effort your speed will be slower, but is it a better training stress related to running at the same intensity (effort related to your max), at the stadium, meaning a faster speed? I don't know.
What's your opinion on going to high altitude for endurance training? Is it just like running an uphill slower, or does it have any extra gains?
I train swimmers, and I can tell that the following ~2-3 weeks after they come back from altitude training camp, their performance in terms of endurance is better. But it definitely may be because they were stressed more than usual, because they were "running only uphill" at the camp.
As I said earlier, your O2sat does not improve with training at altitude. Your ability to train harder under the discomfort will adapt, as will your H&H with time. Beyond that, I don't know.
I went from 15 feet to 7200 feet the week before Christmas. This was the first time I had done this after starting training. I was pleased to find that training was no different. Also activities of daily living left me gasping for breath less than before. I think you will find an improvement over your previous years. I know it's hard but don't listen to closely to the calls of the beer and whiskey, hahahaha. All in moderation till you get your altitude legs.
Hi, Rip. In Gallagher's Purposeful Primitive, there is a picture of Cassidy squatting with his head and eyes looking down.
Historical ignorance has led many to believe you invented squatting with a downward gaze.
Who were your influences?
I did invent it. I developed it myself, and I had never seen anyone else teach it that way before I did. But I may not have been the only one to do so.
Crushing Pain and Getting Gains: The Doc and The Finance Jock –
Tommy Suggs, Part 4 –Mark Rippetoe
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