Please review all training tabs to get a full sense of what type of condition you need to be in for this climb. For those who have not specifically trained for mountaineering in the past, we recommend utilizing numerous resources to build your training plan.

Personal trainers that are familiar with mountaineering are highly recommended as they can create personal training plans utilizing both indoor and outdoor locations with long range objectives and criteria. Trainers and training programs can help build a program based on your location, recognize your access to health climbs and outdoor training.

If you are following any online platform or videos to train and gain knowledge; evaluate the credibility of the material and talk to experts and seek assistance.

During this six-week climbing adventure to the summit of Manaslu — one of the 8,000 m peaksand the eighth tallest mountain on earth (26,781ft/8,163m) — you must be comfortable carrying at least 13 kg/30 lbs. You will face very cold temperatures as well as extreme altitude. You will need to have solid cramponing skills, be able to rappel with a pack on, and be comfortable using ascenders on a fixed line. In addition to solid alpine living, snow, and ice climbing skills, you need significant strength endurance, high-altitude tolerance, and strong cardiovascular conditioning.

Keep in mind that just because you exercise regularly (four to six times per week) at lower elevation does not mean you have suitable conditioning needed to reach the high-altitude summit of Manaslu. Plenty of people who have the endurance to run a marathon fail to summit high-altitude peaks. Pure cardiovascular fitness is simply not enough. You should focus on building physical conditioning at lower altitudes necessary to ascend 4,000 feet of elevation on successive days carrying 22kg/27kg – 50-60 lbs. Although you will not be carrying such weight on Manaslu, by training your body to that high tolerance, you will have built extra reserves that will serve you very well on the mountain as you inevitably start to lose musculature and body fat from being at an extreme altitude for six weeks.

Prioritize your training efforts in the following way, assuming that you are in good health and injury-free:

• Climbing conditioning – pack-loaded uphill hiking, walking, and stair climbing
• Strength training – for the lower body and core
• Cardiovascular training – including both aerobic and anaerobic workouts with and
  without pack weight.
• Flexibility training.

Most people will need to train specifically for their climbing Manaslu for at least six to nine months, building up from a solid baseline of fitness. During your training, you will need to progressively ramp up your hike time, distance, and elevation gain (at roughly 10% per week) to safely and effectively build your climbing-specific conditioning. Trying to rush this will increase the risk of experiencing some sort of training injury and not being ready for your trip. Below are more details of how to incorporate these four priorities into your training program.

Note: In the best interest of personal safety, success, and team compatibility, adequate training and excellent physical condition are required. Prior experience carrying a heavy pack for multiple days serves as excellent preparation for this climb; a basic mountaineering course is recommended. Climbers must be able to carry an average of 13 kg/30 lbs. or more and be physically and mentally prepared to deal with strenuous situations at high altitudes. Climbers need to be in excellent physical condition for both personal enjoyment and to be an integral team member. We encourage you to contact us so that we may assist you in developing a training program that meets your particular needs.

Hike along outdoor trails, gradually increasing your pack weight until you feel comfortable carrying a 50-60-lb. pack. If you live where it is relatively flat, go up and down stairs or train on an inclined treadmill or StairMaster. Use whatever varied surface terrain (i.e. gravel beds, sand dunes, river banks) you have access to. A reasonable goal would be to ascend 3,500 ft. carrying an average pack of 50 lbs. in a two to three-hour period, or roughly 1,500 vertical feet per hour. A good training option to simulate pack weight is to carry water in gallon containers or collapsible jugs, so you can dump water at the top as needed to lighten the load for the descent.

In early season, you should be comfortable gaining 2,000 ft. elevation over 5-7 miles round-trip, with a 30-40-lb. pack; each hike, try adding three to five pounds until you are comfortable with a 55-lb. pack, then begin increasing the total elevation gain and mileage. When you can gain 4,000 ft. while carrying a 60-lb. pack, start decreasing rest breaks and increasing speed on each conditioning workout. A month from your climb, you should be comfortable hiking on successive days with at least 60 lbs on one of those outings.

Two training techniques that will be useful for extreme altitude climbing are: 1) Interval training, 2) Back-to-back training (discussed in more detail in “Putting It All Together”). To include interval training, find a steep hill or sets of stairs that will allow you to climb steadily for one to three minutes. Push as hard as you can going up, then recover coming down, and repeat for anywhere from 20-60 minutes, depending on how close to your climb you are. Gradually add weight to your pack (no more than 10% per week) until you can carry 60 lbs. the entire time. If possible, participate in as many hikes at altitude – and in winter conditions — as you possibly can to learn how your body reacts in extreme cold and above 13,000 ft. elevation.

Training with free weights, bands, a backpack, bodyweight exercises, or gym machines will help you build overall strength, particularly in the core (lower back and abdominals), upper back and shoulders, and legs. Developing strength in your upper back and shoulders will help you with such tasks as carrying your pack and using trekking poles effectively. The calves, hips, quads, hamstrings, and glutes are all involved in ascending and descending steep, hard-packed snow and ice slopes (up to 30 degrees), and a great degree of strength endurance is required in all areas of the legs and hips, especially during those segments when you will be carrying a pack and pulling a sled.

Training primarily with free weights will give you the functional, climbing-specific strength that will help you most in the mountains. Free weight training requires that you balance the weights as you would your own body, weighted with a pack, in three-dimensional space. When starting any strength conditioning program, complete two full-body strength workouts a week for 45-60 minutes each, focusing on compound exercises such as squats, lunges, step-ups, dips, pull-ups, rows, dead lifts, bench presses, pushups, and overhead presses.

In the beginning phase of strength conditioning, focus on building a foundation for harder workouts; to that end, keep the weight light enough to concentrate on good form and complete two sets of each exercise for 8-10 repetitions. As you continue to train, you will shift focus to building strength (generally lower reps, 5-8, with heavier weight). Four to six weeks before your climb, shift your training to focus on strength endurance (higher reps, 10-15, with light weight) to turn the newly gained strength into greater strength endurance. Each training phase should vary the weight used, repetitions completed, number of sets, and rest intervals. Regardless of training phase, always be sure you maintain proper form in order to prevent injury or strain.