3 simple workouts that will prepare you for high altitude

Can humans train for high altitude? It's actually a somewhat controversial question, but the answer is probably yes. Studies involving Sherpas and other high-altitude natives suggest that their bodies are naturally efficient at transporting and using oxygen. And even if you were born at sea level, you can boost your cardiovascular efficiency through short bursts of high-intensity exercise. So today, let's look at three interval workouts you can use when training for high-altitude hiking, trekking, and mountaineering.

These workouts are ideal for anyone training for:

• Colorado 14ers, day hiking, and backpacking

• Mount Rainier and the Cascades volcanoes

• Everest Base Camp and Nepal trekking

• Kilimanjaro

• Orizaba and the Mexican volcanoes

• The Inca Trail

• Any adventure over 10,000 ft. in elevation

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Goals of training for high altitude

Here's what you need to accomplish fitness-wise to improve comfort and performance at high altitude.

High VO2 max

Your VO2 max represents the maximum amount of oxygen your body can transport and use during exercise. It's closely related to your cardiovascular fitness — especially the strength and pumping capacity of your heart. Interestingly, VO2 max declines with altitude, so the higher you can get it, the better!

The following workouts use short, intense bursts of exercise to build VO2 max. This type of exercise is often called high-intensity interval training, or HIIT.

Strengthen the diaphragm

The diaphragm is the large muscle that expands and contracts your chest cavity, causing you to inhale and exhale. Like all muscles, the diaphragm has to work harder in thin air. Ironically, this breathing muscle actually diverts oxygen away from the rest of your muscles at altitude! Short bursts of intense exercise can help your diaphragm to strengthen and work more efficiently.

Mental preparation

Hiking at high altitude can be challenging and frustrating. You will not be able to move nearly as fast as you do at sea level, and you may feel tired and unwell. Intense workouts can help you get used to hard work and feel less distressed by these challenges.

Well-rounded fitness

While this blog post focuses on improving VO2 max through high-intensity interval training, remember that your primary goal as a hiker and climber is to build your aerobic base. These high-altitude workouts should therefore compliment (not replace) your long, slow distance training.

Common questions about training for high altitude hiking

How often should I do my HIIT workouts?

Aim for 1–2 times a week, allowing several days for recovery between HIIT workouts. Interval training should not interfere with your aerobic base building workouts.

When should I start interval training?

Interval training increases your risk for injury and overtraining, so it's good to ease into it. Begin HIIT only after you have been doing 5–7 hours of lower-intensity cardio a week.

Is HIIT safe?

HIIT workouts are safe for most people. However, any exercise performed at near-maximum intensity (including HIIT) increases your risk for cardiovascular events, including heart attack, stroke, and death. While the absolute risk is still quite low, consult your doctor before beginning high-intensity exercise if you have a chronic condition or cardiovascular disease risk factors.

What are the benefits of interval training?

In addition to preparing your body for altitude, HIIT has many other health benefits. Check out my blog post on the benefits of interval training for more info.

Now that you understand the connection between intense exercise and training for high altitude hiking, let's dive into those workouts.

Workout #1: Running hill repeats

Not every hiker likes to run. But if you do, definitely take advantage of this great, sport-specific workout!

Running uphill works that same muscles as mountain hiking. It also quickly raises your heart rate for an effective, high-intensity cardio workout.

What you need

Find an hill, ramp, or trail section that is steep enough to challenge you. About 8–10 percent grade works well. (If you don't really have a feel for grade, check out the Trail Run Project app, which lists grade for popular trails.)

If you live in a flat area, you may have to get creative. Bridges, overpasses, parking garage ramps, and stadium stairs will all work in a pinch. You can also do this workout on an incline treadmill.

Ideally, the hill should be long enough to complete one interval from the table below. If your hill is on the short side, just continue running hard at the top. Another option is to do more short intervals. So if you're shooting for 15 minutes of intense exercise on a short hill, you could do 15 one-minute intervals.

How to run hill repeats

Warm up by jogging for 10–15 minutes. Then head to the hill for your repeats.

To run a hill repeat, simply run hard uphill for the interval duration. Your intensity level should be 8–9 on a scale of 1 to 10 (with 10 being all-out effort). Then walk or lightly jog downhill until your breathing and heart rate recover.

Here are some goals to aim for depending on your fitness level:

Beginner
Interval Time: 1 min.
Reps: 7–9

Intermediate
Interval Time: 2 min.
Reps: 5–6

Advanced
Interval Time: 3 min.
Reps: 4–5

Finish by cooling down with 10 minutes of easy cardio.

Workout #2: Alpine battle ropes

Battle ropes give you an intense cardio workout and a full-body strength workout at the same time. They're also a great way to add some fun and variety to your training. For extra motivation, grab a friend and alternate work and rest intervals.

What you need

Most gyms have battle ropes. But if your gym is like mine, the battle ropes are incredibly popular, so you won't be able to do a long, leisurely workout on them.

Another option is to buy your own battle ropes. The ropes are very portable, so you can set them up in the park, in your garage, or wherever you want to work out.

As a beginner, you can purchase inexpensive battle ropes on Amazon. Depending on where you plan to use your ropes, you may also want to buy an anchor.

How to work out with battle ropes

Start with 10 minutes of easy cardio to warm up your muscles.

Then choose 10–12 exercises you want to try. For some ideas, check out the video below. If you're a beginner, start with simple arm exercises. Once you get the hang of your arms, add back and side lunges, squats, and jumps for extra intensity.

Like most HIIT workouts battle ropes are performed as intense intervals (effort level 7–9) with rest periods in between. Here are some suggested workouts based on your fitness level:

Beginner
Work: 20 s
Rest: 40–60 s

Intermediate
Work: 40 s
Rest: 60 s

Advanced
Work: 60 s
Rest: 60 s

Finish by cooling down with 10 minutes of easy cardio.

Workout #3: Mountain tabata

A tabata is a super-intense 4-minute interval workout. Research suggests its a very efficient way to raise your VO2 max (and hence your comfort and performance at altitude). It's also a great workout for busy days when you need to squeeze exercise between work, commuting, and driving the kids to karate.

What you need

Nothing but your body, though you might find an interval timer handy. Here's a free interval timer app available for both iOS and Android phones.

How to do the mountain Tabata

Start with a 10 minute easy cardio warm up. Then perform the following exercises as fast as you can (effort level 9–10) for 20 seconds. Rest 10 seconds between exercises.

Beginners can take an optional 30 second rest between sets 4 and 5.

Set 1
Burpees 20 s
Rest 10 s

Set 2
Butt kicks 20 s
Rest 10 s

Set 3
Squat jumps 20 s
Rest 10 s

Set 4
High knees 20 s
10 s

Set 5
Mountain climbers 20 s
Rest 10 s

Set 6
Jumping jacks 20 s
Rest 10 s

Set 7
Push ups 20 s
Rest 10 s

Set 8
Skier jumps 20 s
Rest 10 s

Finish by cooling down with 10 minutes of easy cardio.

Need help making your training plan?

My FREE Training Plan Workbook walks you through a simple, six-step process to help you design a fitness program that gets results. Fill out the form below to get your copy.

And there you have 'em. Three go-to HIIT workouts for when you're training for high altitude hiking.

How do you train for high altitude hiking? Comment to share your tips.

Originally published August 16, 2019.