How does your job prepare you for the mountain?

[dan33]

How have you guys seen being in shape for your job translate to the mountain? My only experience with this is in the hills of Ohio tennessee and kentucky and I can move pretty good compared to a lot of people. How much can I expect to lose in performance at high elevations? For reference I run up and down scaffolding and ladders with 30 to 60 pounds of tools.

 

[JohnB]

My soft hands from sitting in front of a computer all day make my trigger press much more predictable and consistent. Trust me I've tested this.

 

[Coach Chris]

You can expect about a 10% reduction in aerobic capacity for every 1000m/3280' you gain.

 

[ScreamingPotato]

My job prepares me for long hours sitting in one place staring at glass.

 

[Runwilderness]

My job teaches me constantly that no matter how well I plan and prepare, something unexpected will go wrong.

 

[go_deep]

My job makes me want to call in sick and go hunting almost daily, so I guess you could say it's very motivating.

 

[elkguide]

As a house painter, I climb ladders and carry ladders, boxes of paint and other objects all day every day. If I don't make time to work out 4 days a week, I can't even begin to climb the hills out west.
Imagine climbing three flights of stairs, carrying a 50# box wearing a backpack loaded with 50# and only breathing through a straw.

 

[TNHighlands]

It makes me want to kill stuff?

 

[justinspicher]

Nope, not even remotely close.

 

[D S 319]

Lots of steps.

 

[Warmsy]

I'm in construction, for a small rural company. I would say the only thing that really translates from my job is tenacity. There's a lot of sucky crap that I have to do. It often ask like and feels like crap until the finish goes in. Knowing that the hard work and attention to detail pays off in the end is helpful.

Doesn't help physically at all. I'm strong, and I can do what I have to do, but it's only when I'm training I feel physically fit.

 

[Hnthrdr]

Bowstaff skillz, nunchuck skillz

 

[Woods Sleeper]

Being a teacher and coach, I have access to a weight room, but our school doesn’t have a shower for staff use, so I can’t really use it in the morning. Once I’m done with practice at the end of a day I just want to get home to see my dog (and my wife I suppose), so it doesn’t help me much. More of a lack of motivation by me than anything else.

 

[*zap*]

Never seen a person run up a scaffold.

 

[The_Jim]

There is a lot to be said for just being active all day vs sitting at a desk - it will definitely help you. Being “mountain ready” is a marketing ploy to sell workouts and supplements. Just keep yourself in reasonably decent shape and you’ll be fine in the mountains.

 

[dan33]

Never seen a person run up a scaffold.

Trust me it gets old when you do it 6 times a day

 

[Maverick1]

It makes me mentally strong.

 

[Runwilderness]

Semi-joking about work aside, I do think that there is a large mental aspect to moving at elevation.

Unless you live at high altitude and hike steep slopes on a regular basis, it’s probably going to suck.

But if I remind myself that I’m sucking wind in part because the air is thin and that is what it is, rather than become discouraged because I’m not feeling low altitude fit, I can settle my body and mind into a rhythm and just get it done.

 

[wowzers]

I cruised timber for years in the NW so it was pretty good for getting around. Also just being in woods everyday made you more aware of things.

 

[Yoder]

My job prepares me mentally for things that suck. Cold, heat, rain and snow don't hold a candle to how much I hate my job.