Uphill conditioning

[Will_m]

What's everybody do for uphill work when there is no uphill near? Stairs and step ups seem to be popular but these are mundane and the stairs seem to be limited by how far you can go before turning around; step ups just don't give me the feeling of a hard pull uphill. Quadzilla and leg blasters seem more focused on eccentric (downhill) work. I haven't seen biking (maybe an assault bike?) or sled work recommended much, but it seems that these would be great for uphill work since it puts you more or less in a constant state of concentric work like hiking uphill.

 

[fightthenoise]

Find a multi level parking garage and climb those stairs

 

[Brendan]

Stadium intervals are great if you have one nearby. Any stairs. Stair machine at the gym. Any hill you have and run sprint intervals.

Just need to work in the longer endurance cardio too, even if it is an 8-10 mile flat ruck once a week, and then adding in some shorter ones.

 

[Poser]

I think sled pushes have some conditioning value. That being said, no matter what else you are doing, you need at least one long uphill session with a pack a week to build the necessary muscular endurance as you get close to the season. The last couple of weeks, it would be wise to up that to 2 or 3 sessions. If it’s box steps ups, it’s box step ups. If it’s stairs, it’s stairs. If it’s a short, steep hill hiking straight up the fall line for laps, then it’s that. Basically, you’ll need to spend some time doing the thing that you are going to do, or at least get as close to it as possible with a box or stairs, mind numbing as that may be.

 

[BigShane54]

x2 on multi level parking garage or in my opinion a sled is an excellent alternate.

 

[TBarron]

Kifaru cargo net with 2 45s and hit the stair master for 20-30 mins. Bonus points for mean mugging all the yuppies and flexing on the housewives.


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[P Carter]

Here’s a good resource:

Strength Training Archives

Build power and resilience with Uphill Athlete's strength training resources, designed to enhance your athletic performance.

www.uphillathlete.com

 

[Marbles]

The standing version of mountain climbers (a more kinetic version of step ups) during my runs. Usually when the opportunity presents itself due to a bench or a rock by the trail. Pistols (one legged squats). Calf raises (preferably one leg at a time). The more reps, the better. Goal would be 30-100 per set (I'm no where near beast enough to do that with pistols though).

The reason for isolating each leg is to build the stabilizers. Stability gives out on most people before the large prime mover muscle groups.

 

[Randle]

What do you think about a tire drag with a waist belt or shoulder harness?
This is what I have used.

 

[*zap*]

I recommend reading these articles and you might search thru that site for more on this subject if you like those.

Strength Training Archives

Build power and resilience with Uphill Athlete's strength training resources, designed to enhance your athletic performance.

www.uphillathlete.com

What Is Muscular Endurance? Why Is It Important? How Do You Train It?

Why can some alpinists ascend 1,000 meters in an hour with a heavy pack when others struggle with 1,000 feet in an hour? The answer lies in ME training.

www.uphillathlete.com

It is my understanding that stepping up/down on a platform can be a very good uphill workout @ home. Vary how you step up/off and you can start with a lower platform and add height to it as you progress.

 

[Dragonfish]

I have a short hill- 30 yds up hill or so close to the house- use a rogue 65lb sandbag across shoulders. sprint uphill, (sprint is probably a generous term- but i'm going as fast as i can!) walk down, rest 2 minutes, repeat. started with 10 reps, and increasing as i go. I've been doing this twice a week for the past month to get ready for the august hunt. (in addition to rucking, lifting).

I just made this workout up, but it's a bitch, gets the cardio going, works the uphill and the downhill.

 

[Will_m]

What do you think about a tire drag with a waist belt or shoulder harness?
This is what I have used.

I've actually been using something similar.

I also do step ups but I definitely don't get the same burn as I do dragging that sled. It really reminds me of a steep uphill hike more than anything (other than hiking, of course). For reference, I've done BW step ups, which is second in boredom only to painting trim, and I do 15 minute sets of steps with a 105# pack on an 18 inch box (yeti cooler). I think it would be hard to replicate the demands of a long climb with anything other climbing itself.

I like the Steve House stuff, but I certainly don't take it is as gospel. I'm not so sure their program necessarily translates to the demands of hunting either.

 

[Poser]

What do you think about a tire drag with a waist belt or shoulder harness?
This is what I have used.

I have observed that pushing a sled seems to produce better conditioning results than pulling a sled or similar. Take that for what it’s worth.

 

[LostArra]

I can't do the indoor routines except for weight training no matter how effective they are.
Walking the back side of the dam on a nearby lake has been working for me with longer hikes on rolling terrain. The downhill parts can be the killers for me.

 

[Runningwater]

I also have a small lake with dam near my house. The back side of the dam, while not very tall (probably only about 10 yards high), still offers some good dirt/grass/weeds up and down. Luckily its very long so I can get a good long "sidehill" workout as well if I go horizontal or at a slight angle on the back side of the dam.

 

[orionsbrother]

Pack training on sledding hills, stairs in stadiums and stairs at el stops.

Do "lunges" while coming down the hill.

Sit and hold squats wearing a pack... they suck!

Like Runningwater pointed out, don't neglect doing sidehills.

 

[Ratbeetle]

I also have a small lake with dam near my house. The back side of the dam, while not very tall (probably only about 10 yards high), still offers some good dirt/grass/weeds up and down. Luckily its very long so I can get a good long "sidehill" workout as well if I go horizontal or at a slight angle on the back side of the dam.

Do you have a mountain bike and an olympic bar?

While not a replacement for loaded hill climbs, a favorite quad conditioner of mine lately is moderate weight front squats in the 12-16 rep range followed by an all out mountain bike sprint up a slight grade. Rinse and repeat.

I like to round out that workout with weighted pack step ups.

 

[*zap*]

I like the Steve House stuff, but I certainly don't take it is as gospel. I'm not so sure their program necessarily translates to the demands of hunting either.

I believe that the concepts House and Johnston use can be applied to any activity that you want to improve at.
For instance, when doing very intense shorter duration cardio your usually in an anaerobic state for alot of that time....so your producing most of your atp via glycolysis. You will definitely get better @ shorter term intense rucking but your not doing anything to increase your endurance and atp production for longer term activities. Most anaerobic activities create a buildup of lactic acid which will cause fatigue fairly soon vs building your aerobic threshold up higher so you can do longer duration/slower paced rucking for long periods using your aerobic engine to produce the atp thus eliminating the fatigue associated with lactic acid buildup. Also, doing more low intensity/long duration cardio while fasted will train your body to store more fat in your muscles which will increase the effectiveness of your aerobic engine.

Obviously you also want to do some shorter duration intense cardio.

Anyway, that is my understanding of this stuff @ this time.......YMMV.