[Richard Hazelby]

Quick little question about training hours, following the guidelines from TFTNA I need to drop my training to 5 hours a week, but this week, due to work I have done 12 hours with the majority of those being in zone 1 guiding in the mountains, and next week I will be hitting the 20 hour mark with 16 of those hours been in a 24 hour period. My time in the mountains can range from 7-50 hours a week throughout the year, work and condition dependant.

I know the work in the mountains isn’t specific training, but with regards with the others aspects of training (one zone 2, 2-3 climbing sessions that are generally outdoors, leading trad, these can be anything up to 12 pitch climbs with a two hour mountain approach, and two strength sessions in the gym that generally last about 1:15).

Just wondering if that much zone 1, this early in the transition period will have a negative effect, or because it’s the norm, I wont see any negative side effects.

Cheers for the help, great page! And if anyone is heading to the workshop in Chamonix on the 19th August, see you there.

Topic

[Anonymous]

Anonymous on June 20, 2017 at 9:40 pm #5237

Richard:

Sorry to be slow getting back to you on this great question: You’re a guide right? It is so hard to make a training plan for a guide because their job is so physical. As you say: since these erratic and often high hour weeks are the norm for you then it is not going to derail your training program. But for folks like you it is much more of challenge to design a long term plan. If you’ve been doing this type of thing for a few years then your base aerobic fitness is already high. You will benefit from a special approach when you spice up your massive base with some specific workouts when you have time and energy. I write special plans for guides who have a goal but not much time/energy to train. Its tricky and has to be adapted to each person so I can’t give generalized comments in this kind of case.

Scott

[Richard Hazelby]

Richard Hazelby on July 3, 2017 at 5:48 am #5505

Hi Scott,

That’s cool. Thank you for the reply. Work as a mountain leader in the UK and previously a ski guide in Canada and the Indian Himalayas, so have a pretty decent base already. The hours working in the mountains don’t tend to tire me out as I am usually working in zone 1, I use HR to determine my speed with groups and very rarely might pop into zone 2 if the terrain is steep and with a very fit group. One of the hardest bit’s I am struggling with at the moment is coming back from injury, Last August I got injured and put out for 5 months and have been struggling to get back to my previous fitness. Still fitter than the majority of the people I take out. I have been working in the ski industry for the past 15 years, but only started guiding 5 years ago.

If we get the chance, I will no doubt pick your brains and the Cham workshop.

Rich