I hired a private PT who turned out to be absolutely fantastic, Hernan Adriasola. He has motivated and enthuses me which means a lot. I also work with Linda Sjölund at KTH-hallen in Stockholm and she is a great PT in Yoga. When I started my journey towards Everest I didn’t know how to design my training program. Hernan Adriasola has helped me out with the design and lots of advise during the last year.

During the last 3 years I have applied Hernan’s training program and now I am so curious about the impact it will have on my performance at Mt Everest. I remember how I felt at the first expedition at the Yalung Ri summit and I wasn’t very impressed of my performance to be honest! My threshold and oxygene takeup wasn’t sufficient.

Linda Sjölund has been a great asset in order to build more flexibility in my body and controlled breathing with the Yoga training. She understood how to pick the correct yoga poses for the maintaineering area.

Hernan designed a phased training program. One important activity was the VO2 Max test that provided threshold and max pulse values to adapt the training towards.

Everest Training Program:

Phase 1: week 1-2 for improved strength, 2,5 hours training schedule x 4 times a week:

• Running 1 x incline 4 and speed 13, 4km
• Increase threshold lactate: Intervall running 10 x incline 5 with speed 15, 1 min running + 1 min rest
• Increase threshold lactate lower body: Legs training 3 sets x 15 reps x 6 stations (leg press, leg extensions, lying leg curls, progressive steps 2x10kg)
• Increase threshold lactate upper body: Arm/shoulders training 3 sets x 15 reps x 5 stations (bench press 15kg, TRX pull ups, TRX Knee Pull with push-ups, TRX Pull-ups, TRX Shoulder pulls)
• 45 min hatha yoga with intensive/deep breathing
• Trekking with 12kg load 15km/week

Phase 2: week 3-4 for improved strength, 2,5 hours training schedule x 4 times a week:

• Running 1 x incline 4 and speed 13, 2km
• Increase threshold lactate: Intervall running 5 x incline 4 with speed 14, 4 min running + 2 min rest
• Increase threshold lactate lower body: Legs training 3 sets x 15 reps x 6 stations (leg press, leg extensions, lying leg curls, progressive steps 2x10kg)
• Increase threshold lactate upper body: Arm/shoulders training 3 sets x 15 reps x 5 stations (bench press 15kg, TRX pull ups, TRX Knee Pull with push-ups, TRX Pull-ups, TRX Shoulder pulls)
• 45 min hatha yoga with intensive/deep breathing
• Trekking with 12kg load 15km/week

Phase 3: week 5-9 Durability, 2,5 hours training schedule x 4 times a week:

• Running 1 x incline 2 and speed 13, 10km
• Increase threshold lactate lower body: Legs training 3 sets x 2min x 6 stations (leg press, leg extensions, lying leg curls, progressive steps 2x10kg)
• Increase threshold lactate upper body: Arm/shoulders training 3 sets x 2min x 5 stations (bench press 10kg, TRX pull ups, TRX Knee Pull with push-ups, TRX Pull-ups, TRX Shoulder pulls)
• 45 min hatha yoga with intensive/deep breathing
• Intervall hill training 95m x 10reps outdoor 2 hours with 12kg load, big boots and full clothing/week
• Trekking with 12kg load 20km/week

Phase 4: week 10-12 – Last month, mental training and thoughts control training schedule x 4 times a week:

• Running 1 x incline 2 speed 13, 8km
• State of mind programming and thoughts control
• 45 min hatha yoga with intensive/deep breathing
• Speed trekking weekly with 12 kg 10-15km

Phase 5: 12-14 weeks Tapering training schedule x 3 times a week:

• Running 1 x incline 2 speed 12, 5km
• 45 min hatha yoga with intensive/deep breathing

I hope you are inspired to start this training program now! Get going already now, no excuse!