Kilimanjaro Training Plan

Here’s a quick recap of what’s going on. This past September, I signed up for a group trek up Mt. Kilimanjaro through JDRF (Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation). JDRF has recruited 13 type 1s from all over the world and we are training to hike Kilimanjaro in June 2014.

For more info on the JDRF event:
http://www.jdrf.org.uk/get-involved/join-in-an-event/treks/jdrf-climb-kilimanjaro

My training plan for for Kilimanjaro includes a combination of strength, interval and cardio workouts. I will be changing and adjusting these workouts as we get closer to the hike.

Training Schedule:
Monday: Pull muscles – finish off with 15 minutes of sprint drills
Tuesday: Legs
Wednesday: Push muscles – finish off with 15 minutes of sprint drills
Thursday: Full rest day
Friday: Core & 30 minutes of cardio
Saturday: Long hike day
Sunday: Short/Long hike day

Strength & Interval Training:
I have a push/leg/pull split routine. The “push” workouts strain all of the upper body muscles involved in moving resistance away from the body. These muscles include back and biceps. The “legs” workouts train the entire lower body. These muscles include quads, hamstrings, and calves. The “pull” workouts train all of the upper body muscles involved in moving resistance towards the body. These muscles include chest, shoulders, and triceps. I’m using a push-leg-pull split because it allows me to set up a rotation that keeps one workout from affecting another. This decreases chances of injuries and maximizes rest/recovery.

I use a pyramid workout structure for my sets and reps: 10-8-6-10.
Example: My 1st set is 10 reps (used as a warm-up), 2nd set is 8 reps with increased weights – rest as needed – 3rd set is 6 reps with further increased weights – rest as needed – 4th set is back to 10 reps with the original weights.
Reasons why I use a pyramid training structure are because it adds diversity to my workout and keeps me from getting bored and burning out during a gym session. The added diversity helps delay my body from plateauing so I can focus more on hiking.

Core:
Decline crunches: 3 sets, 15 reps – 1 minute rest between sets
Plank: 2 minutes
Hanging leg raises: 3 sets, 15 reps – minute rest between sets
Plank: 2 minutes
1 minute rest
Walk-outs: 3 sets, 10 reps – 1 minute rest between sets
1.5 minute rest
Plank: hold until failure
Mountain climbers: 1 minute hard, 30 second rest X 3

Sprint Drills:
2 minute warm-up
30 second sprint, 30 second straddle X 10
3 minute cool-down

Cardio: Hiking
Long hike days: I will focus primarily on distance or elevation, or a combination of both for a minimum of 6 hours in total time.
Short hike days: This will follow my long hike days until I build myself up to 2 consecutive long hike days.

*As I get closer to hiking Kilimanjaro, I will increase the elevation, distance, and time of my long hike days and I will increase the number of consecutive hiking days.