Hey friends! Hope you enjoyed my episode on common strength training mistakes for mountaineers and endurance athletes. I’d be super stoked if it inspired you to get started with strength training — or uplevel your own resistance training game.

Since we didn’t get into the nitty-gritty of strength training and weight lifting on the pod, I’ve posted some resources below.

Additional strength training posts to check out:

• What mountaineers need to know about strength training

• Strength training benefits

• Best leg exercises for mountaineers

• How to set up a home gym on a tight budget

Free Resources

• Walk 2 Hike 4-week training plan for beginners (includes at-home strength workouts)

Transcript: 5 Common strength training mistakes

Are you sabotaging your mountaineering fitness by making these common strength training mistakes? If your training hikes feel like you're dragging a lead sled, if you're off balance, or if you're frequently injured, these are all signs that your strength training routine may need a little tune up. And that's what we're talking about today on the pod.

So welcome. I'm your host Sarah. In episode one, I really emphasized the importance of cardio training. For mountaineering, we talked about how it makes up 80% of your training time.

And ever since I recorded that episode, I worried that I may have undersold strength training just a little bit.

It's true that in endurance training, cardio is the mashed potatoes and strength training is the gravy. But you wouldn't want to eat a big heaping serving of mashed potatoes without gravy. Because let's face it, honestly, they taste like dirt.

And it's the same with climbing your mountain. Strength training will help you in many ways. It's going to help you prevent injury, reduce fatigue, and improve your balance. You'll feel less soreness. So while strength training is not your entire program, you absolutely want to be doing it.

Everyone feels anxious at the start

And I just want to acknowledge at the outset that strength training is far more intimidating than cardio for most people. It's a higher learning curve, especially when you're a beginner. Let's face it, there's a huge difference between going out and walking and jogging for an hour versus a strength training routine with reps and sets and resistance. It's a bit tough to wrap your brain around.

So I really don't blame people who have some anxiety and resistance around getting started. And I really think if I can do one thing today, I really want to dispel some of that and help you to see that strength training really is something that's accessible to all of you, and that you can start right now.

Today, let's go over some of the common mistakes people make when they start a strength training routine and how to correct these. I'm not going to get into the nitty gritty of how to lift, but I'll link to some blog posts in the show notes that go into a lot of detail. So definitely make sure you check that out after you listen to the pod.

Let’s dive into those mistakes and solutions.

1. Overdoing strength training at the expense of cardio (or your free time)

So let's start with mistake number one. And this is one we touched on in the last episode. It’s doing too much strength training at the expense of your cardio — or your free time.

To illustrate what this can look like, here’s story.

How not to do mountaineering training

I took a mountaineering class a couple years ago. And it started off with a fitness lecture. One of the instructors in the class gave the lecture, and he was basically describing his workout.

As I listened to him speaking, I felt horror rising inside of me. What he was describing was really impossible for, I'd say, most people that have a full-time job.

He was hiking and mountaineering on the weekends, but then he was also spending hours at the gym. He was lifting six days a week. He was not taking a rest day, and I'm not sure how he didn't just completely burn out and die.

But listening to this, I remember thinking, "I am going to have to quit my job if this is what mountaineering is all about. If this is what I need to do to climb Mount Rainier, I'm not sure that I have it in me to work out this much."

Fortunately — and I can say this now as someone who has gone on to climb lots of mountains, including several high-altitude summits — that level of training is not really necessary or constructive. That is, unless you're doing something super hardcore, like climbing Mount Everest. And you're a sponsored athlete who's training full time. But for most of us, it does not need to look like that.

Why do so many mountaineering instructors and personal trainers get this one wrong?

And I thought it was interesting that strength training was so emphasized in this lecture. Because as we discussed in the last episode, very often, experts, influencers, and personal trainers will recommend a lot of strength training. And it ends up coming at the expense of the cardio. And if you're following a classic endurance training model, the cardio really is where you want to put most of your emphasis.

So why did this happen? I have a couple of theories.

One of them is around the culture of mountaineering. Mountaineering culture can be very competitive and doesn't really leave room for vulnerability. And if you are an instructor who's giving a lecture on fitness in front of your instructor peers, it's probably really hard to say, "I lift two to three times a week, because that is what my sport demands."

I also think there's an element of sexism that comes into this. I never really paid attention to it until a couple of years ago. And the way it came on my radar was, my apartment building put in a beautiful gym. They put a functional training machine in it that you can use to do all different kinds of exercises. It was amazing.

I was talking to my best friend (he's a guy who lives in the building) and was like, "Hey, did you go up and use the functional trainer yet? It's so awesome. I can't believe we have this."

And his response just blew me away. He said, "No, I'm a guy. We need barbells. I work out at the gym."

I laugh, but I do think there's this concept of masculinity that men lift, men lift heavy, men lift at the gym, men lift a lot.

And I really feel for men in endurance sports, because I think it's difficult to say that, "I am going to reduce lifting in order to focus on cardio, because research shows that it's the best way to improve my performance."

And I also think that belief can waste a lot of time. These men do their endurance training, they do all their cardio, and then they go and lift. When do they have time to be people and focus on other areas of life?

I don't think this is necessarily exclusive to men, by the way. I think there are communities of women where you can see this. But definitely, it seems to be something that affects men more.

hiring a personal trainer for mountaineering

And then finally, as we discussed in the last episode, there's a lot of misunderstanding about mountaineering and what a program should look like. This is true even among trainers. Personal trainers tend to be trained in programs that emphasize strength training. So when you're choosing a trainer, that's something to keep in mind — to be a savvy consumer.

You really want to look for someone who has experience — and perhaps some additional education — in endurance training. And if you're choosing someone to train you for mountaineering, I don't think it's a tall order that the person should have climbed a mountain similar to the one you want to climb.

So don't be afraid to go out there and be discerning. Don't assume that all trainers are the same and know the same things. We are all, self included, very biased into thinking that what we know is the most important stuff. And it's hard for us to rein that in sometimes. So definitely don't be afraid to ask questions and find the right person for you.

So that's a whole lot about doing too much strength training. You know what the second common mistake is?

2. Doing Zero Strength Training

You probably guessed that was coming.

I think that this is also very common, especially among mountaineers who are self coaching. If you don't have a lot of experience with strength training, you'll probably realize you should go on training hikes, you can wear a heavy backpack, you can do intervals. You can do all these cardio things to get ready. But the strength training part just seems like something additional that maybe you don't really need.

Why endurance athletes need strength training

This was really driven home to me by a friend who's a really amazing athlete. She's climbed Denali, she's done all these amazing mountaineering trips ... and she really has a hard time warming up to the whole idea of strength training.

We were on a training hike, and she asked me: "I'm feeling good. My cardio is going well. I'm actually losing weight, which is great. But then I hop on my biometric scale, and it says my body fat percentage is increasing. What do you think might be happening?"

And aside from the fact that biometric scales can read wildly inaccurate, I think this really illustrates the danger of doing a ton of endurance training and cardio without strength training.

The more cardio you do, you're actually losing muscle mass. Your body is consuming it because of your energy expenditure. The only way to combat this muscle loss is to do strength training to stimulate your muscles to produce more mass.

So you can see right there, that's one of the main reasons it's so important for people who are doing endurance training to do some strength training.

Health benefits of strength training

And even if you're not doing endurance training, I would put to you that you should still be doing strength training, whether you are a 20-year-old college student or 90-years-old and living in a nursing home. Strength training has a ton of health benefits for your body that you really can't get from cardio alone.

So I'm just going to read you a list of some of the things that research studies have proven that strength training can do for you.

• Fewer injuries

• Increased bone density

• Improves blood pressure, insulin resistance, and balances blood lipid levels (all of which can help prevent cardiovascular disease)

• You might think if you have back pain or joint pain, you shouldn't lift weights. But it actually can, if done correctly, reduce joint pain and back pain.

• Many people with depression report improved mood after strength training.

• And this last one is crazy. I don't know how it can actually be true. Maybe it's from the quantum field or something. But people who lift weights experience less premature death. And that's from all causes, everything from heart disease to car accidents. So why does that happen? No one knows. But I think we can all agree that's good.

Strength training and weight loss

If you're someone who has gotten into mountaineering because you have a weight loss goal, I think that's amazing. It's such a great motivator.

We talked last week about how you almost have to become a whole new person to really reach your potential as a mountaineer. And that's going to force you not only to exercise but also to look at your diet and all your habits and really tune things up. You'll need to let go of things that are not healthy for you.

But if you're on that weight loss journey, one of the best things that you can do is to actually lift weights. When researchers looked at people who lost 30 pounds and kept it off for more than 3 years... all other things being equal, they tended to be people who engaged in strength training.

Strength training definitely seems to improve your chances of losing weight and keeping it off. That's probably because you're changing your body composition. You're stimulating your body to create more lean mass muscle, and you're also giving yourself a little metabolism boost. Heavy lifting gives your metabolism about an 8% jolt, and that can actually last for a couple of days. So that's pretty awesome and definitely helpful if you're trying to lose weight.

So I hope I've convinced you to definitely lift weights. So let's move on to common mistake number three. This is a reason many people hesitate to lift weights, and it's because they believe...

3. You need a gym to succeed at strength training.

So let me debunk that a bit for you.

I think we can all agree that gyms can be super intimidating. If you have any sort of childhood trauma around gym class or sports performance, it can very easily get triggered when you're walking into a gym.

And I think going into a gym also feels a bit like public speaking in the sense that you're performing in front of other people, and you're running the risk of not doing it perfectly. People are looking at you and judging. I think That's a really hard thing for a lot of us to take.

Gym-timidation is universal

And if you're a beginner and it feels hard to walk into a gym, know that it's also hard for those of us who have been lifting weights for a long time.

I've been lifting since high school. And a couple years ago, I walked into a gym after having been away for a while. I remember this feeling of being so vulnerable, of wondering if people were looking at me, of being afraid to take up space or do the exercises wrong.

It was crippling. It took me an hour to get through what should have been a 30-minute workout because I was so conscious of everyone around me and afraid of doing things wrong.

So if you experience gym-timidation, you're not alone. A huge percentage of the world feels the same way.

Finding a gym to call home

This is probably a good place to mention that if you really want to join a gym, keep in mind that they all have their own unique culture. So it's worth it to shop around and find your people.

Some gyms are very competitive. People are lifting very heavy using lots of free weights. And some gyms are super laid back. People are hanging out and talking while they're lifting. It's a very communal atmosphere. There are gyms that cater to women, gyms that are GLBT friendly.

So I think it's definitely worth it if you are feeling a little nervous about joining a gym to take some time and shop around. Try some different ones. Find the one that feels right for you.

This brings us back to the question of …

Do you actually need a gym?

My answer is no, but it can be helpful for some training periods.

We're going to talk about periodization in just a minute. And by the way, periodization just means training for different goals at different times of the year.

I do believe that there are a couple parts of your season (for example, your heavy lifting period) when it’s beneficial to have access to a gym, especially if you don't have a lot of equipment at home.

And that doesn't necessarily mean that you need to join a gym. One thing you can do is to look around and see which gyms offer day passes near you. Sometimes you can pay just $8 to $12 and use the gym for one workout.

As a mountaineer, you're not going to the gym every day. You're maybe going two or three times a week. So to use day passes for a couple of months tops is often going to save you money in the long run.

Do beginners need a gym?

Really, the answer is no. There's a ton you can do at home with your body weight, with things you improvise, and with simple equipment like resistance bands and small dumbbells.

It's also important to remember that the most sport-specific strength workouts are actually done outside. What that might look like is putting a bit of weight into your backpack and hiking uphill. You'll be out in nature enjoying your sport, and you'll be a million miles from the the sweaty, stinky gym, which can really feel good.

So let's move on to common mistake number four.

4. Lifting with poor technique or posture.

There's a saying in strength training that we need to straighten the body before we strengthen it. And it's very, very true.

Importance of posture and movement in strength training

The reason is that strength training will hardwire any poor posture or dysfunctional movement that you have.

A common example that applies to many of us who sit at desks all day is that we have shortened hip flexors.

If you look at where your upper thigh connects to your torso in the front, that muscle right there is the hip flexor. And it's easy to imagine how it would get shortened and tightened by sitting at a desk all day.

Short and tight hip flexors actually pull your pelvis forward, which increases the curve in your back. It puts you at higher risk for low back pain.

Now, what happens if you strengthen that muscle through strength training, when it's still shortened? You're going to actually make that curvature in your back worse, and you're going to increase the chances that you could have back pain.

So before you start lifting and strengthening that hip flexor, you want to lengthen it out and correct that imbalance.

How do you know if you have postural and/or movement issues?

One of the best things you can do is to actually spend some time with a personal trainer.

And not every personal trainer is really good at doing postural assessment or functional movement assessment. It's worth it to shop around and find someone who has some experience and some extra training in this.

You also want someone who really wants to work with you as a consultant. Sometimes what will happen is you'll go into a gym, you'll meet with a trainer, and they just want to sell you their 6-week package. Their job pretty much depends on selling a certain number of these, but it's not exactly what you need. You just need someone to work with you, someone to assess your technique, assess your posture, assess how you're moving, and give you a tune up.

Functional assessment is not just for beginners

Even if you're an experienced lifter, I think it's really good to visit a personal trainer every couple of years. Yes, even if you’ve done strength training before and you know what to look for.

It's really hard to see your own body moving and see these dysfunctional movements and postural imbalances in yourself. So definitely don't be afraid to check in with a professional. It's the best way to make sure that you're always training in balance and that you're not hard wiring problems into yourself that are going to hurt you down the road.

It's also good to see a trainer if you're moving from your general strength training phase into your heavy lifting phase. Heavy lifting is where you're going to strengthen the muscles the most and where you can actually do the most damage.

What if you don't have access to a personal trainer?

Maybe you don't have the money or time or can't find someone you think is a good fit.

Another option is to get into group fitness classes. They're a great place to learn weight lifting technique. They’ll also teach you about things like warming up, engaging your core before you lift, breathing, and how to prevent injury to your knees when you're squatting or lunging.

It's best to do these classes in person. That way, if you have any questions, you can pull the instructor aside and ask them to have a look at you.

You can also get some benefit from streaming services and watching videos online. There's a wealth of information on YouTube about how to do exercises with proper form. Now, it's not the same as having someone standing right next to you watching and correcting you. But it can teach you some things to be aware of and that you can watch for in the mirror.

Another option for you, especially if you're new to lifting and don't really have someone to guide you, is to use machines.

The downside of machines is that they only isolate one muscle group at a time. They're not really replicating the movements you make in real life. But they do still give you some benefits.

You're much less likely to injure yourself on a machine, because it's providing some support for your body, for your posture. It's certainly possible to injure yourself on a machine, but the margin for error is a bit greater. So that's a pretty safe place to start if you don't have access to a trainer and you don't really have a lot of knowledge about strength training.

And finally common mistake number five, this is...

5. Lifting The same way all the time, all year round.

What this often looks like: you have a person who learned a little bit about strength training in high school, and they've been doing the same routine ever since. They do 3 sets, 10 reps of all the exercises using medium resistance, and they never change it up.

Now, this is a great place to start early in your training season. Medium reps and medium resistance give you a really nice foundation for the harder work that's coming later.

But because we're mountaineers, and we're really shooting for maximum performance, I want you to add a couple other periods to your strength training season.

Early season foundation

So as I mentioned above, we're going to start with general fitness early in the season. You're going to lift medium reps with light-to-medium resistance, which increases gradually as you get stronger. This is building a great foundation for your season.

Heavy lifting

Then, while you're still fairly early in your season, before you're doing hours and hours of cardio every week, you're going to do a heavy lifting period.

During this period, you're going to do low reps with high resistance. And what this is going to do is to recruit new muscle fibers. Whenever you make a movement — let's say you flex your bicep — if it's unweighted, your brain is only firing and contracting a fraction of the muscle cells that are actually available.

So the benefit of lifting heavy is to force your brain to fire more muscle cells, and that'll result in greater strength, and stronger muscle contraction. That's something you want to take with you all through your season and up the mountain.

Muscular Endurance

So after 4–6 weeks of heavy lifting, you're going to go into your muscular endurance period. And this is actually the opposite of heavy lifting. You're going to do lots and lots of reps but with pretty light resistance — either body weight or just a little extra weight.

The goal of this period is to get your muscles used to contracting many, many times without getting tired. It actually builds up their endurance.

In the last episode, we talked about how your lungs and heart need the endurance to go for six to 15 hours on summit day, depending on the length of your climb. Well, your muscles need the same thing. So this is the phase where you really get that going.

Maintenance

And then finally, we move into a maintenance phase. When you're entering this phase, you've completed your heavy lifting and your muscular endurance periods, and now you're just trying to maintain. So most of your strength training will probably actually be accomplished while you're outside hiking and doing your sports.

You might carry a little bit of a heavy backpack on some days to work your muscles. You also might go to the gym once a week if there's something you want to work on. For example, if there's something that feels a little out of balance you need to correct. If there's a muscle that still feels weak, you can go to the gym and give it some extra juice.

But for the most part, you've now moved into the part of your training where you're doing tons and tons of cardio. Strength training is taking a backseat, because you've already done all the work and you're strong. Right now, you just need to maintain your strength by working your muscles against resistance regularly.

So there you have them: 5 common strength training mistakes that may be sabotaging your mountaineering fitness.

If you take one thing away from this episode, I want you to know that strength training is something that is good to do, and it's something that you can do.

You don't have to get fancy and join a big gym or set up a crazy home gym.

It's something that's available to you right now. You can just start with your body weight.

Start by watching YouTube videos or stream a service like Peloton that takes you through some beginner workouts. Even these beginner workouts will start to lay a foundation for better performance.

You're going to feel better on the mountain. You're going to be less likely to be injured.

And whenever you have done a good job at strength training, you're just going to enjoy your climb so much more. It's going to feel so much more comfortable to go out and climb for six to 15 hours. That's such a feat in itself. You don't want to make it harder by not doing strength training ... when you could be doing strength training.