The Uphill Athlete Podcast provides educational material for all mountain sports. Our goal is to inspire and encourage you to be the best mountain athlete you can be.
Director of Coaching Chantelle Robataille and coach Alyssa Clark are back in the second episode of the trail running series. They discuss the basics of training for trail running including aerobic base building, metabolic efficiency, and proper training progression.
They move into discussing and debunking common myths in training for ultras. Chantelle and Alyssa wrap up with advice on specializing your training to fit your race profile and strategies. Join the two for a lively discussion of all things trail running!
Visit us at www.uphillathlete.com, email us at coach@uphillathlete.com or see us on instagram @uphill_athlete
We are beginning a new educational series focused on trail running. Uphill Athlete has long coached and supported trail runners, but we are dedicating even more time and attention to this ever growing sport. Along with this podcast, we are also launching a trail running training group in June led by coaches Alexa Hasman, Brian Passenti and Alyssa Clark. We are revamping our training plans and have many experienced trail running coaches on staff available for one on one coaching.
In this episode, Brian and Alyssa discuss the history of trail running along with the wide variety of races and adventures out there for mountain athletes. They touch on mountain safety, the culture of trail running and why this community is so special to many. Come join in on the trail running fun and be welcomed with open arms to this growing but tight knit space.
Visit us at www.uphillathlete.com or drop us a note at coach@uphillathlete.com
In this episode, Steve and Alyssa welcome coach Martin Zhor onto the podcast to discuss tapering and the post-mountain blues. They discuss the dos and don’ts of tapering along with advice on the duration and types of workouts athletes should be focusing on during this time period. They also touch on the effect of travel during a taper period and how to account for altitude and acclimatization. Along with tapering, the three discuss the after period of a big climb and what happens next mentally and physically regardless of the summit success. They offer their own experiences and tips to handle the let down post-trip. Join the three in a comprehensive discussion rounding out the mountaineering training series and helping athletes reach their mountain goals.
Thank you to Chase Clark for our Intro/Outro Music and Tim McClain for our sound mixing.
Please visit us at uphillathlete.com or write to us at coach@uphillathlete.com
In this episode of Training for Mountaineering, Steve and Alyssa discuss the last training period before tapering, the climbing specific period. This stage follows the crucial base period, and serves to sharpen the skills a climber needs for a specific goal. Steve and Alyssa tackle how to navigate and plan this period from build up climbing trips, to training at home. They break down how a climber should distribute intensity, volume, recovery and strength throughout the week. They also touch on the importance of mental preparation and the confidence this period brings to a climber before they take off for their goal climbs.
Thank you to Chase Clark for the intro/outro and Tim McClain for our sound engineering.
Visit us at uphillathlete.com or write to us at coach@uphillathlete.com
In this episode of Training for Mountaineering, Steve House and Alyssa Clark are joined by veteran Uphill Athlete coach, Jason Antin. The trio open by discussing the role of strength in Jason, Steve and Alyssa’s athletic careers and the purpose of strength training in the mountains. They continue with defining strength, strength training and its role in helping athletes move efficiently and safely in mountain objectives. Jason and Steve break down the three periods of strength training including transition, max strength and muscular endurance. Jason discusses his favorite max strength exercises and how single leg strength is vital for mountain athletes. The three wrap up with exploring muscular endurance and the variations possible for those living in mountain towns to New York City. Join us for a lively discussion of strength in the mountains.
Thank you to Chase Clark for the intro/outro and Tim McClain for our sound engineering.
Visit us at uphillathlete.com or write to us at coach@uphillathlete.com
In this episode, Steve and Alyssa talk with return guest, Chantelle Robitaille, on the base period of training for Mountaineering. They discuss the importance of the base period, the main principles behind base training as well as the strength component. They explore how to work around limited gym access as well as adaptations if athletes live in flat areas. Steve explains his own experience with weighted uphill climbs and training muscular endurance for upper and lower body. In closing, the trio explores how to differentiate a mountaineering plan from a more technical alpine plan and what these differences should look like within the training. Join in to learn about the crucial period of training that helps athletes reach their best in the mountains.
Visit us at uphillathlete.com or email us at coach@uphillathlete.com for more information.
In this episode, Steve House, Alyssa Clark and Physical Therapist Pete Dickinson dive into the foundations of physical performance from a pre-habilitation perspective. They examine when an athlete should begin heavier training loads, injury prevention, strength assessment, when to visit a Physical Therapist, common mistakes that lead to injury, and several other topics. Pete offers his top 3 favorite exercises for injury prevention and helps athletes to understand when it's training fatigue and when it's more serious. They also use Alyssa’s 95 marathons in 95 days as a case study to assess how an athlete can be durable and endure large training loads without injury. Join in for a great discussion on maintaining health and staying on track with your training.
In this episode, Steve House, Alyssa Clark and Alexa Hasman discuss the psychology of mountain sports particularly focusing on risk taking and fear. They dig into mental preparation, overcoming fear, dealing with doubt and the psychology behind risk taking. Steve shares personal anecdotes from his time as a professional climber at the sharp end of the sport, with Alyssa speaking about her experiences in ultra running, and Alexa explaining the science behind the how and why. They offer tools and advice on how to know when to listen and when to push beyond perceived boundaries. Buckle up for this mental journey and learn how to be your mental mountain best.
Visit us at uphillathlete.com or email us at coach@uphillathlete.com for more information on coaching, training groups, training plans and more.
In this episode, Steve House, Chantelle Robitaille and Alyssa Clark continue with the discussion of the fundamentals of Mountaineering with a focus on establishing training zones. They explore the different methods of aerobic threshold testing, assessing test results and cover how and why we set training zones. They also touch on common mistakes to avoid and how these fundamental components of training will help you be your mountain best.
Write to us at coach@uphillathlete.com or visit us at uphillathlete.com
Helpful Links:
https://uphillathlete.com/aerobic-training/8-diy-steps-to-figure-out-your-aerobic-threshold-indoor/
https://uphillathlete.com/aerobic-training/aerobic-anaerobic-threshold-self-assessment/
https://uphillathlete.com/podcast/talking-health-training-aerobic-deficiency-with-dr-phil-maffetone/
Episode 2 of the Winter 22-23 Season
This is the first in a multi-part series where we are kicking off a major seeason of educational material on the podcast. Our goal is to discuss the steps of training for a mountaineering objective and give you actionable items to take with you on your training. In this first episode, we will focus on Aerobic Training Fundamentals and how you can set yourself up for success from the first step.
Plus we have a big introduction to make today, Chantelle Robitaille is our new director of coach training and athlete success. Chantelle is a coach, an ultra-runner, holds an advanced degree in High Altitude Physiology, and is coming to Uphill Athlete from this same position at CTS, Carmichael Training Systems, the world's largest endurance-coaching company.
Listen in, learn, and get to know Chantelle as she, Coach Alyssa Clark, and Steve House unpack the fundamentals of training for mountaineering.
Please rate, review and subscribe to our podcast on all podcast platforms. If you'd like more information on coaching, one of our training plans, our training groups or to connect, please visit www.uphillathlete.com, @uphill_athlete on instagram or email us at coach@uphillathlete.com
We are back! In this episode, Steve House (Uphill Athlete Co-Founder) and Alyssa Clark (Uphill Athlete Coach) sit down to talk about the evolution of Uphill Athlete. From the continuation of sound training principles, to stories of the mountains, to the future of Uphill Athlete, we cover it all. Join us on climbing a new mountain with a team who are ready to take on the challenge and help you be your mountain best.
Please rate, review and subscribe to our podcast on all podcast platforms. If you'd like more information on coaching, one of our training plans, our training groups or to connect, please visit www.uphillathlete.com, @uphill_athlete on instagram or email us at coach@uphillathlete.com
In this episode Scott Johnston welcomes his long-time friend and fellow sexagenarian climber Jim Nelson. Jim and Scott discuss Jim's latest guide book. Classic Cascade Climbs.
Jim, with co authors Tom Sjolseth and David Whitelaw have just published a follow up to his 2 previous Selected Climbs books. This one; Classic Cascade Climbs, published by The Mountaineers Books is sure to fire the imagination of even the most seasoned climber. While giving plenty of relevant beta for the climbs the killer photos are going to make you want to leave this book on your coffee table as inspiration.
Link to purchase book:
https://www.mountaineers.org/books/books/classic-cascade-climbs-select-routes-in-washington-state
In this episode, Scott Johnston is joined by David Goettler. David is a member of the North Face Athlete Team, a professional mountain guide, and an accomplished alpinist. Fresh off of Everest after his successful summit without the use of supplemental oxygen, the duo discuss David's physical and mental preparation, embracing suffering, use of intermittent hypoxic training for preparation, and David's new approach for acclimatization this year that was a major factor in his success.
In the episode, Scott Johnston talks with Damon Tedford who recently returned from successful climbs of both Mt Everest and Lhotse. While Damon and Scott have been in sporadic communication over the past couple of years using our phone consultation service he has been completely self-coached, using first our book Training for the New Alpinism to create his own training plan for the first couple of training cycles. For this final training build up prior to the Everest-Lhotse trip he bought and used our 24 week expeditionary mountaineering plan and slightly modified it because we consider those plans to be the bare minimum needed to succeed.
Show Notes:
Mountaineers on Mount Everest: Effects of age, sex, experience, and crowding on rates of success and death.
https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0236919
Wilderness Medical Society Clinical Practice Update for Prevention and Treatment of Acute Altitude Illness: 2019 Update
https://www.wemjournal.org/article/S1080-6032(19)30090-0/fulltext
In this episode, Scott Johnston is once again joined by US Army Captain Vince Paikowski, winner (with Alastair Keys) of the 2021 Best Ranger competition. Last year these two military athletes trained using the tried and test Uphill Athlete methods. This year Vince either personally coached or supplied these same training methods to a number of different teams preparing for the 2022 Best Ranger comp. When the dust settled this year, teams using these Uphill Athlete based training approach placed 1,2,3,4,6 and 7th. Vince ad Scott discuss the methods which some tactical athletes in the armed forces are using to bring their fitness and preparation to a new level.
Nikki LaRochelle is joined by fellow Uphill Athlete coach Mike Foote in interviewing ultra running phenom, Clare Gallagher, a major contender in the ultra running scene.
In the mountains, so many things are beyond our control; weather, snow conditions, avalanche hazard, rock quality, injury and illness to mention some of the more common. How one deals with them is what can make the difference between a little adventure and tragedy. Scott Johnston is joined by Kylee Toth dive into how experience and fitness allowed she and two companions to handle a recent unplanned bivouac during a scouting missing for their planned Bugaboo to Rogers Pass ski traverse. A few weeks later, in better conditions the three of then set the fastest known time for this very demanding high alpine ski traverse.
In this episode, Scott Johnston talks with UA coach Nikki LaRochelle about her 1st place finish among co-ed teams and 4th place overall at the 2022 Grand Traverse ski mountaineering race in Colorado. Nikki managed this impressive feat of endurance only 6 months (roughly) after the birth of second child. We discuss her training as well as balancing motherhood, working and training.
Scott Johnston discusses the evolution of the Uphill Athlete muscular endurance programming that has become a staple in the training of mountain athletes. Learn about the physiology, the intent, and the successful implementation of muscular endurance work in a variety of mountain pursuits.
Scott Johnston and Uphill Athlete coach Jack Kuenzle discuss Jack's recent "Fastest Known Time" record on Mount Shasta, his background in the Navy SEALs, and more about the strategies he uses for moving quick over mountain terrain. Note: this was recorded before Jack's FKT on Mt Hood a few weeks later.
Almost every athlete will have to deal with an injury of they keep training long enough. One of the most common type is to a tendon. In this episode, Scott Johnston is joined by Pete Dickinson -- staff physical therapist for Uphill Athlete, and the US Ski Team. The two discuss tendon injuries, the physiology of the injury process, and sign posts for their proper rehabilitation.
Uphill Athlete coach Nikki LaRochelle hosts this episode where she interviews Scott Johnston. They discuss Scott's diverse background in a number of different sports and career paths, as well as some of the major take-aways Scott has learned over 50 years of being an athlete and a coach.
Our Chamonix Mountain Fit at home strength program has been immensely popular with everyone who has tried it. But what many do not realize is that we add more content to the program every year. In 2022 we added three new follow-along, physical-therapist-led workouts that we dubbed Chamonix Mountain Fit LITE. These workouts are shorter and great for athletes breaking back into strength training as well as high-level athletes needing mid-season strength workouts to keep those stabilizer muscles and the nerves innervating them healthy and strong to prevent injury
In this episode Scott Johnston is joined by Mark Sears and his coach David Thompson. The Trio discuss Mark's training during and through lock down and how Mark and Dave navigate the challenges of integrating base training and specific skill and technique work for running and climbing through the seasons.
By using the Uphill Athlete training philosophy of building a big aerobic base Vince broke with tradition and with his partner, Alastair Keys, won the US Army's Best Ranger competition in 2021 -- a multi-day ordeal that challenges the endurance, strength, and tactical abilities of the top athletes in the Army Rangers. Scott and Vince discuss how endurance base training was crucial for his success.
In this episode, Scott Johnston is joined by UA-coached athlete Brian Carlock. They discuss the background and evolution of Brian's athletic development and understanding of training, and his experience with coaching.
Nikki LaRochelle is an Uphill Athlete Coach and highly accomplished Skimo racer. She will also be hosting future episodes of this podcast. Today Scott and Nikki discuss Nikki's athletic background, balancing athletic training with motherhood, and exchange stories about their training and sport histories.
Scott Johnston, is joined by the newest addition to the Uphill Athlete coach roster, Kylee Toth. The two discuss Kylee's history as an athlete, and her transition from traditional sports to her highly successful career in skimo racing.
Uphill Athlete Coaches Carolyn Parker, Maya Seckinger, Nikki LaRochelle, and Karen Bockel take up the question of how to balance being the best at all the different things. Join the community by joining this important conversation.
In this installment of the Uphill Athlete Podcast co-founder Steve House talks to Yoga Instructor Bree Dillon about their new joint venture: A recovery-focused yoga practice for athletes.
The heart of the series is four classes that build into one another and allow you to progress on your own schedule. Level 1 starts at 30-minutes and Level 4 is 45 minutes in duration.
For athletes who need to work on a specific area, we built out four body-area-specific video-based yoga blocks:
- Neck and Shoulders in 19 minutes
- Hipflexors and Hamstrings in 19 minutes
- Back and Butt in 16 minutes
- Calves and Feet in 17 minutes
Bree worked hard on these classes and we're confident they'll be a great addition to every athletes routine.
Training will never produce the desired results if you don't allow sufficient recovery between training bouts for the desired adaptations to occur. Uphill Athlete coach Scott Johnston discusses how to understand the feedback your body is giving you on your recovery status. With the proliferation of devises that can easily overwhelm us with data many athletes over-rely on these metrics. Do they work as well what your own body is telling you? Not if you pay attention. Listen and learn to Scott's preferred tools for managing training load and recovery by tuning into your bodies subtle language.
Several years ago UA coach Scott Johnston helped Adrian Ballinger and his partner Cory Richards prepare for his successful ascent of Mt Everest's North Ridge without the use of supplemental bottled oxygen. In this episode the two of us discuss the training and preparation process for attempting big mountains, and having realistic expectations while on expedition.. Adrian is an IFMGA certified mountain guide and the owner of Alpenglow Expeditions. Adrian has lead over one-hundred fifty international climbing expeditions on six continents, and made seventeen successful summits of 8000 meter peaks. In sharp contrast Scott as tried and failed to summit three 8000 meter peaks.
A fascinating chat with three of our Female Uphill Athlete coaches. This time they dive into considerations for training with their reproductive cycle. The panel consists of three female coaches each in their 20’s, 30’s, or 50’s.
In the mountain environment women often feel they are the odd-ones out. Here coaches Carolyn Parker, Maya Seckinger, and Karen Bockel openly share their own drives to not only do everything the men can do, but to do it better. Years of competitive sport, coaching, mountain guiding have given this remarkable group of coaches some wonderful wisdom and insights which they share here. Well worth a listen for any Uphill Athlete, male or female.
David Goettler has been coached by Scott Johnston for more than 6 years. Kilian Jornet was the impetus for and co-authored with UA cofounders Steve House and Scott Johnston in the writing of Training for the Uphill Athlete. David and Kilian recently returned from a failed attempt at an unassisted, oxygen-less speed ascent of Everest. Scott Johnston unpacks their experiences of acclimatization, and training cycles at altitude; the unique situation of climbing big mountains post-lockdown; and the influences of social media on the projection and attainment of goals.
For over a decade UA coach Scott Johnston was focused on the training of junior Cross Country skiers (with a side gig of advising Steve House on his training for alpinism). During those years Scott had to tackle a myriad of issues from parents to high school distractions while learning to deal with the unique demands of coaching young athletes. In this episode, Scott is joined by fellow Uphill Athlete coach Maya Seckinger as they discuss training for juniors: how junior training differs from that of adults; tailoring training to the needs of kids; age-appropriate training for specific levels of development; and their personal experiences of training as juniors themselves.
When Art first approached UA for coaching he was woefully unprepared for an attempt on Mt Everest. He not only didn't have the fitness needed he greatly underestimated the undertaking. Despite warnings from his coach that he was not ready to tackle this huge objective Art went anyway. What ensured on the mountain nearly cost him his life. Chastened, he returned to coaching with a realistic understanding of what it was going to take to succeed on the highest mountain In May, at 75 years old, Art summited Mt. Everest, making him the third-oldest person to have attained this feat. In this episode, Scott, Art, and his coach Seth Keena recap Art's experiences on the expedition, and the training process leading up to his summit bid, going back 2 plus years. We captured this interview while are was still in Kathmandu, fresh off the climb with emotions still close to the surface.
In this episode, Scott Johnston and Sam Naney discuss the subject of speed, an often overlooked element in endurance sports.
In this episode Steve House is joined by Hillary Allen. Hillary endured a tragic accident while competing in Sky Running (an ultra distance technical ridge running race). She and Steve recap her experiences of this accident, the grief and unexpected loss of sense of self that arose, and Hillary's path to recovery. Hillary documents this process in her book: Out and Back: A Runner's Story of Survival Against All Odds.
Scott Johnston is once again joined by Phil Maffetone as they discuss over training — particularly the common misconceptions, and social factors that perpetuate this unfortunate phenomenon.
In this episode, Steve House is joined by his longtime friend and climbing parter Barry Blanchard. As they exchange stories about coping with the aftermath of tragedies amongst the peaks they reflect on the ways specific events have shaped their experiences moving forward, and how they, and others they know, have worked through these events as individuals.
For more information on Mountain MuskOx, please visit:
https://www.mountainmuskox.com/
Steve House and Sky Yardeni, therapeutic director of the Climbing Grief Fund, explore the process of living with grief, integrating the new reality of life that comes after the loss of a friend, partner, or loved one. In conclusions they summarize their discussions around loss, trauma, and grief within the mountain community. Thank you for being a part of this important conversation.
Steve House and Sky Yardeni, the therapeutic director of the Climbing Grief Fund continue their discussion about integrating stress, and most often how that relates to risk-taking and grief. Specifically how grief is not necessarily linked to loss and death, but may come from other forms of loss. This conversation traces an arc which moves towards creating and manifesting an attitude of wholeness, as individuals and as a community. Integrating the good and the bad. Lastly we discuss the stress continuum, PTSD and it's context, and the spiral of guilt that is so common in accident survivors and responders.
Links we reference:
https://www.responderalliance.com/
https://americanalpineclub.org/grieffund
Mental health challenges, particularly the areas around trauma, loss, grief, and depression are a part of life for many mountain athletes.
Steve House begins this much-needed discussion with Sky Yardeni, the therapeutic director of the Climbing Grief Fund. The two share their personal experiences and Sky shares insights from his extensive professional background in working as a psycho-therapist as well as his time in, and after, combat as Special Forces solider.
This is the first of a multi-part series addressing our shared mental health challenges head-on as we explore strategies to help us navigate this landscape as individuals and as a community. Today's episode sets the stage for the topic and dives deeper into an exploration of resilience. Specifically the how to nurture and prepare your personal reservoir of resilience for the times you need it most.
Scott Johnston is joined by Doctor Jesse Charles, M.D. Jesse is a rural medical doctor and longtime adherent to the Uphill Athlete training methods. As a general practitioner in a rural setting, Jesse sees a wide variety of patients, from those at peak health, to the infirm. In this episode, Scott and Jesse discuss changes that take place as the result of regular exercise; exercise as a ‘phase change’ in the functioning of the body; how exercise facilitates learning; responses of the heart to exercise; nervous system changes and loss of motor units through time; the importance of balance practices in aging populations; the evolution of mitochondria; gut bacteria as a health indicator throughout life; dietary considerations for gut health; training progressions and adaptations for increasing vitality; and thoughts on arthritis prevention.
References:
Exercise promotes the expression of brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) through the action of the ketone body β-hydroxybutyrate
https://elifesciences.org/articles/15092
Molecular Choreography of Acute Exercise
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32470399/
Hyperglycaemia is associated with impaired muscle signalling and aerobic adaptation to exercise
https://www.nature.com/articles/s42255-020-0240-7
Physical activity offsets genetic risk for incident depression assessed via electronic health records in a biobank cohort study
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/da.22967
MAP training: combining meditation and aerobic exercise reduces depression and rumination while enhancing synchronized brain activity
https://www.nature.com/articles/tp2015225
Exercise Alters Gut Microbiota Composition and Function in Lean and Obese Humans
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29166320/
Meta-omics analysis of elite athletes identifies a performance-enhancing microbe that functions via lactate metabolism
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41591-019-0485-4
Blood factors transfer beneficial effects of exercise on neurogenesis and cognition to the aged brain
https://science.sciencemag.org/content/369/6500/167
Studies of a targeted risk reduction intervention through defined exercise (STRRIDE)
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11581566/
BDNF polymorphism predicts the rate of decline in skilled task performance and hippocampal volume in healthy individuals
https://www.nature.com/articles/tp201147
Is Your Blood Sugar Undermining Your Workouts?
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/29/well/move/blood-sugar-diet-foods-workouts-exercise-muscles.html
Fiber-Mediated Nourishment of Gut Microbiota Protects against Diet-Induced Obesity by Restoring IL-22-Mediated Colonic Health
https://www.cell.com/cell-host-microbe/fulltext/S1931-3128(17)30497-3
Association Between Dietary Fiber and Lower Risk of All-Cause Mortality: A Meta-Analysis of Cohort Studies.
https://academic.oup.com/aje/article/181/2/83/2739206
In this episode coach Sam Naney talks with his athlete, professional free skier and ski mountaineer, Cody Townsend. Cody has had a long and illustrious career in free skiing and has been featured in many ski films. Cody’s most recent project is “Chasing The Fifty Classics” — the classic ski descents of North America. The two discuss this project, and in particular, Cody’s training as he chases these lines.
Backcountry skiing is experiencing a huge surge in popularity. Scott Johnston discusses the implications, and the issues, with Larry Goldie, an AMGA-IFMGA-Certified Mountain Guide based in the North Cascade Mountains.
Director of Sports Performance at UC Davis, Judd Van Sickle, talks about metabolic testing, fat adaptation, and aerobic deficiency with Scott Johnston.
Phil Maffetone could well be called the "prophet of Zone 2". He's been writing, speaking and coaching the importance of aerobic base since the early 1980s. During a chance meeting with Phil in 1984 Uphill Athlete co-founder Scott Johnston was first exposed to the importance of low intensity training. In this episode, Scott talks with Phil, originator of the concept of aerobic deficiency. In this discussion they trace the arc of Scott’s training philosophy from that chance meeting in 1984 to the current Uphill Athlete training methodology.
In this episode coaches Alison and Sam Naney discuss the proper application of supplemental strength training and how athletes may go about determining the types of strength training that will benefit them most as individuals.
Join Uphill Athlete co-founder Steve House and Chamonix-based physical therapist Neil MacLean-Martin as they discuss Uphill Athlete's new Chamonix Mountain Fit program. This multi-part program of strength, mobility, functional exercises is a fantastic resource now available to the UA community. Listen to Steve and Neil as they discuss the background, and creation of this program, and get a taste of what this series has to offer mountain athletes.
Join Uphill Athlete coaches Carolyn Parker, Alison Naney, and Maya Seckinger in conversation about helping women in gain the knowledge to support themselves in training, and build confidence in a mountain environment.
In this episode, Scott Johnston is joined by Olga Dobranowski. Olga is a medical doctor, based out of Colorado, who has tackled some impressive mountain goals. Here some of the topics discussed: growing up and starting climbing in Poland; Polish climbing history; Olga’s early climbing days in Poland and throughout Europe; moving to the U.S.A., and settling in Colorado; the evolution of Olga’s training; orchestrating success on Aconcagua with a busy lifestyle; pre-acclimatization; light and fast; self-assessment of altitude sickness; continued success on a solo climb of Denali; Olga’s base, aerobic, and specific training; hypoxic tents and other techniques for pre-acclimatization; physiological effects of altitude.
A question we are often asked is how to utilize our training plans through time as many people re-cycle the plans year after year. Scott Johnston and Sam Naney discuss: Knowing how to get the best possible results for each individual; the difference between a training plan and coaching; objectively evaluating training plans and progress as a self-coached athlete; and much more.
Coach Sam Naney is joined by Nikki LaRochelle and Mike Foote: Two successful mountain athletes both highly accomplished in the ski mountaineering, ultra running, and much more. They discuss the growth and development of the skimo racing in the US and Canada and how people can get involved with the skimo racing and ski mountaineering community in North America.
Coaches Scott Johnston and Sam Naney discuss overtraining syndrome (OTS).
“Treading on the knife’s edge, there is no real road map.”
Key points covered are: Over-reaching verses over-training. Learning the distinction between the sympathetic and para-sympathetic overreaching; how to modulate training to encourage over-reaching and discourage over-training; recognizing red flags for over training; the pitfalls of group youth programs; recognizing a fatigue issue versus a fitness issue within the context of overtraining; the pitfalls of HRV (heart rate variability) for useful information for modulating training; how to modulate and accept mental and emotional stress; making rest as intentional as training; advice for people who find themselves in an overtrained state.
In this episode Scott Johnston is joined by Art Muir. Art is a seventy-four year old mountain enthusiast who has worked with Uphill Athlete for several years. As an urban dweller in Chicago, Art discusses how he trains for his mountain goals and ambitions in the flat lands, as well as how he has approached his training and goals through time.
Cody Ice Climbing: No Drafting on Pick Holes!
Join Uphill athlete co-founder Steve House for a discussion with UA coach John Frieh and South Fork local and guidebook writer for the area, Aaron Mulkey. In this episode they discuss the ice climbing opportunities around Cody, Wyoming. They cover: the logistics of approaching various routes; how a typical day of ice climbing unfolds; things to consider when approaching routes; being prepared for wind, rock fall, and other inclement weather while on route; the differences between Ouray, Hyalite Canyon, and the South Fork; using v-threads for descending; hit list of Cody classics; Cody as a training ground for alpine climbing and consolidating fitness goals; the importance of aerobic fitness in approaching South Fork routes.
In this episode, Scott Johnston talks with Uphill Athlete's military and tactical coach, Drew Hammond. In this episode Scott and Drew discuss: Drew’s background; using hybrid strength and endurance methods; approaches for building an aerobic base for tactical athletes; training soldiers like athletes; training philosophy; scheduling training around deployment and at while at home; creating longterm positive change in base level physiology.
Coach Sam Naney is joined by athlete Luke Nelson and coach, and 2019 Canadian Masters National SkiMo Champion, Scott Semple for a chat about all things ski mountaineering. Sam, Luke, and Scott have a great collective history in skimo racing. Join them as they talk about skimo racing in the US and in Europe; ways to train for and get involved in skimo; dive into some particulars about the gear needed; and learn how to get out there and make the best of ski mountaineering and racing.
In this episode of the Uphill Athlete Podcast, Scott Johnston talks with professional runner, Mike Foote. They discuss Mike's training and athletic history, the process of his athletic development, injury rehab and prevention, and Mike's passion for moving quickly in the mountains.
Join Uphill Athlete co-founder Scott Johnston in his conversation with elite ultra runner Luke Nelson as they discuss their history and Luke’s connection to outdoor sports and activities. In this episode Luke and Scott do a deep dive into UA's Muscular Endurance progression. Luke has used it multiple times with great success for races and and FKTs. They discuss its role in providing increased fatigue resistance without super high mileage. They also touch on Luke’s balancing of career and family with his athletic ambitions; the appeal of fastest known times or FKTs; honoring the recovery process; how to encourage fatigue resistance, and how to program that into a training regime; the nuances of concentrated loading and shifting to tapering; the importance of the craft of daily practice as process-oriented goals; how to take the long-view and how to honor that process; how to construct the recovery process; "swimming like a cat" and using swimming as a recovery tool; and mastering efficiency on multiple types of terrain. There is much to be gleaned from this episode. Join in and give it a listen!
Scott Johnston talks with high performance dietitian Rebecca Dent on a variety nutrition-related topics for aging athletes. In this episode they cover: why not all calories are created equal; Non Exercise Active Thermogenesis “NEAT”; understanding calorie impact; the boundaries and conditions involved in fasted training; appropriate nutrient timing; the role of diet and nutrition in injury prevention; psychology of maintaining fitness as we age.
Co-founders Steve House and Scott Johnston originally planned to write a book about Steve’s training, run off 100 copies at Kinkos, and give them away to their friends. Nine years, three books, and hundreds of thousands of athletes later, they recount the unexpected evolution of Uphill Athlete’s growth into the community it is today.
Two Slovenian cyclists won first and second in the 2020 Tour de France. Steve House brings his intimate knowledge of Slovenia to talk through what makes this tiny country a contemporary sporting powerhouse. Hint: Mental Toughness. Which leads he and Scott Johnston to discuss mental toughness in the face of adversity, where it comes from, and how to get it.
In this episode of the Uphill Athlete Podcast, Scott Johnston interviews Doctor Monica Paris M.D., basecamp doctor for Mount Everest, Cho Oyu, and Manaslu. Join them as they discuss a variety of topics including: approaching 8,000 meter peaks; knowing how the body responds to altitude before heading to the Himalaya; avoiding illness during an expedition; general versus individual medical guidelines regarding what is possible in high altitude alpinism; personal risk assessment for climbing at altitude; using hypoxic tents as preparation for acclimatizing for high altitude; and dispelling misinformation about using supplemental oxygen at altitude.
"Other people’s fears cannot get the best of us.” -Tami Goodrich. In this episode of the Uphill Athlete Podcast, Scott Johnston is joined by husband and wife team, Sean and Tami Goodrich, coached by Carolyn Parker. In September of 2019, Sean had a life-threatening climbing accident that jeopardized the entire fabric of their life, goals, and livelihood. Join Scott, Sean, Tami, and Carolyn as they discuss this harrowing story and how they have moved forward and supported Sean’s unflinching desire to climb again.
In this episode of the Uphill Athlete Podcast, Scott Johnston talks with elite alpinist David Goettler on a gamut of topics including David’s training history; approaching the big mountain ranges fast and light; the importance of base fitness; learning from failure; fitness versus pre-acclimatization; approaches for a pre-acclimatization “training camp” leading up to high altitude expeditions; the advantages and disadvantages of hypoxic tents for acclimatization training; David’s experience of attempting Everest without oxygen and the challenges of climbing in this style on such a popular mountain; training for marathons as a mountain athlete; and training in less than ideal situations such as a global pandemic.
Join Uphill Athlete co-founder Scott Johnston in a conversation with our staff physical therapist Pete Dickinson. In this episode they discuss Pete's background and affiliation with the U.S. Ski Team; the injury process; how to recover from injury; and strategies for injury prevention for athletes of all ages.
Join Uphill Athlete founders, Steve House and Scott Johnston, for a discussion of the aging process in athletes. In this episode, they outline their top six rules for athletic longevity, as well as answer questions from the Uphill Athlete community about training and performance as we age.
Join Uphill Athlete founders, Steve House and Scott Johnston, for a discussion of the aging process in athletes. In this episode, they outline their top six rules for athletic longevity, as well as answer questions from the Uphill Athlete community about training and performance as we age.
It seems that the endurance training world is rediscovering the importance what we used just call base training but is now often referred to as Zone 2 training. Several popular podcasts have featured coaches and sport scientists like Stephen Seiler, Inigo San Milan and Phil Maffetone discussing this topic, coming at it from different angles. Uphill Athlete is no newcomer to this concept. UA co-founder Scott Johnston became a convert in 1984 after a chance meeting with Dr Zone 2 himself, Phil Maffetone.
In this episode co-founder discusses the concept of Aerobic Base/Zone 2. The emergence of this idea is traced to the empirical framework that coaches and athletes use to test the efficacy of their methods before scientific research is compiled to validate what coaches and athletes know already works.
Show Notes:
Aerobic testing article:
https://www.uphillathlete.com/aerobic-anaerobic-threshold-self-assess
ment/
Stephen Seiler Study:
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Jonathan_Esteve/publication/23
7096628_Does_Polarized_Training_Improve_Performance_in_Recreatio
nal_Runners/links/0a85e530cba391399a000000.pdf
Aerobic Deficiency Syndrome:
https://www.uphillathlete.com/aerobic-deficiency-syndrome/
It seems that the endurance training world is rediscovering the importance what we used just call base training but is now often referred to as Zone 2 training. Several popular podcasts have featured coaches and sport scientists like Stephen Seiler, Inigo San Milan and Phil Maffetone discussing this topic, coming at it from different angles. Uphill Athlete is no newcomer to this concept. UA co-founder Scott Johnston became a convert in 1984 after a chance meeting with Dr Zone 2 himself, Phil Maffetone.
In this episode co-founder discusses the concept of Aerobic Base/Zone 2. The emergence of this idea is traced to the empirical framework that coaches and athletes use to test the efficacy of their methods before scientific research is compiled to validate what coaches and athletes know already works.
Show Notes:
Aerobic testing article:
https://www.uphillathlete.com/aerobic-anaerobic-threshold-self-assess
ment/
Stephen Seiler Study:
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Jonathan_Esteve/publication/23
7096628_Does_Polarized_Training_Improve_Performance_in_Recreatio
nal_Runners/links/0a85e530cba391399a000000.pdf
Aerobic Deficiency Syndrome:
https://www.uphillathlete.com/aerobic-deficiency-syndrome/
People often gloss over technique and attitude because this is in some ways more difficult to work and less gratifying than getting destroyed in a workout.
Coach Scott Semple and Uphill Athlete co-founder Scott Johnston will dive into what works, and what doesn’t.
People often gloss over technique and attitude because this is in some ways more difficult to work and less gratifying than getting destroyed in a workout.
Coach Scott Semple and Uphill Athlete co-founder Scott Johnston will dive into what works, and what doesn’t.
Join Uphill Athlete co-founder Scott Johnston as he discusses empirical coaching practices and the differences between evidenced based coaching and academic sports science research.
Join Uphill Athlete co-founder Scott Johnston as he discusses empirical coaching practices and the differences between evidenced based coaching and academic sports science research.
Scott Johnston hosts and poses questions to Steve taken from email and chat submissions. Topics vary from how to get started alpine climbing to managing overtraining to the differences in climbing cultures around the world.
Scott Johnston hosts and poses questions to Steve taken from email and chat submissions. Topics vary from how to get started alpine climbing to managing overtraining to the differences in climbing cultures around the world.
Uphill Athlete Coach Alison Naney has been running ultras since 2003 and coaching a broad range of athletes since 2006 through training groups, clinics, camps, and women’s retreats. Along the way she’s had two daughters, and shifted her mindset around training to fit around her family and work while still accomplishing big personal goals with her own running. Her experience as a massage therapist also guides her coaching practice to help athletes have a sustainable, long-term approach to training.
In this session Alison will discusses:
Balancing training with other life stressors for long term success and health.
Training through the menstrual cycle.
How life stress affects training.
Training for yourself rather than to fit in.
Injury prevention the key to success.
Weight loss and training.
The importance of patience. The 80/20 iceberg concept.
Fat adaptation through fasted training: is it appropriate for many women?
Postpartum recovery and return to training.
Training through pregnancy.
This was originally recorded with a (great!) live audience via Zoom on May 28, 2020.
Uphill Athlete Coach Alison Naney has been running ultras since 2003 and coaching a broad range of athletes since 2006 through training groups, clinics, camps, and women’s retreats. Along the way she’s had two daughters, and shifted her mindset around training to fit around her family and work while still accomplishing big personal goals with her own running. Her experience as a massage therapist also guides her coaching practice to help athletes have a sustainable, long-term approach to training.
In this session Alison will discusses:
Balancing training with other life stressors for long term success and health.
Training through the menstrual cycle.
How life stress affects training.
Training for yourself rather than to fit in.
Injury prevention the key to success.
Weight loss and training.
The importance of patience. The 80/20 iceberg concept.
Fat adaptation through fasted training: is it appropriate for many women?
Postpartum recovery and return to training.
Training through pregnancy.
This was originally recorded with a (great!) live audience via Zoom on May 28, 2020.
Sit down for story-time with Uphill Athlete co-founder Scott Johnston and Master Coach Sam Naney. These two have a long history together, and in this hangout they will recount the development and evolution of Sam as an athlete, and Scott as a coach. Their dynamic story is full of lessons and applications for any athlete, or coach.
Sit down for story-time with Uphill Athlete co-founder Scott Johnston and Master Coach Sam Naney. These two have a long history together, and in this hangout they will recount the development and evolution of Sam as an athlete, and Scott as a coach. Their dynamic story is full of lessons and applications for any athlete, or coach.
