Basic Mountaineering Course Series

Since I enjoy climbing, I thought of educating my self and others in this hobby. I planned attending a basic mountaineering course offered by organizations but schedule wise, it's not possible as of the moment. I'm still hopeful though, that in the future I'll be more educated and certified by a group. But until then I have got this lecture that I wish to share to other who also are into climbing. This is taken from the UP Mountaineering Society which produced the well known Filipino mountaineer Romy Garduce. I'll be posting it by parts. Here is Part I.

Part 1: Climb Preparation
In preparing for a climb, several factors have to be taken into consideration by the prospective climber. No backpacker-beginner or expert-can ignore physical fitness in preparing for a climb. A certain level of fitness is required for a pleasant and safe climb. In order to enjoy the scenery and the company of fellow backpackers, one must be fit to keep up with them. The lack of preparations has made a lot of potentially great climbs in total disaster.

Physical Fitness
To  help you in preparing for a climb, we have list down some guidelines:

• All participants of a climb must be physically fit. The best fitness program involves continuous endurance training through aerobic sports such as running, swimming, cycling, and walking.

• Weight training is the perfect supplement to a aerobic program. This will help you develop your muscular strength and endurance.

• Any participant in a climb who gets sick before the climb should forego his participation. A sick climber becomes a liability to the group.

• An old adage says that the best exercise for mountaineering is mountaineering. The hardiest hikers and climbers are those who spend a great deal of their time hiking, backpacking, and climbing.

• Being fit gives you the confidence to tackle climbs, such that psyching up come almost naturally.