The MTI Alpinist Fitness Assessment

By Rob Shaul

By “Alpinist” I’m speaking here in terms of an athlete who climbs high, glaciated peaks - think the Himalayas, Alps, Canadian Rockies and Tetons.

Alpine climbs?have several fitness demands including basic endurance, mode-specific endurance for uphill hiking, under load, upper, lower and core strength, climbing-specific fitness and proficiency. Work capacity for short, intense, events, and stamina for long pushes.

This assessment will take 3.5 - 5 hours to complete, and can be completed in a typical climbing gym with a bouldering area.

Required Equipment:

• Measured 25m area for shuttles
• Pull up Bar
• Dip Station
• 16-17 Inch box or bench for step ups
• 40#/18 Kg pack for step ups
• GPS watch for measuring distance and time, and or a known 15 km (9.3 mile)?running course and stopwatch to time?final run

The assessment description is below. Click HERE to see the assessment's application and results for several alpinists/guides.

ALPINIST FITNESS ASSESSMENT

Warm Up:

3 Rounds

• 25x Step ups (unloaded)
• 10x Push ups
• 1/2x Pull ups (1x for women, 2x for men)
• 10x Situps Instep Stretch
• Lat + Pec Stretch

?

ASSESSMENT:

(1) Max Rep Bodyweight Bar Dips Bodyweight bar dips test upper body pushing strength.

? ? ?**Rest 3 Minutes

(2) 40 Minute?Step Ups at 17”/43 cm Box, 40-pound/18 kg ?Pack, for?Total Reps Loaded step ups test lower body strength, and uphill hiking fitness and endurance.

? ? ? **Rest 10 Minutes

(3) Max Rep Bodyweight Pull ups Strict, bodyweight pull ups test upper body pulling strength.

? ? ?**Rest 3 Minutes

(4)?300 meter Shuttle, for Time Common test of anaerobic capacity (12x 25m)

? ? ? **?Rest 10 Minutes

(5) Bouldering V-Sum (50 Minute) Test of climbing proficiency and fitness

? ? **?Transition to Run - 10-15?minutes

(6) Run 15 kilometers?for Time Overall test of aerobic base, endurance, stamina and mental fitness - when placed at the end of this full assessment.

HOW TO SCORE:

(1) Step Ups (30 points possible)

Total Reps ? ? ? ? ? ? ??Score

1100+ ? ? ? ? ??? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?30

1050-1099? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?27

1000-1049? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?24

950-999 ?? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ??21

900-949 ?? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ??18

850-899 ?? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ??15

800-849 ?? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ??12

750-799 ?? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ??9

700-749?? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?6

650-699 ?? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ??3

600-649? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ??0

(2) Dips - Each rep counts as .5?point

(3) Pull ups - Each rep counts as .5?point

(4) 300m Shuttle

Finish Time (sec)? ? ? ? ??Score

< 60? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ??30

60.1-62 ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?27

62.1-64? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?24

64.1-66? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?21

66.1-68? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?18

68.0-70? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?15

70.1-72? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?12

72.1-74 ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? 9

74.1-76 ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ??6

76.1-78 ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ??3 78+ ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? 0

(5) Bouldering V-Sum (click here for explanation) Final score = points

(6) Run 15?Kilometers?for Time (30 points possible)

Finish Time (hr:min:sec)? ? ? ? ??Score

< 1:05:00? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? 30

1:05:01-1:08:00? ? 27

1:08:01-1:11:00? ? 24

1:11:01-1:14:00? ? 21

1:14:01-1:17:00? ? 18

1:18:01-1:21:00? ? 15

1:21:01-1:24:00? ? 12

1:24:01-1:27:00 ? ? 9

1:27:01-1:30:00 ? ? 6

1:30:01-1:33:00 ? ? 3

1:33:01 + ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?0

Here’s an example of how to score the test:

Step Ups - 1,005 reps: 27 points

Dips - 15 reps: 7.5 points

Pull ups - 21 reps: 10.5?points

300m Shuttle - 65 sec: 21 points

Bouldering V-Sum - 28: 28 points

15?km?Run finish time - 1:12:23: 21 points

Total? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?= 115 Points

SCORING STANDARDS

For Male Athletes ....

Poor < 105 Points

Good 106 - 140 Points

Great > 140 Points

For Female Athletes ...

Poor < 80 Points

Good 81-110 Points

Great > 110 Points