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Mountaineering: How To Go About Training For Kilimanjaro

By Charles Snyder


If you are an adventurous person, you ought to try mountaineering at some point. With so many mountains to choose from, there is a unique thrill that comes with visiting the East African nation of Tanzania. The country is home to several parks and a world renowned mountain. Before embarking on your trip, it is advisable to do some training for Kilimanjaro.

Just like any other hiking venture, mountain climbing requires that you have the necessary equipment at all times. When packing, do not forget to include a pair or two of warm water resistant jackets, some warm pants, insulated shirts, a first aid box and a nice pair of hiking boots. Due to the nature of the weather in mountainous environments, light clothing is not appropriate.

Also ensure your first aid pack consists of medication that can help alleviate high altitude complications such as shortness of breath. In this case, it is always important to consult a medical practitioner beforehand. However, all these things should be done once you are confident enough in your ability to scale the mountain. This sort of confidence can only be attained once you are through with intensive training.

It is a good thing to embark on rigorous exercises two months before your departure, especially if it is your first time doing so. It takes roughly a week for an amateur team to reach the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro. This is easily understandable since the mountain is the highest in Africa. Stamina is the main factor that will determine success in climbing, so focus on building it as you train.

You should be fully capable of walking long distances. With luggage weighing several pounds on your back, this sort of hiking requires that you get used to the idea of walking and carrying luggage at the same time. Among the exercises you should give some serious consideration are swimming, bike riding, running and hiking. Such exercises are guaranteed to build your muscle strength and stamina.

Aerobic conditioning is also of vital importance. Essentially, this means making your body function optimally even with limited oxygen intake. At high altitudes, the level of oxygen available is lower than what you normally experience in day to day life. Luckily, there are training systems that can help the human body learn to acclimatize when in the toughest weather conditions. Such systems work by simulating mountainous weather in a bid to get the body used to it. Find out about the fitness centers that have such systems near you and enroll for exercise sessions.

Mountaineering is not meant for everyone. To be successful at it, you ought to be medically fit. This means that vital factors in the body such as your heart rate and blood pressure ought to be in the normal range. When you get to the climbing site, you will be required to undertake a medical checkup for your own safety.

You may be cautioned against proceeding if you have an abnormal heart rate. This is a factor that you can easily determine as you exercise every day. Ensure you right down your heart rate while at the peak of your exercises every day in order to establish a reliable baseline.




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