RMI Expeditions Blog
Posted by: Casey Grom
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Kilimanjaro
Posted by: Billy Nugent, Mike King
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Aconcagua
Great article Billy! We trekked to to the Base Camp of Aconcagua around the same time in February 2013 and stayed in the Andes for 7 days, it was truthfully fantastic the whole way around. The views, the place.. one of a kind experience.
I must agree on the asado as a good lunch option while we enjoyed the fresh mountain air, although having a veggie trekking partner she wasnt so into the meat-based lunch, although they did BBQed some veggies..for her, awesome. We hired a Mendoza-based company Acomara, which provided us with english speaking guides so that was a plus for us. I dont know how you guys dealt with the language barrier but for us having these guys that spoke good English sure made the whole experience smoother.
Once again great article, regards!
Posted by: Dave Cowell on 8/22/2013 at 8:05 pm
Brilliant decision, team and leaders: L’chaim!
Posted by: nsb on 2/19/2013 at 5:41 am
Hurray! Great job, everyone!
Posted by: Caroline on 2/18/2013 at 1:22 pm
Posted by:
Categories: Mountaineering Fitness & Training
| DAY | WORKOUT | TOTAL TIME | DIFFICULTY |
| 1 | Rainier Dozen (*see below) / Easy Hiking ( 30 min) | 42 min. | Medium |
| 2 | Rainier Dozen / Stair Interval Training (40 min) | 52 min. | Hard |
| 3 | Rainier Dozen / Rest | 12 min. | Recovery |
| 4 | Strength Circuit Training x 2 (*see below) | 38 min. | Hard |
| 5 | Rainier Dozen / Rest | 12 min. | Recovery |
| 6 | Rainier Dozen / Cross Training (1 hr) | 72 min. | Medium |
| 7 | Rainier Dozen / Hike (2 hrs) | 132 min. | Medium |
| Total | 6 hrs |
1. Steam engine 2. Three quarter squats 3. Turkish Get Up 4. Lunge 5. Arm extender 6. Triceps Dip 7. Deep squat 8. Steam engine laying down 9. Mountain climber 10. Push up 11. Ranger crawl 12. 8 Point Body BuilderIf you have any concerns about performing these exercises, consider hiring a coach or fitness trainer to help you learn how to get the most from each movement. 1. Steam Engine How to do it: Stand with your feet shoulder width apart and your hands clasped behind your head. Lift your left knee, simultaneously twisting your body to the right, while keeping the muscles of your core engaged. Alternate the movement, using your right knee and left elbow. 2. Three Quarter Squats How to do it: Stand with legs shoulder width apart and arms at your sides. Swing your arms forward and up, raising them above your head, palms facing forward. At the same time, bend your knees as if you were sitting in a chair. Hold the Squat briefly, then stand up by pushing through your heels, until you are in a full upright standing position. 3. Turkish Get Up How to do it: Step 1: Starting in a laying down position, with the right hand vertically toward the sky, bring the right knee into a bended position, while rolling towards your left. Placing the left hand on the ground, bring the right foot over the body and placing it on the floor. From here, keeping the right arm vertical, bring your body into the lunge position. From this position, push down on the right leg to bring your entire body into the standing-upright position. Step 2: Drop back to the lunge position, with your left foot back. Place your left arm on the ground. Simultaneously rotate your body towards the right, while extending the right leg. Place your bottom on the ground, proceeding to lay flat while the right arm remains vertical throughout. 4. Lunge How to do it: Stand upright, feet and legs together, hands on hips, elbows out to sides. Step your right leg backward. Bend your left knee until the kneecap is directly above your foot, causing the leg to form a 90-degree angle. Simultaneously lower your right leg until the knee almost rests on the ground, forming another 90-degree angle. Step back to starting position, and repeat, stepping backward with the left leg. Continue to alternate legs. 5. Arm Extender How to do it: Standing upright, start with the hands and elbows at shoulder level. Simultaneously extend elbows outwards three times, and on the fourth time, completely extend the arm to finish with arms completely straight out to the side. Pause, and repeat. 6. Triceps Dip How to do it: Find a solid object, such as a wall, stairs, or a bench. Facing outwards, place the hands behind your body on the edge of the object. Your legs can be straight, or to reduce the resistance, they can bent at the knees. With the core muscles engaged, simply lower your body until the angle behind your forearm and upper arm is approximately 100 degrees. Be careful to not lower yourself more than this, because to do so will place undue strain on the shoulders. Reverse movement to start position. 7. Deep Squat How to do it: Stand with your feet a little wider than hip distance apart, toes pointing out at 45-degree angles. Put your hands on your hips and bend your knees out to the sides, making sure to keep them in line with the toes. Lower your body in a Squat until your thighs are parallel to the ground, and then push up through your heels to a standing position. Repeat. 8. Steam Engine (on ground) How to do it: Lie on your back with your hands behind your head, head slightly raised, taking care not to pull on your neck. Extend your legs fully, holding them an inch or so off the ground. Bend the left knee in toward your body as you extend your right elbow to touch the left knee. Alternate the movement, touching your right knee to your left elbow as you extend the left leg fully. 9. Mountain Climber How could the mountain climber not be good for mountain climbing! Seriously though, the mountain climber is a great exercise for core strength, hip flexor extension, agility in the calves and strength in the feet and ankles. How this benefits the climber is through the improved flexibility, coordination, strength and endurance required during the stepping-up motion. How to do it: Starting in the plank position, bring the right foot forward as if you were in the starting blocks of a 100 meter sprint. From here, simply alternate your left and right legs between this position with a small hop or jump, as if running or bounding. The length of the movement can be shorter or longer depending on your level of ability. 10. Push Up How to do it: Start with palms and toes on the ground, body in the air, as straight and strong as possible. Your arms should be directly underneath your shoulders, and you can spread your fingers wide for stability. (If this is more of a challenge than you’d like right now, do a modified Push-up with your knees on the ground.) Keeping the back and neck straight, inhale, bend your elbows and lower yourself until you are about 2 inches off the ground. Exhale as you push back up into the starting position. Repeat. 11. Ranger Crawl How to do it: Starting in the plank position, bring the right knee towards the right elbow. Pause, then return to the start position. Then, switch feet and bring the left knee towards the left elbow, again, pausing, before returning to the start position. Repeat. What’s important with this exercise is to engage the core muscles and the arm and shoulder muscles prior to beginning the movements. Keep the hips low to maintain the plank position. 12. 8 Point Bodybuilder How to do it: Starting in the standing position, drop to the ground and then thrust both legs back to the plank position. Perform a push up. Then, perform a scissor, spreading the legs wide, then returning them to the start position. From here, bring the feet forward into a position to be able to perform a power jump. Finally, perform the power jump, finishing with a hand clap before returning to the start position (see this video for an explanation). STRENGTH CIRCUIT TRAINING A. (Rainier Dozen to warm up) - 12 minutes B. The 8 exercises for this circuit (40 seconds on, 20 seconds rest) x 2 - 16 minutes, based on the Rainier Dozen, are:
1. Stem Engine 2. Push Up 3. Squat 4. Lunge 5. Plank 6. Jump rope / Jumping Jack 7. Mountain Climber 8. Side LungeC. (10 Minute Cool Down) - 10 minutes. See the Home Stretch for exercises. - John Colver Have a question? See the Fit To Climb FAQ for explanations of specific exercises and general pointers to help you through the Fit To Climb Program. John Colver is a longtime climber, former mountain guide, and certified personal trainer with the American Council of Exercise. Colver introduced outdoor fitness classes to athletic clubs throughout the greater Puget Sound region before creating his adventX brand. Currently, adventX leads training programs in Seattle and Colver presents clinics on outdoor fitness at companies such as Microsoft, Boeing, the American Lung Association, and REI. Colver lives in Seattle, and is working on his second book, Fit to Climb - a 16 week Mount Rainier Fitness Program.
Hi Mark,
Rick had a similar question several years ago. We couldn’t find a video of the Arm Extender but here is an alternative description from Colver’s Book Fit By Nature:
“This is a 4-count exercise to warm up the arms and upper/middle back. Bend your elbows and move them as far behind your back as you can, looking for a squeezing sensation in your shoulder blades. Do this three times. On the fourth count, perform the same movement but with arms fully extended.”
You are essentially raising your hands to chest level and holding your elbows parallel with the ground, then holding that position and squeezing your shoulder blades together three times - bringing your elbows out and backwards, on the fourth time you extend your arms while still squeezing your shoulders together.
- The RMI Team
Posted by: RMI Expeditions on 11/1/2019 at 11:38 am
Please explain arm extender more precisely or send a video link. Thanks
Posted by: Mark wilde on 10/31/2019 at 5:52 pm
Posted by: Seth Waterfall, Solveig Waterfall
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mexico
On The Map
Maria and Peter - way to go!!! Envious and very proud. Enjoy (a much deserved) glass of wine or three xxx Jane
Posted by: Jane on 2/18/2013 at 8:42 pm
Maria & Peter - FAB well done you amazing nutters….enjoy a little luxury when you decend love and hugs H xx
Posted by: Helen on 2/18/2013 at 10:53 am
Jake Beren checks in from Cotopaxi's High Hut.
On The Map
Best of luck and may the gods and goddesses of good weather smile upon you!
Posted by: Christina Doren on 2/17/2013 at 7:04 pm
Anxious to hear how every thing went
Love, Mom and Dad
Posted by: Dianne and George on 2/17/2013 at 4:58 pm
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Billy Nugent checks in from Basecamp.
On The Map
Posted by: Seth Waterfall, Solveig Waterfall
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mexico
Congratulations!I’m sure you all have great stories to share. Brandon will get your well earned favorite oatmeal chocolate chip cookies!
Posted by: julie grooms on 2/17/2013 at 8:57 am
Posted by: Seth Waterfall, Solveig Waterfall
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Mexico
Elevation: 18,701'
RMI Guide Seth Waterfall calls from the el Pico de Orizaba summit!
On The Map
congratulations to the climbing team and their guides on the climbing and summiting of the two mountains in Mexico. I sure wish I was a few years younger as I would have enjoyed those climbs also. Cant wait to see the pictures and hear the stories about your trip.
Posted by: Warren Larson on 3/10/2013 at 1:48 pm
Congratulations!!!!! Have a safe trip back.
Posted by: julie grooms on 2/16/2013 at 9:05 pm
What a relaxing way to go on safari. No walking, no carrying a heavy gun but instead just sitting in a vehicle and gazing at all the wildlife. That’s for me!
Welcome home on Feb. 23rd, safe and healthy.
Posted by: Gerri Seaton on 2/20/2013 at 10:06 am
Larry and crew
Congratulations! So good to hear that you had a wonderful adventure and are doing well. Great to hear you are all safe! Have fun on the safari!!! I hope your traveling and flight home goes well.
Fred
Posted by: Fred Klingbeil on 2/19/2013 at 7:43 am
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