Ueli Steck Climbing Training Plan

Ueli Steck
© Robert Bosch
Climbing just published a story taking a look at the fitness of alpinist Ueli Steck. As far as climbers go, it would be difficult to imagine someone with greater fitness than Ueli. I mean this is the guy who literally sprinted up the Eiger in 2 hours, 47 minutes in 2008. Only a year earlier, the Swiss Federal Institute of Sports Magglingen judged Steck 'out of shape'. In his quest for setting the fastest speed record he could, what followed was a year of the most scientific and rigorous training Steck could devise supported by a slew of sports scientists and training specialists.

Here is just a selection of his training plan.

Get psyched!

FOCUS: ALPINE ENDURANCE (PRE-EIGER RECORD)
  • MONDAY 

    1 hour running–Intensity 2 / 1 hour stretching / 1 hour stabilization (core) training / slideshow
  • TUESDAY 

    2 hours running–Intensity 2 / 1 hour stretching / 1 hour mental training / slideshow
  • WEDNESDAY
    
4 hours climbing in the gym / 2 hours running–Intensity 1 / 1/2 hour stretching / slideshow
  • THURSDAY
    
4 hours climbing in the gym / 1 hour stretching / 1 hour mental training / slideshow
  • FRIDAY
    
1.5 hours running–Intensity 1 / 1 hour stretching / 1 hour mental training / slideshow
  • SATURDAY 

    3.5 hours running–Intensity 4 / 1 hour stretching / slideshow
  • SUNDAY (REST DAY)
    
Climbing with my wife 4 hours / 1 hour stretching

FOCUS: YOSEMITE CLIMBING (2010, WEEK 17)
  • MONDAY 

    Run: 12 kilometers/1,000 meters gain–Intensity 2
  • TUESDAY
    
Climbing outdoors: 3 pitches of 5.13d, 2 of 5.13a, 1 of 5.11d / 1 hour weight training / 1 hour stretching
  • WEDNESDAY
    
Climbing outdoors: 4 pitches of 5.14a, 2 of 5.13a / Run: easy 12 kilometers/800 meters gain–Intensity 1
  • THURSDAY 

    Run: Eiger Lauper Route, running and climbing from Grindelwald, 20 kilometers/3,075 meters gain–Intensity 3
  • FRIDAY (REST DAY)
  • SATURDAY 

    Climbing in the gym: 4 pitches of 5.13b, 3 of 5.12d, 5 of 5.12b, 6 of 5.11d / 1 hour weight training / 1 hour stretching
  • SUNDAY
    
Run: 18 kilometers/1,700 meters gain–Intensity 2

FOCUS: GENERAL ENDURANCE (2010, WEEK 33)
  • MONDAY (REST DAY)
  • TUESDAY 

    3-run series, total 27 kilometers/ 5,100 meters gain–Intensity 3 / 1 hour stretching
  • WEDNESDAY
    
Climbing gym: 3 pitches of 5.13b, 4 of 5.13a, 6 of 5.12c, 4 of 5.11d / 1 hour stretching
  • THURSDAY
    
Climbing gym: 3 pitches 5.13b, 5 of 5.13a, 6 of 5.12b, 6 of 5.11d / 1 hour stretching
  • FRIDAY
    
3-run series, total 27 kilometers/ 5,100 meters gain–Intensity 3 / 1 hour stretching / 1 hour mental training
  • SATURDAY
    
Climbing outdoors: 2 pitches 5.13d, 1 of 5.12c, 3 of 5.11d
  • SUNDAY (REST DAY)
    
Drive to Dolomites

FOCUS: HIMALAYA (2011, WEEK 2)
  • MONDAY
    
1 hour running–Intensity 2 / 1 hour stretching / 1 hour stabilization training / slideshow
  • TUESDAY
    
2 hours running—Intensity 2 / 1 hour stretching / 1 hour mental training / slideshow
  • WEDNESDAY
    
4 hours climbing in the gym / 2 hours running–Intensity 1 / 1/2 hour stretching / slideshow
  • THURSDAY
    
4 hours climbing in the gym / 1 hour stretching / 1 hour mental training / slideshow
  • FRIDAY (REST DAY)
    
1.5 hours running–Intensity 1 / 1 hour stretching / 1 hour mental training / slideshow
  • SATURDAY
    
3.5 hours running–Intensity 4 / 1 hour stretching / slideshow
  • SUNDAY (REST DAY)
    
Climbing with my wife 4 hours / 1 hour stretching
The Eiger's hardest free route, Paciencia (5.13b), a 27-pitch line on the right side of the north face.
© Robert Bosch

2 comments:

Ben Minehart said...

That is a remarkable amount of time spent stretching. I've never spent more than 5-10 minutes stretching after a workout. Any idea what kind of stretches he's doing? I can't imagine being occupied long while stretching! Based on the Climbing article, he was rather cryptic about the details...

Trav said...

It surpriesed me that he used running and autogenic "mental training" so much. Conversely he climbed very little. His training is much different than I have read about before. I'm about to add more running into my own regimen, and who knows maybe I'll throw in some mental training too. I have a blog about Climbing Training for anyone who's interested.