Uphill Athlete Podcast

Scott Johnston discusses the evolution of the Uphill Athlete muscular endurance programming that has become a staple in the training of mountain athletes. Learn about the physiology, the intent, and the successful implementation of muscular endurance work in a variety of mountain pursuits. 

Our Chamonix Mountain Fit at home strength program has been immensely popular with everyone who has tried it. But what many do not realize is that we add more content to the program every year. In 2022 we added three new follow-along, physical-therapist-led workouts that we dubbed Chamonix Mountain Fit LITE. These workouts are shorter and great for athletes breaking back into strength training as well as high-level athletes needing mid-season strength workouts to keep those stabilizer muscles and the nerves innervating them healthy and strong to prevent injury

By using the Uphill Athlete training philosophy of building a big aerobic base Vince broke with tradition and with his partner, Alastair Keys, won the US Army's Best Ranger competition in 2021 -- a multi-day ordeal that challenges the endurance, strength, and tactical abilities of the top athletes in the Army Rangers. Scott and Vince discuss how endurance base training was crucial for his success. 

In this episode, Scott Johnston is joined by UA-coached athlete Brian Carlock. They discuss the background and evolution of Brian's athletic development and understanding of training, and his experience with coaching.

Uphill Athlete Coaches Carolyn Parker, Maya Seckinger, Nikki LaRochelle, and Karen Bockel take up the question of how to balance being the best at all the different things.  Join the community by joining this important conversation. 

In this installment of the Uphill Athlete Podcast co-founder Steve House talks to Yoga Instructor Bree Dillon about their new joint venture: A recovery-focused yoga practice for athletes.The heart of the series is four classes that build into one another and allow you to progress on your own schedule. Level 1 starts at 30-minutes and Level 4 is 45 minutes in duration.For athletes who need to work on a specific area, we built out four body-area-specific video-based yoga blocks: Neck and Shoulders in 19 minutesHipflexors and Hamstrings in 19 minutesBack and Butt  in 16 minutesCalves and Feet in 17 minutesBree worked hard on these classes and we're confident they'll be a great addition to every athletes routine.

Training will never produce the desired results if you don't allow sufficient recovery between training bouts for the desired adaptations to occur. Uphill Athlete coach Scott Johnston discusses how to understand the feedback your body is giving you on your recovery status.  With the proliferation of devises that can easily overwhelm us with data many athletes over-rely on these metrics. Do they work as well what your own body is telling you?  Not if you pay attention.  Listen and learn to Scott's preferred tools for managing training load and recovery by tuning into your bodies subtle language.

Several years ago UA coach Scott Johnston helped Adrian Ballinger and his partner Cory Richards prepare for his successful ascent of Mt Everest's North Ridge without the use of supplemental bottled oxygen.  In this episode  the two of us discuss the training and preparation process for attempting big mountains, and having realistic expectations while on expedition.. Adrian is an IFMGA certified mountain guide and the owner of Alpenglow Expeditions. Adrian has lead over one-hundred fifty international climbing expeditions on six continents, and made seventeen successful summits of 8000 meter peaks.  In sharp contrast Scott as tried and failed to summit three 8000 meter peaks.  

A fascinating chat with three of our Female Uphill Athlete coaches. This time they dive into considerations for training with their reproductive cycle. The panel consists of three female  coaches each in their 20’s, 30’s, or 50’s.

In the mountain environment women often feel they are the odd-ones out. Here coaches Carolyn Parker, Maya Seckinger, and Karen Bockel openly share their own drives to not only do everything the men can do, but to do it better. Years of competitive sport, coaching, mountain guiding have given this remarkable group of coaches some wonderful wisdom and insights which they share here. Well worth a  listen for any Uphill Athlete, male or female.