Hi everyone,
I’m currently following the 24-week mountaineering training plan and have a question about the General Strength routine. I have a background in strength/hypertrophy training and full gym access, so I’m wondering if some modifications would make sense for my situation.
Specifically, I’m struggling with a couple of exercises:
Turkish Get-Up: I understand the movement pattern and can perform it, but I’m questioning the ROI compared to simpler alternatives. Given that I can overhead press and do single-arm farmer’s carries with proper progression, would breaking the TGU into its component parts (overhead press + carries + mobility work) be more effective for building the strength foundation this phase is meant to develop? The TGU feels more like a skill/assessment tool than a strength builder for someone with my background.
L-Sit: This seems like a significant jump in difficulty for a “general conditioning” phase. I can barely hold it for a few seconds, which makes it feel more like a specialty gymnastic skill than something that fits with the other exercises in the routine. Would hanging knee raises or hollow body progressions be more appropriate alternatives that still target the same movement patterns?
Pull-Up Variations: The routine lists 19+ variations, but since I can only do 2-3 clean pull-ups currently, should I focus on just building basic pull-up volume rather than trying the advanced variations like Frenchies?
My main question is: given that this is supposed to be “conditioning” for the max strength phase, would substituting these exercises with more straightforward gym-based movements (that I can actually progress linearly) better serve the program’s goals? Or is there something specific about these particular exercises that I’m missing?
I’m not trying to reinvent the program, just wondering if there’s room for sensible modifications based on individual background and available equipment.
Thanks for any insights!