[zero]

I’m looking to get some information and advice on how to follow or structure a training plan while working a physical job. |

Right now I’m not using any active training plan and just exercising to keep fit and prevent injury. My primary goals going forward are for alpine climbing with short term goals of shorter multi-day alpine climbing trips with a multi year goal of climbing in Alaska (Ruth Gorge, Denali)

I’m working in the rope access industry where daily I’ll be working on ropes for 6 hours along with carrying and hauling equipment. The intensity can vary each day but it’s more than just working in an office at a desk. I’m also including a bike commute between 20-40 mins.

I usually get out on the weekends for climbing or trail running and aim to do 1-2 days mid week running (zone 2) and 1 day strength training but can find that after a few weeks that I need a weekend or 2 off.

How should I adjust the load of my training to fit in with this?

How can I increase my capacity for training to keep progressing? I find that once I have some off days that my motivation stagnates and its hard to get back into the flow again.

[Seth Keena]

Hi Zero,

Thanks for writing in.

How are you tracking progress in the various facets (types of strength, aerobic threshold, power at thresholds, etc) ? Is this tracking showing your overall progress? These trackings need to be comprehensive and relevant to what you’re doing and where you plan to go with y0ur training in order to serve planning ahead and determining effectiveness and rested states.

Given the grinding efforts often found with blue-collar work, I almost always see short and high-intensity workout stimulus to bring greatest efficacy to athletes such as you. Trick is to do these workouts when you are freshest and keep them focused and short. Examples are, a couple heavy lower lifts coupled with a couple upper exercises for just 3-4 sets of 3-5reps, very high recruitment. These workouts are best done after a rest day.

If you get tired you should rest enough so you feel some energy and ‘spring’ come back to your muscles. If you’re finding 3weeks of training makes you so tired you take a few days off, overall intensity sounds generally correct as most conventional coaching and plans fit a 3week build before a 1week light-load/recovery week (7days!) before returning to another 3week build. A fine and important point to this is the 1week of light-load needs to be long enough you actually recovery significantly. With you working, it’s likely you’re not doing anything but easy walks, stretching and extremely small amount of strength during the light-week.

-Seth

[zero]

Hi Seth,

Thanks for the reply. I’m tracking my data with a Garmin watch and using training peaks. I have used some training plans in the past from Uphill Athlete and saw progress when following them.
I found it was difficult to follow exactly because sometimes the work situation would change and I would be doing more more intense activity at work which then left little energy to complete the work out or recover properly from a workout.

The strength training I have been following very similar to how you have suggested with low rep, heavy weights but for my running I’m very seldom doing sprints of intervals and mostly doing 45 – 60min of zone 2 running. This I find easier to fit in after a day of work without being completed exhausted.

Once I begin on the next training plan I will take these considerations into account.

[Author]

Posts