Ready for the Climb?!

Climb, climb, climb!

I realized that even when I had been working out, my body is still not prepared for the "Rinjani climb". Not yet. In other words, I trained my muscles to be strong, my heart to be efficient, but I haven't trained them to work together to raise my body (and backpack) up an incline.

So, as part of my serious pre-big-climb routine, I included stair climbing. If you don't have a stairwell or at least three flights of stairs that you can exercise on, use the stair-climber machine at the fitness center.

I believe that was one workout that really taught my body how to be efficient with the ascent motion. (Oh well, I do some wall-climbing, too! I'm sure that'll help as well, for your upper body!)

You will know you are ready for that big climb when after four to six months of fitness training you can lift heavier weights, run faster and farther, and go up the stairs with less effort. You know you can face up to the challenge because you are mentally psyched up and your body is empowered to agree with what you have in mind. Why will your climbing friends appreciate that you are totally prepared for the climb? Because THEY are prepared. And they will hate to have to miss the opportunity to marvel at nature's glory just because one of their team members was not fit enough to keep abreast.

All of your teammates will be completely hyped up to enjoy the trek. If you can't keep up or if you suffer cramps and fatigue because you haven't been working out, haven't been drinking your vitamins, or haven't been having enough sleep, you will be the "bummer" of the climb. Oh, your teammates will not leave you -- they will even help you carry your pack when you start to "malfunction" -- but imagine the strain it will cause on everybody.

A good and responsible climber is not only well-equipped and enthusiastic about the climb, he is also healthy and able. He is THERE to keep everyone's spirits high, to assist (not be a burden), and to be an active member (not a handicap) of the team.

So, if you want yourself and the rest of the climbers to enjoy your climb, be physically prepared for the challenge. You will all greatly appreciate it. 

(",)

Maintaining Stamina for Climbing

Keep that heart pumping!

Strong heart plus good circulation equals a good hike. Here's where aerobic training comes in. With aerobics, you raise your heart rate to optimum levels. You make those heart muscles send those oxygen-carrying red blood corpuscles to all the fine, little corners of your body. All your veins and muscles will be "fed" and stimulated.

You know what happens when there's not enough oxygen to supply those hard-working muscles? Your legs will lock up on you and they won't be able to move no matter how loud your brain screams at them. Therefore, you need to "exercise your circulation". Your body needs to get used to the demands you will be placing on your heart and legs when you assault a 75-degree incline.

In my opinion, the best heart-pumping tune-up is running. Start slow for about 5-10 minutes just to "warm up the engines". Then pick up speed. Don't run too fast too soon or you'll overwork your heart and lungs, then you'll be panting and gasping, then you'll have to stop, and that will defeat your workout.

Pick up your speed gradually. When you've found a stable pace (meaning, you can still run with your mouth closed), stay in that speed for about 20-30 minutes. Then towards the last 5 minutes of your workout, push it up a notch. Then gradually slow down for your cool down. Don't forget to do stretching after your run, to loosen and relax the tired muscles.

If you have other heart-pumping activities you can engage in, like ballroom dancing, aerobic classes, basketball, cycling, skipping rope, swimming, or running after your dog, by all means enjoy! Just be sure to do this regularly and push a little harder to introduce your heart to the big challenge ahead.

The thing to remember about circulation is, once you've trained your heart to pump well, and your veins have been "primed" by the strong blood flow, your whole circulation will improve. Then your heart won't have to pump so hard to get blood to all the parts of your body. Efficient circulation is necessary to keep those muscles "well-oiled". Also, good circulation prevents legs cramps and cold hands and feet -- conditions we'd rather not suffer when we're trying to conquer a mountain.

(",)

My Kind of Fitness Routine

The following steps are the ones that I would suggest as a "must" for all climbers, to build the endurance and stamina to keep climbing, have enough strength to appreciate the view and not be bedridden (or catatonic) for a week after the climb.

Make those muscles work hard!

One thing is for sure: you can't force muscles to do a job they don't have the power to do. They can't carry your weight up a mountain if they are weak and puny. They can't walk you uphill all day if they burn out easily. They have to learn to work beyond normal conditions. You need to wake them up, work them out, and get them used to the pressure and the strain.

Therefore, strength training or weight lifting should be part of your pre-climb workout routine. Emphasize on the your back, shoulders, and most of all, your legs. Work with weights that let you have full range of motion for only eight counts. Lift slow and easy -- don't rush the motion. Move to heavier weights when you can do three sets without cursing your barbells. This way you train your muscles to be strong -- powerful. Don't forget to give them at least 48 hours to rest and regenerate.

For the ladies, don't be afraid of strength training -- you won't look like Mr. Body Builder even if you want to. Women will have to really, really work, for several years, on pure muscle building to start looking bulky and masculine. So, don't worry. Regular strength training will make your muscles firm at the right places, your skin will take on a healthy glow, and you will feel energetic enough to dance around singing "climb every mountain".

(",)

Out of Shape

Notice that one of the most favorite new year's resolution is on getting back in shape? Losing weight and getting into some sort of diet or exercise regime, etc.

Despite the running routine (going to the office... to avoid getting late) and badminton once a week, I know I'm terribly out of shape! Especially if I'm planning to take on the Rinjani challenge.

I was told that it's a fantastic place. But I remember quite a few mountains with great views as it increases in difficulty. My muscles would have a tendency to lock from lack of training. Well, if I want to experience what Indonesia has to offer, I have to improve my physical condition. I know I'll be able to do it -- all I have to do is work harder at getting into my usual mode of training for a difficult climb, like weight lifting after an hour of jogging.

And hopefully, I'd also be able to assemble a group... hmm    (",)

One of the Boys

Over a week ago, I received an email from a forum member apologizing that he treated me like a "bloke" in his previous posts. I replied saying, I didn't really notice. I'm quite used to being treated like I'm "one of the boys".

When I decided I wanted to be a mountaineer, I knew I'd be treated the same. I knew it wasn't going to be easy, considering that I had long stopped being in any type of sports, like swimming and throwing 12-pound bowling balls (once a month). I was no way near the muscle toning I needed to carry a 35-pound pack up a hill.

So, a year before I joined any of the climbs, I started a workout regimen. I went to the gym at least three times a week. I got a weights program book for women and went for early dawn jogs on weekends. When I thought I was "fit" enough to climb, I agreed to go with some mountaineering groups who schedules a periodic escapade.

I went to about four short and easy training climbs, afterwhich I decided the group that I go along with, is ready for a difficult scale. I also attended a few lectures sponsored by a few clubs - I had learned some of the basics when I was a Girl Scout, and at the Red Cross First Aid Training. But the fitness test was something else.

I checked my running at about 2 miles twice a week, around the subdivision, part of which had an elevation of about 35 degrees. And about 3 months before my first long climb (Mount Halcon, Mindoro) I increased my weight lifting workout at the gym to 2 hours a day, five days a week. Well, I survived all that, huffing and puffing. Still, I almost collapsed from exhaustion during the first few miles of the climb (it took us about three days to go up and go back down). Imagine my appreciation of all our preparations! 

(",)

No Trail Tough Enough!

I remember my friend used to talk about the cold, white and unforgiving terrain of Russia (he's the one who gave me the coin above). He actually called their station a "no man's land". But they all survived the challenges of those days that they served in that part of the world... as they say:

"When the goin' gets tough, the tough who gets goin' needs that job!" (hahaha)

Anyway, I recall when I was first assigned to be part of the sweeper team during the Mt. Halcon climb. Usually, I like being in the lead group because as sweepers, the group would be the last to reach the peak, and we'd have to stay behind with anyone who lags due to exhaustion or injury... and we'd risk not even setting foot on the peak if one of the climbers has to be rushed back to town. In short, the sweeper team would have to buffer any one climber's inadequacy to complete the climb.

For a while I thought it was good to be at the tail end, not to have someone breathing down my neck, forcing me to move along faster than my muscles can take me. I even thought I could relax and set my own pace. Well then, I proved myself wrong!

My sweeper teammates were a few of the strongest in the pack, an obvious arrangement in case a "fallen" climber needs assistance with his load. And, naturally, the sweepers had to keep up with the whole group's pace, so I had to be as competent a climber as they all were. Which, to me, was THE challenge I had to face.

Curious how it all turned the other way around!   (",)

Buddy System (Last Part)

For the last few but equally important tips:

KEEP YOUR BODIES WARM. Are you snickering again? You may think climbing in a tropical setting spares you from paralyzing cold. Unfortunately, the best tropical peaks chill down close to zero degrees by nightfall. Mt. Pulog in Northern Luzon is the second highest peak in the Philippines and boasts of temperature drops to near freezing during the cold months of December and January. Then there’s continuous rain and stormy weather which can leave you soaked and cold for extended periods. All these spell bad news. You and your buddy will have to understand that hypothermia is a real and serious threat. Your warm bodies against one another may save your lives.

MOST IMPORTANTLY, TRUST HIM. Nothing is more unnerving and terribly demoralizing during a trek than to have you and your partner squabble over a particular course of action. It’s fine to disagree, but the sooner an argument is resolved, the better – especially when safety is at stake. As partners, you both know and understand each other’s strengths and capabilities – and you respect your differences. So when your buddy says that going out to explore a dense forest in the middle of the night is not his idea of adventure, you may want to consider his concerns. Just as you want your buddy to trust you to look after his safety and well-being, so should you trust him. As buddies you have only each other to rely on when a critical situation sets in. If it is clear to both of you that you trust each other with your lives, you will subconsciously try to steer yourselves away from any life or death dilemma. "So it’s just him and me, is that it?" Not quite. It’s him and you... and you as partners and the rest of the team. This partnership thing rubs off on everybody, you know. When people make sincere efforts to care for, and watch over a friend, the rest of the team feels the mutual sense of responsibility. Each one will then want to have someone to feel responsible for. I guess we can call it the "Knight In Shining Armor" tendency. I have climbed with a good number of trekkers and I still have to meet someone who "doesn’t care". I don’t know if I’m just lucky with mountaineer friends but I’m sure glad I climbed with the Meralco Mountaineers (shameless plug!). These guys (and girls) know the value of camaraderie, friendship, and fellowship in a risky adventure like mountain climbing. And some of them, I am proud to say, go beyond caring for their individual buddies – they are there for ALL the members of the team. It’s a tall order, yes, but true-to-heart mountaineers that they are, they look after as many members of the team as they can. And as able buddies to one another, they work together to fill the gaps when someone’s personal buddy falls short of expectations. In other words, while you are strongly responsible for your own climbing buddy, it will not hurt to watch over others, too. It will definitely benefit the whole group if you all trust, respect, and protect each other as much as humanly possible.

May our next climb take us to heights we’ve always dreamed of reaching!

(",)

Buddy System (3rd Part)

More on the connection between trekking buddies... you'd both also need to:

ANTICIPATE EACH OTHERS NEEDS. It’s like caring for a loved one. His breathing, his pace, and his facial expression will tell you he will need to Take-Five soon (but doesn’t want to admit it because it might ruin his image). Ask the Team Leader for a short break (tell the lead that YOU are about to have a cardiac arrest). How long has it been since he last ate? Offer some trail food (with water, please). Is he overheating? Suggest a cooling solution like a wet scarf or a cold shower (well, maybe a splash at the water source). Are you coming into the forest line? Remind him to use the insect and leech repellent. Show that you care. Your buddy will gladly return the favor.

UNDERSTAND BOTH YOUR WEAKNESSES. Admittedly, many of us are just wacky enough to believe we can climb mountains. Most of us discover we can, indeed – but not without much suffering! What are your buddy’s weaknesses? Is he afraid of heights? (Now don’t laugh. I actually know someone who climbs mainly because he needed to conquer his fear of heights!) Is he afraid of the dark? (You’re still laughing?) Does he shiver from an encounter with bugs and leeches? (I’ve climbed with someone who wanted to be put inside a backpack when we approached the leech-ful area of the forest!) Does he consider grabbing onto sticky branches, muddy roots, and moldy rocks as "icky"? Does he believe in ghosts? We all have our personal idiosyncrasies. It will help you both as buddies to understand these well ahead of time – so that you will not be caught off-guard with a potentially fatal, embarrassing, or hilarious situation.

KEEP SPIRITS HIGH. About three-fourths of the way up, when your body starts to ache from the burden, and that majestic peak is still a long day’s trek away, that’s when you experience "the pain". You find yourself thinking, "I knew I shouldn’t have joined this climb." You even get to the point where you know you just have to stop and go home. You desperately wish to be "beamed down" into your favorite couch, in front of the TV, beside a tall glass of cold beer. You begin to feel crabby. You say to yourself, "Don’t anyone try to convince me this is fun, cuz it’s not!" Now check out your buddy. His eyes will tell you he feels just as miserable. This is where you, as his best friend and buddy, are most valuable. You call out to him and ask if he’s OK, even when you already know he’s not. When he finds the strength to look at your face, SMILE. Yes, I personally will vouch for the encouraging and healing powers of a smile. Engage him in some light banter to distract him from feeling weary. Compliment him on his gear. Ask him about his other hobbies. Reminisce on previous climbs, old adventures, and funny experiences. Remind him about how he once saved the day. Make him feel good about himself. You’ll notice that in the process, you’ll be helping yourself feel better, too.

{Last part, up next... }

Buddy System (2nd Part)

Whether you like it or not, your buddy and you are like "married couples" throughout the duration of the trip. Before the pre-climb meeting is over, as partners you automatically agree on what you will share. It is always a good idea to decide who will take care of what, and who will bring which gear, while ensuring that each one is basically self-sufficient (just in case only one of you can be rescued – kidding!). One can carry the tent and flysheet, while the other carries the poles. Or one can load the whole tent, while the other, the stove and utensils. But you will both have to keep your own first aid kit, trail food, and change of clothes.

Common sense dictates that you cannot have your buddy carry such vital items as your jacket and flashlight. I know of a teammate who made her friend pack some of her clothes, so when they got separated by a sudden downpour (they weren’t even climbing buddies), she had to endure the cold until her dry clothes arrived. A note here, you may be "married" to your climbing buddy, but your pack has to have everything you will personally need at any time on the trip.

"HE should take care of ME, I’m a girl." No such thing as a "girl" on a climb. If you are being given special attention just because you are female, consider it a gift, not a privilege. As buddies you are equal on all counts. Remember that, guys. You don’t owe it to us. In climbing, "weaker sex" has nothing to do with being male or female. We girls climb because we can climb, we can carry our packs, we can stand the heat and cold, we can pitch tents and cook dinner. And we can snore as loud as any guy on the team.

So, buddies are buddies. Whether buddies are muscular or demure, the expectations are the same. "What expectations?" Let’s look at it from his end (I will be using "he" to refer to both male and female, ok?). What would he expect from you as his climbing buddy? Simply put, your climbing partner expects you to: BE THERE FOR HIM. You actually grow a third eye, a third ear, and an infrared sensor, solely for him. On the trek, he should never be more than three meters away from you. You hear his every sound, you see his every move. You’re there when he trips (and quick to help him back to his feet). You’re there when he needs to fix his pack (and quick to lend a hand). You’re there when he needs to hide in the bushes (not necessarily next to him... close by is good). Remember, he expects you to be there, especially when he has to deal with a compromising situation (like being face-to-face with a wild boar! or slipping down the cliff!). Your presence may be the only reason he will survive this adventure. Here’s where one would interject: Be sure you’ve brushed up on your CPR skills!

{For continuation... }

(",)

Buddy System (1st Part)

I received a complete set of Euro coins last week from a good virtual friend from Spain. But before I feature those, I'd be showing my earlier series to start with the coin below...

Anyway, I acquired this coin when I was still with Samsung Electronics. And I was part of a group there that regularly go on mountain treks.

When my friends and I schedule a climb, our group conducts pre-climb meetings to plan for the trek and sometimes a post-climb meeting as well, so we'd be able to feedback what other ways can be done to improve our next exploration. Pre-climb assembly is essential not only for planning the route, provision assignment, designation of roles and all other things about the trail, but also the establishment of the buddy system. The lead gives a briefing on the climb itinerary, the terrain, the leeches, and the expected weather conditions. The list of participants is rolled out and the members of each team as well (for lead group, first aiders, sweepers, etc.).

It is during this time when you'd turn to a trusted friend and watch for an approving nod. When both of you would silently agree to be climbing buddies for the adventure ahead. Your special relationship would be tested yet again. As part of one climbing team of many in that particular trek, you and your buddy are essential members of a group of climbers who will embark on an expedition all together – cramming into a bus, trekking for hours with a heavy pack, sharing food provisions, breaking camp at 4 am, taking group pictures at the peak, etc. As members of a team, you have roles to perform, tasks to attend to, and responsibilities to share – to ensure the safety and comfort of your designated team (like pitching the tents, cooking dinner, and singing everyone to sleep).

But as climbing buddies, you and your partner maintain a special bond that could determine your personal success, maybe even your survival, during the trip. "Why do I need a buddy? I am climbing with friends. They will all take care of me." Ideally, yes. Your lead may be one of the most experienced mountaineers around – he eats, sleeps and drinks mountains. And your teammates may be veteran climbers who go into withdrawals when they can’t climb at least once a month. Or all of them may be your dearest, closest friends whom you owe money to. Yes, you can say they will always take care of you. But the mountains are nurtured by fickle winds, capricious temperatures, and whimsical rain clouds. The forces of Mother Nature can break your climbing group apart; the dense forest can disorient your team leader, and send your team to the headhunters rather than the peak; the treacherous terrain can injure a climber enough that the sweepers reach the campsite when the rest are just about ready to descend. In this case, your wide circle of friends may not be there for you.

On the other hand, your climbing buddy is someone who is GLUED to your side. You and your buddy are never separated by the mountain or the climate. Whether you’re both in the Lead Pack or with the Sweeper Team, or when out to check the trail or fetch water, you are always, ALWAYS together (yup, you’re sleeping in the same tent, too!). You are always there to take care of each other, no matter what.

{More of this topic in the next feature...}

(",)

Sayonara 2008 & Aloha 2009!

Outlook for the great year of the Ox...

Silver and Gold lining ahead!

As reflected by the bimetallic coin above, the 10 Franc... notice the wings? That's not only charging forward, that's flying up, up and away towards our dreams.

It'll be super exciting on my side, I'm sure! Definitely, every step of the way would lead me to greater heights. For starters, I'll be commencing work this coming 12th of January for a new company, which is in a new industry (yet again) and with definitely a new set of organization (issues that goes with all else new). This will involve helicopter training, no less! And then, besides that, I'm planning to go into some money-making business to generate a passive income (however minimal). As if that is not enough, I also have intentions to enroll for a diploma course on workplace safety and health (for me to be registered as a WSH Officer). That would keep me pretty busy indeed!

For the year that passed by so fast, I was only able to visit two new places (New York and Chicago). A lower rate than my 2007 travel (Cebu, Davao, Shanghai, Phuket, Langkawi, Houston, San Antonio, Phoenix, Sedona and Las Vegas) but maybe this coming year it will pick up again (hopefully somewhere in Australia or Europe, that would really perk up my collection!). That would of course depend on the trainings I'll have to attend at company's expense...

I'm looking forward to being a prodigious accumulator of wealth starting this year! Top that! ...

I wish everybody all the best!

(",)

My Skydive!

So what's a coin collector look like when sky diving? Pretty cool, of course (",)

I've just finished compressing my sky diving video. I'm featuring this as part of my "never done before" feats of 2008. And as I have already featured that experience together with My New Pence, I'll skip the descriptions and just hope that you guys enjoy the video below...

Now, to plan for 2009 target escapades... (",)