This 8-week training plan is built specifically for beginner ski tourers who are preparing for their first season in the backcountry or returning after time away. The program focuses on two key areas of fitness essential for ski touring success: aerobic base building and muscular endurance. Whether your goals involve easier uphill travel, longer days in the mountains, or more confident descents, this plan will help you lay a solid foundation for the physical demands of touring.
A strong aerobic engine is one of the most important tools in a backcountry skier's toolkit. Throughout the program, you'll steadily increase your aerobic capacity with regular, low- to moderate-intensity cardio sessions. These workouts are intentionally paced to support endurance without leading to burnout, with the option to train indoors or outdoors based on your preference and surroundings. Activities like hiking, running, cycling and treadmill walking are all suitable—what matters most is consistency and maintaining effort within the aerobic zone. This steady aerobic conditioning will directly translate to more efficient skinning and greater stamina in the mountains.
In addition to cardio, this plan emphasizes functional strength and muscular endurance to prepare your body for the repetitive demands of climbing, carrying gear, and skiing downhill in unpredictable conditions. You'll complete two strength sessions per week, which can be done at home using minimal equipment or in a gym setting with access to weights and machines. Exercises focus on movement patterns that mirror the mechanics of ski touring—think squats, step-ups, deadlifts, lunges, core stability work, and upper body pushing and pulling. These sessions are designed to improve not just strength but durability, helping you reduce fatigue and maintain control throughout your day.
The plan is structured to be flexible and accessible, whether you're training on your living room floor or at a full gym, on local trails or a treadmill. By the end of the eight weeks, you'll have developed a well-rounded fitness base, giving you the confidence and capacity to begin your ski touring season with strength, stamina, and stoke.
Mountain Training Center is an online hub for mountain athletes looking for both technical and physical training. Our coaches are leaders within their disciplines which include ski touring, splitboarding, rock climbing, mixed/ice climbing, trail running and more. In addition to training plans, we also offer technical training on our website www.mountaintrainingcenter.com