The ups and downs
A non-complete guide to not getting your ass handed to you in the mountains
If you’ve spent time in the mountains, you’ve more than likely been humbled by the climbs and descents. Gravity is real and the terrain doesn’t care and the uphill will crush you while the never ending descents finishes you off. But there is hope.
Vert is something that can be prepared for, both in gaining and losing it. It’s a skill AND an ability. And like any skill, it can be trained — not just through moving uphill in training, but by prescribing strength work that mimics what the body actually experiences on steep terrain.
In the gym (or your garage or living room), we can reverse-engineer uphill and downhill movement into smart, focused strength sessions. Through isometrics, eccentrics, and stepping patterns, you
can become a stronger, more resilient mountain athlete — even if you don’t live at elevation or near terrain.
We don’t need fancy equipment. We need intention, progression, and consistency. This manual gives you the blueprint.
How it breaks you…and how to get ahead of it.