Transition into Training: Weeks One and Two

Continuity. Gradualness. Modulation. Scott Johnston, Training for the New Alpinism

I’m not sure I need to “transition” into training as I never stop training but, in my 63^rd year I have been forced to admit I am not unbreakable. Especially, I want to avoid any tendon or ligament injuries such as I had in Tasmania earlier this year which appeared out of nowhere and interfered greatly with my travel plans.

Scott Johnston in Training for the New Alpinism recommends that the transition period last between 6 to 8 weeks and begin at a volume that is half of the average of last years training volume. If you don’t have a training log, you’ll have trouble knowing what this volume is but, I have both a training log and a Garmin watch so I was easily able to look up my volume on Garmin’s Connect application.

Last year, this came in at about 620 hours but that does not include strength training or rock climbing. It includes only cycling, paddling and walking. That comes out to about 12 hours per week, but includes an awful lot of paddling, which is good endurance training, but not for carrying yourself and a pack up and down big hills. In an average month in 2026, my “on feet” time was about 22 hours per month (about the same kayaking and much less mountain biking). There is some consistency there, so I settled on 2.5 hours per week on feet for my first three weeks of the transition period. On top of that, I continue to paddle and mountain bike one day per week.

For strength training, I am using Johnston’s strength and core circuit in addition to all ten glute, core and hip exercises that I do daily to prevent a recurrence of my hip injury. Because I had the best part of a month off over the Queensland trip I started these at one circuit in week one, then moved to two circuits in week two (where I am currently) and will finish up at three circuits for the rehab/prehab exercises in week three but will get to four circuits for strength in week four. And, I started back on the climbing wall, which is always the hardest training to resume as this is my weakest discipline.

Here is what week two looked like:

This feels like frustratingly little training and in my younger and more resilient days I would simply ignore the plan and increase both volume and intensity until I felt suitably tired and sore, but feeling tired and sore is not an indication that you are actually getting fitter and stronger. Often, you are simply getting tired and sore. Muscle is built at rest, or at least that’s what the experts say.