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Training Plan
16-Week Grand Teton Plan
Steady-State Endurance | Max Strength | Athlete IQ
In partnership with:
Photo: Exum guide Nat Patridge on the Friction Pitch, Upper Exum Ridge, Grand Teton. Weston Walker.
Climbing thousands of feet of steep alpine terrain requires fitness, strength, and athleticism. Reaching the summit, however, is only half the mission. The descent comes with its own challenges—especially for the knees and the ankles.
As both a coach and a veteran Exum guide, Zahan Billimoria designed this 16-week training plan to help you fully prepare for the ascent, and also enjoy the process every step of the way. It follows our full-spectrum training method, weaving aerobic endurance, maximum strength, and Athlete IQ into your workouts every week so you can summit—and descend—with style.
While we call this the “Grand Teton” plan, paying homage to our roots in the Tetons, it extends to any similar objectives, from Mount Rainier and Forbidden Peak in the Cascades to the Matterhorn in the Alps.
Every training plan includes Athlete IQ, aerobic, and strength training workouts, along with detailed coach notes, exercise video demonstrations, and a personal digital training log. The plan is yours for life. Start it whenever you want and repeat it as many times as you’d like.
MONDAY
Aerobic Workout
Run, bike, or hike slow and steady. Seek uphill terrain. Avoid rests and spiking heart rate.
TUESDAY
Strength Workout
WEDNESDAY
Aerobic Workout
Fartlek: Playful Zone 1 session with a handful of Zone 3 pickups (in increments of 30 sec to 5 mins).
THURSDAY
Strength Workout
FRIDAY
Aerobic Workout
Run, bike, or hike slow and steady. Seek uphill terrain. Avoid rests and spiking heart rate.
Recovery IQ session.
SATURDAY
Strength Workout
SUNDAY
Aerobic Workout
Overdistance: Run, bike, or hike. Go long, go slow, avoid rests, and train fasted when possible. Seek uphill terrain.
Human physiology is remarkable. From split-second explosiveness to incredible feats of endurance, the breadth of our athletic capacity makes us unique in the animal kingdom. If the study of human biology tells us one thing, it’s that we are built for well-rounded performance. But when it comes to training, too many athletes get stuck in the middle, going a bit too hard, yet at the same time not hard enough.
We’ve seen professional climbers who can’t run a mile and elite-level marathoners who can’t shovel their own driveways. Hyper-specialization comes at a significant cost—and limits overall athletic performance.
Training should add more to your life than it takes away. We believe that achieving your athletic potential requires a full-spectrum approach, no matter your sport or passions. Our method is designed to optimize the contribution of all three energy systems; increase your biomechanics, coordination, and elasticity; and elevate your innate athleticism for peak performance.
Steady-State Endurance | Max Strength | Athlete IQ
Exum Mountain Guides is one of the oldest and most revered guide services in the U.S., with over 90 years of guiding experience in the Tetons. We are proud to partner with Exum to offer this training plan.