Fact or Myth - The fitter you are, the better you acclimatise

I think it's a fair assumption to think that the fitter you are the better you'd acclimatise to altitude, but sadly, studies have proven that higher fitness levels do not mean you acclimatise better than those with lower fitness.

And so this is a myth....however.....

When has being too fit for a trip ever been a problem? The fitter you are the better your cardiovascular system will handle the demands of being at altitude (For example, an increased breathing rate is a given when you head to altitude).

Further to this, see your fitness capability as a battery. When you're on expedition there are many things which will eat into this battery power, with the demands of the trekking day being the main one. The higher your remaining 'battery level' when you come to the end of the day, the more your body has to give to the process of recovery, and of course, acclimatising. And it sounds obvious, but the less you're struggling the more you're going to enjoy it!

One thing to watch out for though if you are quite fit, as proven by statistics, is that you need to have the capability to slow down. Younger, fitter people are often stronger candidates for Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS) and this has been put to the fact that they're less likely to take it slow on the trail. Slow walking is essential to not only decrease the rate of ascent, but also the demands on the body. So whether you're in Nepal and being told 'Bistare, Bistare' or on Kilimanjaro and hearing 'Pole, Pole' - Sloooooow down.

And so, the main take away point from this is:

Fitness isn't the key to acclimatising, but can make your expedition more enjoyable. In order to trek safely you must do all the basics right in order to acclimatise. These basics can all be read about on this blog

If you're wanting to get fit for a trek or expedition, reach out to us at Summit Push Fitness where we can design a bespoke training plan for you!

On the summit of Mount Toubkal, 4167m