The New Alpinism Training Log Spiral-bound – May 19, 2015

This Training Log is so much more than just a logbook to record your training. It is meant to be used hand in hand with "Training for the New Alpinism", by House/Johnston. After reading Training for the New Alpinism and imagining a goal worthy of structured training, you are ready to grab this training log and work backwards to where you are right now. The training log is organized in an efficient way with ample notes before each training period. It's also very handy to have page references back to Training for the New Alpinism for further reading or more clarification. The training log isn't just for cutting-edge Alpinists either. Even a trip up the DC on Rainier should be planned out using this training log. It's pages are formatted to include Mountaineering and technical Alpinism training input.I was happy to see the Transition Period in the training log. I was worried that the log would be mainly for the Base, Specific, Taper and Peak periods since the Transition Period is mainly a break-in period before the "real" training starts. As stated though, it's an important period to get into athlete mode and ensure that you are fit enough to train.The actual training log pages where you record your planned training are much more evolved than the logbook pages in TFTNA. You plan out two weeks and write that. Then when you complete the training, you have a separate space to write the actual training performed. There are friendly prompts on each logbook page to remind you of important details such as training volume, sets and reps, and cragging goals.The training log also has a great Appendix where important information on training the different forms of strength is condensed and consolidated. The final pages are for a reference diagram of Scott's Killer Core Routine. I had written the routine on 3x5 note cards, but it's really nice to have a visual cue of each exercise.If you have started training using the principles in Training for the New Alpinism or if you are looking to start, this training log will be an essential part of success. I have used a spiral notebook for years, but this will be the replacement. As the preface says, "Go simply. Train smart. Climb well."

This log provides a lot of great examples of how to track your training. You could certainly write in this log directly, but I used it as a guide to create my own tracking worksheets on the computer. This allows me to continue to reference the examples without having to look at my scribbling. The log is also great quick reference tool for planing your workouts based on information from the Training for the New Alpinism book. The information needed is easier to find in the log, apposed to searching through the whole Training for the New Alpinism book.

Perfect companion to the Training for the New Alpinism book. Very well thought out, easy to understand plans.

Great product!

Its really good. Buy it. 👍

awesome book!

Even though I had read Training for the New Alpinism several times, I kept having questions when it came to actually setting up my training program. As a newcomer to organized training, the learning curve was very steep for me in terms of theory and how to translate it into practice. It seemed like there were so many variables to juggle – endurance, max strength, muscular endurance, skill-specific training, heart rate zones, different types of muscle fibers, etc. I kept modifying the spreadsheets that Steve House posted in his website to account for my specific situation (location, family, work, climbing opportunities), but I was never sure if I was doing it right. The data itself is easy to record, but the format in which you do so is critical because the training builds upon itself.That’s why I’m very excited about the Training Log. When I ordered it, I was concerned that it would just consist of some fancy worksheets with some inspiring quotes. It turns out my expectations were way off the mark.First, the authors have done an excellent job of providing new content that builds upon what you’ve learned from Training for the New Alpinism (TFTNA). They did not copy and paste from the book to the log. When you read the log, you’re getting more practical information on how to craft, implement and evaluate your training regimen. They invite you to ask yourself some very interesting questions regarding your goals, encouraging you to be both inspired and realistic. There is excellent where-the-Vibram-meets-the-trail information about each of the training periods, reminding you of what you’re up to and what challenges you face in the coming weeks. All in all, the content provided in the log further explains the entire training program.Second, the design and layout of the actual training logs is both practical and beautiful (suggestion to Patagonia Books: allow a preview on Amazon). Well-designed icons provide references to TFTNA, explanations of exercises, and reminders about how the current week relates to the prior weeks in terms of training volume. The spacing of the rows and columns allows reasonable space for penciling in your plan and your results, which is important to anyone who has tried to use Excel spreadsheets for workouts (what exactly is the ideal spacing for handwritten notes? I still don’t know). In physical terms, the ring binder is useful, making it easier to turn the pages and also serving as a handy place to stash a mechanical pencil. The cover is made of stiff, reinforced paper, which can probably stand up to getting stashed in your backpack when you head off to work out.Third, there is an appendix that focuses specifically on strength training, a subject that I found slightly confusing as a beginner. The supplemental information in the log answers a lot of my questions about maximum strength versus muscular endurance, and also includes some useful tips about how you’re supposed to feel after both (i.e., don’t blow yourself to bits in the gym or walk your legs to the nubbin on countless water carries, and definitely allow enough time for recovery).In conclusion, if you’re on the fence about whether or not to pony up for the Training Log, I strongly recommend that you go ahead and buy this. It will save you a lot of valuable time during the nuts-and-bolts phase of setting up the plan, taking all of that valuable theory you’ve learned about in TFTNA and putting it into a beautiful, useable, and above all practical format.

Enormous and presise knowledges.

Not flexible enough. If you wish to follow the exact plan, it does the job, but hard to customize.

Un complemento estupendo al libro Training for the new alpinism. Recoge el plan de entrenamiento completo en tablas para cada semana de cada período (recuperación, transición, base, específico...), explicando lo que hay que hacer en cada semana. Una ayuda para ver el plan más claramente, ya que en el libro original se explica la teoría pero cuesta ordenar el plan, dejarlo trazado por semanas y saber qué hacer en cada una de las semanas. Este log te ahorra traducir el plan de la teoría a un calendario concreto. El log se divide en capítulos, uno por cada período, explicando un resumen teórico del objetivo del período como introducción en cada capítulo.

Very useful companion to the main book, working extremely well for me, recommended.

Overall, I like it-- good place to log TFTNA work. Could do with a bit more flexibility though-- there's no extra room to write different strength exercises, or even the number of sets. I'd still buy it again though, if only to keep myself honest.

My husband is a total climbin nerd. He loves this book but has yet to really use it as we are waiting for the 'main book' to arrive so he can get more detailed info on exercises.