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Benjamin Thomas – Cardiff Met Sport, my PT for Mont Blanc 2025
Follow my Mont Blanc Training Program.
- Why a Strength & Conditiong Coach?
- Working the Hypertrophy Block
Recommended Sports Nutrition: Bulk – All In One Recovery, the perfect post-workout drink.
Recommended Water Filter Bottle: Water-to-Go, named ‘2024 Best Water Filter Bottle For Travel‘.
When preparing for a physically demanding challenge like climbing Mont Blanc, having a structured and periodised strength and conditioning program isn’t just helpful, it’s essential. A well-planned training approach ensures that your body is strong, resilient, and prepared for the demands of high-altitude trekking. One of the key phases in this process is the hypertrophy block, this is a dedicated period of training designed to build muscle mass, endurance, and structural resilience. This phase isn’t just about getting bigger muscles; it’s about laying the groundwork for the strength and endurance you’ll need when you’re pushing yourself to the summit.
What is a Hypertrophy Block?
A hypertrophy block is a specific phase of training focused on increasing muscle size and endurance through higher training volumes and moderate-to-heavy resistance loads. If you’ve ever heard the phrase “time under tension,” that’s what we’re working with here, challenging the muscles with controlled, high-volume training to stimulate growth and adaptation.
Here’s what a hypertrophy block typically looks like:
- Higher rep ranges (6–12 reps per set) to maximize muscle growth and endurance
- Moderate-to-heavy loads (65–75% of 1RM) to challenge muscular endurance while stimulating hypertrophy
- Increased training volume (more sets and reps) to drive muscle adaptation
- Shorter rest periods (30–90 seconds) to keep the muscles under tension and promote endurance
This phase isn’t just about adding muscle size, it’s about developing a strong, durable foundation that will support increased strength, resilience, and endurance in later training phases. Think of it as building the scaffolding before reinforcing it with solid steel.
Why is Hypertrophy Important for Mont Blanc Preparation?
Climbing Mont Blanc isn’t just a test of willpower; it’s a full-body endurance challenge. You’ll be moving under load for long periods, often on steep inclines and uneven terrain. Your muscles, joints, and connective tissues need to be up for the task, and that’s where the hypertrophy block comes in.
- Building muscle mass for strength development – More muscle means greater potential for strength gains in later phases.
- Increasing muscular endurance – Essential for sustained exertion under load, especially with a heavy pack.
- Reducing injury risk – Strengthening muscles and connective tissues enhances joint stability, reducing the risk of overuse injuries.
- Enhancing movement efficiency – Greater muscular endurance means better force application, helping you move efficiently and reduce fatigue over long hikes.
A strong foundation from hypertrophy training makes everything else more effective. When you move into more intense strength training, your body will be primed to handle heavier loads without breaking down.
Transitioning from Hypertrophy to Strength
Once the hypertrophy block is complete, it’s time to transition into the strength phase. Here, the focus shifts from muscular endurance and size to maximizing force output—training the body to produce more power with each movement.
In the strength phase, expect to see:
- Lower rep ranges (3–6 reps per set) with heavier loads (80–90% of 1RM)
- Longer rest periods (2–5 minutes) to allow full recovery between sets
- Greater emphasis on maximal strength and neuromuscular efficiency
This shift is crucial for performance. The muscle you’ve built during the hypertrophy phase now needs to be trained for power and endurance in real-world conditions, think carrying a heavy pack up a steep incline at high altitude.
The Role of a Taper Week Before Strength Training
Before diving into the strength phase, it’s important to include a taper week, this is a short period of reduced training intensity and volume that allows your body to recover and prepare for the next challenge.
Why is a Taper Week Important?
- Prevents Overtraining & Injury – A structured reduction in training volume allows muscles, joints, and connective tissues to recover from accumulated fatigue.
- Enhances Supercompensation – After weeks of consistent overload, a well-timed taper allows your body to rebound stronger, leading to improved performance.
- Restores Neuromuscular Efficiency – Fatigue from hypertrophy training can dampen strength gains, tapering helps reset and optimize readiness.
- Optimizes Readiness for Strength Gains – Entering the strength phase in a fresh, recovered state leads to greater adaptations and better performance.
During the taper, training volume is gradually reduced, but movement quality, mobility work, and light conditioning remain in place to keep everything sharp without excessive fatigue.
Final Thoughts: Laying the Foundation for Strength & Success
A well-structured hypertrophy block is a vital component of any strength and conditioning program, especially for endurance challenges like climbing Mont Blanc. It’s not just about getting stronger; it’s about preparing your body to handle the demands of long days on the mountain, carrying a pack, and pushing through fatigue. By focusing on muscle growth, endurance, and structural resilience, you’re setting yourself up for success in the later strength phase.
With a smartly executed taper, your body gets the chance to recover, adapt, and come back stronger, ready to tackle the next phase of training. This periodised approach ensures every stage is maximized, minimizing injury risk and optimizing performance when it matters most.
Stay tuned as we dive into the strength phase next, where power, resilience, and peak performance take center stage!
Recovery after every session is very important, I use ‘Bulk All In One Recovery‘ which is specifically designed as a post-workout supplement, it contains everything your body needs to repair and recover after an intensive workout session, meaning you can train harder, more often, and move forward faster.
