The program

The Trek-Ready Program

A measured 12-week plan to take a sea-level body — knees included — to a 5,400 m pass. Built and tested on our own road to the Annapurna Circuit (Nov 2026), and shaped by what the GPS data shows actually breaks people — not what a generic "get fit" plan assumes.

In progress

Trains what the data says breaks people

On the Annapurna Base Camp trek we measured, the hard part wasn't the climb. 80–90% of trekkers cramp on the descent, and the wall at altitude is mental, not muscular. Most plans train the uphill. This one trains the part that actually ends trips.

See the evidence →

What it targets

  • Downhill-leg conditioning — the eccentric loading that wrecks quads and calves on the way out (where most people break). Why the descent is the crux →
  • Cold habituation — getting a warm-climate body ready for freezing teahouse nights, done safely. The cold-training guide →
  • Altitude readiness — how altitude works, the golden rules, and the self-assessment that matters more than fitness. The altitude guide →
  • An aerobic base — the unglamorous zone-2 volume that carries the day-after-day load.

How it's built

Twelve weeks, phased base → build → trek-specific → taper. But the point isn't the template — it's that it's being built and tested in real time on the way to a real trek, measured week by week. You can watch it take shape on the Road to Annapurna Circuit log.

Status: in progress. It isn't on sale yet — it opens once it's been proven on our own November 2026 trek. No half-built program with nothing behind it.

Frequently asked

How long is the Trek-Ready Program?
Twelve weeks, phased base → build → trek-specific → taper. It builds the aerobic base first, then the trek-specific strength — above all the downhill-leg conditioning the measured data says actually breaks people.
Who is the Trek-Ready Program for?
Anyone preparing a sea-level or warm-climate body for a high Himalayan trek — a base camp or a 5,000 m-plus pass. It assumes you can build the time to train, not that you are already an athlete; altitude readiness and honest self-assessment matter more than raw fitness.
What does the program actually train?
Four things the GPS data and the trail point to: downhill-leg (eccentric) conditioning for the descents where most people cramp, cold habituation for freezing unheated teahouse nights, altitude readiness, and an unglamorous zone-2 aerobic base for the day-after-day load.
Why does it focus on the descent instead of the climb?
Because that is where the measured trek shows the damage lands. On the Annapurna Base Camp trek we recorded, the hard part was not the climb to base camp — 80–90% of trekkers cramp on the way out, on tired legs. Most plans train the uphill; this one trains the part that actually ends trips.
Do I need to be fit already to start?
No — the plan builds an aerobic base from where you are. The thing fitness alone cannot solve is altitude, which is managed by acclimatisation and pacing on the trail, not in the gym, so the program pairs the physical work with altitude preparation.
Is the Trek-Ready Program available yet, and what does it cost?
Not yet. It isn't on sale until it has been proven on our own Annapurna Circuit trek in November 2026 — we won't sell a half-built plan with nothing behind it. Follow along on the Road to the Annapurna Circuit and you'll know the moment it opens, and what it costs.

Get notified when it opens

Follow the build, and you'll know the moment it's ready.