The annual winter training session of the Tibet Mountaineering Team recently commenced in Lhasa, the regional capital. As one of the team’s key training programs for the year, this month-long winter training focuses on physical conditioning to lay a solid foundation for the various mountaineering activities scheduled for 2014.
According to Lobsang Yundain, deputy head of the Tibet Mountaineering Team, the primary goals of this year’s winter training are to enhance athletes’ physical fitness, build up endurance, and foster a spirit of teamwork and perseverance. Over 30 team members, including five female athletes, are required to participate in the training.
Lobsang Yundain told reporters that according to the training schedule, athletes will train five days a week. The training includes long-distance running, interval running, burpees, and pull-ups. Each week, the team will also organize an outdoor loaded march lasting at least six hours, along with occasional ball games such as soccer, basketball, and volleyball.
Lhakpa Sherpa, a veteran member of the Tibet Mountaineering Team who has scaled all 14 peaks above 8,000 meters, also took part in the winter training. He said that due to the team’s busy schedule and frequent activities throughout the year, it’s difficult to conduct concentrated training. Utilizing the winter “off-season” for systematic physical training is highly beneficial for maintaining performance and improving athletic capability.
Now past the age of 50, Lhakpa admitted that his strength, speed, and overall fitness are not what they used to be compared to younger athletes, but he still intends to complete all training tasks: “I still want to keep climbing, so I have to train now!”
Established in 1960, the Tibet Mountaineering Team has been involved in nearly all major mountaineering events in China over the past 50-plus years. It was the first team in the world to collectively summit all 14 peaks above 8,000 meters, and has represented China in numerous international joint mountaineering expeditions. In recent years, with a decline in national mountaineering missions, the team has actively transformed itself to better serve amateur mountaineering enthusiasts, significantly contributing to the development of recreational mountaineering in China. (Reporter: Wang Yunjia)