How to stay strong, durable, and in the game for seasons to come.
You can still send it. Still bag peaks, link up routes, push the pace. But if you’re over 30, you’ve probably noticed something else creeping in: the bounce back isn’t what it used to be. The body’s more vocal—tight here, sore there, a tweak that lingers longer than it should.
That’s not age catching up—it’s a signal to train differently. Because being active isn’t the same as being durable. And if you want to stay in the mountains for the long haul, it’s time to shift how you prepare your body for the demands you throw at it.
Let’s break it down.
Fit, But Fragile
Most mountain athletes don’t have a strength problem—they have a resilience problem.
You run, climb, ski, and ride. You move a lot. But you’re moving mostly in the same ways, at similar intensities, for years. That repetition stacks wear in the same tissues and leaves others neglected. The result: a body that’s fit on the outside, but fragile underneath.
You know the drill: IT band flares up halfway through trail season. A shoulder tweak that shows up after ski laps. Chronic tightness that massage guns and foam rollers never quite fix.
This isn’t just “getting older.” It’s a gap in your training.
Strength Is the Missing Link—But Not Just Any Strength
We’re not here to chase numbers on a barbell. That’s not what keeps you skiing longer into the season or finishing 50K’s without breaking down.
What you need is durable strength—the kind that makes your body more adaptable, more resilient, and more capable of recovery. It’s strength that:
- Supports the unique demands of your sport,
- Fills in the movement gaps left by repetitive activity,
- And respects the fact that recovery isn’t a given after 30—it’s earned.
At MTN STRNG, we call this the Scout-Warrior mindset—training with both curiosity and commitment. It means exploring your movement with precision and owning your weaknesses like you own your PRs.
Three Ways to Start Injury-Proofing Now
You don’t need a total overhaul. You need smart shifts.
1. Shift from Output to Intention
At this stage, how you lift matters more than how much. Slowing down a split squat, adding pause and control, or changing a stance can create more carryover to the mountain than grinding through another set of back squats.
Think of your training as a skill—not a test. We’re not trying to win the gym. We’re using it to build a body that wins outside of it.
2. Train What Your Sport Doesn’t
Your sport is great at building certain patterns—and ignoring others. Trail runners rarely train lateral movement. Climbers pull, but don’t press. Skiers build quads but skip the posterior chain.
In the gym, we chase complementary movement. We fill the gaps so your body stays balanced and adaptable. It’s not sexy, but it’s what keeps you from breaking.
3. Respect the Season You’re In
Training the same way year-round is a fast track to burnout or injury. Your body needs different support in different seasons.
Pre-season, we build strength and capacity. In-season, we shift to maintenance and recovery. Post-season, we assess and repair. This seasonal approach keeps your training in sync with your sport—so you’re not fighting your body when it should be performing.
You Don’t Have to Figure It All Out Alone
If you’re reading this, chances are you already know your body needs something more. Maybe it’s a smarter way to train. Maybe it’s a reset. Maybe it’s just someone to help you build a plan that works with your lifestyle and goals—not against them.
At MTN STRNG, we work with athletes one-on-one to build exactly that. Starting with an assessment, we dial in your strengths, your blind spots, and your priorities—then build a training approach that evolves with you.
Because you don’t want to just stay in the game. You want to thrive in it.
Schedule Your Intro
Durability starts now.
