This is our most comprehensive level of support: training, nutrition, psychology, recovery, gear planning, and expedition strategy—fully tailored to you and your mountain, with Kate in your corner every step of the way.
A high-touch, personalised mountain-specific training program for mountaineers and trekkers—developed and led by our head coach and sport scientist Kate Sielmann.
High Altitude Mountaineer Training
Because it’s not just another trip. It’s proof of what you’re capable of—and how far you can go.
That’s why this mountain matters so much to you.
WHEN YOU COMMIT, YOU GO ALL IN.
And that not knowing sounds like: Am I training enough? What should I be eating? How do I train hard without injuring myself?
And uncertainty like that leaves gaps in your preparation and doubt in your capabilities.
You don’t know what you
don’t know.
BUT THE PROBLEM IS…
You are an amazing coach systematically getting my body where it needs to be within the confines of my particular life while also being the best cheerleader around!
“I couldn’t be happier to have met you and joined this program!”
Kate, thank you so much for everything! Throughout the entire program, I know I could count on you for the great training, the words of encouragement, and most importantly the confidence reminder that I can do hard things!
“The only way I was able to handle TMB was due to you and your awesome techniques.”
I completed Kilimanjaro back in 2019 without a coach. When I compare my performance of that climb vs these… Well, it's not even comparable. Kate pushed me to achieve something magnificent and believed in me 100%.
“I couldn’t honestly imagine doing another high altitude climb without working with Kate.”
You will NEVER BELIEVE what happened Kate!!! I spent my entire summit push 15 mins behind Sophie Lavaud! We almost had the same pace. I can’t wait to tell you ALLL about it!
“I spent my entire summit push 15 mins behind Sophie Lavaud!”
Kate!!!! What words can I use?? I was feeling confident that you’d be a great fit to program my workouts. Really focusing on what’ll get me where I want to go. I didn’t realise just how ‘heard’ I’d feel. What a gift you are!
“We haven’t even started yet and already I feel immensely supported to reach my dream goal!”
Looking to the weeks ahead, I now know that whatever I achieve, whatever summit may or may not reach, I did my best. That was possible because of you.
“From day one you helped allay my fears and encouraged self- confidence.”
Kate’s training gave me all the confidence that I was physically and mentally ready. My only regret for this expedition was not training with Kate sooner. I won’t make that mistake again!
“The entire expedition, I never had tired or heavy legs.”
Next to feeling strong in my endurance, it was especially the mental preparation that got me to the summit. I LOVE that your coaching goes far beyond the physical preparation and encompasses all aspects of mountaineering.
“I felt physically and mentally strong, which I attribute 100% to you and your training!!”
Kate, you have been instrumental in my success. I cannot thank you enough. Not only did we make the summit but my guides both said "Man you crushed it today!" That compliment belongs to you.
“My guides both said "Man you crushed it today! That compliment belongs to you.”
THEY SAID IT BETTER THAN WE COULD:
Complete preparation across training, nutrition, psychology, gear, recovery, and strategy—guided 1:1 by our head coach and sport scientist, Kate Sielmann.
Here’s what that looks like:
The VIP Peak Performance Program
Introducing
From day one, your sessions are scheduled into your weekly calendar at times that work with your life—not against it. Each phase is mapped to your exact departure date, so you peak at just the right moment.
In this program, we know you don’t have time to waste figuring out what works—and you don’t have endless hours to train. That’s why every session leverages the time you do have, using proven mountain-specific training principles that deliver the maximum results in minimal time.
This is where the real work begins.
01. Training
We build your nutrition, hydration, and electrolyte strategy alongside your training so energy, focus, and training quality never drops out.
Everything is tailored to your physiology, workload, and expedition demands. From daily meals to summit-night snacks, you’ll know exactly what to eat, drink, and carry to support sustained energy, clear thinking, and consistent output when it matters most.
Because running out of energy is never just physical.
02. Nutrition
That’s why we start by building your Performance Profile, pinpointing the exact mental strategies that matter most for you.
And you won’t just prepare for the best-case scenario—you’ll prepare for the hard moments too, through controlled disruption sessions that replicate the stress and unpredictability of mountain life.
Preparation isn’t just physical. it’s psychological.
03. Performance Psychology
We’ll optimise your supplement plan, fine-tune your pre- and post-training nutrition, and build recovery protocols specific to you.
Because when every detail is considered, you recover well, you train efficiently, and you perform at your very best. That’s why recovery isn’t an afterthought here—it’s a strategy in this program.
Every gain you make depends on how well you recover.
04. Recovery & Optimisation
Once a month, you and Kate meet for a private 60-minute coaching session. This is your space to review progress, troubleshoot challenges, and have every question answered.
It’s accountability, strategy, and 1:1 support—all focused on making sure you step onto your mountain knowing there’s nothing left to chance.
This is where everything connects.
05. One to One Coaching
Then this program is where it all begins and I’ll be right here to support you—every step of the way.
If that’s what you’re ready for…
That you can keep going, even when everything in you wants to stop.
That you can find strength you didn’t know you had.
So yes, on the surface, this is a science-backed, structured program for your mountain.
But beneath that, it’s about building the belief and conviction that you’re capable of more than you’ve ever allowed yourself to believe—and proving to yourself that you were right to try.
If that’s what you’re ready for, this program is where it begins.
I’ll be right here to coach, guide, and support you—every step of the way.
I’m a sport scientist, mountaineer, and performance coach—but more than that, I’m someone who understands what this truly means to you.
After years of helping people train and prepare for mountains all around the world, I’ve learnt that these moments aren’t really about the summit. On the surface, maybe. But deep down, it’s always something more personal.
It’s about proving to yourself that you can do hard things.
Hi, I’m Kate Sielmann.
A Note From Our Head Coach
BUT DOES IT *WORK?*
Here’s a little segment from an article I recently shared about the 8 lessons I learned while hiking TMB: “Kate was my guide throughout the fitness, strength, and wellness journey that gave me the ability to accomplish this goal. I loved her perspective on reframing and positivity. If we dismiss how hard something is—“oh, it’s not so bad”—we minimize the challenge and our strength in overcoming it.” Read Kerri’s full article here.
“TMB was such a major accomplishment for me and I could not have done it without you!”
KERRI | TOUR DU MONT BLANC
I may have talked nonstop about you, your program and all the amazing things I’ve learned because of this program. I was so prepared on so many levels. I’m so grateful you added those disruption sessions into our training; I was able to just take the news and just roll with it. Others on the team were completely thrown.
“I mean; I trusted your process but to see it play out like it did in real life was amazing!”
ROBYNN | RAINIER
As a full-time working mom to a 1-year-old, I was worried about training for a technical mountain like Ama Dablam. But Kate did her magic and made it work— and when things got tough, she got creative and even managed to combine my training with childcare. If you want a coach who TRULY understands you on every level… who does everything to empower your mountaineering journey as part of your day-to-day life, who encourages you to reach for new heights… then go with Kate.
“I felt even stronger than my (all male) expedition team members!”
EVA | AMA DABLAM
At 70, climbing a mountain seemed like an impossible dream, something for younger, stronger, more experienced climbers. But Kate prepared me mentally and physically, checking every piece of gear, coaching me on nutrition, and instilling the confidence I didn’t know I needed… And step by step, I made it. Standing at the summit wasn’t just about conquering Kilimanjaro—it was about proving to myself that I still belonged in the mountains.
“That’s when I found Kate. She didn’t just train me—she transformed me.”
HO | KILIMANJARO
After trying out several pre-made plans without achieving my desired results, I realized I needed a more personalized approach. I was looking for a coach who could provide me with tailored training and ongoing communication. That’s where Kate came in. Her 1:1 coaching has been a game-changer for me. I've experienced firsthand the power of personalized guidance in delivering tangible results, something that prebuilt programs simply can't match.
“She doesn't just train me for mountains; she elevates my overall readiness for life's ups and downs.”
ARÊTE DES COSMIQUES & MONT BLANC | ANDRÉS
AND That’s why it works.
We don’t just train harder—we train smarter. We identify your strengths, pinpoint the weaknesses that could hold you back, and develop both strategically so you feel stronger, faster, and more resilient with every phase.
The VIP Peak Performance Program isn’t about doing more—it’s about doing what matters most. With purpose, structure, and continual refinement as you adapt and progress.
Every session, every nutrition strategy, and every mindset tool is designed with precision—grounded in sport science and performance psychology, and tailored to you and your mountain.
Why This Program Works
Together, we’ll work through your kit list step by step: what to buy first and why, where to really spend, and what’s worth renting—without you wasting hours reading and researching.
Your Gear List
Most people in your life don’t really understand why you’re doing this. But in this program, you’ll be surrounded by others on the same journey—different mountains, different routes—but united by the same goal: to reach the summit or end of their trek in complete strength.
A Small, But Powerful Community
Your private hub of proven mountain-specific protocols and strategies—covering everything from blister prevention to acclimatisation breathing techniques. These are the kinds of solutions to common mistakes that you won’t find on ChatGPT or in most other programs.
Access to The Peak Performance Library
the program, including:
GET EVEN MORE FROM
✓ You want nothing left to chance.
✓ You want 1:1 coaching with a sport scientist and experienced mountaineer.
✓ You want personalised training, nutrition, psychology, gear support, and strategy.
✓ You want to prepare for the hard moments, not just the easy ones.
✓ You value precision and expert attention to detail.
✓ You’re all-in—and want your preparation to reflect that.
This program is right for you if:
LET’S DO A LITTLE PRE-CHECK
It isn’t about scraping through, gasping, and just “making it”—weak and vulnerable.
It’s about making it with undefeatable strength and the immense pride of knowing, for no one else but yourself, that there wasn’t a single moment of doubt along the way.
Because this isn’t just about reaching the summit or the end. It’s about the person you want to become along the way—and the story you’ll tell, years from now, about that time you climbed a mountain.
But we know it’s so much more than that for you.
On paper, a summit is a summit. You either get there, or you don’t.
If you’re not ready for one of our training programs but still want to train smarter, faster, and more confidently for your next mountain, this book is your next best step.
Train Smarter, Climb Higher gives you the exact systems we use with our programs—mountain-specific training, performance psychology, nutrition strategies, and high-altitude insights.
Not Ready for a Program Yet?
APPLY FOR THE VIP PEAK PERFORMANCE PROGRAM
This program is application-only. Because of the depth of support, only a small number of VIP clients are accepted each month. This isn’t about restriction or exclusivity—it’s about protecting the quality, depth, and commitment each client receives inside this program.
All fields are required.
We’ve received your application and will review it carefully. Expect to hear from us within 48 hours.
