Fast Facts:
- Name: Matt Helliker
- Age: 28
- Occupation: British Mountain Guide, Full time alpinist.
- Location: Chamonix, France
- Weight: 72kg
- Height: 6ft 2"
- Sport: Alpinism
Matt Helliker - Q&A
Tell us about yourself and the sport you compete in..
Alpinism is about climbing in the mountains, either on rock, ice or mixed ground. You can find yourself on routes that can take maximum effort and speed to climb in one day, before you get shut down by darkness and forced to bivi, or on routes where you could be on for days, even weeks to complete. For me there is not a better feeling than questing on big 1000m + North Face trying to find a why up a unclimbed wall, not knowing even if success is even possible, and pushing through all the mental and physical barriers along the way to get to the summit.
How did you become involved in your sport?
My inspiration to start climbing in came from watching some climbers during a holiday in France. At 14, I liked the physical challenge of the super steep, holdless routes, and wanted to see if I had the strength to do the same. I went home and began climbing my own roadside crag at Split Rock, Somerset, thinking about the tough routes I would one day climb in the mountains. In those days, climbing mates were scarce, so my father would often hold the ropes.
The progression from crag to mountain developed naturally and, eventually, I grew passionate about alpinism. It inspired me to not only challenge myself physically but mentally. Research, route finding, equipment, weather, techniques, commitment, calculation, the personal growth and the friendships that arose between climbing partners that was what it was all about.
What does your weekly training programme consist of?
Alpine climbing is a full body workout, power, speed, and endurance is what’s needed. Just being able to bench press a heavy weight in the gym stands for nothing in the mountains I train 7 days a week as you can train something when you are resting something else. Training consists of Rock Climbing at the indoor wall doing circuits, Rock climbing outdoors (much better for the head!), high intense circuit training, weights in gym, Long distance running (mainly up hills), interval training, dry tooling (climbing super steep rock with just ice axes), Ski touring.
Which Maximuscle products do you use?
How do Maximuscle products help you during your training and whilst you compete?
Promax and Viper range, the worst fear for me is to put on bulk when training, I have to stay light and lean and also to recover super quick after every session as I train so much, and these product help me do just that.
When climbing the Promax helps me not to burn too much muscle as being at high altitude eats away at you like you would believe. Also when on a big face in a remote area’s there isn’t the option of returning to the dressing room if its ‘not your day’ or jumping into the support car if you just can’t give any more mentally or physically, you have to keep going, if you don’t and you stop, you die, it really is that black and white. Viper fuels me up, to stop me fading away, awesome product, it’s got me out of a few jams!!
Who are your heroes?
Mark Twight, read his book Kiss or Kiss, this was massively motivating for me as a kid
What do you enjoy doing on your days off?
Climb, Run, Ski, Gym, im obsessed!
How do you stay relaxed and focused when the pressure is on?
Alpine climbing is stressful, there is so much going on that the likelihood of getting the chop is quite high, but for me this is when I go deep into years of training and experience to get me through.
Do you have any future goals?
Yes many, my dream is a new route climbed in alpine style on the West Face of Gasherbrum IV, watch this space!
