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I know this seems rather odd to appear in my blog however please bear with my jibberish as I get my blog verified by Google! =)

The climb is definitely still on! Don't wait, don't hesitate and don't doubt. Join me!

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THE NEXT CLIMB IS ON....

THE NEXT CLIMB IS ON....
Yes! The next climb up Mount Kinabalu is from 4-8 April 2008. We have 50 places and already about 30 have been taken up. I am excited as I look forward to this climb. The people who have committed are a 'fun' group. Most are friends of mine or friends of friends.

IT IS NOT MERELY A CLIMB; IT IS ABOUT A CHANGE IN LIFESTYLE....
I would like to start reaching out to all those who have committed to climb. I hope to change your life-style with this climb. It is not only about climbing a mountain. It is about preparation and changing your attitudes and life-style.

BANISH THOUGHTS OF FAILURE - IT HAS NO PLACE IN YOUR LIFE....
Many of those who are coming for this climb will have doubts about their ability to reach the peak. Let me start by banishing such thoughts from their minds. All those who climb with me will have positive thoughts about themselves imbued in them. You can choose to make your life different and it will be so. I promise you - if you allow me to input into your life, you will make many more climbs up even higher mountains. Don't let a 'doubting' spouse tell you - you can't do it! These are self-effacing comments that reflect the commentator's lack of confidence in himself or herself. Break out of the shell that has been structured around you. It is your life - live it!!!

2 SIMPLE STORIES OF SELF-FULFILLING PROPHECIES
Those who keep confessing negatively about themselves will find that there is truth in what they believe. Look at these 2 friends of mine - a husband and wife couple who are just in their early thirties. They keep confessing that they are not fit people and that they cannot do strenous activities like go climb a mountain. Eveytime I see them or talk with them, negative words about themselves will flow out from their mouths.

THE DOUBTERS WILL ALWAYS HAVE THE RIGHT REASONS
Little wonder then that they are constantly in poor health. They are so sickly that the slightest change of weather will see them really sick. Try to talk them out of their attitude and they will give you all the reasons how and why you don't really understand what they are going through. I have given up trying to change their minds. Recently the husband was taken ill and admitted to the Intensive Care Unit without Doctors even really understanding the reason for his condition. When I visited him, I sadly saw a countenance of belief that bordered on self-pity and self-belief in the wrong context. How sad. They don't need Doctors - they need to change their life-style and their attitudes.

A DIFFERENT STORY OF COURAGE AND FORTITUDE
Contrast this with a friend who was also quite sickly and had been so for years. One day when he was told that he should perhaps give himself a chance to come out of such a terrible condition of health, he saw that there was some validity to what was being said. When he saw that his lifestyle and attitude was part of the cause of his condition, he purposed there and then that he will change his attitude and embark on a life-style of exercise, fitness, proper diet and proper supplements. Today, he is literally a picture of health and strength.

YOU ARE WHAT YOU THINK.......
It must always begin with the mind - You are what you think!!!! How true is this statement. If you have always had health issues and problems, give yourself a chance and try my solutions. I have a fantastic Lifestyle program that I teach to people and everyone who has come into the program has said that their life has changed so much for the better. Yes, you can see your whole life change - you can see your health improve significantly. All you need to do is to follow my program.

BE DIFFERENT - BECOME WHAT YOU HAVE ALWAYS WANTED TO BE!!
Then you can climb the mountains of your life and take on the lifestyle that will allow you the energy to embark on such endeavors. Let me have your comments and I will give you an excerpt of what you need to do to change your lifestyle. Know this as a truth - even if you are really weak and frail in your health, I want to tell you that you can change your circumstances.

FUNNY HOW SAYING IT OUT LOUD IS USUALLY THE BEST FIRST STEP
If you want to change your whole life and perhaps come on the mountain climb with me, all you have to do is follow what I say now:

• Close your eyes for a while and take every other thought from your mind
• Now just say, "Yes, I have decided that I will climb this mountain!"
• Now go on and and say, "I won't change this decision and I will see it through!"
• Just add this thought to end, "I will pay the price of doing it, no matter what!"

Close by thinking of all that is good about climbing this mountain. When you do this, anyone who even attempts to disuade you will find him knocking on a solid wall.

Welcome! You will reach the peak of Mount Kinabalu as the first break-out objective of your changed life!

View my photo layout

Those of you who want a glimpse of what the climb up Mount Kinabalu is like, please take a peek at my photo slide show at the end of this blog. You will like the views and the climb up this fabulous mountain. My next climb is from 4-8 April and there are only a few places left.

Time to look at training and preparing yourself to reach the summit. Come and climb with me!!

If you climb Mt Kinabalu with me

If you climb Mount Kinabalu with me, you will have an experience you cannot forget... read on...

PART ONE

THE MOUNT KINABALU EXPERIENCE - ON TOP OF SOUTH-EAST ASIA

NOTHING BUT THE HIGHEST

Mount Kinabalu, Southe-East Asis's highest mountain should be one of our goals as we enter 2008 because climbing Mount Kinabaly is consonant with our desire to live excellently and to overcome the mountains that are before us!

MOUNT KINABALU - WORTHY OF THE EFFORT

Ask anyone who has reached the peak of Mount Kinabalu and he will share with you an enthusiastic account of the tremendous feeling that accompanies one who has made the climb successfully. With the wind blowing in your face and with cold etched on your hands, standing there tells you that you have lived the life of a winner. It is a reflection of the overwhelming determination that must be exercised to go past the pain barrier and to relentlessly move on, step by step until the peak is reached.

A SUBLIME ACCOUNT OF "VICTORY"

Traversing that great rock face and reaching Low's peak, that seemingly unattainable goal brings a sense of distinct victory. It is an account of unstinting dedication and the realization that each of us can have the power to overcome if we seriously apply ourselves to the goal. A successful climb requires us to live again that dream that is inherently below the surface of those of us who once dreamt of doing great things in our lives. It is a reminder of how we cannot fail to achieve great results if only we are prepared to plan the program and program the plan.

A WONDERFUL CHALLENGE TO THOSE WHO WOULD COMMIT

IT is against this background that I continue to organize periodic climbs for my friends and anyone keen to climb the mountain. It is a call to excellence, a call to commitment, a call to paying the price and a call to not settling for second best! For those who are serious and who would like to be counted and be found willing, the climbs organized would be excellent platforms for accomplishment, achievement & fulfillment. There is no better way to reflect and represent what our aspirations should be in life.

DREAM YOUR PICTURES, PAINT YOUR DREAMS...

Van Gogh, that unparalleled master painter & dreamer said those words that etched him into the annals of immortality - "dream your pictures, paint your dreams". We should have an equally clear dream - a dream of unsurpassed excellence! The question now that must be asked is, "Are we painters?" It is a question that only you can answer as you read this invitation. We hope you will respond and say without reservation, "I will be climbing this mountain because it is there before me!"

MAKING THE NECESSARY SELECTIONS

The people who will make this climb should meet the following criteria:

-- A clear desire to climb the mountain
-- A willingness to train and be fit for the climb (training done in your own home)
-- A commitment to the promise to train diligently for at least 1-2 months
-- An absence of serious physical impairment or sickness
-- A willingness to attend 2 training sessions before the climb (for assessment & briefing)

TAKING THE DECISION NOW - NO TURNING BACK

Your decision should be one that does not leave room for turning back. The climb will be made under the direction of someone who has climbed Mount Kinabalu 52 times. The program is woven into a structure of fun, enjoyment, camaraderie, encouragement and accomplishment. You will probably have the "time" of your life and it will bring home many precious lessons as we journey together to make our experiences richer and more secure.

PART TWO

AN ADDITIONAL NOTE FOR CLIMBERS

DEAR CLIMBERS,

TAKING A COMMITMENT EARLY IS WORTHWHILE

Imagine achieving the climb to the top - standing at Low's peak with the wind blowing in your face and knowing that you have achieved something extraordinary in your life. That is enough motivation for you to make the early commitment.

MOST ORDINARY PEOPLE CAN MAKE IT IF THEY DO IT RIGHT

Climbing Mount Kinabalu is definitely attainable and most ordinary people can do it! I have brought more than 1,500 people up to the top and the satisfaction they have in reaching the top is exhilarating. My role is to make sure you arrive at the top. My responsibility begins when you confirm to me that you will climb. The journey begins at that point because I will start preparing you (supply you with notes) and imbue in you the right thoughts - thoughts of a winner!

4 things to make you succeed - my "Champions formula"

I use the same 4 points to produce and develop champions in my coaching programs for young people. It is these same 4 points that will definitely get you to the top!

• Desire - you must have an overwhelming desire to climb the mountain!


• Dedication - you must have a commitment that will make you pay the price of training


• Discipline - you will train and prepare even when you don't feel like it


• Determination - you will continue even when you think you are failing

Nothing can stop you from succeeding if you carry the 4"D"s above into the climb.

OUR ROLE IS TO GUIDE AND ASSIST YOU TO THE TOP

ADVANTAGES OF CLIMBING WITH ME

Why climb with me? The answer is very simple and it is listed below:

• I have climbed it 52 times & I will use that experience to help you succeed.


• I know the intricacies of organizing the climb and will take away much of the administrative things that have to be done. You only have to climb.


• Safety is given paramount importance & risk is managed effectively. Every precaution like having more guides & people not carrying their things is arranged.


• The whole climb is an exercise of "encouragement". The climbers are broken into groups and they are encouraged to spur each other on. There is a huge sense of camaraderie and many end up as life-long friends after the climb.


• Clear guidelines are given to each climber on what to bring, what to wear, what to do, how to do it, etc. It takes the guessing out from each climber. More importantly, every climber is given information on what to expect.


• Food is usually well-organized on the trip and effort is made to arrange meals at great places like the prawn farm.


• The "best of Sabah" is the experience. You will be entertained on our climbs. There will be singing & sharing and each one is given song sheets to sing songs of motivation. Everyone will have a great time as they let their hair down and join in the fun.

AGAINST YOUR POSITIVE RESPONSE TO CLIMB WITH ME...

If you decide to climb with us, we will make the necessary arrangements and do the following:

• Brief you about the climb
• Give you clear guidelines
• Provide you with lessons on the "home-exercise" program
• Run training sessions to test you on fitness
• Arrange trips to Bukit Tinggi - you will walk similar trails like Mount Kinbalu's
• Make the bookings for the climb
• Brief you on travel arrangements
• Lead you on the whole trip to Sabah and the mountain

YOU WILL NEED TO MAKE A COMMITMENT

Success in life is about commitment! It is about the inexplicable call to achieve greatness and goodness. No summit was ever reached without dedication and no goal was ever attained without difficulty. The true measurement of a man or a woman is when the odds are stacked heavily against him or her. This is the key that opens every door of excellence!

I look forward to having you on this climb and I will make sure you stand on the summit of the highest mountain in South-East Asia and know that for once in your life, you have done something far beyond your normal capabilities and competencies.

"Feel the wind in your face!"

PART THREE

MOUNT KINABALU CLIMB QUESTIONNAIRE

PART FOUR

MT KINABALU - LIKELY TRIP SCHEDULE

Day 1...
07-15am KL to KK (Those on this flight will arrive 2 hours earlier)
09-30am KL to KK
01-00pm Depart for Salut
02-00pm Lunch at Salut Prawn Farm
05-00pm Arrive at Pines Hotel, Kundasang - Acclimatisation
07-00pm Dinner (Provided)
08-30pm Briefing
09-30pm Free Time

Day 2...
06-00am Wake-up call
07-00am Breakfast (Provided), Lunch (Provided)
07-45am Check-in Sabah Park for registration
09-30am Climb begins at Timpohon gate
04-30pm Arrive at Laban Rata
06-30pm Rest & Relax
07-30pm Briefing on next day's climb
08-30pm Free time
10-00pm Sleep

Day3...
06-00am Wake-up call
06-30am Breakfast (on your own)
07-00am 2nd day climb begins from Laban Rata
10-45am Reach Low's Peak - the objective
11-30am Descent to Laban Rata
03-00pm Laban Rata - Lunch (on your own)
03-30pm Rest & Relax
06-30pm Dinner at Laban Rata (on your own)
09-30pm Sleep

Day 4...
06-30am Wake-ip call
07-00am Breakfast
07-30am Descent to Timpohon & Park HQ
12-30pm Lunch at Park HQ (on your own)
01-30pm Board bus to KK
03-30pm Arrive at KK
04-00pm Check in to hotel in KK
04-30pm Rest & Relax
06-30pm Dinner at Supertanker (Provided)
07-30pm Free time

Day 5...
08-00am Breakfast (on your own)
09-00am Island snorkeling
12-30pm Lunch (on your own)
02-00pm Pack to go home
03-00pm Leave for KK airport
05-10pm Board plane for KL
09-00pm Home Sweet Home

CLIMB SCHEDULE

PART FIVE

ASSESSMENT OF FITNESS FOR MT KINABALU CLIMB

We will assess you on your fitness 2 months before the climb & a last one 2 weeks before the climb to determine your fitness & to see if you are in the condition to make it.

The tolerance test is simple. 3 readings are taken of your heart beat (pulse)

READING 1
The first one is your base rate taken at rest. This tells us your approximate base condition. A lower reading is generally reflective of a fitter base although this may not necessarily be the case as certain medical conditions may alter the reading. Assuming you are normal and without ailments and not anemic for whatever reasons, a reading of (say) 64 will probably mean that the person is fitter than a person whose reading is 76. The average reading for a healthy adult man is between 68 to 78 and a healthy adult woman is between 74 to 84. Children will usually post faster heart beats.

READING 2
The second reading is taken after 10 minutes of a fairly strenuous exercise (usually the step exercise on one step taken at 30 steps per minute).. This reading indicates the fitness tolerance level of that person and it is a clearer indication of the actual fitness level of the person. This is how fast his heart will need to beat to cater to the exercise and how efficient his general condition is in catering to the exercise. Consequently someone who has a reading 64/145 may indicate that his base rate is not actually reflective of his fitness. The variance of 81 shows that he is not fit at all and might even have a problem with his health. The person with a reading of 76/145 might indicate that this person is not quite fit but the variance of 69 is more acceptable. It is quite usual for normal UNFIT men to have a reading 78/145 or 82/155 or 72/140. The woman will usually have slightly higher readings and it is not unusual for a normal UNFIT woman to have a reading of 84/150 or 90/160.

Can such relatively normal unfit people climb and reach the peak of Mount Kinabalu? The answer is YES! But they will go through intense endurance and struggle somewhat So be forewarned. Prepare yourself well and you will have a good climb.

It is amazing what training can do to a person's base fitness level.. Time and again, I have seen people who had readings of (say) 78/145 go down to 68/125 after about 2 months of good rigorous training. Imagine what the improvement would have done to their health!!! My friends, if you are now at 78/145, once you have experienced the 68/125 condition, you will never want to go back to your previous condition of being lethargic and tired most of the time. If you feel tired and unfit (this is the platform for sicknesses and diseases to come in) and you want to improve your condition, just carry out the training program that we will work our for you in preparation for the Mountain climb and feel the difference after just two months!!

READING 3
Just the 2 readings of base / tolerance alone will not tell the complete story. Although it will indicate your fitness, the true picture of you fitness will only come with the third reading which indicates recovery. This 3rd reading is taken of the heart-beat after 5 minutes of resting from the strenuous step exercise. It is a reading of your condition after your have had time to recover. If your recovery is great, the mountain will not be a problem. Why? Because each time you pant and wheeze, a little bit of rest will see you recovering your base position. Such people climb the last part of the mountain with relative ease.

The likely reading of an UNFIT person would probably be 78/150/135 or 76/155/133 (Men). For women the reading will probably be a little higher. For such people, a little bit of strenuous exercise will have them wheezing and panting and after that, they will just sit there stony-faced and worn-out because they have not really recovered from their ordeal. How sad and how terrible to be in this condition. Such people will never be able experience the best of the outdoors and to understand how wonderful it is to be fit and really well. Many go through life in this terrible condition much like driving a car with punctured tyre and a battered engine. The good news is all this can be changed in only a short time. Just do the program that I designed faithfully and you will get to be in the condition that is ideal and the bonus is you will climb and reach the top of Mount Kinabalu with relative ease.

After about 2 1/2 months of training, the readings of unfit people could probably drop down to 68/125/80. Such a person will have little problem handling the mountain as it will only be the attitude that will need to be called into question on the climb proper. The readings never fail to tell the condition of the person and it is an extremely interesting way to get people to hunker down to realizing where they stand. Many heart problems, diabetic problems and other sicknesses could be averted if people choose to be fit. So choose wisely and be blessed!

Prepared by Ong Hock Siew

PART SIX

TRAINING PROGRAM FOR MT KINABALU CLIMBERS

The program outlined here is a simple exercise program that has been used (with some modification over the past 25 years) for the Mount Kinabalu climbers who have done the climb with me. It is a simple program that focuses on improving your fitness level, you lower body strength (especially the knees and ankles) and your tolerance levels. It is importantly a low-impact program that the very young and the very old can do. It is also very simple such that no special equipment is required.

The base inputs of this training program came from seasoned and veteran climbers who have climbed the high mountains in the world. Feel free to adapt the program by adding in your other exercises and complement it with additional runs and trips as you think suitable. For people with LITTLE TIME and little avenues to do sophisticated training, keeping to the recommended regime will help you make the Mt Kinabalu climb successfully. Physical exercise as preparation for the climb should begin at least 2 months before the climb. This is the recommended 2 month schedule (9 weeks) and you can start earlier with the program as it will make you even more ready for the climb.

Week 1 & 2
First do a Tolerance test
Daily (morning), do warm-up exercises (a series of exercises for neck, shoulders, arms, waist, knees & legs (2 minutes)
4 times a week, do the step exercise (walking up and down just one step at 30 steps per minute pace) at home… for 12 minutes
4 times a week, do the stomach strengthening exercises (lying on back lift head and legs together)… … 80 times
2 times a week, do 2 circuit of the Bukit Kiara hill trek (or equivalent)

WEEK 3-4
Daily morning, do warm-up exercises (a series of exercises for neck, shoulders, arms, waist, knees & legs (2 minutes)
4 times a week, do the step exercise (walking up and down just one step at 30 steps per minute pace) at home… for 16 minutes
4 times a week, do the stomach strengthening exercises (lying on back lift head and legs together)… … 100 times
2 times a week, do 2 circuits of the Bukit Kiara hill trek (or equivalent)

WEEK 5-6
Do another tolerance test
Daily morning, do warm-up exercises (a series of exercises for neck, shoulders, arms, waist, knees & legs (2 minutes)
5 times a week, do the step exercise (walking up and down just one step at 30 steps per minute pace) at home… for 25 minutes
5 times a week, do the stomach strengthening exercises (lying on back lift head and legs together)… … 150 times
2 times a week, do 3 circuits of the Bukit Kiara hill trek (or equivalent)


WEEK 7-8
Daily in the morning, do the warm-up exercises (a series of exercises for neck, shoulders, arms, waist, knees & legs (2 minutes)
5 times a week, do the step exercise (walking up and down just one step at 30 steps per minute pace) at home… for 30 minutes
5 times a week, do the stomach strengthening exercises (lying on back lift head and legs together)… … 200 times
2 times a week, do 4 circuits of the Bukit Kiara hill trek (or equivalent)

WEEK 9
Daily in the morning, do the warm-up exercises (a series of exercises for neck, shoulders, arms, waist, knees & legs (2 minutes)
5 times a week, do the step exercise (walking up and down just one step at 30 steps per minute pace) at home… for 40inutes
5 times a week, do the stomach strengthening exercises (lying on back lift head and legs together)… … 200 times
2 times a week, do 4 circuits of the Bukit Kiara hill trek (or equivalent)


Remember, 3 days before the climb, you should start tapering off in the intensity of the exercise schedule. 2 days before the climb, you should only do very light exercises. In fact when Sabah is reached, the exercise regime should be reduced significantly (to very mild) and the climbers should be very relaxed. Tolerance test can be done as often as possible by climbers.

Remember “winners never quit, quitters never win!”

PART SEVEN

MOUNT KINABALU CLIMB 4 -8 APRIL 2008

COST OF CLIMB