Do More Vert.
Become more capable for all of your outdoor adventures. Master core engagement, stride and agility for the trails, increase power-to-weight ratios for the climbing wall, and handle your pack for endless miles in the backcountry. Do more vert.
Pick your sport
Balance your leg muscles for steep climbs and descents, build single-leg stability, and track your macros for vert.
Mobility with strength, power-to-weight ratio, finger and tendon resilience, and core and shoulder integrity for steep overhangs.
Heavy load-carriage capacity, lower back and hip resilience, and what to carry, planned with PackList.
One system for the whole trip
Train, pack, and find your people.
How it works
Two minutes: your sport, your goals, your schedule, any injuries. I review every one.
A baseline on strength, aerobic fitness and mobility, for home, gym or both.
Log in the app. Each week I send a short video reviewing your logs and your lifts.
What clients say
Julian and I worked together for the better part of three years. When I met him I had a bum knee, couldn't run, and was in an awful headspace. In the first six months I dropped ~20lbs, in the following eighteen I put on ~15lbs of muscle. Despite going literally from couch to three hours of working out a day five days a week I was never injured at any point in those three years. Over that time Julian and I built a friendship and I learned how to take care of my body. It's been four years since I first started working with him and the spreadsheet he gave me to help me track my nutrition and workouts is still an integral part of my daily routine.
Ways to train
Start small. Move up when you want more coaching.
6 weeks in the app on your sport's program.
- Program for your sport
- Log and track every session
12 weeks with a group.
- Everything in Trial
- Group training block and check-ins
Your program, adjusted by me every week.
- Weekly video review of your training
- Form checks by video, answered within 24 hours
- Mid-week check-in
For a big season. Limited spots.
- Everything in Async coaching
- Training planned around your races and trips
Questions
What is Do More Vert?
Do More Vert is strength, mobility and nutrition coaching for trail runners, climbers and backpackers. Julian Soto, a licensed physical therapist assistant, coaches it, and your training runs in the MindBodyBoat app.
How do I prevent elbow tendonitis in bouldering?
Build climbing volume gradually, warm up before hard moves, and leave rest between hard sessions. Add slow, controlled forearm and wrist strength work, plus pressing to balance all the pulling. If elbow pain sticks around, see a doctor or physical therapist.
What is the ideal macro split for trail running vert?
There isn't one fixed split, because carbs should rise and fall with your training. Sports nutrition guidelines commonly suggest about 5 to 7 g of carbs per kg of body weight on moderate days and 6 to 10 g on heavy endurance days, 1.2 to 2 g of protein per kg, and the rest from fat.
How do I train my legs for steep downhills?
Your quads absorb the load as they lengthen, so train that directly: slow step-downs, split squats and gradual downhill repeats. Add volume slowly, because new downhill work causes a lot of soreness at first.
How heavy should my backpacking pack be?
A common rule of thumb is no more than about 20% of your body weight for a loaded pack, and less is more comfortable. Base weight is everything in the pack except food, water and fuel, so that's the number to cut first.
How much time does it take?
Two to three hours a week, built around your work and your time outside.
Do I need a gym?
No. Programs come in home, gym and hybrid versions.
I have an injury. Can I still train?
Tell me in the intake. As a licensed physical therapist assistant, I build training around it. Diagnosis and treatment stay with your doctor or physical therapist.
Start your intake
Two minutes. Then pick a time for a 15-minute call with me.
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Your coach
I built Do More Vert because the mountains ask things of your body that a normal gym program ignores. I'm a trail runner and a licensed physical therapist assistant training for LA28, and I coach on the same system I use.
I trained for and finished the Broken Arrow Iron Crown at Palisades Tahoe: the Iron Face climb, the 23K and the 46K across one multi-day race event, roughly 45 miles and 16,000 ft of climbing. I also run the Broken Arrow 11K and get faster every year.