Originally Posted By: Bee
It is my personal opinion (which means it may not be for everyone) that special workouts for Whitney are highly overblown -- just keep moving.

Bee, I concur. Here is an example. Comparison of me on Onion Valley to Kearsarge Pass on 2 occasions during same vacation. First time, turned north to Rae Lakes for 4 days. Then went back down for a day. Second time Onion Valley to Kearsarge Pass and turned south to Whitney. That second time with same load, same weather took 3.5 hrs instead of 4.5. Why was there so much difference time-wise and ease-wise? Acclimatization. If it had been solely a fitness improvement, it would have taken weeks and weeks of pre-hike training to accomplish that. ( of course if you live at height, then....)

This is not to say training is unimportant. Some moderate level of fitness is desireable.

I will conclude with my usual flair for mountaineering quotes with the comment that this is from extreme altitude:
He abided by the Diemburger theory which maintains that slow, no matter how slow, but constant movement is the best way to achieve progress at altitude.
Joe Tasker, Everest the Cruel Way page 84