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Chockstone Forum - General Discussion

General Climbing Discussion

Author
Training tips

mhatfield
16-Nov-2005
5:19:26 PM
I've just moved up to 18-20 indoors and would like to get to 24/26 by mid next year (lead). Can anyone suggest any type of climbing training. I am a personal trainer, so general strength and fitness is not a big issue. What I would like to know is more along ... should I boulder more, should I lead more etc. I climb 3 days a week every week, but don't have too much structure apart from "I might give that one a try tonight"...

HELP!!!!
Rosie
16-Nov-2005
5:48:19 PM
You just need to do more climbing. If you go 2 nights per week indoors you'll get strong pretty fast. Just don't overdo it and give yourself an injury.

I also find that climbing outdoors is good for improving technique (and therefore pushing the grades, if that's what you're into), even though you'll be climbing lower grades. It helps your footwork, and helps you to find clever rests for placing gear.
gfdonc
16-Nov-2005
9:23:16 PM
Hmm .. climbing + personal trainer .. here goes:
Mike, by chance did you use to boulder at Flemington before it burnt down? Have we had a beer together at the Redback pub? If so long time no see!
- Steve
rod
17-Nov-2005
12:11:21 AM
the only training tip i've have is a few words of caution.

as you'll probably already know, muscles strengthen to accommodate the stress of climbing/sport faster than the structures attaching them to the bones. i've found cartilage/tendons in parts of the fingers and elbows problematic this past 2 months. if you haven't got it already i suggest you pick up the petzl title "one move to many" before launching into it high stress training to gain some pointers on how to mitigate some climbing specific overtraining injuries. i've found it quite useful.

here's where i'm probably meant to say "now i climb like HB!", but actually i don't despite a fair bit of climbing...getting to that level takes a little time.
Goodvibes
17-Nov-2005
8:37:30 AM
Check out http://www.nicros.com/New%20Training%20Center/Home.shtml and http://www.planetfear.com/search_articles.asp?at_id=8 as well as https://www.moonclimbing.com/index.php?form_action=school

Make sure you get adequate rest in between sessions and don't over do it.
dalai
17-Nov-2005
9:45:41 AM
On 16/11/2005 mhatfield wrote:
>Can anyone suggest any type of climbing training.

One word - Technique. As you already have a good fitness base, technique will be the most important component of climbing to focus on.

As it takes many repetitions of a single movement to have the movement engrams engrained. And as every time you do a move (whether with bad or good technique) you store the engrams. The longer and more you climb with bad technique, the longer it will take to rectify the incorrect and inefficient movement engrams!

Get a technique coach, read up as much as you can on the topic (Performance Rockclimbing by Dale Goddard and Udo Neumann is a good book to start with) and as already suggested get out and climb a lot - with the emphasis being with good technique every time, even if fatigued!

Ditch the leading indoors - waste of time as it won't let you focus on technique, rather you have all the other factors to consider ie. not falling with the rope around your leg, missing a clip etc.

Analyse your strengths and weaknesses and formulate a training plan based on focussing on the weaknesses, as you will make the biggest gains this way. Constantly re-analyse and make adjustments to your training as you progress...


cruze
17-Nov-2005
11:13:33 AM
Echoing those comments Dalai.

I reckon that almost anybody can climb what may be graded 18-20 indoors with a bit of enthusiasm. I don't mean to be patronising - from personal experience and watching those around me over the years most people's natural strengths and weaknesses will cause them to plateau around there. The rate of increase after that will be much much slower.

Consistently being able to climb 24-26 would only be possible with training all facets of climbing. Strength, endurance, technique, mental, etc etc... I don't think that climbing more is the right way of going about it. If you wanted to be serious (and I assume by the fact that you are a personal trainer you therefore understand the true benefits of training) then read and maybe team up with someone who climbs well and listen to what they say, then climb. (sounding very Yoda like...)

Disclaimer: I don't "train" and also don't "consistently climb 24-26". Other aspects are more important to me.

mhatfield
17-Nov-2005
1:07:40 PM
Thanks for your advice. I would have thought leading indoors would help ... especially with improving confidence outdoors. I find with most climbs if I'm top roping I can do them without too much drama, leading makes me focus more on body position, footwork etc. That being said I generally only lead indoors if I have top roped a climb a few times to make sure I have the sequences down ...

I am still yet to get outdoors and see if what I'm practising has meant anything though.

mhatfield
17-Nov-2005
1:11:19 PM
Nah mate, not me. I only discovered climbing this year, and now I'm addicted. I've had a look at your details ... I'm impressed ... I can only hope that I get to achieve a quarter of what you have ... without the skiing thing ... I can't quite comprehend voluntarily freezing myself.

mhatfield
17-Nov-2005
1:23:02 PM
I would love to agree, but I have found without having technique lessons, climbing a 20 would be almost impossible even with maximum enthusiasm. Though I do understand your point about people plateauing around this level and that's what I am wanting to avoid.

The reasoning behind me geting to 24-26 is an attempt to do myself justice at next year's Vic Titles (masters) comp, although i would climb anything purely and simply for the satisfaction and mental clarity I get from it.

I am only now starting to hook up with more experienced climbers and learning from them ... having only been climbing for a grand total 8 months, it's taken me a while to get comfortable in the new environment (I used to be team sports and gym oriented). I certainly have found the benefits of listening to be significant though.

Thanks mate.

mhatfield
17-Nov-2005
1:26:01 PM
Thanks for your advice. I get to climbing three times a week and have found my strength to be no problem, although not having much joy with pinches (I did a ligament in my hand and was out for four weeks trying a new climb starting off a pinch).

I'm pretty keen to get outdoors and don't care what level I start at, the whole purpose behind me climbing indoors is to get outdoors, though I don't seem to be able to find anyone indoors that actually gets out over weekends etc, the ones that do get out seem to do the massive trips.

thanks for your help.
dalai
17-Nov-2005
1:41:23 PM
On 17/11/2005 mhatfield wrote:
>Thanks for your advice. I would have thought leading indoors would help

Not for technique training focussing on movement. I don't recall ever seeing gymnasts pulling out new moves in the middle of a competition. They will spend hundreds of hours solidifying the engrams for just that new movement before incorporating it into the routine!

>I would love to agree, but I have found without having technique lessons,
>climbing a 20 would be almost impossible even with maximum enthusiasm.

Not really, a 20 indoors is readily achievable for most people with a bit of persistence and time. Remembering also that indoor routes tend to be easier for the grade anyway. Obvious holds and sequences and just generally softer grading (a happy customer is a returning customer).

nmonteith
17-Nov-2005
2:15:23 PM
Work your weakness. I imagine being a personal trainer you have natural strength - thus steeper routes
are probably easy for you. Focus on the thin techincal slabs, or the 'feature' routes - the ones with big
blobs of fibreglass and flakes/cracks. Developing the ability to use everything you can find is the key to
climbing outdoors. Flexibility is also quite important. Removing bulky weight can be helpful - there is no
need for massive leg muscles or giant pecs when climbing!

mhatfield
17-Nov-2005
2:34:39 PM
Right there with you. Believe it or not, I have found myself keeping the around the same weight, but losing the fat much quicker than I ever did in the gym. That being said .. knee reco's have taken care of the leg muscles and common sense took care of the rest. I'm a strong believer in functional strength, not self indulgent mirror gazing.

You're right, I do find the overhangs and things easy, though not as enjoyable as the slab work and climbs that actually require some thought and body movement. The hardest part for me I find is having big hands w/ long thin fingers ... strengthening fingers is not an easy task ... nor a quick one.

mhatfield
17-Nov-2005
2:37:19 PM
I take your point. I guess I'm just getting bored with top roping, and bouldering has never done anything for me. I do see it's importance, but find it more frustrating than anything, you get into a good problem, but they all seem to be so short.

Mind you, I'm only talking about the indoor stuff ... i am yet to venture outdoors for climbing.

shmalec
17-Nov-2005
6:11:04 PM
I'd suggest get outdoors as soon and as often as you can. The kind of goals you are setting regarding comps will fade into insignificance on your first grade 8 multipitch trad belay.

There are 16 messages in this topic.

 

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