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pull ups


Eve

11-Dec-2006
12:34:56 PM

what are people's views on the importance of pull-ups (the more you can do the better?) for training? and do you have any good tips for pull-up training?


mousey

11-Dec-2006
12:42:56 PM

i think they're overrated
i dunno about at the moment im pretty weak, but at one point i was able to do about 45 or 50 pullups without too much trouble, and about 5 or 6 onearms- and i didnt tick anything harder than 23!!


Robb

11-Dec-2006
12:50:40 PM

did that impress the chicks josh? you must have been a beast.

Nottobetaken

11-Dec-2006
12:51:21 PM

An amusing discussion on this topic features in a recent Climb (UK magazine) - only they were questioning the relevance of one-arm pull ups versus climbing performance. They used the one-armer as their measure of maximum strength. Some of the UKs top climbers were interviewed, with results ranging from a V14 boulderer who couldn't do one at all, to someone that had climbed at a max level of 32, and could do 4.

The classic comment was this though: "At my fittest, I could do 4 one-armers (in a row), but at the time I was sharing a house with Malcolm Smith - and he could do 12 - so I always considered myself to be the house weakling." - Neil Gresham.


mousey

11-Dec-2006
12:57:19 PM

On 11/12/2006 beefy wrote:
>did that impress the chicks josh? you must have been a beast.

nah they thought i was a loser, at least some things dont change

retro: i think training body tension & flexibility is way more important

Stuey

11-Dec-2006
1:20:32 PM

Pretty pointless imho. Finger strength, power/contact strength + good body tension are the way forward. Train these well and you'll go a long way.

And 1-armers a just a good party trick.


BigMike

11-Dec-2006
1:20:56 PM

Many strong female climbers I know can't do a single pullup.

Including the famous Yonnie, who recently flashed Kachoong.

Perhaps beefy blokes should quit the pull-up bar and learn to straight-arm and use their feet...?


Eve

11-Dec-2006
1:26:16 PM

thanks, BM, I was beginning to feel really bad...

Nottobetaken

11-Dec-2006
1:28:54 PM

>thanks, BM, I was beginning to feel really bad...
There's nothing wrong with being weak and slappy - and I should know (I've been researching it for years).

gfdonc

11-Dec-2006
2:38:21 PM

On 11/12/2006 BigMike wrote:
>Including the famous Yonnie, who recently flashed Kachoong.

Naah, BigMike, I have seen Yonnie do two pull-ups in a row at Cliffhanger one night.
Which really proves your point I guess.

Pull-ups do help, but I reckon part of the benefit is in developing the upper abdominals - which you can do more specifically with a pull-up bar by:
- pulling up with knees up, thighs parallel to the floor, or
- from a hanging position, bring your legs up & between your arms, then back down. i.e. do a "curl" from the hanging position until your knees are between your elbows.

See also http://www.nicros.com/New%20Training%20Center/Pull-up%20Training.shtml


BigMike

11-Dec-2006
3:32:49 PM

On 11/12/2006 gfdonc wrote:
>On 11/12/2006 BigMike wrote:
>>Including the famous Yonnie, who recently flashed Kachoong.
>
>Naah, BigMike, I have seen Yonnie do two pull-ups in a row at Cliffhanger
>one night.

Well she tried and failed to do just one at Climb-fit.

Then again, OJ Simpson "couldn't" get those black leather gloves on in the courtroom ...

I think a charge of perverting the course of climbing justice will shortly be filed...


Rupert

11-Dec-2006
3:52:04 PM

It been posted before I know - but this version has got to be more climbing strength specific:
http://www.dragondoor.com/cgi-bin/articles.pl?rm=mode3&articleid=137

11-Dec-2006
4:26:29 PM

hmmm...this is an interesting thread!

On 11/12/2006 Rupert wrote:
>It been posted before I know - but this version has got to be more climbing
>strength specific:
>http://www.dragondoor.com/cgi-bin/articles.pl?rm=mode3&articleid=137

i'm not convinced that pinching strength translates to climbing in australia very well. If anything, i'd think its a major drawback of conventional training. If you watch most climbers closely they tend to pinch nearly every hold indoors - is this really an effective means to train, when so many of our cliffs tend to favour open handing & crimping ?


nmonteith

11-Dec-2006
4:58:15 PM

very true kp. australia just doesn't have pockets and tufas which require pinches.

11-Dec-2006
5:37:42 PM

does anyone have any other training theories ?

It makes for interesting discussion (outside the usual bitching and slander) ...

One day hero

11-Dec-2006
5:41:12 PM

On 11/12/2006 nmonteith wrote:
>very true kp. australia just doesn't have pockets and tufas which require
>pinches.
Well......I guess that's true if you're a victorian woofter who doesn't get to bungonia or point perp enough! Not stacks of tufa action but plenty of pinching between pockets.


cruze

11-Dec-2006
5:50:52 PM

You have a quick draw Damo...

Interesting point kp. On a pretty rudimentary level one thing that frustrates me (and there are many) when I climb indoors is routesetters focussed on the movement of the upper body but not the lower. Having a bit of weight about me I enjoy using my feet when outdoors on v. small holds, yet indoors I find myself constantly struggling to use a similar technique on steep poorly featured walls and I end up pasting my feet and feeling like I am bouldering more than route climbing. Not saying it happens everywhere or all the time (not at all). On the few occasions I have climbed at SICG I have enjoyed their generous spray of screw-ons - doesn't need to be much.

Just an observation.


Robb

11-Dec-2006
5:55:59 PM

here's a thought.
in terms of training. always try to use your thumbs on holds. a strong thumb and ability to use it on more different holds allows you to hang on harder.
pinches ,crimps and thumb catches all make holding on a whole lot easier.

- R

Nottobetaken

11-Dec-2006
10:59:42 PM

On 11/12/2006 beefy wrote:
>here's a thought.
>in terms of training. always try to use your thumbs on holds. a strong
>thumb and ability to use it on more different holds allows you to hang
>on harder.
>pinches ,crimps and thumb catches all make holding on a whole lot easier.
>
>- R

- spoken like someone who has mastered the art of 'The Five Fingered Crimp'...

maxdacat

12-Dec-2006
2:41:40 AM

there is an interesting article on Neil's site by Malcom:

http://www.climbingmasterclass.com/training/protips.asp?author=2

i've always generally been able to do about 10 maybe a little more or little less but my climbing has come on a bit in the last year....6c to 7b (on a good day!) but that is more just time on rock rather than loads of pull ups.

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