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Chockstone Forum - General Discussion

General Climbing Discussion

Author

Best climbing exercise

gfdonc

11/02/2010
11:19:16 AM

On 10/02/2010 One Day Hero wrote:
>Actually, it could be blue in the flare and red upside down, but once
>you're looking it'll be obvious

#2 friend worked for me .. that first nut is not far above you, but the move feels sketchy.

Wendy

16/02/2010
7:57:28 PM

On 10/02/2010 JDB wrote:>
>Let me explain my question in a little more detail.
>
>I am an aging climber (turning 50 soon) and lead up to ~grade 20 and are
>keen not to slip backwards...so to speak.. I was interested in the exercise
>people thought had the greatest impact on their climbing. The exercise
>also has to be time efficient ie. not pumping iron for hours on end.
>A mate of mine some years ago thought that the ability to 'lock off' on
>one arm was crucial to be able to climb in the low 20's. So I really like
>D.Lodges suggestion of "Frechies"

I wouldn't stress too much about it. In order to lead 20ish you must be climbing reasonably regularly and if you keep that up, you shouldn't go backwards. The exercise that has had the greatest impact on my climbing has been climbing. As long as you do something to keep yourself fit and minimise middle age spread, I don't think it matters what, most mportant that you enjoy it and therefore actually do it. Then just go climbing. Chances are you are already strong enough, especially in the muscles likely to be worked by chin ups and weights, to climb several grades harder than you actually are. Most people are. I don't think I could do a lock off on 1 arm. But I don't think that's holding me back. Especially not in the low 20s. Plus if you've been climbing a while, you should have developed enough technique to overcome some loss of strength or middle aged spread anyway. So i'd expect just climbing on weekends to be heaps to maintain leading 20. Add a boulder session or 2 in the week and i'd expect upwards progress.


wallwombat

16/02/2010
9:16:33 PM

JBD, there is a really good article on training for older climbers, written by 'super coach' Neil Gresham, in the April 2008 Rock and Ice. It has specialized training programs for climbers in their 40s, 50s and 60s.

If you PM me your address, I'll post you a photo copy of the article.

D.Lodge, I've been doing Frenchies too and think they are great but I reckon if you are doing them everyday, you wont be getting the full benefit of the excersise and you will risk f,ucking your elbows. The middle position (the 90 degrees one) puts a lot of stress on your elbows and to get the full benefit of any high stress excercise, such as finger boarding or frenchies, you need to rest.

One day Hero

16/02/2010
10:31:42 PM

On 10/02/2010 Hugh wrote:
More middle ground that does that. Also, squats,
>use leg muscles. Provided one can hold themselves on the wall, i've found
>core control and lower body strength very important with climbing

So, I just had a quick browse of Dave Mcleod's training book, and he seems to think that Hugh is totally full of shit. Squats for climbing!?! Have any good climbers been into that since John Long in the 70's (and he probably spent most of his climbing time on 70degree granite)

Read some training stuff written by good climbers, ignore weights gym fools who still think squats give "full body strength"

Hugh

16/02/2010
11:20:04 PM

wow good work mate! You also ignored my comment on core work, and 'in my opinion'. Those conclusions are from experience and study. Not some boff reading some dumb book, written by god knows who.
How about adding some decent imput, rather then uneducated slagging off of another climber attempting to aid someone in their question. Really how selfish are you?

Hugh

16/02/2010
11:38:27 PM

Further more, mr hero, acusing me of 'using a gym book' when it looks as though you have read a 'train for climbing' book and suddenly appear to be an expert seems somewhat contradictory.... Well where's your expert opinion?

One day Hero

17/02/2010
12:49:54 AM

On 16/02/2010 Hugh wrote:
>Those conclusions are from experience and study.

What did you study though, Hugh? Personal Trainer stuff at TAFE? F'uck that, all you're learning about is how to train footyheads and to help posers look fit! Did they teach you about climbing?

........... rather then uneducated slagging off
>of another climber attempting to aid someone in their question. Really
>how selfish are you?
>
You're attempting to aid someone in their question, but you're f'cking it up because you don't know enough about climbing (I doubt you're any better than the bloke you're giving advice to)

Wendy, on the other hand, knows her shit. I hope the dude who started this listens to her...........actually, I don't care. If he listens to the experienced climbers he'll get better. If he listens to you, his big gym glutes (from all the squats and deadlifts) will drag him backwards off the routes he's trying and that'll serve him right :)

Hugh

17/02/2010
7:33:35 AM

one day hero, pm'ed you

egosan

17/02/2010
8:30:35 AM

On 17/02/2010 Hugh wrote:
>one day hero, pm'ed you

Awww....

Don't take this off the record, Hugh. It was just starting to get good.

Hugh

17/02/2010
8:42:28 AM

Haha, na i don't actually want to fight with anyone, not over something trivial.. Would like to know how JDB is going with his climbing and whether or not he's tried any exercises?


wallwombat

17/02/2010
8:46:44 AM

That's disappointing.

Hugh

17/02/2010
8:49:35 AM

we need an M9 heh heh heh


JDB

17/02/2010
8:57:23 AM

On 17/02/2010 Hugh wrote:
>Haha, na i don't actually want to fight with anyone, not over something
>trivial.. Would like to know how JDB is going with his climbing and whether
>or not he's tried any exercises?

Did my first set of Frenchies on the weekend.........I guess I will now be able to flash the hardest climb at Cliffhanger tonight, if indeed Frenchies are the best climbing exercise going around !


JDB

18/02/2010
11:38:48 AM

On 17/02/2010 JDB wrote:
>On 17/02/2010 Hugh wrote:
>>Haha, na i don't actually want to fight with anyone, not over something
>>trivial.. Would like to know how JDB is going with his climbing and whether
>>or not he's tried any exercises?
>
>Did my first set of Frenchies on the weekend.........I guess I will now
>be able to flash the hardest climb at Cliffhanger tonight, if indeed Frenchies
>are the best climbing exercise going around !

Because of my new exercise regime I've added some new moves to my climbing repertoire, namely the gaston and the pirouette.....Merci beaucoup

widewetandslippery

18/02/2010
12:45:57 PM

On 8/02/2010 evanbb wrote:
>Drinking.
>
>
>Actually, walking uphill with a heavy pack on. You're not going to improve
>your climbing much without climbing, but if you get fitter for the walk
>in it will feel easier.

I've read this thread with interest. Evans comments above are obtusely accurate.

Training is about preperation for an event.

The more specific the goal the more specific the training.

The less specific the goal the less specific the training.

This does not negate that training hard is better than training soft no matter how specific the goal is. General base load fitness is vital to specific fitness. As is good health.

I think wieghts are good for those at both ends of the spectrum. Fat arses like me who need general conditioning and elite athletes for body maintenance. Those in the middle should climb more.

brettske

22/02/2010
7:51:16 PM

I agree with widewetandslippery regarding goals. I reckon the best method is the steve G. technique.
1. Go to climbing gym
2. Climb the hardest route (you can muster) on the wall.
3. Lower quickly and climb the next hardest, etc..., repeat until you are shattered
4. Have a break and go again

Nothing trains for climbing like climbing.

Bouldering is also a great way to push grades and fitness as you end you doing way more hard moves in a day than you would on route. Plus if you start highballing it builds that elusive mental stamina, which I think is more important at 19 - 24 grades than straight out fitness.


Macciza

22/02/2010
10:34:13 PM

Hi All,
I'll say it again 'YOUR BRAIN' is the most important climbing 'muscle' - Train it . . .
And I'm no 'spring chicken spurt climber' into big ticks and all that shite. . .

Focus on technique and climb with your mind - work out the easiest way to do the moves.
Don't worry about training excess muscle if you aren't going to use it - there are an incredible number
of 'really' strong climbers who climb poorly at quite high grades who have the strength to get away with
it.

Physical training can help but keep it specific - overload for power and intervals for stamina.
Keep it climbing style specific too - ie don't do front lever chinups to train for slabs
Decide what you want to climb and build your training towards that.
Two options here - work out your weakness and train them to gain all-round ability
Or train your strengths and climb what suits you whether its slab or steep . . .

Try to work out what is failing and address that issue specifically for a few months .
If your fingers are giving up - then train them; if your arms can't hold you up train them; if your body
can't get or stay in position train it. But always train your brain!

Specific excercises? Specific Training recommendations?
'System' style bouldering that incorporates fundamental technique (Brain) whilst physically loading the
bits you have decide to train (Fingers, Arms, Body, Legs, Feet). But always train your brain . . .

hero

23/02/2010
9:28:49 AM

Maureen Gallagher once said that climbing is ten percent physical, ten percent mental and 80% drinking.

phillipivan

23/02/2010
10:44:19 AM

Was she drinking Coffee or Whisky? Details are important.


ajfclark

23/02/2010
10:52:24 AM

Why not combine both passions?

There are 64 messages in this topic.