Bouldering vs. Routes

[Knottygirl]

I was debating with my climbing partners what is the better training (in the gym) bouldering or route climbing? I thought bouldering is better mentally especially for outdoor leading, while routes build endurance.

[Dechristo]

Training for what? By the skimpy parameters of your post, your best training is a route of bouldery moves.

[Knottygirl]

Training for outdoor climbing. I'm a year into climbing and outdoors I focus on trad climbing. I'm just curious what is better training, boulding or wall climbs.

I already do both, just curious.

[DirtyHarry]

Everyone knows, in the gym, one looks cooler when bouldering.

[RuMR]

...especially shirtless!!... Knottygirl, you should drop the shirt and crank the rads!!

[RuMR]

Seriously, for trad climbing, the absolute best training is to go trad climbing...gym doesn't translate too closely except to sport routes...IMHO

[Knottygirl]

Shirtless of course! Who leads with a shirt. LOL

[Dechristo]

If you're training for trad climbing, you must prioritize the knowledge and skill of building your pro system first; not much point in pushing your climbing envelope if your pro system sucks and you crater while on the sharp end.

 

ergo, what RuMR said.

[DirtyHarry]

Those squeeze chimneys can be a touch rough on the nip's, though.

[DirtyHarry]

If you're training for trad climbing, you must prioritize the knowledge and skill of building your pro system first; not much point in pushing your climbing envelope if your pro system sucks and you crater while on the sharp end.

 

ergo, what RuMR said.

 

I disagree. Better to be strong and inexperienced than weak and inexperienced.

[RuMR]

is taping them aid?

[Dechristo]

Band-Aid

[chucK]

I've found what little gym climbing I've done to be very good for training strength, endurance and balance, all things that translate well to trad climbing. Obviously, there're other aspects of trad climbing that can't be captured well in a gym setting, but it doesn't mean the gym is a waste of time. Sure, if it's a bright sunny 60 degree day at Index and you've got eight hours and a partner available, then surely Index would be a better choice to train for trad climbing than a gym (in fact, it'd actually be trad climbing!). However, if you've only got a couple of hours and/or it's nasty weather, then there are things you can do in the gym to prepare for the "real" climbing.

 

Endurance and balance are definitely going to help, so bouldering or routes are equally good. I find though that well-defined routes help me more for endurance as if I get tired on a boulder problem I usually just jump off. Obviously though, you can force yourself to train the endurance while bouldering, but I've just had more luck at this while climbing (and downclimbing) routes.

 

Another thing you can do to help a little bit is to lead routes in the gym. Just getting used to clipping while pumped, and working on finding a good stance before clipping, is useful. It isn't the full deal of wiggling in a stopper while looking at an ankle breaker, or pulling up the rope from some sketchy slab stance, but it does do a bit for you.

 

So anyway, I'd say boulder or do routes. Work the endurance and balance, and lead stuff when you've got a partner there.

[Johnny_Tuff]

There's not really a right answer, I don't think; at least as far as one or the other. Doing routes will help build or maintain endurance. Bouldering will help crank up the power. Make a conscientious effort to mix it up with some of both (perhaps alternating your gym trips between bouldering days and route days, according to what area of your climbing needs more work), and you'll reap the benefits of both.

 

Even if the type of climbing doesn't translate, the power and endurance will, and you'll be psyched when you stick the deadpoint to the flaring, two-finger, first-knuckle pin scar after hanging there at the crappy stance trying to fiddle in opposed RPs held in with bubblegum and faith for five minutes.

 

Get on it, and have fun!

[Geek_the_Greek]

The deal with climbing at the gym is that it's easy to train for strength, and harder to train for technique. In all types of outdoor climbing, but especially trad climbing, technique improvements will be more useful than strength improvement. Obviously, being stronger will help too (and both bouldering and typical gym routes will help with strength - power, endurance, flow, etc.).

 

To actually train technique, I recommend looking for low-angle, footwork-intensive routes (vertical or slabby). Work on finding rests, leading (if possible), and being smooth. These skills will help most with the realities of trad climbing - subtle footwork, dinking around with gear, and dealing with runouts. Overhanging trad routes are somewhat rare, so the usual steep jug hauls in the gym don't translate that well.

[willstrickland]

Read up on periodization, a general exercise physiology topic.

 

In short, you want to "pyramid" your workouts. This would be an example:

 

Weeks 1-8, focus on continuous movement, lots of laps on realtively easy stuff. You are building a base of endurance here.

 

Weeks 9-12, focus on routes and traverses at or near your limit. You are building strength here and power endurance.

 

Weeks 13-15, focus on hard bouldering. Power is the name of the game here.

 

Week 16, taper off your workouts decreasing volume and intensity.

 

Week 17 - send your project.

Week 18-19 rest.

Repeat.

 

Vary the weeks to vary the cycle length but a ratio around 8:5:3 is a good place to start for the phases. Good luck.

[RuMR]

then...go outside, scare yourself silly even though you are freakishly strong, cuz you have not a clue as how to stand where you are, place gear efficiently and jam...

[G-spotter]

all gym climbs are bouldering, even the ones they make you rope up for

[Knottygirl]

Thanks ya'll!

[dalius]

G-Spotting is aid

[eric8]

of the few kids i have taken out trad climbing. Those who have gotten strong bouldering in the gym seem to do better than those that climb routes. Of course the selection pool for this study is like 10 people and there are gender biases as well like the guys generally seem to boulder and the girls generally climb routes. Though not always the case.

[cluck]

How does pulling plastic 24 inches above a pad prepare you for trad leading 100 feet off the deck?

 

Seems to me that slow laps on longer routes would build up endurance better than short spurts on bouldering problems.

[northwest_dad]

Hard climbing translates to strength and endurance no matter how high you actually go. I built a wall in my garage in December and since then have gotten in way better shape. It is only about 8.5 feet tall and 8 feet wide and 10 feet long/vertically (it's overhanging). I have power i.e short routes and endurance routes marked.

This past weekend I was out at Smith and climbing way harder than my last trip. So I'd say just go climbing on whatever, just push yourself if you want to get stronger.

[mellsbells]

I would do both. I think just climbing as much as you can will help you to be confident and strong, then in turn allow you the time to learn piece placement. If you don't have the strength, then you won't be able to have time to place pieces.

 

This is what I find, anyhow.

[kix]

if you want to boulder and climb routes, fine. but bouldering is bouldering and is not training for anything. except bouldering.

 

bouldering in the gym is just gym climbing. deal.

 

are there no purists in the world anymore?