Questions:

[Kimmo]

the idea that "climbing is the best training for climbing" can certainly be overly simplistic at best, and refuted by the performances of some of the best climbers: think gullich, simpson, moon, woods, usobiaga, bereciartu, etc etc.

 

it helps if you like training, but i've certainly seen my own climbing (sport and bouldering) go way up from dedicated bouts of training, and much faster than when i only boulder or sport climb. i believe i just read about trotter doing nothing but fingerboarding for 4 months before sending Just Do It.

 

something i'm diggin on lately are intervals on the campus board. right now i'm using 3/4" edges only, and laddering up what would correspond to 1 3 5, then matching and reversing back down, holding each hand position 3 seconds. total 20 seconds on, then 10 seconds off, and repeat 6 to 8 times for one set (i'm not there yet! only doing 4 or 5). i'd like to build up to 4 sets in a workout, meaning ~150 to ~200 moves at a pretty high intensity, then move to 3/8" edges and/or longer pulls like 1 4 7. i'm siked to see how old standards feel after incorporating this twice a week into my existing workout for the next 6 weeks. considering how it duplicates the burn of harder routes, i think i already know the answer though....

[John Frieh]

sweet! Pre-TR spray! hope to see some kewl AK pics.

 

photos from AK usually suck

 

enter the suck!

 

 

everybody knows you never use your legs to climb anyways! I walk around on my hands all day! weight lifting is gay and stuff! finger strength is all that matters! muscle imbalance is a myth! Steve House only climbed at smith to train for the Rupal Face! And diet doesnt matter! Or recovery days! Protein powder mixed in beer gives you the perfect carb to protein ratio! I have never bonked on an alpine climb! Hiking is easy for me! WE ALL LIVE IN A VACUUM! :grlaf: :grlaf:

 

All kidding aside Im going to wager a beer that what each of you have different training goals as well as very different training backgrounds and as a result have different strengths and weaknesses…

 

That is exactly why each of you should train differently! ONE SIZE DOESN’T FIT ALL! And that’s what Mountain Athlete and Gym Jones will teach you! HOW TO PROGRAM! PROGRAMMING IS KING! That’s why it’s fucking stupid to follow what some pro does… he or she has a very different training history that you do! What worked for him or her will not give you the same results!

 

XXOO

John

 

PS: Send me a PM or better email or call me if you want to talk training methods.

 

[genepires]

better yet, what is the route John?

[Dane]

Nice fucking tease! That might well deserve a sucker punch later in the week

 

Sounds to me like some suffereing might have been involved by the tone of the post?

[Rad]

Neurological circuits (both in your head and in your limbs) and musculature will be strengthened/reinforced in response to each specific challenge it is given. Train bicep power, get powerful biceps. Train calf endurance, get calf endurance. Train open hand contact strength gain open hand contact strength. Etc etc etc. Obviously stretching, rest, and working opposing muscles can help prevent injuries, and staying healthy is key as you get older like me.

 

With this in mind, let your climbing goals define your training. Want to run up 4000ft of 40 degree ice? Sign up for the Frieh school of pain. Want to boulder V7 on crimpy routes? Listen to Sol. Want to lead all the liebacks on Grand Wall? Lieback as much as possible and do weighted pullups. Want to do RAMROD? Get on the bleeping bike.

 

Sure, x-training can bring you some basic fitness if you're a couch potato, or hone your core and buns if you're stronger, but it probably won't be the most efficient path to your first 11c crimpy redpoint.

 

I used to think climbing harder routes was just about getting stronger. Now I've come to understand that everything, including strength, comes back to the mental aspect. Gullich illustrates this: "the hardest part of training is deciding to start at all". I'd add, the second hardest part is sticking with it.

 

Nice thread despite the advertisements. Thanks for sharing your tips.

 

on

[NRS]

Specificity of practice principle: A well-documented and very useful theory.

[Kimmo]

do at least one pure power (hangboard) work out every week.

 

unless yer doing fast pull-ups on the hang-board, i don't think yer training power; sounds more like yer training strength (which i think is a great power precursor).

 

power is work done over time, so the faster you apply x force, the more power is involved. campusing can be a good power developer, but this requires speed (a campus board can be great for developing strength; just depends on how it's used).