How to fight gym bouldering newbie boredom

[SplashClimber]

So I get easily bored in the gym when bouldering. I am at a very beginner level. I can do V0's, an occasional V1.

 

So my questions: How can I make bouldering a bit more exciting. Any recommendations on drills, or books that might have drills you can do on your own/bouldering? Maybe if I can get beyond V0's it will be more exciting, but it might take some drills to get there?

[marc_leclerc]

boulder outside

[Rad]

When you get to the top of a v0 downclimb it instead of jumping off. Or if two V0s end at the same hold climb up one and then down the other. Or downclimb any and all holds to get to the start of another v0 and then do that one without touching the floor in between. Watch how other climbers do the routes you do. Any different sequences? If so, try them. Now watch the same climbers on the v1s. Try their sequences to see which ones will work for you. There are millions of other tips to keep from getting bored. Have fun.

[LostCamKenny]

boulder outside

of course when weather prevents this take rad's advice... you can also traverse the wall or around the room using any holds and not touching floor...

[letsroll]

I use to try and do all the vo's and v1's back to back. The only break being getting to the next climb. Then climb the vo's up and down. After you do the vo's get on the v1's. Watch other people do the routes you are having trouble on. Find a route to project.

[mountainsloth]

work a v2. try one on a vertical wall first.

[rocky_joe]

get on ropes and climb bunches of 5.8s & 5.9s. climb until you're so pumped you can't make a fist. do this a few days and go back to that last V1 that gave you grief. It'll go.

the ropes will give you slightly easier, but more sustained movement (power endurance). But since routes take longer to climb you will also learn to be efficient on the "rock." At the V1-V3 level climbing is not so much about single move power but technique, movement and (?) endurance.

 

good luck and have fun.

[selkirk]

I'll second a few -

Traverse

Start working vertical V2's, and project each and every V1 that give you problems.

Mileage: at V1 and V2 you can get by with good technique and not too much strength. Try some top roping, and learn how to move smoothly, precisely, good body control etc.

 

 

My bouldering work outs end up looking something like this (and I'm not really a boulderer ) For me it's been moderately effective. I can see some strength gains going once or twice a week using this.

 

Traverse: 10 min for a warm up

Bouldering: 60 minutes. My standing rule is that I have to have done all the lower grade bouldering problems in the room before I can start working harder ones. (i.e. if there's a new V0 and new V1 I do those first before moving on. If I haven't been in a month or two, then I do ever V0, V1, and V2 in the room before I try anything harder).

Movement: 5 or 10 min. Up and down a vertical juggy wall never setting foot on the ground. Resting on the wall as needed.

Traverse: 10 min (usually fall off once or twice)

 

Workout: (20 min) I rotate through the following circuit 3 times, trying to adjust the reps so that by the end I'm at failure and need a brief rest or two to get through the last set of each activity.

Chin-ups: 10-12

Dips: 15

Back Extensions: 25

Inclined Sit ups: 25

Pushups: 15

 

Stretch: Very thoroughly, focusing on the legs, hips, and core. (15 min)

 

By the end of that I'm utterly trashed and sore for the next two or three days.

 

[LostCamKenny]

 

Traverse: 10 min for a warm up

Bouldering: 60 minutes. My standing rule is that I have to have done all the lower grade bouldering problems in the room before I can start working harder ones. (i.e. if there's a new V0 and new V1 I do those first before moving on. If I haven't been in a month or two, then I do ever V0, V1, and V2 in the room before I try anything harder).

Movement: 5 or 10 min. Up and down a vertical juggy wall never setting foot on the ground. Resting on the wall as needed.

Traverse: 10 min (usually fall off once or twice)

 

Workout: (20 min) I rotate through the following circuit 3 times, trying to adjust the reps so that by the end I'm at failure and need a brief rest or two to get through the last set of each activity.

Chin-ups: 10-12

Dips: 15

Back Extensions: 25

Inclined Sit ups: 25

Pushups: 15

 

Stretch: Very thoroughly, focusing on the legs, hips, and core. (15 min)

 

By the end of that I'm utterly trashed and sore for the next two or three days.

This sounds like a miserable exercise/fitness day at the gym - I definitely know why i don't climb hard

[selkirk]

It's actually pretty fun It's all climbing and hanging out watching the cuties boulder except for the 20 min circuit!

 

I've just found that if I add that circuit right at the end, I'm already warmed up and pumped from bouldering, and I go from pumped to totally trashed in 20 minutes so I seem to get a lot of bang for my buck

I don't have enough time to get to the climbing gym all that regularly (once a week if i'm lucky) so I try and maximize the benefit while I'm there.

[eldiente]

Find a buddy and do 4X4s with some type of work-load in between circuits. There is a ton of variation on this but here's one "buddy" workout that might be less boring than the usual session.

 

Do 4 boulder problems in rapid succession, as soon as the feet touch the deck you go back up. Ideally you start at your red-point max and work backwards, (Ie V7, V6, V5 V4) If you can only do V1s, do 4 of them with no rest between problems. The goal is to be almost falling off from the pump on the last problem, scale accordingly.

 

While you climb, you partner works. Ex 20 push-ups, 20 squats, 30 sit-ups. It really doesn't matter what sort of work, just something to keep the heart-rate elevated. The goal with this active rest is to get you breathing hard before your next set of boulder problems. Sort of like pulling into a small stance on a hard lead and trying to get your breathing under control before launching into the next crux. Even though your "resting" your still on lead, working hard shoved into that stance.

 

Repeat 4 times, total of 16 boulder problems. Fun to do with a partner, everyone gets pumped, even the 5.13 climber will be working hard.

 

-Nate

 

 

[LostCamKenny]

Maybe i should climb in the gym more

Edited October 27, 2009 by LostCamKenny

[stevetimetravlr]

Sometimes I climb hard, but then I think a sad thought and it goes away.

[LostCamKenny]

Sometimes I climb hard, but then I think a sad thought and it goes away.

Mine goes, "Sometimes I climb hard, but then I THINK and it goes away."

[hafilax]

Make up your own problems. Especially to work on skills that you want to develop.

 

Get a laser pointer or a stick and have someone point to holds to move to.

 

Play Add-on with someone of the same level. One person chooses starting holds and does a move. The next person repeats that move and then adds another. Continue until someone can't do a move.

[letsroll]

Sometimes I climb hard, but then I think a sad thought and it goes away.

Mine goes, "Sometimes I climb hard, but then I THINK and it goes away."

 

tru dat, tru dat.....

[LostCamKenny]

Fun to do with a partner, everyone gets pumped, even the 5.13 climber will be working hard.

 

-Nate

 

So even you will be working hard is what you are saying, nate? Where you go to boulder out there in the gorge? is there a gym or do you do it in town? or outside?

[Bishopp66]

A lot of what people are saying here is great info. You can get a more in depth look by reading the Self Coached Climber.

 

20 min - Traverse warm-up

30 min - technique drills

60 - 90 min - projecting

4X4's to finish it off

 

If that's boring, think about naked girls while youre doing it.

[LostCamKenny]

A lot of what people are saying here is great info. You can get a more in depth look by reading the Self Coached Climber.

 

20 min - Traverse warm-up

30 min - technique drills

60 - 90 min - projecting

4X4's to finish it off

 

If that's boring, think about naked girls while youre doing it.

...

[SplashClimber]

Original poster here.... Hey thank-you everyone for all of the great suggestions. My bordeom is mainly when I go to the gym on my own, and this is why I am bouldering. I rarely boulder with a partner, but when I boulder with a partner it is a tad more fun than bouldering alone. With a boulder partner, you have someone to generally just chat with, and also someone to talk over challenges etc. I wish I could be a bit better a initiating conversations with fellow boulderers (sp?) tha show up at gym alone... that would help too . I just feel a bit out of the typical boulder's league, so I have to overcome that and just try not to compare myself to the others! Ok, I just exposed lots of vulnerability... so go easy on me

 

I might try to get more partners to just do some bouldering sessions. I think the more bouldering I do, the better I will get with easily coming up with some stuff to do, while using the great suggestions above.

[jmace]

so I have to overcome that and just try not to compare myself to the others! Ok, I just exposed lots of vulnerability... so go easy on me

 

Thats your fundamental problem right there, you need to get tougher. So shake that sand outta your vag, start doing some pull ups and when you go to the gym ask the dude who just finished the V1 to show you how to do the move you are falling off.

 

Trust me there is nothing more a boulderer wants to do than show someone else how to do the route they just did.

[NWnNE]

what jmace says is key. trust me, every gym boulderer wants to to show off the beta they have. BUT, when at a gym V0/V1 level, only one thing is key in terms of improvement.. and that is time.

 

Go to your local climbing gym at as much as possible. 3-5 times a weeks. do basic stretches to begin. then traversing (but don't pump yourself out). then focus on climbing routes that you can already do easily IN THE BEST FORM POSSIBLE. in other words, do the routes you have "down pat" in the best style you can. Perfect body positioning, QUIET footwork, precise power, etc. In some ways it is better is prefect basics (footwork, body movement), before moving towards harder problems that you may be able to do sloppy now.

 

then go after your "projects" (those routes/problems that you can see yourself doing in a month or so). At this point you should be well warmed up, but not pumped (the key to warming up is to push to the thin line between "pumped" and "flash pumped", that is, the line between being "a little bit worked" and "totally pumped out". Like a track runner getting ready for a race, being "warmed up" means having already pushed yourself a little, a little sweat, a little pump, a little out of breath, all without being actually "tired").

 

Once "warmed up" go ahead and tackle your projects to the best of your ability. Remember that in this V0/V2 realm, your main adversary to success is more likely your technique than it is your power/strength. unless you are a very gifted person in terms of body perception, it is most likely that your failure on a V0-V2 route is due to poor footwork and body positioning. keep this in mind. Pull ups and push ups are key for climbing no doubt, but in the initial stages, they are only secondary to the the ingenuity of the natural movements of the human body. the key now is time. specific strength training, (push ups and pull ups, hangboard) are only actually necessary within the V4 and up/5.12 and up realms. in terms of nutrition, eat lean meats, whole grains, lost of skim milk, and good tasty beers.

 

 

[denalidave]

I found the best way to avoid boulder boredom is not to boulder, as it is boring.

[Kimmo]

Trust me there is nothing more a boulderer wants to do than show someone else how to do the route they just did.

 

[eplanajr]

gym bouldering can be fun, but its better to go with a partner to push each other, that being said...

 

i have a mat and a open seat in my truck, PM me if you wanna go boulder outside sometime, its cold out, but its better than sitting at home bored.