Training for Climbing, 2nd: The Definitive Guide to Improving Your Performance (How To Climb Series)

Programs
     

Beginner-Level Workout
     
PRIMARY MISSION
     
    Learn climbing skills and technique, optimize body composition, and improve general conditioning. Engage in mental training to improve thought and emotional control before, during, and after a climb or workout.
WORKOUT GUIDELINES
     
    Climb up to four days per week (ideally climbing outdoors two of the days) and visit at least one new climbing area per month. Reduce body fat with improved dietary surveillance and up to four days of aerobic training per week. Train the antagonist muscles twice per week using the exercises described in chapter 6. If you cannot climb during the workweek, you should instead engage in some of the entry-level pull-muscle exercises in chapter 7. Time spent training and climbing should break down according to figure 8.5.
SAMPLE WORKOUTS
     
    Table 8.2 outlines two beginner-level workouts, one for days when you visit a climbing gym or the other for days when you want to train for climbing but no gym is available. You may need to modify the volume and exercise selection based on your current level of fitness. Furthermore, overweight individuals should engage in additional aerobic training several days per week—see chapter 6 for details on general training.

     
    Figure 8.5 Workout Time—Beginner
     

     
    Table 8.2 Beginner Workouts
     

SAMPLE MICROCYCLES
     
    Two slightly different microcycles are shown in table 8.3—one for those able to climb during the workweek (home or commercial gym, or outdoors) and the other for those unable to climb except on weekends.

     
    Table 8.3 Beginner Sample Microcycles
     

    Summary of Training for a Beginning Climber
     
    • Climb up to four days per week and at as many areas as possible. Climb for volume over difficulty—maximum learning of a wide range of skills and tactics is far more important than the grade of routes ascended.
    • Engage in conditioning exercises that focus on optimizing body composition, improving flexibility, and toning the antagonist muscles. Improved dietary surveillance is crucial for improving body composition.
    • Sport-specific strength training should be limited to the beginner exercises, and actual climbing should be given preference over doing these exercises.
    • Strive for awareness of your thoughts and emotions throughout the day and while climbing. Practice the mental exercises described in chapter 3, and begin using them as part of your preclimb preparations and while on the rock.
     
     
SAMPLE MESOCYCLE
     
    I do not advise the use of a formal strength-training mesocycle (such as the 4-3-2-1 Cycle) for a true novice; nor do I suggest you attempt to climb at maximum difficulty or push excessively hard on the rock. Instead, your medium-term goals should be to increase your volume of climbing as well as the diversity of techniques used. If you climb regularly, it’s prudent to take a week off from climbing every few weeks to allow for systemic consolidation of skills and strengthening of tendons (which take much longer than muscles to strengthen). I propose roughly a 4-1 Cycle in which the above microcycles are executed for four weeks, followed by a week off from climbing and training (except for general conditioning and aerobic activity).
SAMPLE MACROCYCLE
     
    Executing a “perfect” macrocycle is less important for beginners than it is for accomplished and elite climbers, though you can still benefit from some long-term planning relating to possible road trips and when you might take your annual month off. You might simply repeat the 4-1 Cycle throughout the year, except for those times when you’re on an extended climbing trip or taking a month off. Use the blank macrocycle in appendix B to plot your training.

Accomplished Climber Workout
     
PRIMARY MISSION
     
    Maximize economy of climbing movement with constant focus on refining mental and technical skills. Expand motor skills and schema-rules by gaining experience on many different rock types and by avoiding specialization as long as possible. Reduce time spent on general conditioning and increase the volume of sport-specific strength training that targets improving maximum grip strength, lock-off ability, pulling power, and anaerobic endurance.

     
    Figure 8.6 Workout Time—Accomplished
     

WORKOUT GUIDELINES
     
    Climbing three to four days per week (indoors and/or outdoors) is the backbone of this program. For most people, this will require joining a climbing gym or building a home