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

training wall to help facilitate weekday climbing. Strive to climb outside as often as possible—every weekend if possible!—to enable learning of the diverse skills and techniques not represented by human-made walls. Serious strength training should be executed according to the 4-3-2-1 Cycle with a strong focus on the intermediate-level exercises described in chapter 7. Any climbing should be done before your strength training, and never climb or do climbing exercises more than a total of four days per week. Train the antagonist and core muscles twice per week, on either climbing or nonclimbing days. Maintain close dietary surveillance during the latter portion of off-season training and during on-season training/climbing. Err on the side of over-resting—the harder you train, the more you need to rest in order to fully recover and avoid overuse injuries! Your time spent training and climbing should break down in the proportions shown in figure 8.6.
SAMPLE WORKOUTS
     
    Every intermediate-level climber has a different “perfect” training program depending on his or her unique physical, technical, and mental weaknesses, as well as time available and climbing goals. Still, actual climbing is the most essential part of this workout program for all accomplished climbers. Targeted physical training is also important, both for the pull muscles and for the antagonist push muscles. Use the three workouts in table 8.4 as templates from which you can build the optimal workout for you. Modify and vary the program over the mesocycle and macrocycle and also in accordance with the principles of training detailed in chapter 5. In the context of the 4-3-2-1 Training Cycle, use the stamina and skill template for four weeks, the maximum-strength and power for three weeks, and the anaerobic endurance workout for two weeks.
SAMPLE MICROCYCLES
     
    Your discipline at planning and executing quality workouts over a seven-day microcycle is a primary factor in determining the results you obtain. Integrating climbing days, hard training days, and sufficient rest days is the crux of the matter. Train too little or rest too little, and you will shortchange yourself. Table 8.5 provides four microcycles to help guide your scheduling. Depending on your access to a climbing wall or rock, select either the weekend-only climbing microcycle or the four-days-climbing microcycle. Use the microcycle as a template for planning your weekly schedule, but recognize that you may need to adjust or deviate from the schedule depending on travel or the need for additional rest. If you’re using the 4-3-2-1 mesocycle, you will similarly need to adjust the structure of the microcycle to accommodate the correct number of weekly workouts prescribed by the 4-3-2-1 program.
SAMPLE MESOCYCLE
     
    Dedicated periods of serious strength training for gains are best scheduled according to the 4-3-2-1 Cycle. Figure 8.2 shows a highly effective ten-week program that allows for adequate rest and thus produces maximum strength gains without the risk of overtraining or injury. High-end accomplished climbers may benefit more by using the 3-2-1 mesocycle as shown in figure 8.3.
    Peak climbing season (when you climb for performance and travel the most) will make it difficult to follow a strict ten-week mesocycle. At these times you may deviate from the schedule by taking two full rest days before a weekend climbing trip and at least a full rest day after the weekend climbing. Often the best in-season training strategy is to develop a seven-day microcycle that best accommodates your weekly climbing while still allowing for at least one “maintenance” training day. When you find a weekly schedule that works, stick with it for several weeks or until you can commit to a more structured 4-3-2-1 regimen.

     
    Table 8.4 Accomplished Climber Workouts
     

     
    Table 8.5 Accomplished Climber Sample Microcycles
     

    Summary of Training for an Accomplished Climber
     
    • Climb up to four days per week and gain exposure to as many different types and styles of climbing as possible. Refine mental and technical skills to maximize economy of movement—the fastest way to becoming a better, stronger climber.
    • Engage in regular, scheduled sport-specific strength training to increase maximum grip strength, upper-body power, and anaerobic endurance. Focus primarily on the intermediate exercises listed in figures 7.1 and 7.5. During a particular workout, always perform actual