#Braindump; Training, Climbing & Common Sense Tips

This is a bit of a project which will progress over time, the intention is to make a list of common sense approach tips for people who train to climb, whether it to get fitter, better, compete or push it to your maximum!

Feel free to send suggestions through;

1. Stages. Gradually increase your training volume and load in small stages. Pushing too hard too soon could lead to injuries. 
2. Consistency. Progression comes from lots of small steps. Normally this is training followed by rest and recovery. Too much training and not enough recovery can lead to over training and a greater chance of becoming injured. 
3. Your inner voice. If you have negative thoughts in your head you’ll waste your climbing session, be positive. 
4. Practice with purpose. Make sure your sessions count and every session somehow benefits your performance, if it’s not, look at the end goal and change it. 
5. Reflection. All your training and sessions should reflect what you aim to achieve. If your end goal is to onsite 6c then make sure your doing lots of ground work on 6b+ endurance, for example one & ones on 6b+ and four by fours on 6b could help with this. 
6. Have a Routine or a Mantra. Often some form of ‘word with yourself’ can help through the stressful moments to help regroup and refocus. 
7. Targeted training. To improve at any discipline of climbing it is essential to be specific. If you intend to enter the British Lead Climbing Championships you need to be able to lead climb and lead climb well at a specific grade so target your training specifically to what you want to get out of it. 
8. Comfort. To progress in climbing you have to push yourself hard, that means pushing yourself out of the comfort zone, that means falling off, sometimes lots, but to progress you must push through it!
9. Progress. Focus on your progress, knowing what you need to do and break down how you’re going to get there. 
10. Weaknesses. Work them! If you are rubbish at slopers and you know the route you want to do is full of them, then train on slopers, set problems for yourself in the boulder wall or on lead routes to help you work your weaknesses.
11. Back up plan. Whether it’s a route, redpoint, boulder problem, onsight, competition, etc, think about what could happen on route and where it could happen. Write them down and next to each one write down a backup plan. This way you have mentally rehearsed problems and though about them before they happen.
12. Swat up. If you are visiting a new crag to do a specific route, climbing at a competition in another country or off bouldering in the Peak, swat up on the venue, location, logistics, how your going to get there, the walkthrough, what the wall is like, angles, how many quickdraws you need, etc. Familiarity with the place your visiting will help take some of the nerves out of what your going to do and will be one less stress to think about.
13. Partners. Train and climb with people who you can trust and who motivate and bring the best out of you. It’s pointless having people around you who are negative and drag the sessions down.
14. Goals. By setting goals you know what you want to achieve and when. By using the SMART (ER) system (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, Timely (Evaluate and Revisit)) you can break your long term goal into manageable targets meaning your end goal is more achievable.
15. Route Reading. Route reading properly can mean the difference between moving smoothly through a section and wasting energy matching hands, searching for feet or down climbing to fix sequences and should be practiced. Things to consider when route reading include finding the rests, clipping positions, cruxes, alternate sequences, pacing and when you’ll need to move fast or slow and the distances between holds. Route reading can be the difference between success or failure.
16. Visualisation. Think about the your best ever climb, take some time to relax and go through how you felt, your emotions, how you moved on the rock, if you were leading how was your gear, what sounds could you hear, now picture the route or problem you want to do and go through the process but visualise yourself on it, climbing the same way you did before. By visualising you can take a lot of the pre climb nerves away as you are mentally rehersing and going through the process.
17. Guidance. Don’t be afraid to ask for some guidance if needed, from peers, coaches or on the internet, although the latter should not be belived all the time!, there are so many tweaks and things that wok differently in climbing for different people so have a good range of tools to draw from.
18. Planning. Plan when and what your going to eat, how your going to get to the venue/crag, go through how you will warm up well in advance and practice. if your in a competition make sure you know your start time, you could have travelled a long way to find your disqualified for being late.
19. Warm Up. A good dynamic warm up before you climb will get you both mentally and physically prepared. Remember, when you get on the wall whether it’s a qualifier in an international competition or a boulder problem in the peak that your wanting to flash, you should be properly warmed up and ready to pull as hard as you can.
20. Know the start. Take time to look at the start of the route, there is nothing more disheartening than spending loads of time looking at the route, finding the crux and all the rests, thinking you know exactly what to do and where and then you pull onto the wall and fall off the second move, take time over the start.
21. Relax. Nervous tension will naturally cause tightness in your muscles, tight muscles do not preform as well as loose properly warmed up relaxed muscles. Practice drills in your training sessions to get you in a relaxed state of mind. 
22. Pacing. Knowing when to climb fast and when to take your time is important and different for everyone, some people will climb fast through the easy sections and slow through the tricky cruxy section and vice versa, try different speeds and work out what suits you best but always make sure whatever style you choose you keep enough in the tank to top the route!
23. Chalk. Chalk can more often than not be a placebo, you do not need to be dipping your hand in your chalk bag every 2 moves, hanging around dipping could time you out in a competition or cause you to burn out on a route. Make sure you have enough on your hands to get a good way up the route before having to re chalk up, and if you do it as a habit, try to break the habit, practice in training session with out chalk or with chalk on only at the start of the route and no chalk bag, you'll save time and energy.
24. Mental notes. Make a note of the holds that you plan to rest and chalk up from and stick to them, this will give you a focus on route and stop you taking unplanned breaks.
25. Shoes. There are shoes for pretty much every style of climbing make sure you are wearing the right ones but most importantly make sure they fit you properly, don't be tricked into thinking that because 'X' wears 'XX' type of shoes 3 sizes too small you have to do the same to be able to climb as hard.
26. Laces/Velcro. While we're on shoes, make sure your shoes are properly done up before you climb, no further explanation needed!
27. Distance. If the route your planning to do is a 35 meter 7b make sure you have done the distance in your training and endurance work to get you up it! 
28. Drills. Drills are as important to practice as doing routes and boulder problems. They not only create muscle memory but they create move memory and in turn give you the confidence to do that move you were dreading doing 2 meters above that dodgy bit of gear, or like me, 1 foot above the last bolt!
29. Clipping. Practice clipping from all different angles, positions and with different hands, you never know in a competition or on a route the position you might have to clip from. The clip can in some instances be the crux, in a competition if you don't clip in sequence you will be disqualified.
30. Fit for purpose. Make sure the kit you are using is well maintained and fit for purpose, if your looking at a big fall the last thing you want to be questioning is how old and trashed your rope is!
31. P.P.P.P.P.P. - Purposeful Practice Prevents Piss Poor Performance 
32. Listen to your body - especially if your injured! (Tom Bond)
33. Spice it Up. Variety is good - its not good to train one area specifically for too long! mixing it up is good for you. (Tom Bond)
34. Food and Drink. It is important to ensure you are properly fuelled and hydrated before you climb, in a competition it is often overlooked or nerves gets the better, work it into your pre climb/competition routine how much you need to have and that way it becomes second nature.
35. Muscle Memory. Your body will naturally preform better at tasks it has already practised, if you are training for routes, do routes similar to what your goal is.
36. Redpionting. If your goal is to redpoint a route you will have had an opportunity to study the route in great detail, you should ensure you know the moves, style, crux, pacing, clipping positions rest positions and every intimate detail about the route to ensure a good clean ascent.
37. Onsighting. If your plan is to onsight a route you need to work as much as possible before hand to ensure you will be able to deal with all the on route problems you may encounter from not knowing the route. Spending time shaking out, reading moves on route, matching hands, swapping feet, awkward clipping positions and stress can all be worked in the comfort of the climbing wall.
38. Good Intentions. Train as you intend to climb. If you want to climb well and get the route done you want to then you are going to have to work at it. Pick your route goals well, find similar routes and styles of climbing and work them, these will all add to your toolbox of knowledge.
39. Relax. To preform at your best make sure you are staying as relaxed as possible on route, that way you wont be over gripping and burning out or getting pumped.
40. Use your legs. By using your legs wisely you can push, pull and generate momentum through sequences to take the pressure of your arms.

Power Endurance (Routes)

Power endurance can be defined as the ability of your muscles to contract at or near maximum for a greater amount of time.

The more power endurance you have the longer you will be able to pull hard moves. Excellent power endurance is the ultimate goal of a difficulty (lead) competition climber, the ability to pull hard moves after already pulling numerous hard moves. Unfortunately it is also the hardest thing to train properly. It requires the correct blend between strength/power training and endurance training.

Generally power endurance can be described as climbing for 15-40 moves, or 3-8 minutes on the wall. Power endurance can be closely linked with redpointing routes. Especially indoors routes tend to be more consistent meaning that a F7a will have lots of F7a moves stacked on top of each other so that provides the perfect opportunity for power endurance training.

There are several keys to training power endurance:

• Consistent routes - the routes should be consistent without the opportunity for large rests.
  
  
• Power and Strength - the routes should have a mix of powerful moves and smaller moves on bad holds.
  
  
• Desire - power training is mentally hard. You've got to want to get better, getting tired is not a bad thing.
  
  
• Goal - getting to the top without falling. It helps when you are trying to redpoint a route to remind yourself of the goal. It can get boring trying the same route over and over, but as a part of a workout it will make you stronger.

Power Endurance Drills

The following are some drills that you can do on your own or with a partner to increase your power endurance.

Bouldering

Increase the number (volume) of boulder problems that you are attempting in a workout. Decrease the rest time between problems and always start each attempt from the first move (don't work individual moves). This allows you to pull lots of hard moves in a short period of time. Try and do three or four boulder problems in 5 minutes then a short rest 3-5 minutes, and repeat 3-4 times.

Linked Boulder Problems

Linking together two or three boulder problems is a very effective way of extending the number of moves that you are doing. Start with a hard problem that you can barely do, move to one that you can do quite easily but can't stop and rest/recover on, and then move on to a problem that is again quite hard for you. You will have to take this drill into account when you are setting problems or else it will be too hard to link them together. Two things can be accomplished with this drill; one you are climbing lots of hard moves; and two you are climbing routes that you have already done so you should be determined and will yourself not to fall.

With this drill you can partner up with one or two people and rotate through. Attempt each link up 3 times with 3-5 minutes for rest in between attempts. If you are not completing 20 moves then try and change up the boulder problems that you are doing, if you are always completing the linkup then make the boulder problems harder.

This drill is especially effective when you are starting the transition between bouldering and power endurance training. The problems should still be very hard and chances are you will not be on the wall for more than 3 minutes per attempt.

Redpoints

Redpointing routes can be a great way of training power endurance if you are making it at least 15 moves into the route each time and the route does not provide lots of areas for resting. If you do not have long routes available to you then you can link routes together in a similar fashion to the linked boulder problems, or try and be tired by the time you go to start redpointing.

Circuit Training

Make your own climbing circuit of between 20 and 40 moves. The moves should be powerful, consistent and not provide holds for resting. Try to vary the terrain that the circuit crosses and try and distribute the move/hold types evenly for both arms. The great thing about circuit training is that you can tailor it to your needs. You set the circuit for yourself and if it is too easy you can make the holds harder or take away footholds. If it is too hard then add a foothold or make the holds slightly easier. Once again you should try and be on the wall for between 3-6 minutes and attempt the same circuit 3 times in a row with a 5 minute rest in between attempts. On the first attempt you should complete the circuit and on the third attempt you should get very near the end. If you complete it all three times then make it harder, and if you can't complete it the first time make it easier.

Power

Finally the fun stuff. Dynamic movement is a very important part of climbing. While it is more apparent on boulder problems it is just as useful on routes. Using your momentum from a previous move to do the next allows you to do moves easier, using less energy, so you won't be as tired as you move up a route.

Power is a combination of timing and strength. The timing of when to contract different muscles is something learned through practice and training. Generally as you work a boulder problem you are not getting much stronger but you are getting more powerful, learning how to use the strength at the right time. Strength does not come quickly but gradually over time.

There are some key times when power is very useful:

Deadpointing

Deadpointing is when you move dynamically for a small hold and must be accurate. To complete a deadpoint you must be able to generate the momentum required (power) and be able to slow down your momentum, tighten up, at the last instant in order to grab the hold correctly. This requires both timing and power.

Dynos

Yes there will be competitions out there where you may be required to do small or large dynos. This means generating enough momentum to be able to reach a hold that you can't reach statically. The difference between dynos and deadpoints is that with deadpoints you can usually keep your feet, and one hand on and are going to a small hold.

Campusing

Campusing is when all your momentum is being generated by your upper body and is a very useful application of power on some routes. There are instances where it is easier to campus a move than to try and keep your feet on. If the feet are too far away or perhaps too high it may help to have the ability to campus.

Power Drills:

Deadpoint Drill

As described earlier deadpointing is when you move dynamically to potentially a very small hold. You must be accurate and be able to tighten up at the right moment to stick the hold. In order to practice this set up different small holds about eight feet off the ground. Place several good holds between four and five feet off the ground, and then place lots of good and bad footholds between two and three feet off the ground.

Now make some moves from the good holds to the bad ones that require you to be dynamic. Start by using good feet until you are comfortable sticking the bad hand holds, then move to progressively worse feet. Switch the type of holds that you are going to, pocket, pinches, edges, slopers etc... to help increase your ability to latch these holds. You can also increase the distance to these holds and force yourself to blow your feet off in order to reach the holds.

When you are starting do not try to deadpoint to a hold that you must crimp. This can lead to injury very easily and is an advanced skill. Only attempt this from large feet first even then do not try to weight the crimp too much right away.

A good variation on this if you are limited for space is to climb one handed along a wall or just in a fixed area. You will need to generate momentum with one hand and then move it very quickly in order to be able to grab the next hold. Move around between different hold types.

The biggest thing about deadpointing is the timing so as you do these drills concentrate on what feels good and efficient. Some times you will go past the hold, sometimes you won't reach it. Try to determine when you are pushing with your legs, when you are pulling with your arms, and when you start to tighten up in order to grab the holds.

Eventually you will not have to concentrate on these factors when you are deadpointing.

This is why good climbers make it look easy, timing.

Campusing

Campusing is a very good way to build dynamic ability and timing. Here you will have a different goal than the campusing described when strength training, you should be trying to move dynamically and do bigger moves. It is okay to match hands and throw as far as possible. Modify the holds that you are throwing to, and from. The smaller the holds the harder they are to catch, and the harder they are to generate momentum from.

There are four really good variations on campusing for power:

Campus - Big Throws

Start with both hands on the same hold and throw as far as possible to catch a hold, then campus back down to the match and go up with the other hand catch the hold and back down. Do this in sets of three to failure. If you are doing more than 10 reps per set (10 per hand) then you should make the moves bigger, or holds smaller. Do not add weight when campusing.

This drill focuses more on the generation of momentum from the lats and biceps.

Campus - Go Agains

Start with both hands matched on a hold. Go up with one hand, catch a hold and then go up with the same hand again. Go as high as possible (you'll have to fall a couple times to figure this out) then come back down one hold at a time. Then go up with the other hand in the same manner.

This drill focuses more on generation of momentum from triceps and lats.

Campus - Both Hands

Start with both hands matched on a hold. Go up to a hold about 2-3 feet away with both hands at the same time. Go as high as possible, and come down with both hands at the same time as well, but try to do smaller distances.

A good variation is to go up two feet, down one foot, up two feet... with both hands always.

Campus - Bouldering

Try to campus boulder problems that you have already done. This will mean that you have to generate momentum laterally as well as vertically, and have to grab holds from many different angles. You will have to experiment with this one but it can be very effective.

NOTE: I am strongly against any under 18 using a campus board and novices should be fully supervised in the use of them, the BMC have some guidance notes here; http://www.thebmc.co.uk/campus-boards-guidance-on-use  

Bouldering

Last but not least is bouldering itself. Bouldering is a very fun and efficient way to gain power. If you want to build hand strength set a problem with small holds, if you want power set a problem with big moves. Varying the style of climbing will allow you to have a fun and motivating workout. Not only that but it is easy to take a problem down and put another one up.

Try to approach a bouldering workout like any other. Have a goal, a set approach and make sure that you regulate the time between attempts and rest times. Do no try a problem a hundred times in 10 minutes. If you are trying a single move then it may make sense to try it three times in one minute separated by a three to five minute rest.

You may need to stay warm during this time so try and climb other easier problems if you are getting cold.

Arm and Back Strength

Here arm and back strength refers to the muscle strength required to bend your arms, lock off, and move your upper body while climbing. Some of the common names of the muscles required for this are biceps, triceps, lats, and pectorals (pec minor and pec major).

Arm and Back Strength Drills:

Frenchies

Frenchies is a standard drill for building the strength required to lock off in different positions. Start with a pull-up and hold yourself in a fully locked off position for seven seconds, lower down. Do a pull-up and lower yourself until the bend in your arms forms a 90 degree angle, hold for seven seconds, lower down. Do a pull-up and lower yourself until the bend in your arms forms a 130 degree angle, hold for seven seconds, lower down. One rep is finished when you have held all three lock off positions and lowered down. For this workout try to do three sets of 5-8 reps with a one minute rest in between sets. If you can complete three sets of 8 reps then add a little weight. If you cannot complete three sets of 8 reps then add a chair or footholds to take some of your weight.

Typewriters

For typwriters you need two holds of equal size placed between 1.5 and 2 times shoulder distance apart. The greater the distance; the greater the difficulty of the drill. Grab the two holds and hold yourself on one hand at a full lock off for three seconds, using the opposite hand to take as much weight as possible. Slowly shift your weight from one hand to the other and hold yourself at a full lock off for three seconds. One rep is completed when you have held yourself at full lock off on both hands.

Remember to try and keep your chin above your hands when moving back and forth between the two grips. To increase the difficulty you can increase the distance between holds or add weight. To decrease the difficulty you can decrease the distance between holds or add a chair/footholds to stand on.

Power Ladders

Power ladders are a great drill for combining hand strength training with arm and back strength training. This drill is best done on different walls of varying angles. Create a ladder of similar holds spaced 2-3 feet apart in vertical distance. These holds should be placed for left and right hands and shoulder distance apart horizontally. Do this for three or four different ladders using different hold types for each ladders. The ladders should be between 4-10 moves in length. To do this drill you start with one hand on and place you opposite foot on a hold that will allow you to reach the next hold. Lock off the first hold, hold it for 5-8 seconds and then grab the next hold. Bring your opposite foot up and lock off, hold for 5-8 seconds and repeat until you are at the top.

If you have not done 8-12 moves then downclimb in a similar fashion until you have reached 8-12 moves.

For example I start with my left hand on a pinch and my right foot on a foothold down and right. I lock off my left arm and reach up with my right hand. Once my left arm has been locked off for 5-8 seconds I grab the next pinch with my right hand and place my left foot on. My right foot comes off and I lock off my right arm. Once my right arm has been locked off for 5-8 seconds I grab the next pinch with my left hand and continue.

Do this drill three times for each power ladder with a one minute rest in between attempts. Take 2-3 minutes before switching to the next power ladder.

When doing this drill concentrate on pulling hard with you opposite foot and learning how to maximise the weight that your legs can take. The more weight on your legs the less weight on your arms.

Lock off Boulder Problems

This drill is similar to power ladders but offers a variety of moves. To do this drill either make or find some boulder problems 6-10 moves in length. For each move you lock off the hold with one arm for 5 seconds and then try and move statically to the next hold. You will have to experiment with different boulder problem to see which ones this works with. Try and find the three most difficult problems that you can do this on. Do each problem three times with a one minute rest in between attempts and a 2-3 minute rest in between problems.

Campusing

What would strength training be without a reference to campusing. This section will talk about campusing for strength but you can also campus for power. When campusing for strength try to keep your movements slow and as large as possible.

Try not to match hands but concentrate more on using your lower arm to help move to a lock off with your upper arm. Hold the lock off’s and move slowly to the next hold. It is always a good idea to down campus slowly.

Campusing should not be attempted if you cannot hold a lock off. If you are deadpointing out of control for holds then you run the risk of shock loading your elbows or wrists and injuring yourself. Smaller and different hold types can be used to make campusing more difficult.

NOTE: I am strongly against any under 18 using a campus board and novices should be fully supervised in the use of them, the BMC have some guidance notes here; http://www.thebmc.co.uk/campus-boards-guidance-on-use  

Off set Pullups

Off set pull-ups allow you to isolate one arm more than the other. Start with one hand on a hold and have the other hand holding something below and shoulder distance apart from the first hold. You can use a knotted rope, a piece of webbing, or another hold for the lower hand. When you do the pull-up lock off the upper hand and use the lower one to help hold yourself there for 3-5 seconds. Do this in 3 sets of 8-12 for each arm. Concentrate on holding the lock off and isolating the upper arm as much as possible.

Strength and Power, what's the difference?

Strength and Power are two different abilities that muscles may have. It is easy to confuse the two terms but the most simplistic way to describe them is this;

1. Strength - The ability for the muscle to stay contracted under a maximum load.
2. Power - The ability to generate the contraction of strength.

In short, Strength is Static and Power is Dynamic.

If we look at climbing terms, there are many different types of strength involved in climbing:

• Hand Strength - Strength required to hold on.
• Arm/Back Strength - Strength required to bend your arms.
• Core Body Strength - Strength required to keep your feet and hips in place.
• Power - Ability to move quickly and in control. maintenance 
• Opposing Muscle Strength - Non-climbing muscles that you must strengthen in order to keep joints and muscles balanced.

The strengths can be trained using isolation movements, focusing on a specific set of muscles, while power is best trained using compound movements, possibly numerous muscle groups with movements involving more than one joint.