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Javhar
Oct 6, 2007, 8:40 AM
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Registered: Sep 27, 2007
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I'm sidelined with torn ligaments in one knee. While this is healing, are there any climbing exercises I can do? I realize that I could go do strength training, but since I'm a beginner (only up to 5.8s yet) I really need to work on technique. Any useful techniques I can practice without using my left knee?
Jack.
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aerili
Oct 8, 2007, 7:01 PM
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Registered: Jan 13, 2006
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Are you climbing 5.8 sport or trad? Or just in the gym?
Basically, you could climb on TR and only use your non-injured leg, but if you are as unskilled in technique as you state, then it's my opinion doing so carries a high risk of actually causing your technique to get worse, not better. This is because you probably haven't developed sufficient muscle memory of well-developed skills with a fully functioning body, so climbing impaired may establish new muscle memory patterns that will actually give you problems later when your knee is healed and you are able to climb 'normally' once again.
Your number one goal should be to rehab this knee, get it strong, do the proper strength training required and follow all the guidelines established by your therapist. If indeed you have not been climbing long, this hiatus won't do much to reverse your gains since they sound relatively small anyway.
Otherwise, speak to your therapist about your return to climbing.
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wmfork
Oct 8, 2007, 7:34 PM
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Gained strength is gained strength and learned technique is learned technique, so I say go hobble on 1 leg and work on your upper body (fingers/arm/blah) while you rehab.
I have a buddy coming back from a broken foot and I had injured my right knee recently. After pulling some plastic on 1 leg, we both gained quite a bit of precision with dynamic movements (hands and foot). Of course, even on 1 leg, we climbed up to 11-/v3. But if you are willing to learn specific techniques after rehab to improve your climbing instead of always climbing routes that fits your style, I don't see any harm that'll be done.
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aerili
Oct 8, 2007, 8:13 PM
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wmfork wrote: Gained strength is gained strength and learned technique is learned technique, so I say go hobble on 1 leg and work on your upper body (fingers/arm/blah) while you rehab.
Technique involves coordination of the central nervous system firing muscles in particular orders to carry out trained movements. Strength itself is also developed by nervous system input. They are intertwined and, in the case of complex motor movements (like climbing), you can't separately train dumb strength from sport-specific strength.
In reply to: Of course, even on 1 leg, we climbed up to 11-/v3. But if you are willing to learn specific techniques after rehab to improve your climbing instead of always climbing routes that fits your style, I don't see any harm that'll be done.
What wmfork missed in my post is the point about OP's relative unskilled, beginner status. This makes a huge difference from someone like himself, a 5.11 climber. 5.11 climbers have far more and far stronger muscle memory patterns for technique than someone like the OP, a 5.8 climber (and I'm assuming a 5.8 sport climber). In his own case, wmfork may have noticed no ill effects, but his firing pathways between nervous system and muscle were very strong and intact as compared to those of a beginner. In the beginner's case, trying to train skilled movement with an injured leg will lead to atypical movements and could create new (and undesirable) firing patterns that might create worse technique once he is climbing fully functionally again (not to mention his body will need to 're-train' itself to some degree in proper technique). In a more seasoned and/or more skilled climber, already highly reinforced 'good' muscle movements would be much harder to alter when climbing with a compensation for a while.
OP should stick with light campusing or other intensity-appropriate upper body and grip work, but doing a bunch of one legged climbing seems unlikely to be of benefit in his case.
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