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metoliusmunchkin
Sep 29, 2001, 2:54 AM
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I was going to buy a campus board, when I realised that was the best way to increase my strength. I decided to buy one, when I decided I wanted to make my own instead. I was just wondering what you guys thought of my campus board and I need to ask some questions before I mount it.
I wanted to know, what angle (roughly) is the best for a campus board's overhand?
My campus board has soft-wood "slats" on them, would this be less or more efficient hard-wood?
And, do you agree that a campus board is the best way to increase your strength at the highest rate, and is the only way to seriously improve your climbing skills?
Thanks a bunch and you replies will be much appreciated!
[ This Message was edited by: metoliusmunchkin on 2001-09-28 20:00 ]
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rck_climber
Sep 29, 2001, 3:14 AM
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I don't believe there is a single best way to increase your climbing ability. It's a product of several different factors that will vary some depending on the person.
While campus boards are an excellent way to increase your upper-body and hand strength, it does nothing for teaching you technique. H.I.T. Strips (see thread on them) also do much the same thing by isolating certain grips and significantly increasing the strength in your fingers, forearms and complete upper-body.
However, to become a better climber all-around, you can't simply have an incredible grip and strength; there are freak occasions, like David Graham, but even he had to learn more to get up the "really" tough routes. Think of all the things that really go into climbing - balance, technique, endurance, and, yes, strength. You can't climb at your best with only one of these.
Climbing is a subtle and fragile balance of all of those things. You must also train for endurance so that you will have the strength in the long-run to go the distance. Power, to make the crux moves. Balance and technique to allow your body to make the most of each move and save your strength and power for when it's needed.
That's why I feel there is no single miracle training aid that will make you a better all-around climber. The key is to vary your work out to work all of the aspects your climbing.
Just my opinion. Good luck.
Mick
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metoliusmunchkin
Sep 29, 2001, 3:14 AM
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Thanks man. I already have my campus board built. REally, elbow tendonitis?? I've climbed on the campus board at the local gym and my elbows didn't feel too too bad after wards (but ofcourse, I'm a young little bugger so I guess that doesn't count ). I just mostly ripped up some skin.
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jds100
Sep 29, 2001, 5:14 PM
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Hey, Young Bug, what was the material of the campus board that ripped up your skin?
You can check some training sites (my ol' favorite:
http://www.planetfear.com/climbing/training/neilgresham/ng_campusboarding.htm
for advice on getting the most out of it. I think you'll find suggestions about not overdoing it, mainly. Rest a long time between burns, and probably at least two days between training sessions on a campus board. It won't do squat for technique or "climbing ability", so to speak, but it should slowly increase your ability to grip smaller and 'harder' holds. (Technique will help you to make the most of those holds, and increase your 'climbing ability'.) It will recruit fast-twitch muscles and neurons to respond and adapt to the extreme stress of the workout. Obviously, you'll be climbing in the gym, too, so keep working on footwork, smooth movement, oppostition and core strength, and technique in general. Try to keep the grips, on the campus board and the wall, open-handed (least stressful). Pay attention to your body, and back off BEFORE the damage occurs.
[ This Message was edited by: jds100 on 2001-09-29 10:34 ]
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fiend
Sep 29, 2001, 5:27 PM
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I just skimmed the other posts, so sorry if I repeat info, but make sure you only session once a week, maybe every other week you can session twice.
All the campus board does is build raw arm power. I think one of the best training tools around is the systems board. Basically a campus board at 30-40º with feet. With the systems workout you should be varying the holds from jugs to crimps to pinches, pockets etc. So you do laps up and down the board with stationary feet on pinches only, then laps on 2 finger pockets etc.
This works body tension, core strength, individual grip strength, power-endurance, etc.
Oh, and tendonitis takes some time, you won't necessarily feel any tweaking or anything until it actually starts to get bad.
[ This Message was edited by: fiend on 2001-09-29 10:30 ]
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metoliusmunchkin
Sep 30, 2001, 3:43 AM
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Well jds100, the type of campus board I ripped my skin on was a Metolius one. Why, does that mean I'm doing something wrong with the way I use it? A sort of technique mishap of some sort?
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fiend
Sep 30, 2001, 3:47 AM
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Did you bleed?
If you didn't bleed then you weren't doing it right.
J/K
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metoliusmunchkin
Sep 30, 2001, 3:52 AM
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Ha ha, that's pretty funny! Actually come to think of it, I did bleed! L:pL
Nah, I didn't really bleed, but, because of using the larger slats, I received some pretty nasty blisters and other soars. My partner blead though.
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jds100
Oct 1, 2001, 10:17 PM
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The campus boards I've seen and tried(!) to use are made with wooden rungs, either homemade, or with rungs commercially made for campus boards. Some of the homemade ones are actually round dowels of different sizes. I know that some company makes campus blocks of the same resin material as their holds. The up-side of these is that they can be flipped to provide a sloping rung instead of incut, and they have pockets to target on the campus workout, too. The down-side is that the texture is really rough, and rips ya up until they get worn down. I really prefer the wooden dowels and rungs: very friendly on the skin!
Are you sure you won't working on a finger board? Sorry if I'm insulting you. And, tell us about your campus board!
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ratstar
Oct 7, 2001, 7:28 PM
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whats the diffrence between a campus and a hangboard. Just the names? I have a FUSE hangboard and I love it I use it all the time. Especially when I come home for lunch.
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compclimber
Oct 7, 2001, 8:52 PM
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Ratstar a campus board is made of wood,it is usually 8-10 2 by 4s screwed to a base like a climbing wall. You do a pullup between the rungs to gain purchase onto the next rung...this technique is called "campussing" hence the name of "campus board".
A hangboard is made of plastic and is like a gigantic climbing hold. You hang off of the various holds to gain contact strenght in you hands.
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anomaly
Oct 8, 2001, 2:09 AM
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I've got a comment and a question. I built a campus board 8 feet high, 15 degrees overhang, 3/4" wide wooden stats spaced at 1 foot intervals. The slats are not undercut so the surface slants down 15 degrees.
Now the problem. I have been climbing for about 3 months now. I am able to walk the board with one hand on each slat. I am able to walk the board skipping every other board. I can dyno up one slat and drop both hands and grab the next lower hold from the top. Now in spite of this, I can't get past mid 5.11's due to power endurance/stamina. What should I do? I have just set up a Nicros Nexgen hangboard so are there specific structured routines that would build my grip endurance.
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compclimber
Oct 8, 2001, 4:57 AM
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The hangboard isnt going to help you out much there because it builds more contact strength and short burst strength.
You need to climb more thats about the only way to get more endurance. Try to climb at least 3-4 routes when you go out to do routes specifically, try doing an 11 then a 10 then another 11.
You should look into some footwork intensive training too. Think about it like this.....
If you increase your endurance by 20% you may get 20% farther up a given route.....but if you work your technique you can keep most of the weight on your feet and you probably already have the endurance to get all the way up that given route.
Just my opinion, T.J.
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ratstar
Oct 8, 2001, 3:08 PM
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Thanks for clearing that up for me. I have seen campus boards at the gym but I didnt know that they were called that. Thanks again compclimber
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mightymucklebunk
Oct 13, 2001, 6:17 PM
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Quick comment, nicros and some other companies make plastic campus rungs. They're kinda nice because you can work on different holds while campusing. Also, campus rungs should be about 12-18 inches apart.
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clipngo
Nov 14, 2001, 1:15 AM
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I prefer the HIT strip workout, it isolates the different grip positions (as opposed to just the crimp) works on technique and body position, and deffinitely causes failure in a short period of time (if done correctly). But the campus deffinitely works the SMALL crimp grip. Good Luck.
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