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olive
Jan 12, 2011, 4:53 PM
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Registered: May 6, 2003
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Hi all,
I just got an ACL reconstruction surgery which means I will be out of climbing for probably 4-5 months (and then only toprope for awhile). I will be busy rehabing the knee itself, but obviously I am worried that my upper body will atrophy in the meantime. Thus my questions:
* what kind of a work out plan would you suggest for keeping my upper body in somehow climbing shape? I am super illiterate about weightlifting thus need help. What are the most crucial exercises I should do?
* Should I go for high repetition, low weight or something else. How do I determine what is low weight?
* Relatedly, is there a good book/resource that puts this information together somewhere?
* Lastly, I would like to add hangboard to the weightlifting for keeping the forearms/fingers in shape. How many times a week is too much for that? Is two times a week good?
Background info: 35 year old female (thus need to take rest etc. seriously, I dont recover very quickly), have been climbing for quite sometime and was climbing 5.11-5.11+ sport before injury.
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gblauer
Moderator
Jan 12, 2011, 5:25 PM
Post #2 of 18
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I had surgery on both feet last year, I could not climb for 6 months. I ended up going to a personal trainer and it's the best thing I ever did. He helped me increase my strength significantly and I was able to pick up my climbing just where I left off.
My trainer was able to create a program that allowed my to train four days after each surgery.
I was so impressed with the results that I continued to go to him throughout most of the outdoor season. I resumed my training once the outdoor season ended.
Good luck.
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olive
Jan 12, 2011, 5:28 PM
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Thanks for the suggestion gblauer. I will look into that option, though I might not be able to afford it (the whole surgery/pt thing is already a financial burden). So did you communicate to him/her your demands for climbing or was he/she already knowledgeable about climbing? Or did she/he devise a plan for you and it ended up working for climbing, too?
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gblauer
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Jan 12, 2011, 5:33 PM
Post #4 of 18
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I actually suggested that he try climbing so that he could understand the demands of the sport. It worked out very well. While some of my upper body was very strong, my legs, core, back needed a LOT of work.
In my experience, you can negotiate price with your trainer.
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roy_hinkley_jr
Jan 12, 2011, 6:00 PM
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Hiring a trainer is an excellent idea. You might also want to educate yourself with a good book. Check out the second edition of Climbing: Training for Peak Performance. It covers a lot of the info you are looking for.
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erisspirit
Jan 12, 2011, 6:15 PM
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I'm in the same boat. I had my ACL reconstruction on Nov 30th.
My PT place is a sport rehab/training facility, and I picked it because they know sports and have climbers on staff. They have not only been working my legs, but adding workouts to keep my upper body strong too. They have also been pretty aggressive with my training which I love.
I have been doing some upper body weights and abs on my own as well. I'll do a lot of free weights, tricep dips, pull-up (attempts), pushups are tough on my knee so in the meantime I sub in weights. My gym has a low hangboard, so I'll work on that a bit too. While I have been able to maintain my muscles, I am definitely curious what others will come up with.
good luck! I'm already antsy to get back out climbing
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ceebo
Jan 12, 2011, 6:32 PM
Post #7 of 18
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I guess i better be the one who gives ill advice. Why would you not jut buy a decent fingerboard?.
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jbro_135
Jan 12, 2011, 10:25 PM
Post #8 of 18
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she mentioned hangboarding in the op, did you not read the whole thing?
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ceebo
Jan 12, 2011, 10:41 PM
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jbro_135 wrote: she mentioned hangboarding in the op, did you not read the whole thing?
Yes, but nobody suggested it as the option to take..
If you ask me its the only decent option anyway.
Anyway. As much as I've read, 30 min a day on the fingerboard (9 out of 10 climbers by Dave McLeod) is in his words a good amount to keep in shape (or even make gains perhaps). Obviously you listen to your own fingers and go as many days as you think you can without injury.
If you climb 3 days a week normally, i don't see why your fingers could not handle 4-5 sessions a week of 30 min, if not more. So long as you warm up and don't give yourself ridiculous hang times on holds your not strong enough to use.
Again in his words 3-8 seconds is the aim (or was it 4-8 ;p), If your any less its too hard, if any more its too easy. As for the amount of reps you do, i guess again that is depending on how you feel. But pace yourself so you can hopefully manage it almost everyday. I guess 30 min is just a rough time, if you don't feel up to it, then ofc don't do it for so long. You could try 15-20 min a day for the first 2 weeks or so, then build up slowly.
He also said its better on your elbows to do the dead hangs bent arm, although he was not so specific on how much. I personally suffered from bad elbows and i took his advice, but still not 100% clear if it works (he is very experienced though, so i wont even argue otherwise).
I also use weights every day, mostly to train the other muscles.. like reverse wrist curls and tri muscles. I do 15 reps maybe 2-4 sets. Since i do it every day i just keep the reps to a minimum, just enough to feel a slight burn in the muscles. You will have to mess around with the spacific weight yourself, but it wont be heavy.
Also, after every session i eat a big meal of paster and mix in all sorts of green's and a little bit meat like tuna or ham. Probably could have a better meal but its alot of carb and some protein. It's atleast enough to allow me to climb 5-6 sessions a week.
(This post was edited by ceebo on Jan 12, 2011, 11:06 PM)
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erisspirit
Jan 12, 2011, 11:03 PM
Post #10 of 18
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ceebo wrote: jbro_135 wrote: she mentioned hangboarding in the op, did you not read the whole thing? Yes, but nobody suggested it as the option to take.. If you ask me its the only decent option anyway.
Not the ONLY decent option. I have so far found Weights combined with hangboard much more effective (for me) than JUST the hangboard. I can get more variation that way.
To the OP: i can give you the specifics of what I'm doing now it you want them, but I'm really curious if anyone with more knowledge of training has some good specific input.
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dugl33
Jan 12, 2011, 11:20 PM
Post #11 of 18
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olive wrote: Hi all, I just got an ACL reconstruction surgery which means I will be out of climbing for probably 4-5 months (and then only toprope for awhile). I will be busy rehabing the knee itself, but obviously I am worried that my upper body will atrophy in the meantime. Thus my questions: * what kind of a work out plan would you suggest for keeping my upper body in somehow climbing shape? I am super illiterate about weightlifting thus need help. What are the most crucial exercises I should do? * Should I go for high repetition, low weight or something else. How do I determine what is low weight? * Relatedly, is there a good book/resource that puts this information together somewhere? * Lastly, I would like to add hangboard to the weightlifting for keeping the forearms/fingers in shape. How many times a week is too much for that? Is two times a week good? Background info: 35 year old female (thus need to take rest etc. seriously, I dont recover very quickly), have been climbing for quite sometime and was climbing 5.11-5.11+ sport before injury.
You could probably find some good books regarding specific weightlifting exercises to get you started at a local library. Well probably online for that matter.
Some fundamental concepts though:
1.) Sets of 8 - 10 repetitions of a given exercise is pretty standard. You can gradually increase the number of sets to 3 or 4.
2.) Don't do the same exercise two days in a row. Allow at least a 48 hour recovery window. For example, if you do bench press on Monday, you shouldn't do it again until Wednesday. Most lifters will do chest and back one day, and arms and shoulders the next, for example.
3.) Start out easy or you will be brutally sore. Once you've adapted a bit though you want to be failing or nearly failing on the last repetition, and increasing weight once you're not getting there anymore.
There are programs that take different approaches, such as stepping through phases of volume vs. intensity but the above will get you started with basic meat and potatoes weight lifting.
Google and print out proper form for each exercise or enlist help from a friend to do this on the cheap. Work the whole body -- well, perhaps upper body in your case. Let the PTs guide the rehab.
Best of luck. Been there. 
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altelis
Jan 12, 2011, 11:28 PM
Post #12 of 18
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Registered: Nov 10, 2004
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olive wrote: Hi all, I just got an ACL reconstruction surgery which means I will be out of climbing for probably 4-5 months (and then only toprope for awhile). I will be busy rehabing the knee itself, but obviously I am worried that my upper body will atrophy in the meantime. Thus my questions: * what kind of a work out plan would you suggest for keeping my upper body in somehow climbing shape? I am super illiterate about weightlifting thus need help. What are the most crucial exercises I should do? * Should I go for high repetition, low weight or something else. How do I determine what is low weight? * Relatedly, is there a good book/resource that puts this information together somewhere? * Lastly, I would like to add hangboard to the weightlifting for keeping the forearms/fingers in shape. How many times a week is too much for that? Is two times a week good? Background info: 35 year old female (thus need to take rest etc. seriously, I dont recover very quickly), have been climbing for quite sometime and was climbing 5.11-5.11+ sport before injury.
I am NOT a PT, nor do I do medical billing professionally (though I did help with that sort of stuff for a few years as a small part of my duties at a ski clinic)....BUT.....
you MAY be able to have this conversation with your physician/surgeon/PT (or all three). It does not seem like a stretch to have your surgeon/physician include in their PT script orders to maintain upper body strength for somebody who is recovering from surgery. If they can do this, or if your PT is able to work with you on this stuff as part of your therapy (ie a holistic approach to rehab), this may help cut the costs. You would still need to pay the copay/other out-of-pocket expenses you have, but it would surely be less expensive than a trainer, no?
Two things:
1) I am only suggesting this because I think that the premise is legitimate. Our whole body changes and adapts to an injury/surgery that immobilizes a single part of our body, and these changes are necessarily beneficial in the long run. Its important to pre-empt these negative changes to maintain health.
2) This will greatly depend on how your surgeon, primary care physician and/or PT view health and health maintenance.
In terms of the hangboard/pull-ups/etc....be VERY careful about your dismounts. I would make sure that I was well into my rehab before risking a hangboard. It would be devastating if you were to come off just wrong and re-injure that knee! And depending how far out from surgery you are, it really wouldn't take a lot to do!
Good luck!
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jbro_135
Jan 13, 2011, 1:10 AM
Post #13 of 18
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Definitely good advice, you will probably want to keep your good leg on the ground, just unweighted.
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dugl33
Jan 13, 2011, 2:07 AM
Post #14 of 18
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jbro_135 wrote: Definitely good advice, you will probably want to keep your good leg on the ground, just unweighted.
That and wear a good knee brace.
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bearbreeder
Jan 13, 2011, 5:24 AM
Post #15 of 18
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Registered: Feb 2, 2009
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hi olive
i had my ACL done in sept, ive just started top roping again this month so hopefully what ive learned may help you
basically i went to the gym and use the weight machines during that time ... i did both pushing and pulling ... pull ups work fine if yr careful about getting off ... there is a machine that will simulate it as well ... work those biceps and triceps as well ... and the abs
about 6 weeks in i also started going for walks of 5-10km or so ... first with trekking poles and then without them ... on flats first then going uphill
what i find ive lost the most has been the grip and finger strength ... so if you can get a squeezeball thatll work ... hangboard sounds like a good idea providing you dont fall on yr bad leg (land on yr azz)
ive also lost a lot of footwork and technique ...
what i probably should have done is top rope on a tight belay with one leg ... at least that way i would have kept the grip stength
hope that helps
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enigma
Jan 13, 2011, 6:57 AM
Post #16 of 18
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Registered: May 19, 2002
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olive wrote: Thanks for the suggestion gblauer. I will look into that option, though I might not be able to afford it (the whole surgery/pt thing is already a financial burden). So did you communicate to him/her your demands for climbing or was he/she already knowledgeable about climbing? Or did she/he devise a plan for you and it ended up working for climbing, too?
Other than going to a climbing gym , your core will get stronger with a rowing machine if you have access to a regular gym. Check with your doctor or physical therapist first. Good Luck
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Jooler
Jan 13, 2011, 7:59 PM
Post #17 of 18
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Registered: Mar 22, 2010
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enigma wrote: olive wrote: Thanks for the suggestion gblauer. I will look into that option, though I might not be able to afford it (the whole surgery/pt thing is already a financial burden). So did you communicate to him/her your demands for climbing or was he/she already knowledgeable about climbing? Or did she/he devise a plan for you and it ended up working for climbing, too? Other than going to a climbing gym , your core will get stronger with a rowing machine if you have access to a regular gym. Check with your doctor or physical therapist first. Good Luck
She only has one usable leg at the moment, remember...
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mr.tastycakes
Jan 14, 2011, 1:28 PM
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Registered: Jun 10, 2008
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olive wrote: * what kind of a work out plan would you suggest for keeping my upper body in somehow climbing shape? I am super illiterate about weightlifting thus need help. What are the most crucial exercises I should do?
In reply to: * Should I go for high repetition, low weight or something else. How do I determine what is low weight?
3 sets of 8-12 reps is a good place to start ("hypertrophy range"). 3-6 reps is better for developing pure strength but your body may not be able to handle it if you haven't done much weightlifting before.
In reply to: * Relatedly, is there a good book/resource that puts this information together somewhere?
Starting Strength by Mark Rippletoe is the best strength training book out there, IMO. Unfortunately, with your injury you can't do the majority of the core strength training movements (bench, squat, deadlift, clean and press and overhead press).
In reply to: * Lastly, I would like to add hangboard to the weightlifting for keeping the forearms/fingers in shape. How many times a week is too much for that? Is two times a week good? .
Depends on how strong your fingers are to start with and how intense your hangboard session are. 2 x week is a good place to start.
Hangboard-ing is probably the best, out of all the above stuff, for actually improving your climbing. Whether general strength training improves climbing performance is kind of a hotly debated topic 'round here. Just don't do anything that compromises your recovery from surgery. Good luck!
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