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Juzzyclimb
Jun 28, 2011, 11:27 AM
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Hey there. I've decided I want to utilise bodyweight training to help with my climbing and I've picked out a few exercises: -Pull-ups -Push-ups -Sit-ups -Handstand push-ups -Body weight squats (eventually one legged) -Finger hangs Are these appropriate for climbing? Are there others I SHOULD be doing? I'm having trouble with deciding how often I should perform them and how many reps and sets to use. Any help regarding this would be a massive help. Bit of background info: -23 years -6ft 3inches -77kgs (170lbs) -Climbing for two months. Cheers.
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drivel
Jun 28, 2011, 11:52 AM
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Juzzyclimb wrote: Hey there. I've decided I want to utilise bodyweight training to help with my climbing and I've picked out a few exercises: -Pull-ups -Push-ups -Sit-ups -Handstand push-ups -Body weight squats (eventually one legged) -Finger hangs Are these appropriate for climbing? Are there others I SHOULD be doing? I'm having trouble with deciding how often I should perform them and how many reps and sets to use. Any help regarding this would be a massive help. Bit of background info: -23 years -6ft 3inches -77kgs (170lbs) -Climbing for two months. Cheers. you can do hand-stand pushups but not a one legged squat?
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sungam
Jun 28, 2011, 12:01 PM
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If you've only been climbing for 2 months I would reccomend going soft on the hangs. Your tendons will be getting a shock already, adding to the with repetitive stress could give you an early injury. Give your tendons time to strengthen before going all out on the finger strength. Another side to that is that if you are able to do hangs, you are able to climb. You should be climbing as much as possible, learning the movements/technique of climbing will give you far greater gains at this point then increases in strength. Feel free to keep your body strong through other excersizes, but if your hands/forearms (which usually have the longest recovery time) are ready to go again, you should go climbing instead of doing hangs.
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ceebo
Jun 28, 2011, 1:20 PM
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drivel wrote: Juzzyclimb wrote: Hey there. I've decided I want to utilise bodyweight training to help with my climbing and I've picked out a few exercises: -Pull-ups -Push-ups -Sit-ups -Handstand push-ups -Body weight squats (eventually one legged) -Finger hangs Are these appropriate for climbing? Are there others I SHOULD be doing? I'm having trouble with deciding how often I should perform them and how many reps and sets to use. Any help regarding this would be a massive help. Bit of background info: -23 years -6ft 3inches -77kgs (170lbs) -Climbing for two months. Cheers. you can do hand-stand pushups but not a one legged squat? Hand stand push ups are nowhere near as hard.
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drivel
Jun 28, 2011, 2:09 PM
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ceebo wrote: drivel wrote: Juzzyclimb wrote: Hey there. I've decided I want to utilise bodyweight training to help with my climbing and I've picked out a few exercises: -Pull-ups -Push-ups -Sit-ups -Handstand push-ups -Body weight squats (eventually one legged) -Finger hangs Are these appropriate for climbing? Are there others I SHOULD be doing? I'm having trouble with deciding how often I should perform them and how many reps and sets to use. Any help regarding this would be a massive help. Bit of background info: -23 years -6ft 3inches -77kgs (170lbs) -Climbing for two months. Cheers. you can do hand-stand pushups but not a one legged squat? Hand stand push ups are nowhere near as hard. doing a hand stand, and then doing unsupported pushups, while handstanding... is not as hard as a one legged squat? you are smoking crack, or you don't hike nearly enough.
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ceebo
Jun 28, 2011, 2:41 PM
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drivel wrote: ceebo wrote: drivel wrote: Juzzyclimb wrote: Hey there. I've decided I want to utilise bodyweight training to help with my climbing and I've picked out a few exercises: -Pull-ups -Push-ups -Sit-ups -Handstand push-ups -Body weight squats (eventually one legged) -Finger hangs Are these appropriate for climbing? Are there others I SHOULD be doing? I'm having trouble with deciding how often I should perform them and how many reps and sets to use. Any help regarding this would be a massive help. Bit of background info: -23 years -6ft 3inches -77kgs (170lbs) -Climbing for two months. Cheers. you can do hand-stand pushups but not a one legged squat? Hand stand push ups are nowhere near as hard. doing a hand stand, and then doing unsupported pushups, while handstanding... is not as hard as a one legged squat? you are smoking crack, or you don't hike nearly enough. The only reason you perceive it harder is because of the risk involved of getting it wrong. The strength and balance needed to do 1 leg squats is much greater.. it is just less dangerous. Less dangerous does not mean easier. I can see this will amount to another 5 page argument so even though i can do both and know the difference, I'll admit you're right. You're right.
(This post was edited by ceebo on Jun 28, 2011, 2:47 PM)
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lena_chita
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Jun 28, 2011, 2:44 PM
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drivel wrote: ceebo wrote: drivel wrote: Juzzyclimb wrote: Hey there. I've decided I want to utilise bodyweight training to help with my climbing and I've picked out a few exercises: -Pull-ups -Push-ups -Sit-ups -Handstand push-ups -Body weight squats (eventually one legged) -Finger hangs Are these appropriate for climbing? Are there others I SHOULD be doing? I'm having trouble with deciding how often I should perform them and how many reps and sets to use. Any help regarding this would be a massive help. Bit of background info: -23 years -6ft 3inches -77kgs (170lbs) -Climbing for two months. Cheers. you can do hand-stand pushups but not a one legged squat? Hand stand push ups are nowhere near as hard. doing a hand stand, and then doing unsupported pushups, while handstanding... is not as hard as a one legged squat? you are smoking crack, or you don't hike nearly enough. Some guys are weird that way (not you, of course!) I know someone who can do handstand push-up on his fingertips (!), but not a one-legged squat. I don't know how is it possible... if you can climb stairs, you should be able to do a one-legged squat, right? I mean, my Dad can do a one-legged squat, creaky 65yo back with fused disks, and all.
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lena_chita
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Jun 28, 2011, 2:50 PM
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Juzzyclimb wrote: Hey there. I've decided I want to utilise bodyweight training to help with my climbing and I've picked out a few exercises: -Pull-ups -Push-ups -Sit-ups -Handstand push-ups -Body weight squats (eventually one legged) -Finger hangs Are these appropriate for climbing? Are there others I SHOULD be doing? I'm having trouble with deciding how often I should perform them and how many reps and sets to use. Any help regarding this would be a massive help. Bit of background info: -23 years -6ft 3inches -77kgs (170lbs) -Climbing for two months. Cheers. Back to this... feel free to do the exercises above, of course, but it is unlikely that they would help you with your climbing. If you want a climbing improvement, with only two months of climbing under your belt, you will see more improvement if you focus on technique and on developing climbing-specific strength by climbing. Read Self-Coached Climber (standard advice--still the best).
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drivel
Jun 28, 2011, 3:29 PM
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lena_chita wrote: Juzzyclimb wrote: Hey there. I've decided I want to utilise bodyweight training to help with my climbing and I've picked out a few exercises: -Pull-ups -Push-ups -Sit-ups -Handstand push-ups -Body weight squats (eventually one legged) -Finger hangs Are these appropriate for climbing? Are there others I SHOULD be doing? I'm having trouble with deciding how often I should perform them and how many reps and sets to use. Any help regarding this would be a massive help. Bit of background info: -23 years -6ft 3inches -77kgs (170lbs) -Climbing for two months. Cheers. Back to this... feel free to do the exercises above, of course, but it is unlikely that they would help you with your climbing. If you want a climbing improvement, with only two months of climbing under your belt, you will see more improvement if you focus on technique and on developing climbing-specific strength by climbing. Read Self-Coached Climber (standard advice--still the best). yeah, in all seriousness, if you can do one pullup at this stage, you can do enough pullups to be getting along with. The cross-training that I'd personally recommend would be yoga, for flexibility and balance, and hanging leg lifts. (hang from a pullup bar or hangboard, point your toes, keep your legs straight, and lift your legs to at least horizontal if not higher, in sets of 8-12. do 3 sets a couple times a week.) The hanging leg lifts train the muscles you need to be able to keep your feet ON, which is kind of important for good technique. edited to add, in case it's not obvious: don't allow yourself to swing when you do the leg lifts. holding yourself stable is part of the exercise.
(This post was edited by drivel on Jun 28, 2011, 3:31 PM)
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DouglasHunter
Jun 28, 2011, 4:43 PM
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Juzzyclimb wrote: Hey there. I've decided I want to utilise bodyweight training to help with my climbing and I've picked out a few exercises: -Pull-ups -Push-ups -Sit-ups -Handstand push-ups -Body weight squats (eventually one legged) -Finger hangs Are these appropriate for climbing? Are there others I SHOULD be doing? I'm having trouble with deciding how often I should perform them and how many reps and sets to use. Any help regarding this would be a massive help. Bit of background info: -23 years -6ft 3inches -77kgs (170lbs) -Climbing for two months. Cheers. If you want to do these activities because you find them rewarding that's fine, but you should not be doing them and expecting any impact on your climbing. Even something like finger hands which can be helpful probably won't in your case because you just don't have any movement experience. At all levels of climbing the top priority is to get a high volume of high quality movement practice. This is all the more the case for the novice climber who knows none of the movement patterns involved in climbing. Your priorities should be: 1- Learn to make high quality contact with the rock or wall. this means quickly identifying hand and foot holds and the ability to establish good quality contact with the holds. The silent feet and glue hands activities are helpful here. 2- Learn the fundamental movement patterns found in climbing, turning, initiating movement from the lower body, how to move with straight arms (not a goal in itself but a good way to learn other skills) 3- Each day you climb either out doors or at the gym climb at a level at which you are comfortable. If the hardest climb you can do is 5.9 then you should be doing a high volume of 5.6 - 5.8 but if you find yourself struggling or just pulling yourself up the wall, just stop and get on something easier. high volume of high quality practice should be every climbers mantra. Anyway glad that you are psyched to climb but keep your focus on what will actually make you a climber. Good Luck.
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billcoe_
Jun 28, 2011, 5:00 PM
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To add to the pile of good advice: at 23 years old you will not recognize the fact that what I am going to say is the most important part of the answer to your question. But it is. INJURY AVOIDANCE IS JOB# 1 FOR YOU. #1 by a long margin. You can avoid injury by learning everything you can about training (warm ups, cool downs, starting out slowly etc etc by reading an experts take on it first and following their guidance. Some good ones to look into: How to Climb 5.12 by Eric Horst. http://www.amazon.com/...309279827&sr=8-2 If you are climbing 5.13 like jt, then maybe that's actually a step in the wrong direction. Horst is a great resource on this kind of stuff and has a couple of other works out as well. Conditioning for Climbers: The Complete Exercise Guide is another Horst book.http://www.amazon.com/...42283/ref=pd_sim_b_4 The Self-Coached Climber - http://www.amazon.com/...33394/ref=pd_sim_b_2 Lastly, Dave MacCleod has a book coming out that's rumored to be good, but the price tag is @ $25.00 or so I believe. You might look into that one as well. You can do some wandering online and pick up some of this for free. Horsts site: http://www.trainingforclimbing.com/ Macleods site: http://davemacleod.blogspot.com/ Hanging out in this forum is beneficial as well. Search Rockprodigy's training schedule, or look at Fleshes recent posts. Good luck, have fun but stay healthy and uninjured!
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pdpcardsfan
Jun 28, 2011, 5:17 PM
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id also do some planks to work your core. ps, listen to the advice and ignore the noise.
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saint_john
Jun 28, 2011, 7:11 PM
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Juzzyclimb wrote: Hey there. I've decided I want to utilise bodyweight training to help with my climbing and I've picked out a few exercises: -Pull-ups -Push-ups -Sit-ups -Handstand push-ups -Body weight squats (eventually one legged) -Finger hangs Are these appropriate for climbing? Are there others I SHOULD be doing? I'm having trouble with deciding how often I should perform them and how many reps and sets to use. Any help regarding this would be a massive help. Bit of background info: -23 years -6ft 3inches -77kgs (170lbs) -Climbing for two months. Cheers. You'll likely progress faster (and lower your risk of injury) by just climbing and focusing on improving your technique.
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iknowfear
Jun 28, 2011, 8:04 PM
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drivel wrote: lena_chita wrote: Juzzyclimb wrote: Hey there. I've decided I want to utilise bodyweight training to help with my climbing and I've picked out a few exercises: -Pull-ups -Push-ups -Sit-ups -Handstand push-ups -Body weight squats (eventually one legged) -Finger hangs Are these appropriate for climbing? Are there others I SHOULD be doing? I'm having trouble with deciding how often I should perform them and how many reps and sets to use. Any help regarding this would be a massive help. Bit of background info: -23 years -6ft 3inches -77kgs (170lbs) -Climbing for two months. Cheers. Back to this... feel free to do the exercises above, of course, but it is unlikely that they would help you with your climbing. If you want a climbing improvement, with only two months of climbing under your belt, you will see more improvement if you focus on technique and on developing climbing-specific strength by climbing. Read Self-Coached Climber (standard advice--still the best). yeah, in all seriousness, if you can do one pullup at this stage, you can do enough pullups to be getting along with. The cross-training that I'd personally recommend would be yoga, for flexibility and balance, and hanging leg lifts. (hang from a pullup bar or hangboard, point your toes, keep your legs straight, and lift your legs to at least horizontal if not higher, in sets of 8-12. do 3 sets a couple times a week.) The hanging leg lifts train the muscles you need to be able to keep your feet ON, which is kind of important for good technique. edited to add, in case it's not obvious: don't allow yourself to swing when you do the leg lifts. holding yourself stable is part of the exercise. I second Yoga: Trains core strength, focus and breathing, and can be done on non climbing days for recovery & stretching - whats not to love. The hanging leg thingies are a good idea as well
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stealth
Jun 29, 2011, 1:35 AM
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DouglasHunter wrote: Juzzyclimb wrote: Hey there. I've decided I want to utilise bodyweight training to help with my climbing and I've picked out a few exercises: -Pull-ups -Push-ups -Sit-ups -Handstand push-ups -Body weight squats (eventually one legged) -Finger hangs Are these appropriate for climbing? Are there others I SHOULD be doing? I'm having trouble with deciding how often I should perform them and how many reps and sets to use. Any help regarding this would be a massive help. Bit of background info: -23 years -6ft 3inches -77kgs (170lbs) -Climbing for two months. Cheers. If you want to do these activities because you find them rewarding that's fine, but you should not be doing them and expecting any impact on your climbing. Even something like finger hands which can be helpful probably won't in your case because you just don't have any movement experience. At all levels of climbing the top priority is to get a high volume of high quality movement practice. This is all the more the case for the novice climber who knows none of the movement patterns involved in climbing. Your priorities should be: 1- Learn to make high quality contact with the rock or wall. this means quickly identifying hand and foot holds and the ability to establish good quality contact with the holds. The silent feet and glue hands activities are helpful here. 2- Learn the fundamental movement patterns found in climbing, turning, initiating movement from the lower body, how to move with straight arms (not a goal in itself but a good way to learn other skills) 3- Each day you climb either out doors or at the gym climb at a level at which you are comfortable. If the hardest climb you can do is 5.9 then you should be doing a high volume of 5.6 - 5.8 but if you find yourself struggling or just pulling yourself up the wall, just stop and get on something easier. high volume of high quality practice should be every climbers mantra. Anyway glad that you are psyched to climb but keep your focus on what will actually make you a climber. Good Luck. Smart man. Did you say you have a book?
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Juzzyclimb
Jun 29, 2011, 2:17 AM
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Thanks for the advice. Big help. I'm very interested in Yoga: is it best to get taught or can I buy a book and teach it to myself? (recommended books?) Also I tried hanging leg raises today and I could barely lift my legs 45 degrees. Is there an exercise that can help improve this? Or do I just keep plugging away at it. Once again, thankyou all for the advice. p.s. Is the "9 out of 10 climbers" book a worthwile purchase for someone who has only been climbing for 2 months?
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jt512
Jun 29, 2011, 2:40 AM
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Juzzyclimb wrote: Thanks for the advice. Big help. I'm very interested in Yoga: is it best to get taught or can I buy a book and teach it to myself? (recommended books?) Also I tried hanging leg raises today and I could barely lift my legs 45 degrees. Is there an exercise that can help improve this? Or do I just keep plugging away at it. Once again, thankyou all for the advice. p.s. Is the "9 out of 10 climbers" book a worthwile purchase for someone who has only been climbing for 2 months? You're overestimating the importance of strength and underestimating the importance of quality of movement. At your stage of the game you should be reading, eating, and shitting with The Self-Coached Climber at your side. Jay
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jt512
Jun 29, 2011, 2:50 AM
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drivel wrote: The cross-training that I'd personally recommend would be . . . hanging leg lifts. (hang from a pullup bar or hangboard, point your toes, keep your legs straight, and lift your legs to at least horizontal if not higher, in sets of 8-12. do 3 sets a couple times a week.) The hanging leg lifts train the muscles you need to be able to keep your feet ON . . . Do they? I would think that they primarily train the muscles that you need to get your feet up to the holds, but not necessarily the ones you use to maintain contact with the holds once you get your feet up there. I'm not sure what non-climbing exercises you could do to train those muscles, which is an instance of the cross-training-for-climbing conundrum. Jay
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Juzzyclimb
Jun 29, 2011, 2:51 AM
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jt512 wrote: Juzzyclimb wrote: Thanks for the advice. Big help. I'm very interested in Yoga: is it best to get taught or can I buy a book and teach it to myself? (recommended books?) Also I tried hanging leg raises today and I could barely lift my legs 45 degrees. Is there an exercise that can help improve this? Or do I just keep plugging away at it. Once again, thankyou all for the advice. p.s. Is the "9 out of 10 climbers" book a worthwile purchase for someone who has only been climbing for 2 months? You're overestimating the importance of strength and underestimating the importance of quality of movement. At your stage of the game you should be reading, eating, and shitting with The Self-Coached Climber at your side. Jay Hey don't get me wrong, I understand the importance of focusing on technique and movement. I've read it almost everywhere. It's just that I'm not confused about that section, I know what I have to do there. I just want to know what I can do to help my climbing when I'm not applying skin to rock. Whether it be rest, stretch or exercise. I've done away with all the exercise in my first post and I'm itching to learn. I'll order TSCC today.
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potreroed
Jun 29, 2011, 3:37 AM
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Yes, those things will all help but not as much as lots and lots of climbing and bouldering.
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drivel
Jun 29, 2011, 3:42 AM
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jt512 wrote: drivel wrote: The cross-training that I'd personally recommend would be . . . hanging leg lifts. (hang from a pullup bar or hangboard, point your toes, keep your legs straight, and lift your legs to at least horizontal if not higher, in sets of 8-12. do 3 sets a couple times a week.) The hanging leg lifts train the muscles you need to be able to keep your feet ON . . . Do they? I would think that they primarily train the muscles that you need to get your feet up to the holds, but not necessarily the ones you use to maintain contact with the holds once you get your feet up there. I'm not sure what non-climbing exercises you could do to train those muscles, which is an instance of the cross-training-for-climbing conundrum. Jay I'll grant that I have not read anywhere else about them being helpful, so I really only have one data point. Personally, though, I feel like it has helped me in being able to keep my feet on, specifically on overhanging terrain, especially on very long moves where one or both legs was at full extension, or when the feet are bad and I have to be careful not to apply too much downward pressure lest they slip off, or when I have to stab for feet that are far away, because it strengthens that ability to hold sort of a pike position. and practicing holding body position and not swinging helps maintain control. YMMV, I suppose.
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sungam
Jun 29, 2011, 10:19 AM
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Juzzyclimb wrote: p.s. Is the "9 out of 10 climbers" book a worthwile purchase for someone who has only been climbing for 2 months? I think it's a pretty rad book. That may or my not be my mancrush talking, though.
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DouglasHunter
Jun 29, 2011, 5:48 PM
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drivel wrote: jt512 wrote: drivel wrote: The cross-training that I'd personally recommend would be . . . hanging leg lifts. (hang from a pullup bar or hangboard, point your toes, keep your legs straight, and lift your legs to at least horizontal if not higher, in sets of 8-12. do 3 sets a couple times a week.) The hanging leg lifts train the muscles you need to be able to keep your feet ON . . . Do they? I would think that they primarily train the muscles that you need to get your feet up to the holds, but not necessarily the ones you use to maintain contact with the holds once you get your feet up there. I'm not sure what non-climbing exercises you could do to train those muscles, which is an instance of the cross-training-for-climbing conundrum. Jay I'll grant that I have not read anywhere else about them being helpful, so I really only have one data point. Personally, though, I feel like it has helped me in being able to keep my feet on, specifically on overhanging terrain, especially on very long moves where one or both legs was at full extension, or when the feet are bad and I have to be careful not to apply too much downward pressure lest they slip off, or when I have to stab for feet that are far away, because it strengthens that ability to hold sort of a pike position. and practicing holding body position and not swinging helps maintain control. YMMV, I suppose. Leg lifts target the hip flexors and the abs. The hip flexors do the work of lifting the legs while the abs stabilize the pelvis. Jay is right about their relation to climbing. Increasing one's "body tension" and keeping the feet on holds is a far more complex matter than can be addressed by leg lifts and I would argue that the hip flexors play a minor (if any)role in keeping the feet on holds on steep climbing since hip flexion in many positions is the natural action of gravity. In my analysis its hip extension and adduction that are the primary actions at the hip joint involved in what climbers call body tension. Also included in body tension are ankle extension, at the knee both extension and flexion are involved and in the trunk, there is extension and lateral flexion as well as stabilization of the pelvis. That is a very brief summary and it leave out a lot of detail but its a start.
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drivel
Jun 29, 2011, 7:27 PM
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DouglasHunter wrote: drivel wrote: jt512 wrote: drivel wrote: The cross-training that I'd personally recommend would be . . . hanging leg lifts. (hang from a pullup bar or hangboard, point your toes, keep your legs straight, and lift your legs to at least horizontal if not higher, in sets of 8-12. do 3 sets a couple times a week.) The hanging leg lifts train the muscles you need to be able to keep your feet ON . . . Do they? I would think that they primarily train the muscles that you need to get your feet up to the holds, but not necessarily the ones you use to maintain contact with the holds once you get your feet up there. I'm not sure what non-climbing exercises you could do to train those muscles, which is an instance of the cross-training-for-climbing conundrum. Jay I'll grant that I have not read anywhere else about them being helpful, so I really only have one data point. Personally, though, I feel like it has helped me in being able to keep my feet on, specifically on overhanging terrain, especially on very long moves where one or both legs was at full extension, or when the feet are bad and I have to be careful not to apply too much downward pressure lest they slip off, or when I have to stab for feet that are far away, because it strengthens that ability to hold sort of a pike position. and practicing holding body position and not swinging helps maintain control. YMMV, I suppose. Leg lifts target the hip flexors and the abs. The hip flexors do the work of lifting the legs while the abs stabilize the pelvis. Jay is right about their relation to climbing. Increasing one's "body tension" and keeping the feet on holds is a far more complex matter than can be addressed by leg lifts and I would argue that the hip flexors play a minor (if any)role in keeping the feet on holds on steep climbing since hip flexion in many positions is the natural action of gravity. In my analysis its hip extension and adduction that are the primary actions at the hip joint involved in what climbers call body tension. Also included in body tension are ankle extension, at the knee both extension and flexion are involved and in the trunk, there is extension and lateral flexion as well as stabilization of the pelvis. That is a very brief summary and it leave out a lot of detail but its a start. this is a serious question: if leg lifts are only hip flexors and abs, why do my quads hurt the most when I do a lot of them? second question- how can you say that something that strengthens your lower abs, helping stabilize the pelvis *doesn't* help with keeping your feet on? third question- related to the fact that I was talking about doing hanging leg lifts rather than from a dip frame or from the floor- how can you discount all of the stabilizing muscles that work when you hold yourself still to do the exercise? it seems like all the same muscles that get worked when you put your feet back on after they cut, whether intentionally or unintentionally.
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essay
Jun 29, 2011, 7:39 PM
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The real question is what angle are you intending to climb at? Levers and leg-lifts are great training for overhanging climbing with toe hooks, heel hooks, kneebars, and generally fun times. Your slab technique won't improve much from this training. If you want to go climb sick slab perhaps you should just get in to some other form of sadism, it's really not that fun. These exercizes won't hurt your climbing either though, and anyone telling you differently has a beer belly and can't pull a front lever.
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