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stickycat
Sep 2, 2003, 2:04 PM
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yeah, i have been climbing for a year and have got a lot better. Just want to see what people think about general training - like cardiovascular training, weight training etc. in order to really improve and become an uber-climber. :?:
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inflight
Sep 2, 2003, 3:09 PM
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There are two good books out there that can answer this questions. Flash Training and Training for Climbing. Good stuff.
Peace.
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overlord
Sep 4, 2003, 3:21 PM
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Registered: Mar 25, 2002
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and "performance rock climbing". and just climb man.
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redpoint73
Sep 4, 2003, 3:47 PM
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There is no "best" that applies to all cases. It depends largely on what type of climbs you like, what your specific goals are, and your specific body. There are many variable to consider.
For instance, some climbers have a lot of extra weight, and reduce it through exercise and the right diet. But too much cardio (such as running, biking) can build muscle mass in the legs, which is also mostly dead weight that you need to carry up the cliff. Of course, some cardio is neccesary. You don't want to be exhausted just hiking to the climb! And good cardio fitness helps with muscle recovery.
The concensus is that climbing is the best training for climbing. It works the specific muscles, with the right type of movement. It trains your grip strength on a variety of holds. And you hone your technique as you increase strength. In general, climbing for power (sequences of hard moves) is more useful than climbing endurance (laps). Training power builds both power and endurance. Training undurance only builds endurance, not power.
Weight training is usually not the most efficient form of training. At this stage you should probably working technique as much (if not more) than strength. However, if you can't get to the climbing gym/crag enough, it can be a good supplement to climbing. But only isolated exercises. Again, you want to avoid building unneccesary muscle mass. Other non-climbing exercises that may yield positive results are pullup/ fingerboard/ hang training, flexibility training/stretching, and campusing.
There is no one program or technique(s) that works for everyone. I would follow the previous advice, and pick up one of the training books, and try to form an exercise program of your own, tailored to your needs.
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alpiner
Sep 4, 2003, 5:20 PM
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Registered: Feb 23, 2003
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Redpoint is correct when he says there is no best method for everyone. However, neither aerobic conditioning nor weight lifting will increase bulk unless you are doing things very wrong. Climbing is great but, if that's all you do, overuse injuries will happen eventually.
Horst's books pretty much dismiss both because they are so focused on sport climbing, to the exclusion of everything else. They are the best if that's your only interest. Performance Rockclimbing was the classic but is severely dated and should be read with caution. For those with broader interests in climbing, Training for Peak Performance is a better choice.
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