Weight Training vs. Climbing

Kevin Stricker wrote:Take up alpine climbing, and you should quickly realize your weight loss goals while having fun. Let's take a look at the standard alpine day VS you typical weight gym routine to determine it's effectiveness. Alpine - Get up early at least once a week, hike for 2-3 hours usually uphill just to approach your route. Climb for 3-6 hours depending on your goal, then scramble and hike back to civilization for another 2-3 hours. Total Cardio 4-6 hours, Climbing 1.5-3 hours ( assuming 1/2 of your time is spend belaying). Gym Rat - 1 hour of cardio 3-5 times a week ( 3 to 5 hours total), 1 hour weight routine 3-5 times a week (50% or more of the time spent resting) so 1.5 to 2.5 hours a week weight training. It should become quite obvious why you don't see too many chunky alpinists. It should also be noted that when you spread your workout out over a whole week you have to work much harder to just start burning fat as you have to deplete your glycogen stores with every workout. It is easy for personal trainers to generalize what types of excercise everyone needs...after all that is how/why they are paid in the first place. I agree with Aerili that antagonistic training is beneficial for climbers to balance muscles. But I feel that there are plenty of ways that climbers can stay fit without weight training. Especially during the summertime alpine rock season.

You forgot to mention how many calories you burn from being scared for 5-9 hours.

JLP wrote: I don't agree with your post. Doing some big unstructured workout once a week isn't going to do anything for you except evaporate water. My observation is the guys I see who are "too trad" to be bothered with regular, structured cardio and gym workouts can usually be found clogging up Culp Bosier and the Casual 1 month out of the year and growing manboobs the other 11.

Point was not only to only work out once a week, just that if you substitute a day of climbing in the canyons for a day on the high peaks you are going get a great cardio and leg workout and probably loose weight.....

The reason for Russ keeping the bells tied down is to keep him from flinging them into space!
That could be dangerous!

one thing about adding weight training to your climbing training, you might be compromising your recovery. it takes some scheduling and fine tuning to avoid this.

one of the things that i have realized over the years is that you can't judge a book by it's cover, ie you can't really tell how good a climber is by just looking at them. i have seen butterballs with beer guts that a truck driver would envy crush really hard shit. i've seen ultra ripped/toned folks get killed on really easy routes. i've seen super thuggy looking dudes use absolutely stilletto sharp technique. i've seen women with years of dance training climb with shear thuggyness and no technique.

one of my favorite climbing partners only gets out about 1 day each 4 months for the last couple years. he doesn't do any sort of exercise whatsoever. i always throw him on something in the 11+ to 12 range, first route of the day, usually with poor gear. he always seems to just barely skate through it (although he is usually so tired afterwards that he is about to hang on TR on 5.8). he just has the knack.

on the other hand, i know people who train day in and day out, who are shredded to hell and back, but will always struggle on easy to mid 5.10.

in a nutshell, experiment a bit and see what works for you. if you want to focus on looking more fit, maybe add more weight training. if you want to focus on climbing fitness, maybe expereiment with combinations of climbing and weight training.

slim wrote: one of the things that i have realized over the years is that you can't judge a book by it's cover, ie you can't really tell how good a climber is by just looking at them.

I can't agree with slim's comment more, I've been deceived many times thinking the guy with the beer gut can't pull down only to find him crushing the 12+ I'm dreaming about.

By no means am I an authority on this subject like a lot of the other people on this thread but I'm always lurking on the training forum and tweaking my own training and would just like to note a few things. I was always an avid weight trainer, wrestled in college and kept lifting weights up until 2 years ago. I found I get all the weight training I need from pushups and core training. This opened up a lot of time for me which I put back into climbing. Since I've invested this time back into climbing my level has jumped nearly a full grade in the last year, I'm nailing onsights in the mid 11 range where I used to only redpoint. I'm able to get on 12's now without the debacle that used to ensue.

This is what worked for me after much experimentation, results may vary, I'm limited on my time due to life obligations so I have to find the most efficient way to train.

The last thing I would like to note (off topic kind of) is that I NEVER realized until recently how powerful your mind is. Convincing yourself to just climb when the falls are safe and move when you are uncomfortable jumped my level like nothing else has. I can't believe how much further my body is able to go when my mind is screaming to stop. Hope something in my ramblings helps.

slim wrote:one thing about adding weight training to your climbing training, you might be compromising your recovery. it takes some scheduling and fine tuning to avoid this.

Or intelligent use of suppleements and proteins.

For supplements, if you're a guy, you may want to consider a cycle of testosterone booster. This isn't the crap that Arnold shot into his ass, it's incredibly safe if you follow the directions and take breaks between cycles.

The testosterone works to rebuild muscles more efficiently. Be warned though, it will definitely up your sex drive.

For proteins, just get about 25g plus a good bit of sugar in some form or fashion within 30 mins of your workout. The protein rebuilds the muscles, and the sugar helps rush the protein to the muscles which helps halt any post-workout muscle atrophy.

i'm pretty religious about carb/protein intake during/after a workout. usually i will drink diluted accelerade while climbing At the gym. then afterwards, when i get out to the car i make an orange juice and vanilla protein drink. then pasta and chicken when i get home. even with all of this, i have to be careful to make enough time for recovery. i wish i could train every day, but i'm getting kind of old and tired.

as for the testosterone, i am already quite hairy and my wife thinks i'm already too macho :)

Try CrossFit, you will reach full body muscle failure quickly. Then you can eat, rest, and go climbing after work.

Bump to the Crossfit! This is such a varied workout from day to day. It is a short workout. Focuses on core strength and overall fitness. And the workouts are as intense as you make them. So it's a good compliment to climbing. But climbing is just that whether your focus is sport trad bouldering or alpine. You don't get better at THAT unless you do enough ofTHAT. If you want to get strong fingers or pull strength go focus on your next project . You will improve your climbing strength, and enjoy it along the way, With he appropriate amount of rest overall, of course.

I've been climbing for 15 years. Have a solid trad leading foundation of climbing 5.10 anytime. Plus i have have to work at keeping the body fat low. So Crossfit keeps me fit while working hard to pay the bills until the next climbing venture.