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training for longer climbs

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skinnynickels · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Nov 2013 · Points: 0

Been surfing the web trying to find any good training guides. If anyone know any good videos or have read any books that have been successful let me know. I'm looking at ticking off a few tuffer climbs before I get to old and can't do it.

Thanks for any help

Andy Hansen · · Longmont, CO · Joined Sep 2009 · Points: 3,130

What do you mean by "longer climb?" Longer than what exactly? Specificity will increase your success rate during training.

Jeff Johnston · · Bozeman, MT · Joined Sep 2010 · Points: 110
skinnynickels wrote:Been surfing the web trying to find any good training guides. If anyone know any good videos or have read any books that have been successful let me know. I'm looking at ticking off a few tuffer climbs before I get to old and can't do it. Thanks for any help
Well your first mistake is letting your a** get fat dinking around online. The best thing to do is go climb. For longer climbs. . . climb for an extended length of time. Depending on what your goals are try at least the gym or warm winter craig and get in like 7-8 hours of solo TR and just run laps till yer dead tired. Or go hang by your harness for hours on end if you are thinking about big wall/aid.
Climb, climb and more climbing with some distance hiking, cycling and such to break up the monotony. Dont forget those rest days as well so you bod can re-coup.
John Vanek · · Gardnerville, NV · Joined May 2013 · Points: 0
mountainathlete.com/page.ph…

I have not purchased any of these plans so I cannot give an opinion. But a friend of a friend used the Big Mountain program and raved about how well he was prepared (physically) for a couple of weeks climbing in the Cascades.

The $75 plans seem pretty expensive when there is a lot of material out in print that could help you, plus others have already posted sound advice.

JV
David Coley · · UK · Joined Oct 2013 · Points: 70
skinnynickels wrote:Been surfing the web trying to find any good training guides. If anyone know any good videos or have read any books that have been successful let me know. I'm looking at ticking off a few tuffer climbs before I get to old and can't do it. Thanks for any help
Hi,
Assuming by longer you mean big multipitch stuff, rather than 45m sports pitches, then the non-physical stuff will be as import as the physical if you are to do 20 pitches in a day, getting your speed up. Have a look this book:
amazon.com/High-Advanced-Mu…
skinnynickels · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Nov 2013 · Points: 0

Not fat but thanks for the nice words. I'm looking to do some longer stuff in Utah and a few classics in Yosemite this summer. I don't have the time or resources to go multi pitch climbing. So a training program would be ideal. I've got most technique engrained pretty good was a climbing bum for quite awhile before I took a good job. I don't aide climb only free. Astroman, ect. I have no problems with exposure. If I were to say my biggest problem has always been endurance. Which is why I would post this. I have climbed everyday all summer with strong strong climbers and still never saw much improvement with endurance. I could climb harder routes but I was still working with the same set of tools physically with that makes any sense. Im in pretty good shape now cardio and tabalas training, and core. I guess I want to be prepared as possible.

csproul · · Pittsboro...sort of, NC · Joined Dec 2009 · Points: 330
skinnynickels wrote:Not fat but thanks for the nice words. I'm looking to do some longer stuff in Utah and a few classics in Yosemite this summer. I don't have the time or resources to go multi pitch climbing. So a training program would be ideal. I've got most technique engrained pretty good was a climbing bum for quite awhile before I took a good job. I don't aide climb only free. Astroman, ect. I have no problems with exposure. If I were to say my biggest problem has always been endurance. Which is why I would post this. I have climbed everyday all summer with strong strong climbers and still never saw much improvement with endurance. I could climb harder routes but I was still working with the same set of tools physically with that makes any sense. Im in pretty good shape now cardio and tabalas training, and core. I guess I want to be prepared as possible.
If you can't climb multi-pitch where you live, then climb as many single pitches in a day as you can. It's very tempting at single pitch crags to waste a lot of time and/or spend time projecting a small number of more difficult routes. But if your goal is endurance, then pick a bunch of routes at or just below your on-sight limit and do A LOT of them. Don't roll up to the crags at 10:00 am and then dick around at the base having lunch and socializing, As soon as you get on the ground get going on the next route. If your goal route in the Valley is 20 pitches long...do 20 pitches at your local crag, even if you have to hit it early and climb after it's dark, 'cause that's what'll likely happen when you get to your destination. It's really not terribly complicated, just try to simulate the longer climbs in the environment that have available, even if that means climbing 8 hours in a climbing gym!
skinnynickels · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Nov 2013 · Points: 0

Sounds like the most logical plan. May have to be more gym than rock. Thanks for the insight.

csproul · · Pittsboro...sort of, NC · Joined Dec 2009 · Points: 330

I find the hardest part sometimes is to find like-minded partners who want to climb long days at a cragging environment and are willing to really try and push the pace, even if it means forgetting about the projects they have at the crag.

5.samadhi Süñyātá · · asheville · Joined Jul 2013 · Points: 40
csproul wrote:I find the hardest part sometimes is to find like-minded partners who want to climb long days at a cragging environment and are willing to really try and push the pace, even if it means forgetting about the projects they have at the crag.
yeah true, its really the opposite reason I go out to a crag (to do high mileage long days). I usually have one goal in mind and spend the rest of the day either warming up for the goal or belaying/cleaning my partner's routes he wants to do. I assume most people are like me.

You really have to be up front with a partner if you want them to climb 10-20 pitches in a day. Typical cragging day for me is probably 5-6 pitches haha!

I'd rather do a shorter day and send a project then go home and smoke/drink hang out chill watch a movie eat a pizza, etc...than push myself for 14 hour climbing days.

Hopefully all your partners are honest with you about what they want cause it can really set you up for disappointment.
Dobson · · Butte, MT · Joined Oct 2011 · Points: 215

Do hard work while exhausted, dehydrated, hungry and sleep deprived.

I have found that when climbing with people who are extremely fit from other sports like triathlons, they start out strong but really get nailed by dehydration and hunger at about hour 15. Their training regimens are too controlled in terms of diet, hydration and rest, to properly prepare them for alpine climbing.

Think about how long your intended climbs will take. One day, two days, three? Then figure out how much food and water you might be able to have, and train with just that much. Your climbing is probably fine, you just need to keep your body from shutting down when you start running on empty.

Enchaining shorter climbs like mentioned above is a good way to train. You can train harder than you can do a single big climb because there's little commitment. Climb harder, eat and drink less, and don't rest. It's fun, too.

Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

General Climbing
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