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NEW TOPIC: **Conditioning for Climbing** (Auto-belay comments are banned)

Original Post
The Maverick · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Nov 2012 · Points: 0

Let's discuss conditioning.

For a chick, I have really good upper body strength; however, I find I am fatiguing my arms when I climb. Many have explained to me, climbing is more about footwork and body position.

Like the other sports I participate in, often times the way we "feel" we should do something is not the "correct" way to do it. For example, as a kayaker, I have mastered the roll. Everything about the roll is totally counter-intuitive. When upside down in the water, your natural instinct is to bring your head up for air. This is the wrong technique. Do this and you will not come up. It is the most common error a paddler makes when in a sticky situation. Bring your head up, your hips won't snap and your paddle sweep will not bring the boat back to an upright position. The head is the last thing out of the water.

With that being said, I am sure there are some tips for practicing good foot work, etc.

The Maverick · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Nov 2012 · Points: 0
JLP wrote:We still have time for a human sacrifice.
OMG!
Finn The Human · · The Land of Ooo · Joined Jul 2008 · Points: 106

Keep your feet on the wall as much as possible. Use your toes. Turn your hips into the wall. Drop those knees. Climb more.

redlude97 · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jun 2010 · Points: 5

The self coached climber. Buy it

bearbreeder · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Mar 2009 · Points: 3,065

climb with people who are better than you and learn ...

SM Ryan · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jul 2008 · Points: 1,090
redlude97 wrote:The self coached climber. Buy it
+1
The Maverick · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Nov 2012 · Points: 0

Sweet!! Thanks guys. Will do.

wendy weiss · · boulder, co · Joined Mar 2006 · Points: 10

Turn your hip into the wall is good advice. (Climb like an Egyptian.) Also try stepping high and shifting all your weight over that foot with your knee bent. (Good for resting and clipping.)

Watch and copy climbers who seem to dance up the wall.

Don't think of yourself as a chick. ;-)

Mike Lane · · AnCapistan · Joined Jan 2006 · Points: 880

A few common causes of newbie-pump besides not enough footwork is forgetting to breathe, over gripping, not shaking out on good stances, being nervous. Also, the muscles and tendons we employ doing this are not easy to develop, but once they are you'll exert less energy holding on. This sport is a lot like golf in that there is no substitute for time unless you are 13 and strong. Forgetting to breathe is a big one, we all struggle with it at times. You need an array of moves in your quiver.
One gym trick to work your footwork is to get on the least vertical wall and climb with one hand only.

Che · · grnd junction, co · Joined Aug 2009 · Points: 0

Beginner ideas from a beginner:

Work on quiet feet - no scraping, clunky, loud gumby stuff.

Place your foot once, exactly how you think you want it and move without adjusting. This will make you think about what you are doing even if the placement is horrible.

Do a route, think about parts that are hard for you, think about how pushing/pulling/standing/dropping,twisting with your legs and feet can make the move easier, retry and see if it works.

Try out heels hooks for moving, resting, leaning, have fun with 'em.

Climb a lot, all the time. Obsess about it. Don't kayak, that's not climbing.

All tips and tricks are pretty worthless unless you're climbing every chance you get. If you are decent at kayaking you will understand.

The Maverick · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Nov 2012 · Points: 0
Mike Lane wrote:A few common causes of newbie-pump besides not enough footwork is forgetting to breathe, over gripping, not shaking out on good stances, being nervous. Also, the muscles and tendons we employ doing this are not easy to develop, but once they are you'll exert less energy holding on. This sport is a lot like golf in that there is no substitute for time unless you are 13 and strong. Forgetting to breathe is a big one, we all struggle with it at times. You need an array of moves in your quiver. One gym trick to work your footwork is to get on the least vertical wall and climb with one hand only.
Oooo...I like that advice about the gym trick. Seems like that would engage your core as well for balance. Right?
The Maverick · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Nov 2012 · Points: 0
Che wrote:Beginner ideas from a beginner: Work on quiet feet - no scraping, clunky, loud gumby stuff. Place your foot once, exactly how you think you want it and move without adjusting. This will make you think about what you are doing even if the placement is horrible. Do a route, think about parts that are hard for you, think about how pushing/pulling/standing/dropping,twisting with your legs and feet can make the move easier, retry and see if it works. Try out heels hooks for moving, resting, leaning, have fun with 'em. Climb a lot, all the time. Obsess about it. Don't kayak, that's not climbing. All tips and tricks are pretty worthless unless you're climbing every chance you get. If you are decent at kayaking you will understand.
Roger that! See I get frustrated if I don't succeed the first time. You are right. Sticking with it and concentrating on foot placement is key. Would you suggest lower climbs and repeat them over and over again?
Mark E Dixon · · Possunt, nec posse videntur · Joined Nov 2007 · Points: 974

Ericka, I think you need to start tying in with a bowline.

Rick McL · · Arvada CO · Joined Feb 2009 · Points: 50

Who would put a 5.4 route on their "to do list" unless they were really a gumby? She's for real.

Buff Johnson · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Dec 2005 · Points: 1,145

I'd do the West Ridge of the Pigeon.

J Q · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Mar 2012 · Points: 50

You can worry about conditioning when you can climb, and as I see it, you are about two years away from being able to climb. This sport is not like those other ones you mentioned, you will see. Climbing 5.7 is not really climbing. Not the type you condition for anyways. I used to do all of those sports and I was great. I chose climbing because I suck. I will always suck. You will always suck. Get used to the idea you are in a sport that is very measurable and, you suck, a lot, and you don't need to worry about conditioning until you know what hang dogging is.

And if you just trolled me, well done.

Superclimber · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Mar 2009 · Points: 1,310

Kegel exercises!

Sorry, I couldn't help myself;) Check out Eric Horst's Training For Climbing.

The Maverick · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Nov 2012 · Points: 0
Jonhy Q wrote:You can worry about conditioning when you can climb, and as I see it, you are about two years away from being able to climb. This sport is not like those other ones you mentioned, you will see. Climbing 5.7 is not really climbing. Not the type you condition for anyways. I used to do all of those sports and I was great. I chose climbing because I suck. I will always suck. You will always suck. Get used to the idea you are in a sport that is very measurable and, you suck, a lot, and you don't need to worry about conditioning until you know what hang dogging is. And if you just trolled me, well done.
LMAO...Needed that laugh...U weren't trolled.
The Maverick · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Nov 2012 · Points: 0
Chris Miller wrote:Kegel exercises! Sorry, I couldn't help myself;) Check out Eric Horst's Training For Climbing.
OMG!! Ah, don't worry. Let it fly. I actually found some of Eric's stuff online. Looks like it's worth checking out. Time will tell.
dancesatmoonrise · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Apr 2011 · Points: 695

Don't think I have a decent answer for the OP - but if anyone's still awake here, got some old-school style answers for aspiring crag tigers.

1. Training lock-off strength:
Find the highest place in your house. Like a vaulted ceiling or a balcony. Install a 6x3/8 lag bolt with a std 3/8 hanger into a solid beam. Take an old rope and tie an overhand or 8 on a byte, and clip it in to your high point, dropping the ends to the floor. Get your ascenders. Tape them up with foam and tape; pad them well. Then put them on the ropes, sitting on the floor. Push them both up, do a pull up, then lock off on the left and push the right up. Then pull up. Lock off on the right and push the left up. Continue till the top. (Wear a harness and clip into the ascenders for safety if desired.) Once at the top, reverse the process and descend. Over time, work up to doing laps. This is a great technique to take 5.9/5.10 climbers into the 5.11/5.12 range. (Yes, it's about footwork, but the question was conditioning for climbing...)

2. Training crimp strength:
Start when you are able to do at least several pullups and some hard crimps. Pick a solid door-jamb ledge, like the one from the hall into the bathroom. Chalk up if desired. Do one finger-ledge pull-up. Rest. Then do two. Go away and do the dishes. Come back and do three. Go away and start the laundry. Continue till a maximum is reached. Then start to descend, one at a time. For example, if 5 is your max, you'll do 1, then 2, then 3, then 4, then 5, then continue with 4, then 3, then 2, then finish with 1. This is called doing pyramids. Before long you'll be up to 20 as the max. The total number done is the square of the max. So when you're up to 20, you've done 400 finger-ledge pullups. This exercise will take you from 5.10 to 5.12. Same admonitions about footwork - footwork is so key - but this will train crimp strength needed for a lot of 5.12 face routes.

Trolls aside, hoping this helps any aspiring climbers out there.

Finn The Human · · The Land of Ooo · Joined Jul 2008 · Points: 106

Use an open handed crimp whenever possible. Crimping hard will contribute to elbow problems if you don't use an open grip.

Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

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