Training for bouldering

I've read a lot of the training posts on MP as well some books about training for climbing in general, but I was wondering if anyone had suggestions for structuring a training routine specifically for bouldering. I'm aware that bouldering can be a useful training tool for other types of climbing, but currently it's the only type of climbing I do. I've been bouldering for a year now and have basically plateaued at V2, with an occasional V3, so I'm looking to improve on that. I try to boulder (outdoors) every other day, although some weeks it's only possible to get out twice a week. I do my workout on my climbing days, after climbing. I'm interested in trying periodization, like what is discussed in the Rockprodigy article, but I'm unsure what would apply best for maximum gains specifically for bouldering, as well as how to coordinate work out days with climbing days. Any suggestions or insight would be very much appreciated.

I have never had the time to be able to stick to a serious training routine, and if you have time, I am sure you will get some good advice for a long term, intense training routine. If you are like a lot of people and have to make compromises in your training, and given that you climb outside a lot, I would emphasize one key element - CORE.

I realized on a trip to Hueco a few years ago that the thing pulling me off so many problems was my lack of core strength. I couldn't hold swings if my feet cut, couldn't keep my body tight to the wall, etc etc. Even when I could crimp the hell out of something, I was still likely to come barreling off. Since then I have worked to strengthen my core, and it has helped tremendously. Even during periods when I couldn't climb much, if I stayed consistent with core exercises, I could get back to climbing v-whatever much faster than if I did lots of pull ups.

Also, you may be doing this already, but even if v3 is your max, try lots of problems that are harder, and project them. You will learn a lot about the movement and strengths involved in climbing harder problems, and slowly they will feel easier and easier.

Every other day may be too much for you. I started seeing bigger gains when I bumped my climbing down to about 3 days a week. Especially when I plateau, resting makes a huge difference. Give your muscles a chance to recover FULLY. This takes more than a day, and often, more than 2. It also decreased those nagging tendon and elbow injuries. Besides that, I would agree with Joe. CORE is key. Work things you cannot actually do. Push yourself beyond the point of failure. Fall. Fail. Pushing your climbing ability should feel DESPERATE. The harder grades don't feel easy or controlled when you first push into them. They feel impossible. Be willing to thrutch and fight with everything you've got. Lapping climbs you can already do will help to get you stronger, but really pushing it will do more. For me, the realization that climbing harder things meant just believing I was going to stick the move, made all the difference in the world.
You may also try separating your climbing from your training. Climbing is hard on the body. Adding a training routine after you already wiped yourself out may be detrimental. Take what I say with a grain of salt. I am no expert. These are just observations I have had over my climbing career. Remember that many of the barriers in climbing are mental. Good luck. Don't over do it.

Weighted pull-ups. Lots.

Weighted fingerboard hangs. Lots.

Boring but it works if you stick with it.

Go easy or you will destroy your shoulder/ rotator cuff. Especially if your over age 25.

Here's some ideas for you. First, steer clear of weighted dead hangs. Here's why: Since you've only been bouldering for a year, there is no way your tendons can support a highish intensity workout like the only weighted deadhangs will provide, unless you do it on huge holds, which sort of defeats the purpose. Pulls up are good, it'll build your base fitness, and while boring, hangboard work is a good alternative to getting to the gym. It's just not something you want to jump headlong into until you're strong enough or I guarantee you something is going to go sproing then you wont be doing anything.

Anyways, here are some things that I find particularly helpful, however you have to have access to a gym, or at least a woody t utilize them.

1. 4x4's
Basically 4 sets of 4 boulder problems with 4-5 minutes rest inbetween sets. The problems should be challenging enough so that you feel tired at the end but not so hard that you're falling off of them. Ideally at the end you want to be able to pull through the last problem, but just barely. Experiment with what problems work for you with respect to your goals and utilize those types of routes (i.e. if you want to become stronger on overhangs, do overhanging problems) and strive to climb each one with PERFECT form and control.

2. Pyramids
Pyramids are great for building power an stamina. It puts the most difficult problems in the middle of the workout and really makes you climb with proper technique. So for example, a pyramid I often use looks like this V2(4), V3(3), V4(1), V5(1), V4(1), V3(3), V2(4). Again with perfect form. Take 3 to 5 minutes rest between problems, you may not feel like you need it at first, but put the right pyramid workout together, and you will by about the 11th problem or so.

So those are 2 great workout, beyond that, core strength is key, look into some grip strengtheners (just don't over do it), and some cardio wouldn't kill you either. More than anything, listen to your body, better to ease off early in a workout if something doesn't feel right than push it and injure yourself.

cheers,
A

Really good comments above.

Focus on technique. If you just sent something in poor form, then you just taught your muscles how to apply bad technique. They will remember the bad technique the next time you are pumped or tired.

If you really want to improve you should be ready to spend some money on it. Get a membership at a gym that has good bouldering as well as equipment to do pull-ups and campusing.

Then pay a trainer to make a training plan designed with your goals/schedule in mind. Rob Pizem has been doing periodized training for almost a decade and my husband and I have learned a lot from him.

Then stick to the plan. Rest when you are tired. Don't eat junk. Listen to your body and when something hurts, stop.

If only I listened to my own advice!

Definitely in agreement with Lauren. Another tip assuming that you don't want to throw down for a trainer is to pick up The Self Coached Climber, lots of good info for climbers of all abilities. Oh, and the same applies for campusing as it does for hangboard use, wait until your body can handle it or pay the price.

Campusing easy problems...v1/v2 hands down will not only give you upper body strength but will work your core as well. Learn to keep your legs and feet directly under your body and under control at all times even when doing the hardest moves. Core is really key.

Ian G. wrote:Weighted pull-ups. Lots. Weighted fingerboard hangs. Lots. Boring but it works if you stick with it. Go easy or you will destroy your shoulder/ rotator cuff. Especially if your over age 25.

Makes my elbows hurt even thinking about this! Youch.

You've been climbing for a year and you've hit your first plateau. That's great! You're being tested. Just be patient and keep climbing a lot, you'll bust through.

Thanks for all of the great responses! There's a lot of great information and suggestions here, thank you for taking the time to give some advice. I think that allowing for two rest days between climbing/workout days could be beneficial and I will try doing that. I also liked the the 4x4 and pyramid circuit, I tried a pyramid this morning when I went bouldering of V0(4), V1(3), V2(1), V3(1), V2(1), V1(3), V0(4), and it was definitely a great workout for me. I also noticed that many people mentioned core strength specifically, and that is something that I could focus more on during my workout. Generally after climbing, I do 2 sets of max pull-ups, push-ups, crunches, and dips. I guess what I've noticed is that while I've improved in all of the exercises measurably, those gains haven't fully translated into climbing. Do you think a working out post-climbing is generally a good idea, or should I skip a day of outdoor climbing in favor of working out? It just seems like in order to give the muscles adequate rest, climbing days have to be workout days as well. There's definitely a lot to consider, thanks again!

This is all you need. PERIOD.

Brett Billings wrote:Generally after climbing, I do 2 sets of max pull-ups, push-ups, crunches, and dips. I guess what I've noticed is that while I've improved in all of the exercises measurably, those gains haven't fully translated into climbing. Do you think a working out post-climbing is generally a good idea, or should I skip a day of outdoor climbing in favor of working out? It just seems like in order to give the muscles adequate rest, climbing days have to be workout days as well. There's definitely a lot to consider, thanks again!

I wouldn't worry too much with the other exercises. It's good that you do them, as they will help balance your muscle groups, but they are not going to make you a better climber. Post climbing is good for those, I would also add some rotator cuff and reverse wrist curl excercises to your regimen to help balance and strengthen those small injury prone muscles.

Crunches are pretty worthless for active core strength. Better would be to end your pullup sets with 20 leg raises. Keep your knees bent at first to protect your back. Work front and both sides and progress to twisting lifts as you gain strength. This also adds a burn for your forearms holding the bar, if it starts to hurt your hands maybe get the straps that wrap your wrists and you wrap and hold onto on the bar.

The following workout has been a good one for me to do on days when I felt the climbing wasn't very hard or I didn't push myself much. Do 5 pullups, 10 pushups, then 15 air squats, then go back and do it again...and again...and again until you are ready to barf or about 10 minutes have passed. The air squats are really just to keep you in the red zone. Doing this once a week seems to help some with pain tolerance, which does factor into climbing past your limit.

Stay away from any weighted pullups or weighted deadhangs, or campusing for at least a couple years if you want to have a long healthy climbing career.

I started climbing a little over a year now and have done very little extra training and I am entering into the v6/5.12 area. In the cold season I was hitting the gym probably 3 times a week every two days when work allows. I rarely do any push ups, pull ups, crunches or anything like that. I think the main things that have helped me progress have been continuing pushing my limits...I rarely work 3s or 4s anymore but warm up with 5s and project 7s. Developing my core strength...I mainly did this through nothing but campusing very easy problems. Focus on keeping your legs in control and not flailing them around like a fish. It will seem hard at first, but just getting that down is key to any progression.

Before leaving the gym or outside...make sure your arms are limp noodles. Burn yourself out during your climbing time, just give yourself adequate time to rest before hitting it again.

Just a comment directed to JasonT....recommendation from someone who has been there done that is to slow down a bit before you hurt yourself. It takes a good 4 years for your tendons to start catching up to your muscles. I climbed the Mega Traverse after climbing for a year and a half. I got elbow tendinitis that lasted for another 2+ years.

Climbing injuries really suck....build your foundation so you are not like the Leaning Tower of Pisa. A foundation should be literally hundreds of climbs well below your limit. Always working routes/problems near your limit is a good way to end up injured and grumpy.

Kevin speaks the truth.

One thing that has not been mentioned is the need to experiment. What works for one person will not work for another. For me, using a campus board just leads to tweaked fingers and time off the rock. On the other hand, weighted pull ups and fingerboard hangs work magic for me when I stick to them. Others find they get injured on this regimen. Read up on lots of workouts and find what works for you.

And, this may sound strange and counter to the common wisdom, but sport climbing can be good training for bouldering (and vice versa). Working long pumpy routes will give you the stamina to pull hard boulder moves when tired. Just my .02 cents...

Dear God! There is some really bad advice in this thread.

I might as well add to it:

Why don't you just enjoy climbing for another couple years. You have your whole life to systematically, slowly, and painfully, but certainly suck out every golden drop of innocent joy that the sport ever offered you....

Get back to me when you find yourself camped out at the base of some shitty road-cut chosspile throwing F-bomb infused woblers every time your foot pops off that polished, over-chalked smear at the crux of your super-sick new linkup/eliminate of "Warmup Problem" and "Center Problem Direct" (the good crimper is off) with a downclimb of "Middle-Left-Right-Left-Down Problem".

I mean, get back to me when you hate climbing.

Just Do It! Bouldering over and over again, for the power one may seek can be found in repetition and its longevity. If it's what you love to do it shouldn't be that difficult.

goto moonclimbing.com, I find that ben moon has quite the insight to climbing training. Why practice to exhaustion? Focus on the technique while training for power. Proper campusing technique, and systems board work, will transfer to climbing.

Do avoid campusing on the board for a few years, that is really good advice. I started way to early and paid for it with time off the rocks.

Take care and have fun

If you drink fairly often try not to (you will lose like 5 pounds). I've noticed I can climb about a grade harder by losing 5 to 10 pounds of fat.

And perfect the drop knee.

Crossfit...Try the tabata's. kaizencrossfit.com

The Crossfit program has significantly improved my strength and flexibility. The workouts are all about core strength and will get your core into shape rather quickly. Look up Crossfit on youtube as well. Other than that...Practice makes perfect, go bouldering!