NSR: Getting In Shape for Climbing

[The Reverend Floater]

I wasn't sure where to put this...I'm no longer gimpy, and it's not really padded porn. Anyhow, question for the climbers--How can I begin to get in shape so that I can return to climbing this summer?

I did a lot of sport climbing in college--that was really my thing. Eugene was sweet thanks to the the gyms and local cracks. Weekends were spent at Smith and I had a great time.

Since then I've had major shoulder surgery and have moved to an area with no immediate climbing, save a few dirty top ropes. However, a friend is a big climber and said I could latch onto him to trips to the City and other stashes.

So what do you do to get strong for climbing without actually climbing? There's a hangboard at the gym that I can use, but what else? Thanks in advance.

[StaggerLee]

10 finger tip pull ups from every door jamb you walk through...will help to build contact strength. Find some plastic to pull on - indoor gyms are everywhere.

[upallnight]

any exercises that improve your core strength will have a huge (positive) impact.

[shera]

Find some plastic to pull on

What does that mean?

Not meaning to steal this thread, but I really want to get started climbing and would love some pointers too. I got a harness and rock shoes last summer but haven't done anything with them yet. I hope this isn't going to be as tough to break into as backcountry skiing was. Anyway, what would you say to a beginner - all I've ever done is a couple of times belaying during chair evac exercises.

And of course I have to recomend yoga.

[elevens]

10 finger tip pull ups from every door jamb you walk through...will help to build contact strength. Find some plastic to pull on - indoor gyms are everywhere.

Just be careful how much you climb on plastic/indoor gyms - it's high impact on your fingers and can cause serious injuries.

Strong core, strong core, strong core.......remember to rest a few days as well

Get a finger board and put in your house and start doing pull ups - 5 finger 1/2, 4 finger 1/4, 3 fingers full, etc.

climb, climb, climb........

[ctarmchair]

Climbing is a movement sport. For the o.p., you don't say at what level you climbed, but I assume roughly 5.10-5.11 sport due to the way you posed the question. Basically my advice would be to get to an indoor gym (this is "pulling on plastic") or boulder and climb 3-4 days/week. If you can't but have roughly $500 to blow on materials and holds, make your own system board, see Stone Age Climbing's website for plans. The hangboard should be a last resort because it doesn't really relate that directly to climbing.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/081...Fencoding=UTF8,

Hopefully I just pasted a link to "The Self-Coached Climber," which just came out and has lots of practical stuff there.

SheRa, you're in an area loaded with climbers, I'd advise you buy your own harness, belay device and other basic gear, and then find 1-3 experienced climbers willing to take you out after you learn how to belay. (Ask them specifically what their experience is, too, and until you get some experience don't assume a strong sportclimber is necessarily who you want to take you on a long trad route.) Since you're not into "coaching," consider it "mentorship." Mileage is important for developing skill, but make it "smart" mileage, think about movement patterns for the type of rock you're climbing on...and expose yourself to lots of different types of rock. You're within an easy drive of everything from Indian Creek, Utah sandstone cracks to Boulder Canyon sportclimbing, sample it all.

[mcsquared]

Don't waste your time and money on a finger board. You will only hurt yourself. Fingerboards are only useful for climber on the elite end of the spectrum who are trying to isolate certain weaknesses.

Just climb, climb, climb, and climb. It is the only training. Buy a monthly membership at a gym. Climb when you can but listen to your body and stop when things start to scream. Doing some core exercises wouldn't hurt either.

It is an oldie but a goody but there is a book caled "Performance Rock climbing" by Dale Goddard. Excellent training info in there. There are a few other books out there but that is the best one I have read.

[subtle plague]

plastic.
be sure to select an indoor hall with leadclimbing possibilities and a nice long overhanging part. that gives you endurance.
depending on your max power id recommend some bouldering sessions too. it enables to diversify(or remember if you were good already) your movement patterns and prepares you for the key passages out on the rocks where you just have to do these 2-3 hard moves to get to the next big hold/resting possition.

[Tectonically_Neglected]

sit ups or hanging jack knife's
push ups (not bench press)

Anything that will strengthen your core and coordination between core muscles.

If you want to go the way of a gym, use free weights.

Climb a lot.

Climbing = technique. Keep that in mind. Focus on technique and you will reap more rewards than just by being strong. It is better to hone your technique because you are weak and then become strong than the other way around....

[CS]

Yeah, I'd go with what most people say. The only real way to get into, and stay in, climbing shape is to go. It's such a damned frustrating sport. Takes forever to get strong and build up the edurance, but you take a couple weeks off and bamn, right back where you started. Just learn to aid climb. A lot scarier and you don't have to be in shape. That's what I'm talking about.

[DJMingus]

Everyone else is on the right page, Rev - climb as much as you can. Join a climbing gym and go. General fitness won't go unrewarded, especially pullup strength, but actually climbing is by far the best (and most fun) way to be ready for the rock.

[jimmy page]

Rev, The YMCA just took over the old climbing gym in Hailey. It looks pretty cool from the pictures. I'm sure I could get us couple of day passes to try it out. (not that I know what I am doing, but it looks fun).

http://woodriverymca.org/programs/y_rocks.php

[Mountain Junkie]

So what do you do to get strong for climbing without actually climbing? There's a hangboard at the gym that I can use, but what else? Thanks in advance.

If you can't climb...that's a tough one. Climbing doesn't really lend itself to cross-training. I think it does help to be in good aerobic shape, but any fitness over a relatively low level isn't going to help much. As for hangboards, in your case, the potential to nuke tendons is really high.

Now, there's one other option, but beware. After the end of the training cycle women will be throwing themselves to your feet, making climbing all the more difficult.Enjoy the Workout From Hell

[killclimbz]

As everyone else has said. Go pull on plastic. It's not outdoors, but the only real way to get in shape for climbing is by climbing. It surprising how strong you can get by pulling on the fake stuff.

[alpinepronghorn]

So what do you do to get strong for climbing without actually climbing? There's a hangboard at the gym that I can use, but what else? Thanks in advance.

I think the first question you have to ask is what KIND of climbing you're talking about. If you want to get back into pumpy sport climbing, then, yeah, climbing (plastic, rock, doorjambs) is really the only thing. But if you're talking more alpine trad, then a strong aerobic base is almost more important than fingerstrength.

In general, though, I think just being fit makes a bigger difference than specialized training, unless you're trying to break into 5.12. If you want a full body kick ass 30 minute workout, I recommend a bear:

Find a 40 lb dumbell. If you want, you can make one out of a metal bar and two coffee cans. Fill the cans with cement, stick the bar in, and voila, ~40 lb dumbell.

Pick it up.

10 x Bent Over Rows (bend at the waist, pull the bar to your chest)
10 x Squats (Bar over the shoulders, drop to knees at 90 degrees)
10 x Cleans (Bar in front, drop it to the floor, then stand up and bring it to your chin. Keep your back straight)
10 x Military Cleans (Bar over the shoulders, do a squat, but this time press the bar overhead once you've stood up.
10 x Standing Rows (Bar in front, without bending at the waist lift it to your chin)
10 x Jumpies (Bar on shoulders, do a squat, but jump out of it.)
10 x Romanian Dead Lift (yeah, bad ass name, easy exercise with 40 lbs. Bar in front, bend over, straighten back up. Now try it with 200 and see what happens!)

Got it? Ok, now do that 7 times through, without ever putting the bar down. It's weight lifting, sure, but it's way more aerobic than you might expect. Really good simulation of being pumped out. Incidentally, all the squats will do good things for your skiing too...

[Knockneed Man]

Pull down on some plastic indoors... Only climbing gets you in shape for climbing, but some other things you can do is buy some putty to spread and squeeze with your fingers, also the old hand squeeze things... Build up those forearms. AND get light...
Also just a tip, but if your buying a harness, get one with adjustable leg loops. After ski season and at the beginning of climbing season my quads are too big to fit through most fitted loops, then shrink as I lose the ski leg bulk on into climbing season. A harness with adjustable leg loops will also come in handy if you move into climbing ice or ski mountaineering with bulky clothes underneath.

[MassLiberal]

Dude checkout crossfit. it has done wonders for my fitness level. Go to Crossfit.com. It's a really cool program developed for special forces personnel.

[bio-smear]

You're a Duck? Pffttt...

Go Beavs.

The Columns were fun weren't they? And Smith rules of course.

[lemon boy]

I am quite dissapointed.

Rev, climbing is all about one thing, edurance power in your forearms. The only cross training that'll work is furious and sustained masterbation. Remember to alternate which hand you use. Choke that chicken(head)

[Mcwop]

Lift. Legs, arms everything. Lots of pullups too.

When I tore my pinky, I lifted heavily while it healed for 8-9 weeks. I went back to climbing, and really only lost a little hand stregth.

Here is the sickest hang board out there:

[Camel Toad]

been in your place before.

a. get a hang board. hang on it. you are looking to build finger/tendon strength. don't just do pull-ups, but hang for minutes at a time.

b. climb the crappy dirty cliffs as often as possible, also look for buildings to climb on. aid climb them if you plan on doing some trad climbing, this will keep gear placements fresh in your mind.

c. ashtanga yoga, will give you great core streangth, if i would have done this stuff back in the day i would have climbed a solid grade harder, number not letter...

d. the workout from hell link above, works great, but eat your protein or it will kick your ass.

e. before an extended climbing trip, reduce your weightlifting. your body needs some recovery time i.e. you can't climb your hardest when you are actively working out your muscles every day.

alpinepronghorn has some good tips. 5.12+ = dedication or mutant natural talent. alpine = good cardio and some brains. trad = solid all around. aid = marginal death wish, quite similar to ice climbing actually, if you get stoked on being scared then go this route.

[Yonder_River]

I hope this isn't going to be as tough to break into as backcountry skiing was.

Depends on how far you go with climbing. Sport climbing is relatively cheap and easy to get into. All you need is a rope, shoes, harness, helmet (I still think these are wise even with sport climbing) belay device and biner, and a set of 12 quickdraws.

Trad climbing or long alpine routes is a whole different bag and requires a lot more equipment. There is an apprenticeship involved that takes time and patience. These skills aren't learned in a gym. So, a bit more demanding than bc skiing or sport climbing, but very rewarding in the long run.

Sport climbing is like hanging out in the terrain park, it's fun and good training, but doesn't give you the sense of adventure like freeriding/bc skiing does. That's my 2 cents.

Check out the sporting goods section of craigslist. There can be some pretty good deals on equipment there.

[Mcwop]

Depends on how far you go with climbing. Sport climbing is relatively cheap and easy to get into. All you need is a rope, shoes, harness, helmet (I still think these are wise even with sport climbing) belay device and biner, and a set of 12 quickdraws.

Trad climbing or long alpine routes is a whole different bag and requires a lot more equipment. There is an apprenticeship involved that takes time and patience. These skills aren't learned in a gym. So, a bit more demanding than bc skiing or sport climbing, but very rewarding in the long run.

Sport climbing is like hanging out in the terrain park, it's fun and good training, but doesn't give you the sense of adventure like freeriding/bc skiing does. That's my 2 cents.

Check out the sporting goods section of craigslist. There can be some pretty good deals on equipment there.

Sport scares the piss out of me, but that is why I mainly boulder.

[The Reverend Floater]

Thanks, y'all! I really appreciate it. We don't really have a climbing gym other than the one that JP linked to. So I'll just have to make due with the gym I've got and lots of door jambs. And masturbation for the forearms which are rediculously ripped, I'll have you know. Keep it coming!