What is climbing training?
Training is an all encompassing word. There are many factors that can influence a climber’s performance and all aspects can (and should) be trained:
Your physical performance (fitness, strength etc)
Technique
Mental approach
Tactics
If you want to improve at climbing you need to address and train all of the above areas. The best climbers in the world will be fit, strong, have great technique, be incredible motivated, focussed under pressure and approach a climb efficiently. Does this sound like you? Yes? Well fantastic. If not – it’s a case of finding the weak link(s) – likely more than one - in the chain! You just need to find it/them. And train it.
I am a strong believer that the other areas are of equal relevance but training your physical performance is often the most misunderstood, but yet the most written about and where we focus our time and effort!
I am hoping that what I write here will be helpful to you.
So where to start? Set a goal! Training will be not nearly as effective without a goal. If you like training for training’s sake that’s fine. This is not a dig at you, but remember, having a goal is necessary to maximise a successful training period.
A goal will help focus you and help you identify your weaknesses and what you need to train. Saying ‘just get better’ is not really enough. Of course that used to be my goal in my early days of climbing (actually the goal was just to climb as many things on as many crags as I could) and in the beginning phases of our climbing we make quick gains whatever we do. Then I met a new group of people whose approach was different, I found some inspiration and a glimmer of a thought that I could climb harder. The first proper goals I set were Right Wall (E5) in Wales and Raindogs (8a) at Malham (pictured below). I hit a limit when I was trying Raindogs. After a long period of falling off it in the same place (and in the sun!!! - another story) I realised I couldn’t possibly climb it without some focussed training. I needed to think about why I was falling off it and train the problem.
Me on Raindogs 8a at Malham Cove a long time ago!! I fell off the top of this route so much I had no choice but to start some structured training!
Photo by Alex Messenger
So what are your goals? This may be a particular route or boulder problem, or a new grade or just getting the best out of your next climbing holiday. Make a list of things you want to do in the short term, like in the next 3-6 months and then longer term. You need both short and long term goals. Just having one long term goal will make training very difficult to stick to and having all your eggs in one basket can end up quite stressful.
Ok, back to training...
Our sport is quite complicated: we have trad, bouldering, sport, multi-pitch, redpointing, onsighting, indoors, outdoors and competitions and so on. You may do one, some or all of them. Its complexity means:
There are many ways to train (even more so if you bring in technique and the mental side)
Many opinions on how to train
Whilst there are some general themes to follow, our bodies and lives are all quite different, meaning one person’s methods may not fit for you.
There is however some science and (once you’ve set your goal) you need to consider the following 3 things:
The specific strength(s) necessary for your goal
The energy systems (your endurance and power endurance) relating to your goal
Your general body fitness and conditioning required for your goal
The first relates your muscles. The second one relates to your ‘climbing fitness’, your endurance and power endurance. The final one supports the first 2, looking at your core, flexibility cardio fitness etc.
I’ll write soon about these 3 key areas and how to train them.