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gym training for climbing? (Read 5512 times)

tommytwotone

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gym training for climbing?
November 28, 2003, 06:24:49 pm
listen to da word that i speak as i takes me a cup to the middle of the street...

joined the gym ages ago after i knackered my arm just so i could stay fit. Obviously I didn't do anything with my arm for ages (mainly cardio stuff like cycling, running along with sit-up and side strengthening exercises).

Now I'm back using my arm I want to build it / my upper body up for climbing. I had a session with a trainer geezer a while ago and he's got me doing what feels like some pretty good stuff (chest/shoulder presses, free weight stuff like bicep curls/tricep extensions and front/side raises).

I'm wondering if there's anything I could add to improve it, or drop because it's unneccesary.

Anyone else do any weight training to get 'emselves ripped for climbing - what do y'all do?

Bubba

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#1 gym training for climbing?
November 28, 2003, 08:00:32 pm
At the moment, I'm doing a lot of work - I reckon lat pulldowns are a good one, pull ups, and stuff to work your antagonistic muscles so benching, rows, etc.

Apart from that, what you're doing sounds fine - you don't want to just only do climbing specific things, as it's good to work antagonistics too.

I try to work my stomach pretty hard too, on the various stomach busting things they've got at the gym. Good for core strength.

All this said, I'm by no means an expert, and if the gym staff are any good and they understand just what goes into bouldering, then they *should* be able to give you the right advice.

There's also some stuff well worth reading on planetfear.com and also planetfear from a man like Neil Gresham, who knows his stuff when it comes to training.

dave

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#2 gym training for climbing?
November 28, 2003, 10:30:02 pm
hear the drummer get wikkid:

bubba is certainly on the money wid da antagonist ting - basically you'll do yourself a favour by training these cos it balances out the imbalances you'd get from just trainig for climbing, thus reducing your injury potential in the future as far as elbows, shoulders etc.

some good uns are anything the works triceps, and also very slow bicep curls with a light weight (a couple of keys), particularly concentrating on the down movment slowly is apparently good for elbow stuff.

dobbin

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#3 gym training for climbing?
November 29, 2003, 05:44:56 pm
That's interesting about the bicep curl thang.

To be honest when you start climbing again going to the gym more than about once a week is counter productive, I say this as bouldering is so specific you'll get more from climbing all week and doing one antagonistic session per micro cycle.

tommytwotone

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#4 gym training for climbing?
November 29, 2003, 07:21:35 pm
that's my concern, namely that doing weights and stuff might be counterproductive but I can't see how. It's one thing to be in good shape generally, but if it's not helping my climbing then I might have to look at my priorites.

I've noticed since coming back to climbing that the main things that are missing from my game are strength (both muscle and finger), technique and skin, the last two I reckon I just need to climb lots to get back but I would have thought that a mix of weights and climbing would sort out my strength.

I'm currently getting into the gym 2-3 times a week and trying to climb 2-3 times a week as well. The main thing I've noticed is that my general fitness is a lot better as a result - I did the B6 traverse on the Tank a Burbage South the other weekend no probs, the last time I did it I was gasping!

On the bicep ting, been doing partials (ie half-curls) and they seem to be paying off. Forgot about the lat pulldowns as well, been doing them and all.

Bubba

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#5 gym training for climbing?
November 30, 2003, 12:28:28 am
I think that doing weight sessions instead of climbing may be counter-productive to your climbing, but if you can't get out and climb 3 times a week, then doing weights is better than doing nothing, and is certainly going to help keep you in shape.

Climbing doesn't use a magic set of muscles that can't be trained in any other way. The main problem with gym training imho is that it's really hard to replicate the finger work that climbing needs using weights.

dobbin

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#6 gym training for climbing?
November 30, 2003, 02:45:24 pm
You're dead on Bubba, its hard to simulate the stresses and strains of climbing in the gym, the other argument is that weights build big muscles which weigh loads, for climbing you want higher recruiting (more efficient) muscles over bulk. Conventional training schemes designed by flexors are designed to produce this, for climbing specificity do more reps of less weight.

re your skin and skill, just get out there and climb!

dave

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#7 gym training for climbing?
November 30, 2003, 04:46:15 pm
thats a very important point about not getting bulk.

body builders who wanna look buff but not actually that bothered about beign strong tend to do 8-15 reps, say of bicip curls, cos this makes the muscle go big. for climbing you don't want this, so you either wanna work with a lighter weight and do stamina so 15+ reps, or for pure strength go with 1-8 reps at a heavier weight. this low rep thing is what i've done with bicep curls, dumble flyes etc (normally 5 reps) and i've deffo got stronger and put on no bulk.

T.H.

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#8 gym training for climbing?
November 30, 2003, 04:55:47 pm
Yeah, to get strong you've got to stick to low, but intense reps.

The problem with weights is that you can't really train all the muscles you want to.

If you've got somewhere to put it, you're probably best putting up a pull-up bar and some small edges, rather than spend a mint going down the gym or buying your own set of weights.

But remember, don't just concentrate on strength.  I've spent the last few months more or less just doing that.  I can do more one armers, dead hang for longer, front lever for longer etc. and went to the wall yesterday and climbed the worst I have for a good while.  Doh!

dave

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#9 gym training for climbing?
November 30, 2003, 05:02:52 pm
i think it all depends on what you're naturally good at - i.e. if you're naturally physically strong but weak fingers then theres no point doing weights.

the opposite to that is me - a natural weakling, got strong fingers and legs but piss weak arms thus shit on footless moves. I think if you asked me to do 10 pullups on a bar i would have to try very hard. i can just about hold a 90deg lock on a bar or jug, but can't even comprehend being able to do a 1armer.

still, at the end of the day if you can't hold the holds you can't climb so i'm not that worried about it.

dobbin

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#10 gym training for climbing?
November 30, 2003, 08:26:27 pm
Quote from: "dave"
still, at the end of the day if you can't hold the holds you can't climb so i'm not that worried about it.


Nearly a Malcolm Smith line:

"Whats the point in being able to keep going all day if you can't hold the holds?"

dave

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#11 gym training for climbing?
November 30, 2003, 11:07:14 pm
i prefer "i don't boulder for fun, i boulder for power". :)

tommytwotone

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#12 gym training for climbing?
December 01, 2003, 10:48:31 pm
cheers for that - did my first sesh of a changed routine tonight.

Seems like I had the exercises right, but I was doing lots of reps.

Defo doing more lower rep now stuff in case I get too chunky - nice linx Bubba, really useful stuff.

Looks like I'll be off back to Font for a few days before Xmas, should give me some focus to do less gym and more climbing - want to get me first Font 7a under my belt!

 

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