[tommytwotone]

So, what does everyone do (if anything) to supplement your climbing?

Seem to remember an article by da Gresh about doing cycling and ting, but I'm sure my regime of golf, cricket, frisbee and table football would teach him a thing or two...

[Bubba]

Thai Boxing (when my heel is not trashed) - good for general fitness and works all the antagonistics but not sure of any direct benefit for climbing apart from losing weight and general aerobic fitness and tolerance to pain. Gives the shoulders a serious workout mind.

[dave]

i find it really helps - some moves you just can't stick when you're relaxed, so you need to get fired up and get really cross to stick it. get angry, thats what i recon.

[tommytwotone]

I can see it now...Karate Kid 4 - wax on, wax off...

   (how long have I been waiting for an excuse to use that smiley?)

[rowena]

Not sure if you've seen much of Capoeria but i'd recommend it as a good fun flexibility training class where you sweat as well as stretch your muscles.  I've been to a few classes ('though not for ages mind and am still utterly rubbish) but it's great fun and there was an even mix of boys and girls in the class.

[Bubba]

Capoeria looks cool and I like the way it originated as an MA disguised as dance in prisons where fighting wasn't allowed, but is it really an MA? I mean, if some pissed bloke tries to deck you you're not going to suddenly start prancing about in front of them, are you    I suppose you might confuse them or something....whereas Muay Thai is much more basic but just totally full on brutal - parry or block whatever is chucked at you and obliterate opponent with your "8 weapons" (2 fists, 2 shins, 2 elbows, 2 knees).

[Fingers of a Martyr]

I mean, if some pissed bloke tries to deck you you're not going to suddenly start prancing about in front of them, are you

lol  

[Scouse D]

I've had fuck fingers for a while now so have been going to the gym. Ain't really ben doing that many weights but have been on the rowing machines loads. I feel a whole load fitter though not really stronger but I have lost about half a stone. In the gym I also do quite a bit of stretching- I still ain't very flexible but at least I can touch my toes now.

[Bubba]

I've been doing some rowing coz of the heel - definitely a good aerobic workout and probably good for your back muscles too. I find it tweaks my elbows a bit sometimes though.

Those stepping machines (keep on your toes) are killers too.

[Carnage]

No much, Just supplement climbing with a lot of core stuff like sit ups, russian twists, press-ups and chuck weights around a bit.

[dave]

aye, if you've lost half a stone you're gonna feel 4% stronger for a start - of course you're fingers will have gone weaker a bit, but in arm strength and shit its gonna have an effect, and even more so to someone sans finger injuries.

[rowena]

russian twists.

What are those? Sound like some kind of liquorice allsort  

Have been to a few Thai boxing classes (or some variant of) and they had us grappling with these plastic bodies on a spring (?) much hilarity tho'.

Skipping's good for cv, most of the blokes in the class are much better than me!

[Bubba]

What are those? Sound like some kind of liquorice allsort

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/exercises.php?Name=Russian+Twist

they had us grappling with these plastic bodies on a spring

Weird!

[a dense loner]

i don't cross train at all. 3 times a year i'll do some stomach exercises when i decide i need more body tension, this lasts about 2 sessions :roll:

[SA Chris]

I've been doing some rowing coz of the heel - definitely a good aerobic workout and probably good for your back muscles too. I find it tweaks my elbows a bit sometimes though.

As a high school rower I can vouch for the tweaky elbows, need to get your technique sorted; dont lock out fully, and rotate the "blade"(handle in the gym?) slightly outwards.

Surfing gives good low impact workout. I sometimes think I'm quite fit, then try to paddle out in moderate waves and realise I'm not even close. Mountain biking is always a winner, not sure about it at the moment due to ankle.

[Bubba]

dont lock out fully

Cheers Chris, that's probably what I'm doing wrong, I lock out fully....

...and it's usually after a wall session which can't help either.

[SA Chris]

No worries. Rolling your hand outwards slightly, (knuckles more down), puts more of the load your forearms and biceps, instead of elbow.

And not a good idea after a wall session.

[Bubba]

Actually, I've only been doing that for the last couple of weeks because I've had a lot on and have been combining two day's training into one.

When time isn't such an issue I'll do wall/weights/etc, general upper body stuff one day, then aerobic / legs stuff on the other day. When I'm doing that I don't ever row but run the treadmill instead coz obviously rowing is upper body work too.

[webbo]

i try and get out on my road bike 3 times a week. however this week[back at work after 2 weeks off] with the shitty weather and work.my cross training consists of mixing a glass of red with a glass of white :alco:

[Tim Heaton]

I would disagree slightly with the rowing comment about fully locking out your arms as otherwise your arms will get tired remarkably quickly and you won't get a proper workout.
What I believe causes elbow pain in most people who have not been taught how to row properly is that they have a tendency to pick up the weight of cable with their back in a jerky motion instead of smoothly - either their bum shifts back about 10cm while the oar doesn't really move or their initial pull is with the arms and upper body rather than the legs  and this places extra strain on the arms/upper body.
When you are right at the front of the slide fully compressed and about to "pick up" you should make sure you are squeezing with your quads and your upper body should be fixed in position without moving (i.e. straight arms bent at the waist) only as you get the handle over the knees should you begin to use your back and then once you are nearly finished with the stroke you should begin to use your arms. At the end of the stroke you do the exact opposite - arms away first then body over and then finally compress the legs. A good exercise to see if you are doing this correctly is not to put your feet in the straps - they should stay in place without the toes lifting up and losing contact.

Hope this helps, it's really difficult to explain without pictures but I'm sure if you have a look on the Concept II ergo rowing website or something it will explain the technique properly. Rowing is a very good full body workout and if you have good technique it will really effect your split times so you don't have to put nearly as much effort for the same speed which always looks cool when you are in the gym next to some panting beast and calmly pulling a lower split.

[Tim Heaton]

Here is a link to how to row on an ergo, also have a look at the training tips section

http://www.concept2.co.uk/training/technique.php

[Bubba]

Cheers  

[SA Chris]

Tim, I fully agree with what you are saying about technique.

What I am saying, though, is that if you have elbow tweaks you should roll your hands to take the load off elbow joint, by using muscles more.  Yes it will make muscles more tired, but that isnt a bad thing.

Just a tip I got from my coach when i was a youth. I had elbow problems as I broke my wrist when I was 10 and it didnt heal 100% straight.

[Simon S]

In general I train on the bike about 5-6 times a week plus the odd run when its raining. Its been said that running is better for climbers as it tends not to build muscle mass as much as cycling.