[Luke Owens]

I've heard quite a few people say what helped them do a problem or route was setting a replica on a board.

I thought I'd give this a try and set 2 replicas of the crux of 2 routes I'm trying at the moment at my local wall.

Is the goal to make it harder than the actual sequence and climb it? I managed to climb one of the replicas I made last night; so is it then best to use smaller hand holds or smaller foot holds next time? Or just keep it as true to the actual route as possible and keep repeating it until it's easy?

Anyone tried this approach much? Had much success on routes or boulders after doing this sort of thing?

Cheers

[36chambers]

I have no experience of using replicas, other than making up sequences at the wall for problems I'm training for.

But for a crux on a route, it may be worthwhile to get it dialled and then start trying it whilst pumped. I can also see no harm it tweaking it a little every now and then, and making it harder than the actual problem.


I would love to be able to get replicas of all my projects. Let us know how it all pans out. 

[Monolith]

I measured some critical dims on the Pill Box problem and made a (too steep) replica on the Hangar 50 degree board. I figured since I could comfortably hold the position on the stand up with my feet flush to the kicker, it might not be a million miles away to eventually get my feet on. An idle bit of fun really.

Richie Crouch used to set a lot of replica moves/problems when we worked at Awesome Walls. Seems to have helped him over the years.

[andy_e]

That's the Mills we all know and love, not this fell-jogging loon!

[Nibile]

 

[nai]

Yeah I've done it and if it's unusual moves or something that is a weakness then yes it will help you get stronger or improve your technique on those type of moves.

But building a replica of an indoor route?  That might be a step too far 

[SA Chris]

II missed that it was an indoor wall. Might get reset before you get back on it!

[Luke Owens]

Cheers guys, re-reading my original post it's not too clear. I have 2 outdoor projects that I've created a replica of at my local wall.

It never gets reset really. It's only me and my mate who works there that does any setting. Nothing is changed in there unless either of us changes it, so the replicas are safe!

Seems like a really useful thing to do that I've never done before.

[SA Chris]

OK, just badly punctuated in first post - reads like you want to make a replica of a route at the wall, rather than make a replica of a route, at the wall.

Like the difference between knowing your shit and knowing you're shit

[nai]

Might be other things you can work on as well as just trying the replicated moves. Think about why you're finding them hard and what supplemental body work you could do to complement that.

There was that recent Gresham video about freakshow you could find about how he built a replica of the crux but also worked a shoulder weakness loads.

Sent from my XT1068 using Tapatalk

[petejh]

When I was trying the oak I made a replica of the traverse on the campus board by gastoning the ends of the rungs and climbing sideways (aka traversing). It helped. All the 80s sport wads did it (or maybe it was just Moon) so it must be right.

[bendavison]

It's unlikely that your replica will be an exact match of the route. So it'll probably help you more to change the replicas regularly (I'm thinking every session), even slightly.


Sent from the place where beasts are made using will power

[Sasquatch]

It's unlikely that your replica will be an exact match of the route. So it'll probably help you more to change the replicas regularly (I'm thinking every session), even slightly.


Sent from the place where beasts are made using will power

 

[abarro81]

+1

[JohnM]

Changing the replica may also prevent getting an overuse injury specific to the replica movement.  I came up with a replica of the middle crux on Fish Eye locking a small undercut and reaching quite far up into another undercut.  It is not that this move is particularly hard but I would arrive there with a healthy pump so I wanted to be over strong on the move.  I trained circuits into the replica, static locks on the replica, 4x4s on the replica and when I went back on the route I felt bionic on this move.  I didn't manage the route that time but when I got back I thought it would be good to get even stronger on that move so hit the replica hard again.  However, after another 6 weeks doing the same undercut move over and over again my bicep tendon became inflamed which was a surprise to me.  When I went back on the route I was weaker on the move than before the replica.  Don't replicate this.   

[lagerstarfish]

apart from just getting stronger from training, micro-beta can make a big difference to progress on a red point project

doing similar/replica moves makes it easier to spot worthwhile micro adjustments whilst on the real thing - you know, just because you're more used to the movement/positions and so can feel the differences/gains better

I've only done this on real rock using bouldering to work weaknesses, but imagine that the same priciples aply to plastic and wood

[ghisino]

...
when I went back on the route I felt bionic on this move.  I didn't manage the route that time... 

funny it looks like my experience this summer!

after one week trying my dream route in céuse, i had to take to months because of summer work.
During this time i did a lot of specific fingerboarding including various sorts of replicas of a crux move i found particularly hard.

when i came back to the route for a second one week assault i felt amazingly solid on this move which made me feel very confident...my only doubt concerned my fitness.
On my third or fourth day i had one very good attempt...that i failed three moves from the glory jug because of a mix of pump and bad foot beta...
Later in the trip i tweaked a finger on the "replicated" crux, so i spent my last couple of tries carefully inspecting teh rest of the route in search of beta refinements...And i actually found a few of them!

bottom line:
on positive side the replica training made me stronger where i wanted.
on the other it switched my focus away from the beta work, and possibly had a role in my minor injury.