[abarro81]

To set the scene: In mid-June I finish exams and am taking a year off to climb lots and lots. The current plan involves a 6ish month trip until Christmas (Euro sport and bouldering)..
My brother's just asked if I want to go travelling with him in the USA (he lives over there now), which would be mid-June. I do, but just thinking about how long for.. Clearly 2 weeks out aint gonna make much difference 2 months down the line in Europe... but how have people found taking 3-4 weeks out? I don't want to blow the chance to go to Europe and climb hard by taking a 4 week holiday at the start of it! So, if you've taken a month or so off, how long has it taken to get back to the level of strength/fitness you were at before? Or should I just do 2 weeks which I'm not too worried about?

[stokesy]

Took 3 weeks out the xmas before last due to a combination of family holiday and a build up of minor injuries. When I came back I'd cleared up most of the injuries but it probably took me at least the same amount of time, maybe more, to get back to where I was in terms of strength. Though I'd guess this sort of thing is different for different people.

[Paul B]

My trip hit me as a bit of surprise, one friday Nat came home talking of an off the cuff email that mentioned sabbatticals, the next friday she had 1 week left at work before 6 months off. We left shortly after.
I'd be injured/unpsyched and not really climbing that much at the time and only spent the last fortnight going to the foundry and doing routes (teaching Nat some rope skills at the time). So I think its safe to say I didn't leave in tip top condition.
I don't think it really mattered. If you want to perform immediately then maybe its going to make a difference but I treated the transition into climbing only on rock as getting fit and used to it all. About half way through the trip I was fitter than ever and climbing well (despite being weak). I think the other thing to note is that at the start of a trip you'll be overflowing with psych and climb like you're on a week long holiday. It won't take long for you to establish that this isn't sustainable over a longer period of time and settle down somewhat.

[dave]

but how have people found taking 3-4 weeks out?

How long have you been climbing? Generally I recon the longer you've been climbing for at around the same level, the less quickly you will lose it during layoffs. I find that the first things to go will be stamina, the ability to do longer sessions (so general condition) and to a lesser extent raw power. I recon stuff like finger strength, assuming you've built it up over a number of years, takes a long time to lose.

I find the main problem after a layoff/s is more to do with getting back that kind of momentum and confidence which you get when you're climbing a lot - to be honest this is more of and issue than any strength/stamina issues.

[abarro81]

I've been climbing 6 years ish, though I've not been climbing at the same level for that long in any of that time (as in, I've never not been better than I was a year before), so I guess there will be some gains that aren't cemented in yet. Not so worried about stamina, since that's what I do best and get quckest, especially in Europe.. I guess I was just worried that 2 weeks in my head seems like you'd just lose a bit of snap and sharpness, whereas a month sounds like long enough to actually lose something more substantial (not that these thoughts/worries are based on any knowledge of that being true).

[Doylo]

You will defo lose strength/stam but a 6 month trip is more than enough time to rectify things. Even if your not quite up to par for 3 weeks, you will come back fresher and stronger i'd suggest.

[Rocksteady]

What Dave said. The longer you've been climbing, the longer it takes to lose your gains.

With 6 years of training behind you, no doubt a month off will take away some sharpness, fitness and strength. But with months of a trip ahead - you could use first few weeks of climbing just to get back into the swing of things without pushing yourself too hard? At the end of it no doubt you will be absolutely cranking!

[SA Chris]

Another crucial question - where in the US? Loads to see and do other than climbing - it will be too hot to climb anyway, but some great places to go.
But if he lives in shitsville USA, sack it off.

[nik at work]

You would lose something, but as important as how long you take off from climbing is what you're going to be doing whilst not climbing. If your brother is planning a four week burger bar tour of America you might want to give it a miss...

[erm, sam]

Also, climbing is not the be all and end all, and things change.
You might not get the same brother/US chance again, so give it a good blast.
Perhaps you should go to the USA for long enough to have a brilliant trip with your brother, and then go on the Euro climbing trip and crush. Cutting short the brother trip just to be a bit better in the first few weeks of a massive euro trip makes no sense.

Even if it a trip to noclimbingville, there are quite a few climbing gyms in the US so you could have a session or two a week to keep things turning over..

[Bolderer]

June is a terrible time to experience US climbing potential....unless you're psyched on high alpine (above 3,000 meters) bouldering, of which there is plenty in Colorado.  Try Squamish in Canada instead. 

[abarro81]

June is a terrible time to experience US climbing potential....unless you're psyched on high alpine (above 3,000 meters) bouldering, of which there is plenty in Colorado.  Try Squamish in Canada instead. 

I think you misunderstand - I wouldn't be going climbing in the US, my brother doesn't climb; the climbing's when I get back...

[Fiend]

2-4 weeks is that all your worried about?? Jeez get real. 2 sessions pulling hard and you'll be back on the crush.

Try taking 2-4 months out due to injury, fairly regularly.

[Falling Down]

It'll do you more good than harm.

[Steve R]

It won't take long for you to establish that this isn't sustainable over a longer period of time and settle down somewhat.

  not so sure about that as far as Count Barros is concerned, he's a keen one alright.

Barros, I'd agree with what others are saying.  Though a full 4 week quota of US hedonism might harm your chances on a one-week quick hit trip, over your extended trip it'll likely do you more good than harm?

From current personal experience, I'm really quite surprised how resiliant strength for climbing seems to be over time.  Despite not climbing indoors for over a year, not training, and 'just going climbing' when I thought it was safe to, it doesn't feel as though I'm that far from where I've been in the past.  I reckon with a new set of elbows, a couple of indoor sessions and a crash diet I could be just as shit as I ever was in no time.

PS. Why on earth are you trying to go climbing in the states at that time of year you idiot?! oh yeah

[SA Chris]

So what is the trip going to involve? Delving into the delights of the sordid underbelly of Vegas? Partying with stoodents in Miami? Sampling the SanFran scene?

Or appreciate the Mormon architecture in Utah?

[Doylo]

Or chilling with the rednecks in the deep south?

[Three Nine]

he is going to San Fran to be with his own kind

[Doylo]

Didn't know Alex was Californian?

[abarro81]

So what is the trip going to involve?

Cake. Pie. Burgers. Bitches. Drugs. Learning to rap. The usual...

Actually this is up for discussion.. My bro is at Harvard (Boston) and keen to see some more of America than the library there I think (for a brief while anyway). There was talk of driving across the states (online route planners say that's 48 hours of driving ish), though neither of us know that much about what there is to see/do in the middle, but it does sound cool. One alternative was seeing the South and being judgemental of people there like all good liberal Brits, though it might be too hot for those shenanigans at that time of year. Or doing route up/down the West coast..
Suggestions anyone?

[Bolderer]

not all from the South are rednecks....there are a lot, but they don't tend to be in urban areas.  The South has some of the best bouldering in the US - Boone, HP40, Rocktown, LRC etc (I know you aren't climbing, just sayin', don't hate on the Southerners, a lot are cool).

In June you'd be best served staying out of the South unless you love mosquitos and 90 degree (f) days...Maine and New Hampshire are nice and a lot closer.  If you want to drive cross country Cali is your best bet, but it is a long ass drive.

[SA Chris]

I personally wouldn't bother with the plan to motor west, travel my way down the highway that's the best (must stop that).

Lots of tedious flat country, boring interstate and generic roadside service stations. Not a great way to get your kicks on route(...sorry).

You think it would you get hip to this kindly tip and go take that California trip, but I think flying across would be better.

Or just spend the summer in the Hamptons

[mark s]

Climbing is just a hobby.your brother is family.its not going make any differance not climbing for a month.your going be climbin for 6 months!!! Get to the states and have a holiday.you'll remeber that long after a few weeks of climbing

[fatdoc]

It'll do you more good than harm.

we've only met a few times.. but just GO

you are talking 2 once in a life time opportunities in one small time period...

[Three Nine]

Barrows get yo ass to the CPT and the LBC

[SA Chris]

On a mission trying to find Mr Warren G?

[abarro81]

I will definitely be making sure that one stop on any route is the east side motel...

[Three Nine]

no way will yo brother and yo have a car full of girls. that is fo shizz.