[ducko]

im sure this has been brought up a few times,
basically ive recently started climbing heavily and want a few training tipsof more experienced climbers,

basically since ive started climbing i have had a few issues, fingers, elbows, shoulder aching (not the after training aching painful aching) these have all cleared up,

assides from climbing what is good in home training you can do? i.e pressups situps things like that, im sure you need too work on alot of muscles and not just the fingers!

any advice appreciated

thanks
craig 

[Paul B]

Go climbing more then go and read Dave Macleods book "9 out of 10 climbers" avoid Horst.

[ducko]

the problem is ive climbed too much in the past and its done more bad than good, ill have a look for that book cheers

[lagerstarfish]

climbed too much

WTF 

Your wife may say that you have climbed too much; your bank manager and your doctor might say that you have climbed too much, but I cannot conceive of what type of perverse brain washing system has been forced upon you to cause you yourself to say that you have climbed too much

[ducko]

ive been climbing alot for around 6months, i was bouldering 4 times a week and after a while damaged my tricep tendon, and subsequently had 2 weeks of to recover,
ive heard that when you climb you need too balance out muscle groups by doing other excercise aswell,

like i say im after advice from different people, of course id like too climb everyday but rest days are needed i think.

thanks

[lagerstarfish]

ive heard that when you climb you need too balance out muscle groups by doing other excercise aswell,

I apologise for my previous flippant answer.

Yes, exorcising non climbing parts of your body is important.

I'm a fan of Javorek's dumbell complex routines - because they are easy and enjoyable. Don't use too much weight.

[Richie Crouch]

Look after your shoulders too!

http://www.sportsinjuryclinic.net/cybertherapist/back/shoulder/rotator/rotatstrength.php?injury=rotator

[shark]

ive been climbing alot for around 6months, i was bouldering 4 times a week and after a while damaged my tricep tendon, and subsequently had 2 weeks of to recover,
ive heard that when you climb you need too balance out muscle groups by doing other excercise aswell,

like i say im after advice from different people, of course id like too climb everyday but rest days are needed i think.

thanks

As a general rule the stronger you are the more you can resist injury. In training programmes an initial phase is often to condition yourself by doing larger volume/lower intensity work to prepare you for higher intensity work later on.

Other tips to avoid injury is to listen for tweaks and deal with them before they become proper injuries and to ensure you warm up properly before starting each session. Climbers also typically have shoulder imbalances which cause all kinds of problems but these can be corrected with theraband exercises and yoga type stretches as well press-up type exercises. Another thing is to ensure you have a reasonable amount of variety in your climbing activities otherwise you are just hammering the same parts of your body all the time. You can also do more climbing and training with imaginative use of variety as you can be tired from one sort of workout but still capable of doing another. Re fingers again try to ration the amount of full crimping you do and use half-crimps or open hand where you can. Can't think of much more other than eat healthy, sleep well , stay hydrated and have fun (optional). 

   

[Doylo]

I'm not sure climbing as much as you can (if its strenuous anyway) is a good idea when you're starting out. Better to get the body used to whats going on at a slower pace. If you're going to the orme a lot at this stage you will get tweaks. You need to find a nice slab to hone the footwork in between orme sessions!

[Richie Crouch]

I'm not sure climbing as much as you can (if its strenuous anyway) is a good idea when you're starting out. Better to get the body used to whats going on at a slower pace. If you're going to the orme a lot at this stage you will get tweaks. You need to find a nice slab pub to hone the footwork opposing muscle groups in between orme sessions!

[Rocksteady]

If I could go back in time to tell myself what to do 6 months after starting climbing, this is what I would say:

(1) Warm up carefully every session by getting your body warm, then doing climbing 2-3 grades below my limit for 30-45 minutes;

(2) When doing aforementioned warm up climbing, focus on technique. Do technique drills to program in the essential movements - silent feet, step throughs, flags, drop knees. I'd repeat easy problems in different ways to see how changing my sequence or body positioning made a difference;

(3) Climb more than twice a week;

(4) Climb outside as much as possible, as soon as possible;

(5) Do at least one session of bouldering a week, learn to fall safely;

(6) Do at least one session of lead climbing a week (don't top rope). Get used to falling off safely, all different angles, different heights off the ground. Do this lots;

(7)  Don't keep doing the same type of session. Don't always go right to your limit or til you're totally spent. Don't spend any time climbing badly when you're knackered.
As well as pushing your grade, spend time doing lots of easier problems well, instead of just getting to the top any which way;

( Watch climbers who are better than you climb the problems you've been trying. Think about how they did it. Did you do it the same way? Ask them what they did and why they did it that way, if you're not sure;

(9) Spend a little bit of time doing antagonistic exercises (push ups, dumbbell complexes) and pre-hab exercises (theraband etc) and spend a bit of time stretching and working on your core strength. But remember climbing more is usually the best way to improve;

(10) Climb outside as much as possible!

Hope that helps! I think it would have helped me.

[teghead123]

climbing outside as often as possible is the key, sometimes seems like a ball ache when the walls just round the corner but it keeps your motivation up, and you should get used to climbing all sorts of different styles, unless as stated above, you live on the orme

[tommytwotone]

If I could go back in time to tell myself what to do 6 months after starting climbing, this is what I would say:

(1) Warm up carefully every session by getting your body warm, then doing climbing 2-3 grades below my limit for 30-45 minutes;

(2) When doing aforementioned warm up climbing, focus on technique. Do technique drills to program in the essential movements - silent feet, step throughs, flags, drop knees. I'd repeat easy problems in different ways to see how changing my sequence or body positioning made a difference;

(3) Climb more than twice a week;

(4) Climb outside as much as possible, as soon as possible;

(5) Do at least one session of bouldering a week, learn to fall safely;

(6) Do at least one session of lead climbing a week (don't top rope). Get used to falling off safely, all different angles, different heights off the ground. Do this lots;

(7)  Don't keep doing the same type of session. Don't always go right to your limit or til you're totally spent. Don't spend any time climbing badly when you're knackered.
As well as pushing your grade, spend time doing lots of easier problems well, instead of just getting to the top any which way;

( Watch climbers who are better than you climb the problems you've been trying. Think about how they did it. Did you do it the same way? Ask them what they did and why they did it that way, if you're not sure;

(9) Spend a little bit of time doing antagonistic exercises (push ups, dumbbell complexes) and pre-hab exercises (theraband etc) and spend a bit of time stretching and working on your core strength. But remember climbing more is usually the best way to improve;

(10) Climb outside as much as possible!

Hope that helps! I think it would have helped me.

What he said.

Oh, and you'd do well to listen to The Great One's advice - don't forget "...if you think you're gonna climb shit, you're gonna climb shit..":

[ducko]

thanks for all the replys very useful indeed!

i always have a good warmup and climb lower grades so i got that bit right,
as for varying my climbing i think yesterday was the first time i didnt go wild on one route and varied my climbing and used a bit of imagination and made my own routes,

as for lead climbing my climbing buddy pretty much quit so yeah.. 

thanks alot for the advice guys really appreciate it!

thanks again

craig