[SEDur]

So, I came across this article earlier.
It gives a years worth of training plan for boulderers, and is written by a guy who supposedly coaches Daniel Woods among others.

http://www.climbing.com/skill/your-goal-boulder-harder/

It seems to follow the rules of micro/macrocycles, and I would expect it is meant to be done along with regular climbing.
It also has many exercises that i have been given in various training plans, and looks like a killer if you do it properly.

How would you choose to modify the power sections to include things like contrast training?

Looks like this may be a helpful template, if you can stick to it.

[Robsons]

To me it looks like it will ruin most that try it. "Pinch lock-offs for 10-30 seconds per set". A 30 second pinch lock-off will do it for me....in one set!
A little generic...not sure why you would only be training twice a week in December for strength?  (If I've read that correctly?)

[SEDur]

Yeah, a guy pointed that out in the comments too.

That said, work hard rest hard?

[Nibile]

I'm no expert, but it seems particularly badly thought.
There's no idea of macro and microcicles, inadequate rest, etc. Plus, it revolvs around campusing and little more.
It's so bad that it resembles some of my old training plans.

[Dr T]

It's so bad that it resembles some of my old training plans.

Genius   

[SEDur]

I'm no expert, but it seems particularly badly thought.
There's no idea of macro and microcicles, inadequate rest, etc. Plus, it revolvs around campusing and little more.
It's so bad that it resembles some of my old training plans.

I am not defending it, but the macro/microcycles are clearly there.

4 lots of 4 week micros with a 5th week for projecting is a macrocycle...
Periodisd power, strength, endurance, power endurance etc.

[Nibile]

I'm no expert, but it seems particularly badly thought.
There's no idea of macro and microcicles, inadequate rest, etc. Plus, it revolvs around campusing and little more.
It's so bad that it resembles some of my old training plans.

I am not defending it, but the macro/microcycles are clearly there.

4 lots of 4 week micros with a 5th week for projecting is a macrocycle...
Periodisd power, strength, endurance, power endurance etc.

Yes, I understand. But to me that's a simple timeline: there is no attention to intensity and volume variations.

I admit that my opinion can be biased: I didn't like the plan from first glance. The initial question "I want to climb three grades harder within a year" is very silly and would need, in my opinion, a very very different answer from a professional, not just "do this". It's misleading. One year is a long period and it must be tailored according to the climber's needs and starting point. The guy could be bouldering 6a and could be barely able to campus 1-2, yet he's given heavy campusing routines for months on end.
The whole thing seems to me just plain advertising.
I really really don't like it. It's too simplistic.
Of course it's an interesting read, and I don't mean to criticize SEDur in any way for posting it.
Sorry for the rant.

[jwi]

I stopped reading when the author suggested front-levers as a good exercise for the core.

[SEDur]

Yes, I understand. But to me that's a simple timeline: there is no attention to intensity and volume variations.

I admit that my opinion can be biased: I didn't like the plan from first glance. The initial question "I want to climb three grades harder within a year" is very silly and would need, in my opinion, a very very different answer from a professional, not just "do this". It's misleading. One year is a long period and it must be tailored according to the climber's needs and starting point. The guy could be bouldering 6a and could be barely able to campus 1-2, yet he's given heavy campusing routines for months on end.
The whole thing seems to me just plain advertising.
I really really don't like it. It's too simplistic.
Of course it's an interesting read, and I don't mean to criticize SEDur in any way for posting it.
Sorry for the rant.

I see your points, and do agree.

[slackline]

Listen to your body (and don't bother training, just go climbing).

[shark]

I stopped reading when the author suggested front-levers as a good exercise for the core.

 

[tomtom]

I stopped reading when the author suggested front-levers as a good exercise for the core.

 

Great for the core I'd imagine - but I can plank for close to 2 min, and front lever with bent arms for 0.5 seconds...! God knows how you do it for the 2 min it suggests!!

[jwi]

I struggle to imagine how people that can effectively train their core to anywhere near exhaustion using front levers? How strong lats do you need to have before upper back and shoulder is not the weak link in the front lever?

http://www.selfcoachedclimber.com/2012/09/front-levers-and-climbing/

[shark]

I struggle to imagine how people that can effectively train their core to anywhere near exhaustion using front levers? How strong lats do you need to have before upper back and shoulder is not the weak link in the front lever?

http://www.selfcoachedclimber.com/2012/09/front-levers-and-climbing/

OK but it helps to have a strong back and shoulders and the front lever is occasionally useful on roofs

[SEDur]

Taking in mind that this guys is meant to coach people like Daniel Woods, Alex Johnson (where i think i saw the article) and stuff, maybe he just though 'hey, what would i have that level try and do?'

As the article appears to be a reply to a question, maybe he was making a slightly facetious remark about people wanting for free, what i would expect he gets paid to provide.

The core concept of periodising and projecting is there though, all be it with strange choices in work to recovery ratio.

That said, intermediate climbers and 2 min front levers? Not sure about that.

Maybe its something to aim for... I would like to be able to front lever for 2 mins.

[krymson]

For beginners this might be more useful:
Beginner to 7a in 16 weeks

[rginns]

For beginners this might be more useful:
Beginner to 7a in 16 weeks

Some good stuff, but a lot of chuff...
2 hrs slacklining per wk?

He seems quite intense.....

[tomtom]

I struggle to imagine how people that can effectively train their core to anywhere near exhaustion using front levers? How strong lats do you need to have before upper back and shoulder is not the weak link in the front lever?

http://www.selfcoachedclimber.com/2012/09/front-levers-and-climbing/

OK but it helps to have a strong back and shoulders and the front lever is occasionally useful on roofs

Yeah - but only a bit - I mean you can often just swing your feet onto holds, otherwise the front lever does not really replicate any moves/positions you find in climbing. Planks (for example) do replicate moves / sitautions on roofs (esp side planks I find) and of course pull ups replicate moves you do climbing. But when you cut loose, your best position is with everthing below you not flagged out in a front lever. Anyway, not arguing just shooting the breeze - I think they're a great party piece but not sure whether you ever do anything like that when climbing..

[Dexter]

I have to say that a years training based mainly around (as far as I can tell) campusing and 4x4's seems really boring 

I guess my idea of training has always been find a problem at or above my limit and keep trying until fail

[jwi]

I struggle to imagine how people that can effectively train their core to anywhere near exhaustion using front levers? How strong lats do you need to have before upper back and shoulder is not the weak link in the front lever?

http://www.selfcoachedclimber.com/2012/09/front-levers-and-climbing/

OK but it helps to have a strong back and shoulders and the front lever is occasionally useful on roofs

I am not arguing that they may help for something, that would be a separate argument. I am saying that they should not be done as an exercise for the core: I can think of many exercises that are much more effective for developing a strong core.

[galpinos]

I can think of many exercises that are much more effective for developing a strong core.

Care to name them? (I'm interested, not having a go.....)

[jwi]

Deadlifts
Stiff leg DL (careful!)
Good mornings
Supermans
Leg raise
Single leg squat
Push Sit-up
Bird dog (starting on toes)

Lots of these can be made more unbalanced on a swiss ball

[galpinos]

Cheers jwi, I'm not sure what all of those are but will get googling!

I would have thought a 1 legged squat would be similar to the front lever, the limiting factor is your quad not your core. I can do 4 squats and have a realtively poor core.

[jwi]

One legged squat helps a lot for the Gluteus Maximus which I count as a “core” muscle, but some doesn't count the bum as a part of the core. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Core_(anatomy)#Anatomy (but whatever, I don't really care)

[tomtom]

Cheers jwi, I'm not sure what all of those are but will get googling!

I would have thought a 1 legged squat would be similar to the front lever, the limiting factor is your quad not your core. I can do 4 squats and have a realtively poor core.

Yes - but unlike the FL 1 legged squats are a useful climbing exercise...
I can't do one - and I really really struggle on high leg rockovers as a result.. Long levers excuse part II

[r-man]

Cheers jwi, I'm not sure what all of those are but will get googling!

I would have thought a 1 legged squat would be similar to the front lever, the limiting factor is your quad not your core. I can do 4 squats and have a realtively poor core.

Yes - but unlike the FL 1 legged squats are a useful climbing exercise...
I can't do one - and I really really struggle on high leg rockovers as a result.. Long levers excuse part II

Hmm. Which part of high leg rockovers do you struggle with? For most people it's shifting bodyweight from down low to over the top of the foot. The actual standing up is rarely the hardest bit, probably why the move is called a rockover, not a standup!

On a difficult rockover you have to pull hard with your toe, which seems to engage the bum, back of thigh and calf muscle more than anything. I think.

[tomtom]

Cheers jwi, I'm not sure what all of those are but will get googling!

I would have thought a 1 legged squat would be similar to the front lever, the limiting factor is your quad not your core. I can do 4 squats and have a realtively poor core.

Yes - but unlike the FL 1 legged squats are a useful climbing exercise...
I can't do one - and I really really struggle on high leg rockovers as a result.. Long levers excuse part II

Hmm. Which part of high leg rockovers do you struggle with? For most people it's shifting bodyweight from down low to over the top of the foot. The actual standing up is rarely the hardest bit, probably why the move is called a rockover, not a standup!

On a difficult rockover you have to pull hard with your toe, which seems to engage the bum, back of thigh and calf muscle more than anything. I think.

Its the standing up bit. as I said above, I can't stand up on one leg from squatting..
I've very skinny legs so getting weight over the foot is not usually the problem, its just standing up... it dont work!

[r-man]

Fair enough!

[SA Chris]

Levers shmevers. I'm 6ft 2 with legs like beanpoles and can do them, but I don't because my knees make a worrying grinding sound when i do. It's easier to practice them standing on a pole or edge of a bench so you can flap your other leg about a bit to balance rather than having to do them on the ground.

[r-man]

I'm not tall, but my knees hurt if I do one leg squats. They don't hurt when I do rockovers/standing up moves, so it seems like the one leg squat is working the wrong things.

What SA Chris said sounds more sensible, much more likely to work the relevant muscles.

[a dense loner]

When you do rockovers your other leg is pretty much always straight below you, you can't do this in a one-legged squat unless as someone said by standing on something. So a one legged squat should feel harder

[Muenchener]

It's sometimes surprising what people don't know. I was climbing at the weekend with a reasonably fit young lad who had only been climbing for a couple of years, and we were working a route with a rockover crux. He kept falling off, until I noticed that he was putting his foot on the hold and trying to stand up on it immediately, completely missing out the "rockover" part. When I pointed out to him that the first thing he needed to do was bring his butt down to his heel and get sat in balance on one leg, *then* stand up, it was a revelation to him and he did the move immediately.

Then he fell off the next move, then it rained.

[tomtom]

I started practicing 'pistols' as I believe they are known in a doorframe - where you can sidepull on the frame, mimicing the standing up on a hold quite well (apart from the leg underneath thing Dense is rightly talking about).. but like Chris my knees didnt seem to like it, and like most forms of training it bored the shit out of me so I stopped.

Nice tale Meunchner!

[tomtom]

sorry, One day Menunchener I will spell your username correctly!

[tomtom]

Oh bollocks I did it again.

[SEDur]

Deadlifts
Stiff leg DL (careful!)
Good mornings
Supermans
Leg raise
Single leg squat
Push Sit-up
Bird dog (starting on toes)

Lots of these can be made more unbalanced on a swiss ball

What are push sit-ups and Bird Dogs?

[jwi]

push sit ups are sit ups with a bar or two dumbbells pressed overhead.
Bird Dog Exercise #4 here: http://www.builtlean.com/2012/02/27/bird-dog-exercise/ (make them harder by start further out, or put hands or feet on balance ball)

[SEDur]

Cheers

[John Boy]

It's so bad that it resembles some of my old training plans.

Worse. It's so bad it resembles some of my new plans!