[TwistTheNeil]

Hi!
I've been climbing for a year now and apart from climbing, I do no other workout.
So my question was just that..do I need to do more to improve? I've been stuck trying to break my v3-v4 and 5c range..

[Kingy]

Not especially if you are content with a steady progression. If you are climbing 4 times a week and pushing yourself bouldering then you will improve no doubt. I tried running but I'm not convinced it benefits climbing greatly other than getting you in shape physically. Fingerboarding/ campussing/ pullups will help speed up your improvement but be careful with injury, there is not reason you can't get the same gains from pure climbing only it will take a bit longer.

[bendavison]

I wouldn't say that you need to train specifically yet. Climbing is a very skill oriented sport and it just takes time to learn all the techniques. I'd suggest that climbing as much as possible whilst thinking about how to climb something as efficiently as possible, rather than just get up it, will benefit you more in the long run at this stage. Yes, go to the wall and push yourself, go with a focus/goal, but keep it climbing oriented.

[mindfull]

Climb alot. Look at other climbers. Learn technique. Give your tendons time to get stronger (months/years). For 5/6th grade climbs this should do it. If you plateau here, then you might consider more structured training (hangboard/pullups/campus/core). IMO running is good to get healthy, but it will not make you better at climbing, as it is not addressing specific muscles and energy systems used in climbing. Some pushups and weight lifting might help you balance out your muscles.

[Ti_pin_man]

 

I guess the fact you've asked the question proves you want to improve.  So only you know the answer with regards to training, but I suspect the stock answer is to just climb some more.  pick it up to 3 times a week and just climb and enjoy climbing, dont train specifically until you start to plateau.

**cut/paste from thread linked below**
I was in a simailar position earlier this year.  I basically asked the same question and got the same answers:

ignore grades
work on your footwork
just keep climbing

I wasnt happy about the answers I wanted progress!   

you will likely want the same or why else would you post up the question.

So now my grades have picked up.  How?

I did the above !  edit : no shit sherlock

There's a lot of truth in the advice BUT the other thing I did was had a coaching session one to one with a good coach, it was a 3 hour session at a wall.  The most useful thing about it was that he could see me climb and told me where I was weak and then gave me some training on how to improve these weaknesses and S L O W L Y they are improving.

The biggest thing I've learned is that getting better just takes time.  There's no magic wand. there's no training plan that will guarentee you getting to 8a from 3+... it just takes time and practice.

The best advice I think is to keep doing it, keep practicing it, keep enjoying it.  Lower your expectations. 

**end cut/paste**

http://ukbouldering.com/board/index.php/topic,22578.0.html

[SA Chris]

Some pushups and weight lifting might help you balance out your muscles.

Especially If you weren't particularly strong before starting climbing this is a definite to prevent imblalances. Otherwise work on technique and the strength will come for now. And don't overfocus on indoor stuff.

[TwistTheNeil]

Thanks for all the replies!
I have been trying to improve on my footwork by climbing v1/v2 with straight hands and using technique anywhere i could. But when i get onto v3/4 i find that i can't do the same. Is this just that I don't have the strength yet?
Are there any drills I could do for improving footwork (and also for endurance)?

[slackline]

http://ukbouldering.com/wiki/index.php/Training_:_The_Science

[2 Tru]

I did not know that wiki existed thank you for that. Apologies for going off topic but the following section caught my eye on the wiki with Steve talking about power endurance training

"This is the problem with circuits, as often it ends up being too easy and then too hard with a fast build-up of fatigue and failure due to being ‘powered out’ rather than pumped."

That 'powered out' feeling has been a major weakness for me when trying to climb short powerful routes such as Rubicon. I can do all the moves, do the route with one rest but just run out of power when trying to complete it clean. I've never experienced that feeling of not being pumped but simply unable to keep going.

How do you design circuits to target this weakness?   

[slackline]

I did not know that wiki existed thank you for that. Apologies for going off topic but the following section caught my eye on the wiki with Steve talking about power endurance training

"This is the problem with circuits, as often it ends up being too easy and then too hard with a fast build-up of fatigue and failure due to being ‘powered out’ rather than pumped."

That 'powered out' feeling has been a major weakness for me when trying to climb short powerful routes such as Rubicon. I can do all the moves, do the route with one rest but just run out of power when trying to complete it clean. I've never experienced that feeling of not being pumped but simply unable to keep going.

How do you design circuits to target this weakness?

Try this currently active thread http://ukbouldering.com/board/index.php/topic,23330.0/topicseen.html

There are lots and lots of topics on this and other aspects of training that have been asked/answered before so try the search to see whats already in these here forums.

[2 Tru]

My apologies, I will have a search next time. Thanks for the link.